Page 1 of Their Lethal Pet

PROLOGUE

ORCUS

“What the fuck is Monsters Night?”In all the realms and realities I’ve ventured to during my very long existence, I’ve never heard of such a concept.

“It’s like Halloween,” my brother mutters. “Except no one dresses up or passes out candy.”

“So it’s a holiday?” I translate, not following his logic.

He grimaces. “Depends on who you ask.”

I stare at him. “I’m going to need a better explanation, Hades.”

My brother sighs, his pitch-black eyes—the same color as my own—finally meeting mine. “Basically, these portals open, releasing creatures from various realms and realities into the mortal world. But it’s only for one night a year.”

I snort. “That doesn’t sound like Halloween at all.”

He shrugs. “Monsters roaming the night reminds me of Halloween.” He scrubs the day-old stubble along his square jaw. “But I guess it’s more like a mating game since the creatures infiltrate the Human Realm to find compatible brides and grooms.”

My eyebrow inches upward. “And you think ourmother is in thisMonsters Nightrealm?” That was how this conversation started—by my brother saying he thought he may have found something related to our missing Omega mother.

Hades’s lips twist to the side, his gaze narrowing slightly. “I’m not sure, but I sense a presence there. One that might be hers.”

“Hmm.” I drum my fingers against the leather armchair, the rhythmic tap echoing through my brother’s den. He takes the wholeNetherworldvibe to the extreme in some cases, the dark fixtures and shadowy corners reminding me more of a crypt than an office.

“It’s enough that we need to investigate,” he continues. “But there are too many obligations and complications at present for me to pursue it further on my own. Hence…” He waves a hand at me.

“Hence the reason you’re telling me about the lead.”

“Exactly.”

I lift a shoulder and stand. “All right. Give me the details and I’ll check it out.” A few hours of wandering the alternate reality will tell me if my brother’s instincts are right or not.

He shakes his head. “It’s not that simple.”

I frown at him. “Sounds pretty simple.”

“Their reality is run by supernatural beings, not humans. It’s entirely unlike the Human Realm we know in our existence.” His obsidian-colored eyes glitter at me. “They sensed the window portal I used to peek inside their world, Orcus. If they can sense that, they’ll absolutely feel you entering their realm via a proper portal door.”

“Okay, so I should come prepared for a fight?” I hedge, wondering what sort ofsupernaturalsI’ll be dealing with in this alternate realm.

He shakes his head. “I want you to gointo their world on Monsters Night. Your portal will be one of the hundreds opening for the mating event. You should be able to come and go without notice.”

I study him for a moment, his large form half-hidden by the wooden monstrosity he calls a desk. “All right. And when is Monsters Night?”

“In two weeks,” he says. “But there’s more.”

Of course there is.

Grumbling under my breath, I collapse back into the oversized leather chair and gesture for him to continue. “Go on, brother. Lay it all out.”

“If you were less impulsive, little brother, you would see that I was already trying to do that.”

I give him a look.Little brother. Fuck. I’m the same height and width as him. Even our wingspan is identical. “There’s nothinglittleabout me.”

His dark gaze dances over me in amusement. “I can easily best you,babybrother.”

I roll my eyes. He makes it sound like I’m an infant, not two thousand years old. “Stop tempting me to kick your ass, and finish your explanation,old man.”