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“With Gaz,” Melchom amended.

“Tomato, to-mah-to.”

“You could’ve thrown her to my jugular the second I told you she could kill me.”

Huh.

Dave guessed he could have. He was also pretty sure that anyone else would’ve reached that conclusion right away.

“I didn’t,” he mumbled, gaze down.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to examine the ins and outs of why it hadn’t even crossed his mind. He wasn’t sure Melchom would let him get away with it, either.

“We’re both on the same train, Dove,” Melchom said, standing up to his full height. “We both know there’s something here that shouldn’t be here, and neither of us wants to give it a voice.”

“Huh?”

Melchom was crowding him against the wall, and it was making him short circuit. That was a thing. Right? Dave gulped, feeling his heart pounding against his chest.

“Good to know I can still get you scared.” Melchom tucked a strand of Dove’s hair behind his ear. “It would be a pity if I didn’t have a use for you anymore, don’t you think?”

Dave trembled, but he didn’t give it much thought. He knew when the demon meant something and when Melchom was saying what he thought he should. Dave didn’t care that it was too soon to be so certain of that.

“You’d still want me.” Dave licked his bottom lip. “But I’m into it, remember? I told you it was a kink.”

“You said so, Dove.”

Dave shook his head. He was not going to wonder why the fuck he felt so fond of a fucking demon who regarded him as property.

“Why did you let me have a hellhound for myself if you’re afraid of them?”

“I’m not afraid of anything.”

“Tell that to someone who believes it.”

Was that too much sass? It probably was. Dave chastised himself to tone it down a bit more next time.

Apparently, the idea made his demon laugh.

And… he’d just thought of Melchom as his.

A shiver Dave couldn’t decipher racked down his spine.

“Go walk the hound. No demon’s going to bother you if they stop for a minute and see what it means.”

“Which you are not going to tell me.”

“Not yet.”

Of course not.

Well, two could play that game.

Or not. Dave wanted to facepalm himself. He should’ve thought to ask that before.

“Where am I supposed to take Gaz anyway? Is there a dog park or a forest or…?”

Dave didn’t think they did their necessities in the cave. For one thing, it would’ve stunk if they were peeing and pooping all over that room.