Page 6 of Demon (Mystic Guardians #3)

Chapter Six

L onnie

The police weren’t able to do much, just as Lonnie had expected. They were going to check on the security cameras, at least, so that should help. Maybe those cameras had caught the person in the act of leaving the notes on his car. He certainly didn’t have a camera in his classroom.

But he could put one in there. Maybe. He wasn’t sure if that was legal, so that was something else to check into.

Xavier was out of the office, so they put off taking in the notes for a couple of days. Since it was the weekend, Lonnie had cooked Callan a huge breakfast after they got back from the police station, then settled into his recliner with his laptop so he could grade. His students used software to upload their work, and he mostly downloaded the pages into Word so he could use track changes before re-uploading them. Occasionally, he printed out hard copies—it depended on his mood and how sick of his computer screen he got.

Before starting, he checked his favorite message board online to see if anyone had located the figurines he’d been trying to find. He had a message from one of the more vocal users, so he clicked that. It had a link to a rare Gasai Yuno one that he really wanted. Excitement and anticipation created a hot knot in his belly, but that quickly faded when he saw it had already been purchased. Disappointed, he thanked the message board user anyway.

Glancing at Callan, Lonnie bit back a smile. Lonnie had put on one of his recent favorite shows, Blue Eye Samurai . He’d watched it several times, so he’d mostly just look up from his work for his favorite scenes. Callan, however, was completely mesmerized. He was on the couch but leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. Lonnie had moved the coffee table out of his way. Callan’s dark eyes stayed glued to the show. Lonnie wondered if Callan identified a lot with the main character, who stood out in her world because of a physical difference. Callan’s size, even with the glamour, made him stand out, too.

Lonnie stayed quiet so Callan could better enjoy the show, though it was hard when he had questions piling up in his brain. Imagine living for four hundred years! It was so hard not to interrupt.

“Why do you wiggle your foot so much?” Callan suddenly asked.

Lonnie stopped waving his foot. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to distract you. If my feet weren’t propped up, I’d be bouncing one leg. It’s just something I do, but I’ll try to keep it still for you.”

“I didn’t say I minded. Was just curious.” Callan looked back at the television. “I like this show. I never thought to watch cartoons before.”

“I guess technically it is a cartoon, but there’s a difference. Not all cartoons are anime. And if you like this one, I have so many more to show you.”

Callan waved a hand around the room. “All these toys are from these shows?”

Lonnie nodded. “And video games. Some manga. I even have a few things from live action movies like the Alien franchise.” He pointed toward that shelf. “Have you ever watched Alien ?”

Callan looked to where Lonnie had pointed, real curiosity smoothing out his features. “No, but I’d like to. I’m interested in what you are. There is something I can’t understand, though.” Callan paused as he turned back to Lonnie, head cocked to the side. “You have no thoughts.”

Confused, it was Lonnie’s turn to blink. “I have an overabundance of thoughts. My mind is like a carnival of hamster wheels, all spinning, all the time.”

Callan snorted. “Funny.”

“Many thoughts. Always spinning.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

Callan shifted to face him more, his rugged features bunched a little with confusion. “I mean, I don’t hear them.”

“Hear what?”

Callan rolled his eyes, which should have seemed rude, but the demon pulled it off so it came off different. Kind of affectionate, really. If rolled eyes could be affectionate. His writer brain started to argue the description, but Callan interrupted.

“I can’t hear your thoughts.”

Oh! Now this was interesting. Lonnie set his laptop on the table next to his chair and sat forward. “Is that your magic? Psionics?”

Again with the blinking, and fuck if it wasn’t cute. Seeing this big, normally grumpy-looking demon baffled gave Lonnie a pang in his chest. It was so…endearing.

“Si-what?” Callan asked.

“Psionics. Telepathy, telekinesis, empathy… The ability to read minds falls into that category.”

“Yes, I have that.”

So. Damn. Cute.

“Most people, their thoughts are confusing. It…irritates me. You’re nice and quiet.”

“Which makes no sense considering the party living in my head. Maybe there’s so much going on, it all sort of cancels itself out for you.”

Callan just blinked at him again.

Lonnie was coming to love that expression on the demon’s face. “There must be a reason you can’t hear me,” Lonnie mused. “I wonder what it is.”

Callan snorted again as he settled back against the couch. “You should be happy. Most people have thoughts better not shared.”

“Is it only humans you can hear, or do you hear them all?”

“Most everyone. It’s quiet at my work because Xavier uses magic to help those that hear too much. The ones with… What did you call it?”

“Psionics.”

“Yeah, that.”

Lonnie could imagine he heard some of the worst of what humans had to offer with that ability. In the short time Callan had been there, Lonnie had realized that the demon spoke very little, and he got the feeling he had trouble articulating. He wasn’t slow, but he did seem to think long before he spoke. Lonnie had had to work hard not to interrupt him—a habit he knew was wrong. But his mouth often jumped his brain. And his patience. He didn’t want Callan to feel like Lonnie didn’t accept him for how he was. He’d already learned the demon was pretty damn sweet-natured for being such a large, fierce looking preternatural. Lonnie bet most humans were scared of him. And that Callan was used to that and even took a bit of pride in it.

Or did it bother him?

Lonnie wanted to know everything about Callan. He managed to hold off until the end of the current episode but eagerly paused the stream before the next one could start. “Are you cool with more questions? I just find your long life fascinating.”

Callan shifted on the sofa as he focused his attention on Lonnie. “Sure.”

“Have you fought in any wars?”

“Yes.”

Lonnie waited for him to elaborate, growing frustrated when he didn’t. “The Revolutionary War? Was that one of them?”

Callan nodded. “Was a terrible time. I don’t like to think about it.”

“I can’t imagine. If wars are a bad question, let’s skip that one. What firsts did you experience?” That was probably confusing and when Callan tugged on his ear then glanced around the room, he rushed to explain. “I mean what are some of the first things that came out during your years that you experienced? Like having electricity in your home? Or driving a car? Those sorts of things.”

Callan took a long time to answer, his smile sheepish. “There are so many. Electricity was one of the best.” He pursed his lips, obviously thinking hard. “I rode on one of the first trains. Was exciting to be able to travel longer distance, though planes are better.”

“You like flying?”

This time, he gifted Lonnie with a real grin. “First class. The seats in coach are too small.”

Callan looked so different with a happy expression on his face and something in Lonnie’s chest tightened because he wanted to see that expression more. Wanted to be the one to put it there.

“Have you ever been married? Or had children?” A huge thought hit his brain—one that alarmed him because he’d already realized he was highly attracted to Callan. “Wait, are you married now?”

“No, and never have been.”

He wasn’t sure why he inwardly breathed a huge sigh of relief—he’d have to think about that. Later. Because Callan went on and as he spoke, his tone was heavy with nostalgia.

“I was in one long relationship. Forty years. With a demon like me.”

“What was she like?”

“He,” Callan quickly interjected.

“Oh, you’re gay? I’m pansexual myself.”

Callan smiled. “Pansexual is new.”

Lonnie shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s new, though the term is. I think those of us attracted to people of all genders and identities have always been around.”

“I am also attracted to different genders, but my one relationship was with a man. I like men a lot.” He grinned again.

When he waggled his brows like Lonnie had earlier, Lonnie’s heart just sort of stuttered. And again, Lonnie thought about how Callan should smile more often. His rugged face was meant for smiles over the usual frowns—though he was just as attractive then. And just knowing that Callan liked men had butterflies flitting through Lonnie’s stomach. “What ended the relationship, if you don’t mind answering? If you both live long lives, you could still be together.”

“We both wanted to feel…needed. Both had protective natures and wanted something different. He’s still my friend. We—” He broke off, a frown of concentration pulling his brows closer together. “Like each other still. Get together sometimes. The sex is good.”

Holy hell, the thought of sex with Callan immediately filled Lonnie’s head, and he was so glad Callan couldn’t read his thoughts. Still, his body responded and he, casually as possible, grabbed one of his throws and put it over his lap. What would this demon be like in bed? Or up against walls? Was he just a top or did he like taking it as well? The thought of fucking Callan made him start to sweat. As a verse man, he liked sex every way it came. Nerves set in, and as usual, his mouth just took off.

“My last relationship was with a man, too. Richard. He’s a teacher at the school so I still see him a lot, unfortunately. He was always trying to change me. Didn’t like the way I kept my house. Didn’t like my body.”

Callan’s gaze flicked down to his chest then back up. “There’s nothing wrong with your body.”

“I’m a little thicker than he liked.”

“Look cuddly to me. Cuddly is the sexiest.”

That made Lonnie’s mouth snap shut. Was Callan calling him sexy? He resisted the urge to squirm. Gah.

Richard had not been a cuddler. And afterglow had never been in his wheelhouse either. Sex, then jumping up to immediately shower before crashing instantly into sleep. Come to think of it, Richard had never been much for foreplay, either. Hell, what had Lonnie been even doing with the man? Richard was good looking—very, actually. And he’d been charming. Most of the things that had annoyed Lonnie, he’d written off as quirks like his own. They’d shared a love of anime, though Richard had hated all the figurines and called them dust collectors. He’d also harped on how Lonnie unboxed everything, saying they were all worth more mint in box.

Lonnie had never cared about that. His collection was meant to be enjoyed the way he liked, and he liked all the collectibles outside of their boxes and displayed with their various parts. Dust was the only real problem. He did keep the boxes—had them all contained in bigger boxes in his attic, though there was a pile in the guest room’s closet he would eventually move to the attic. Most of his piles eventually made their way into better spots. Though that was normally other piles.

His bedroom had also bothered Richard, who’d been a neat freak deluxe. Another of his quirks that Lonnie had just accepted. When he had stayed over at Richard’s, he’d always made sure to keep his clothes neat and wash up any dishes he used right away.

“You have no more questions?” Callan asked, breaking into his memories.

“Sorry. I was thinking about Richard and how badly we clashed. I do have more, but I should get back to grading and let you get back to the show. You seem to be enjoying it.”

Callan gave an enthusiastic nod. “I like it very much. Would like to see more of these cartoons you love so much.”

“Oh, good! It’ll be so fun to share my favorites with you. Watch them again through new eyes. There’s an entire wonderful world of them I plan to introduce you to.”