Still jarred by his brother’s foolish risk, Than waited in the poppies, until he fell asleep, and then he sought out Hip in the dream world.
Than knew exactly what Hip would be doing when he found him.
“I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!” Hip’s voice rang out over the abyss.
“Maybe not exactly,” Than thought, rolling his eyes at his brother’s projection of a little green woman in a pointed black cap. “Hey, witch!”
Hip turned in surprise and spoke in the voice of an old hag. “What are you doing here? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
Than looked at the pretty girl cowering in fear before his brother. Then he asked his brother, still in his witch form, “Since when has this been your style? What happened to lover boy?”
“Now come on, brother,” Hip said. “I’ve been doing this for over a millennium. Shows how often you come to see me.”
“What exactly is this?” Than asked. “I don’t think that particular character has been around for over a millennium.”
“Details, details,” Hip said. “I’m talking strategy here, not the details.”
“Scare them to death?”
“Never to death, brother. Then you’d get them. I just scare them enough to want a protector.” Hip changed his witchy projection back to himself and spoke in his own voice. “There, there, Melody. I’ll save you from that nasty witch.”
The girl ran into Hip’s arms.
Hip gave Than a smirk and a wink. “Works every time,” he said over the girl’s head.
Hip’s mouth fell on the girl’s. “Nice,” Hip said in between kisses.
Than remembered the feeling of Therese’s arms around him, her lips pressed against his.
Hip read his thoughts before Than could block him. As twins, they had a special insight into one another’s minds.
“Aha!” Hip laughed, tossing the girl to the side. “That’s why you’re here. All these centuries you have chastised me, looked down on me for making the most of my lot by having a little fun with the girls, a little harmless fun…”
“Not always harmless,” Than murmured.
Melody faded into the background.
“And here you are now, wanting some tail now that you’ve had a small taste. What a hypocrite!”
“Tail? Is that what you so irreverently call human beings? They’re not playthings.”
“Oh? Says who?” Hip folded his arms at his chest. “Get off your high horse.”
“They’re our responsibility, not our amusement.”
“They are both, Than. That’s your problem. You take everything too seriously. You need to learn to have a little fun.”
“Switch jobs with me for a day and then tell me how that’s possible!”
“Broken record, bro’! That’s what you are! A scratched disc. I didn’t choose our lots. All I can say is, you need to make the most of yours, and you don’t.”
Than moved closer to Hip, putting his face inches from his brother’s. “And you need to be more careful. You almost killed that girl before her time.”
“You’re just mad that I get to go to her now, and you don’t.”
“Leave her alone, Hip. I mean it. She’s been through a hard time, losing her parents.”
Hip moved his face so close to Than’s, that they almost touched. “That’s exactly why she needs me, to help divert the pain. And believe me, bro’, I’ll show her a good time.”
Than shoved his brother out of his face.
Hip flew back to retaliate, but then didn’t. He smiled, took a relaxed stance. “Lighten up. I’ll leave her alone.”
“Good.” Than backed off, about to leave, about to wake in the field of poppies.
“I’ve never seen you like this before,” Hip teased. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you like this girl, Therese.”
Than ignored him and opened his eyes. Another death beckoned him to China. But as he met the old man to lead him to Charon’s raft, his mind went back to the red-haired girl who had kissed him.