Page 11

EIGHT

MAC

I follow Drax back to his room, which I reluctantly admit is comfy and much nicer than the room I was given. We sit next to each other on his couch, and he starts flipping through the contract pages.

“Is it even legal that the contract is in a language I don’t speak?”

Drax tilts his head. “Legal? If you’re referring to human laws, obviously those don’t apply here. Auri makes his own rules.”

My heart sinks. I knew that. Of course I knew.

I made a hasty decision, as is my way, and now I’m in this mess.

I watch Drax’s face as he flips through the pages, scanning them quickly.

His nose scrunches sometimes, and other times his eyes widen briefly.

A few times he nibbles his bottom lip, and more than once I would swear he smiles.

Every emotion he experiences flits along our bond, vibrating in my chest, and I’m slightly soothed when nothing overly negative hits me.

He finishes reading through the stack of papers then sits back. “It’s all very standard for most demon dealings. Was there something specific you were looking for?”

“The part where my end of the deal is done and he lets me go.”

“Terms of release.” Drax flips to a specific page. “Upon successful completion of the specified tasks, to be determined, demon master—” He mumbles a word that makes no sense. “—Auri, will decide if the pet may be released or continues to be an asset.”

I blink several times as the reality sinks in. “He’s really not gonna let me go, is he?”

Drax looks at me with sympathetic eyes and the bond between us tugs. “It’s not so bad. We do have freedoms.”

“I don’t know if I can live down here. I’m a dragon. I need to fly.”

His face perks up. “You can leave whenever you want to. Just like we left today. He’ll only call you back if he needs you.”

“Then why are the other guys down here?”

Drax shrugs, but he looks nervous.

“Drax. Why are they down here if they can leave whenever they want to?”

“They don’t want to,” he says simply.

“You’re telling me they like living in the underworld? They didn’t seem like the jolliest bunch.”

He giggles, and the sound is actually delightful.

“Silly dragon. We have an image to uphold. Well, they do. I don’t care much how others perceive me.

While I doubt any of them would admit it, we’re a family of sorts.

They all had their reasons for coming here, as you did, but perhaps what they have here is better than what they had before. ”

“But what I had—” I stop myself when I slam into the reality of my life. I have nothing pressing going on up there except for family, and if what Drax is saying is true, I can visit when I want to. “I see.” I bite my bottom lip for a second. “What kind of freedoms?”

“The library is nice, as you’ve seen. You have the entire history of the world at your fingertips. And once you’ve proven yourself worthy to Auri, he’ll give you some demon magic so you can travel between realms and even make a few small deals if that pleases you.”

Hmm. That’s intriguing.

“We can go wherever we want down here, and we’re treated well by others, even higher-ranking demons, though they are suspicious of us given Auri’s wily nature.”

“Wily?”

“He’s cunning. What you see is not always what you get. As I suppose you’ve also learned.”

“Yeah.”

“A demon can’t break his word, so if Auri promised you that he would let you go after you fulfilled your contract, he will, but it’s not written here.”

I rack my brain, recalling my conversations with him. That moment in the strange bar, there was no preamble and I didn’t ask any clarifying questions.

“He promised me…” I squeeze my eyes closed. “Respect. Purpose.” I open my eyes. “He never promised anything else. Shit.”

“Don’t fret. He has released some of his pets in the past.”

“He has? For what reason?”

“That’s between them, but there have been situations. Many, in fact. Perhaps they’d served their purpose but weren’t a good long-term fit. Or Auri felt moved by their desire to leave. Only Auri knows why he does what he does.”

I rub my forehead. “I asked him why he wanted the amulet.”

Drax’s big eyes stretch even wider. “Very brave. What did he say?”

“He said it wasn’t any of my business.”

“That’s normal. I know better than to ask why, but I imagine some of the others have tried and failed.”

“Is Auri evil?”

“Evil?” Drax looks left and right, like he’s searching for the meaning of the word. “I’m not sure I can answer that. Human morality and ethics are immaterial in the underworld, but by our standards, Auri is neutral.”

“Neutral?”

“Yes. He causes no real harm to this world or the human realm. He merely uses human greed and desire to his advantage, and that is smart, not evil.”

“But he kills his pets when they don’t live up to his standards?”

“ Allegedly. Again, we all have our reputations to uphold.”

I nod, hoping it’s just lore. My track record of living up to expectations is poor at best.

“Okay, well I guess all I can do right now is figure out where the mage who took the amulet is.”

Drax perks up again. “Yes. We should go to the library. I was researching it before you came in.”

“The library can tell us where he is?”

“Last known whereabouts.”

“How does it work? Who’s documenting all this information?”

“Hmm. How do I explain?” He taps his chin. “We’re all connected to it. Every interaction a demon has is automatically archived in the library.”

“But what if a demon hasn’t interacted with this particular mage?”

“Impossible really. Demons are everywhere in the human realm, and particularly for those with abilities. Certainly, a mage has called upon a demon or two in their time.”

“That’s fair.”

“Come along, ma—” He stops abruptly, and I feel the pang of hurt through our bond.

I’m such an asshole. I can’t hurt a guy like Drax.

“I’m sorry for how I acted earlier,” I blurt. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I was overwhelmed.”

He nods happily. “I understand.”

No, he doesn’t, but that’s not his fault. I have to try to be nicer so I can get through this nightmare I created. Once Auri gets his precious amulet, maybe I can reason with him, break the bond, and Drax can go on to find the mate who was truly meant for him. He deserves that much.

“To the library?” Drax holds out his hand.

I take it, smiling as warmth bounces along our bond and my dragon purrs with contentment.

“To the library.”

DRAX

Mac holds my hand as I lead him through the hallways back to the library, both of us forced against a wall as Grim comes bounding down chasing after a ball.

“The puppy is cute,” Mac says, looking over his shoulder at him.

“Very. He’s sweet too, but watch his bite. He doesn’t have much self-restraint yet.”

“Noted.”

We enter the library where the other mercenaries have gathered. I wanted to tell Mac more about our odd little family, but it’s not up to me to divulge everything about the guys. I learned through experience and so will Mac.

I glance at him as we take a seat at a long table, across from Roman and Atlas who are huddled over a manga novel. Cassius floats above our heads, perusing the books on language, his favorite section.

Atlas glances up, nodding in acknowledgment, which gives me an idea. He’s a gargoyle. He’s seen things.

“Hey, Atlas, ever hear of a mage named Rune?”

“Rune.” He taps his heavy fingers on the table. “Doesn’t sound familiar. What century?”

“Ooh, I don’t know. I assumed this one.”

“Lot harder to find if you don’t know his origin.”

“What does that mean?” Mac asks.

“A longer search, perhaps,” I say.

“What do you need a mage for?” Roman scratches his beard.

“He stole something Auri wants.”

Both Roman and Atlas cringe as Cassius floats down in front of us.

“I might have some avenues for locating a tricky mage,” Cassius says.

“Aren’t they all tricky?” Mac mutters.

“Yes,” Cassius says. “What do you know about him?”

“Just his name and that he has an amulet he took from a very old witch, so he must have some unique or powerful abilities since no one else has been able to for centuries.”

“I’ll ask my contacts. They’re witches, so they may know.”

“I thought witches and vampires weren’t friends,” Mac says.

Cassius smiles. “Common lore, but I’ve learned there are mutual benefits to be had between both groups. I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Thanks, Cassius,” I say, patting Mac’s hand.

Atlas leans forward, tapping my arm. “I’d start in the magic makers section for the last two centuries. That should get you close. If he’s older than that, he probably would’ve tried to steal it sooner.”

“Good point.”

Roman grins. “If you’re going on an adventure I want to tag along. Business is slow and I’m restless. I could stand to stretch my legs.”

I turn to Mac, raising an eyebrow in question and using the bond to communicate, hoping it works as I’ve been told it does.

Help from the others could make the mission faster if you’re agreeable.

Scales ripple across his neck as his eyelids flutter and a wave of warmth washes through the bond. He nods, holding my gaze.

“We’d appreciate the help,” he mumbles aloud.

Smiling, I raise my hand and twist it, mentally calling forth the relevant books. They land with a thud on the table, dust clouds rising around them. Mac waves his the dust away from his face.

His jaw drops when he sees how thick the books are. “These will take years to read.”

I gently drag my fingers down his spine, noting how he leans into my touch. “Not with me in your corner, dragon.”

Mac nods, gazing into my eyes. When he blinks, they shift, appearing magnificently green as his inner dragon shows through.

I move my hand to his chest, smiling as it vibrates.

The man may have reservations, but his dragon doesn’t.

He likes me. I just have to win the man over, that’s all.

As soon as Mac is sleeping, I’ll find the book on human mating rituals, so I’ll know how to woo him.

“Why don’t you start with the current century,” I suggest. “It’s a bit shorter. I’ll get through the twentieth quickly enough.”

“Thank you for helping.”

“You should never expect less.” I want to use the delightful word, repeating it like a chant, but it makes him uncomfortable. Once he accepts that we’re truly mates, I’ll never cease using it.

I lean in and press a soft kiss to his mouth, pleased when he melts against me instead of pulling away. His lips part and his hot tongue tangles around mine until someone across the table clears their throat.

We separate quickly to find Atlas giving us a stern look. “You don’t have to rub it in that you’re getting laid,” he grumbles.

“Apologies, dear friend.”

Mac drags his hand through his hair, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“Don’t let Atlas ruin your fun,” Cassius says. “I for one would love to watch lovers do what they do. It’s been so long. I did hear of a vampire nest over in Spain who still gets up to the old ways. Blood orgies once a month. Delightful.”

“You gonna visit?” Roman licks his lips. “Like, on a full moon?”

Cassius shrugs his slim shoulders. “I have to feel them out to see if they’re open to visitors. Not all nests are.”

“I know of one where my brothers live,” Mac says, drawing Cassius’s interest. “They do blood orgies too. I could find out more when I’m topside again.”

“Ooh, please do.”

Mac nods, chewing on his bottom lip before directing his attention to the book in front of him. “Guess we should get started.”

“We should. Then we’ll have a bath and dinner. You need your rest.”

Mac holds my gaze for a moment before dragging his pretty eyes back to the book. The sooner he sleeps, the sooner I can formulate a plan to prove to him that I’m his perfect mate and he chose wisely.

We have an amazing future ahead of us. I just know it.