Page 5 of Demon's Desire

Nico shrugged.

“He likes you,” Harper insisted, not for the first time.

“Well, it doesn’t matter because Ash isn’t invited either.” Onyx disappeared behind his menu.

Interesting. Did Onyx not like the other demons any morethan he liked Nico? Either way, he definitely had a soft spot for their mates.

Relief loosened the tightness in Nico’s chest. He worried about Harper and Ollie. They were young, at least ten years younger than Nico’s thirty-five, and they’d been swept up in this whole fated mate thing so quickly.

Ash, Dante, and Onyx were legends in the magic world. The Hounds of Hell, formerly Lucifer’s closest allies, and now apparent enemies. They were thousands of years old. Being bound to one of them came with a huge risk of being taken advantage of. It was so much worse than the risk of binding yourself to your sire to become a vampire.

Nico didn’t like the power imbalance between the demons and their mates, especially human Ollie, and especially considering the telepathic element and irreversible nature of the bond. Everyone—including Harper and Ollie—claimed Ash and Dante treated the boys right, and Nico had never seen anything to the contrary, but the mating bond was hard to get his head around.

How could you trust someone enough to go through with it? How could you be meant for one person? Had Harper and Ollie accepted immortality easily? If they hadn’t, Nico wasn’t aware.

Harper knew he could turn to Nico with anything—Ollie, too. If the situation turned out to be problematic, Nico would get them out. Somehow.

It was a relief that Onyx’s animosity didn’t extend to the boys. If it came down to it, perhaps Onyx would take their side, even against the other demons.

When the waiter came, Nico ordered a side salad and water. He had plenty of food at home, and considering it was Sunday, Lucia, his older neighbor, was probably going to saddle him with half of whatever she was cooking.

Onyx’s stare burned into the side of Nico’s head as he ordered, but Nico refused to look at him. He didn’t care if he couldn’t afford this place and ordered accordingly. Onyx judging him for it knocked Nico’s opinion of him back down.

As everyone else ordered, Nico checked his phone.

Rowan:

It’s not often you ask for my help. At least not on your own behalf.

Nico frowned. Rowan was busy enough, and Nico never had any serious problems of his own, so why bother Rowan with them?

Nico:

This isn’t personal. I’ll be bringing someone with me. Can’t say more now, but it’s big.

Rowan:

Intriguing. I’ll clear my afternoon.

Nico:

See you in an hour.

Nico let the others talk. Onyx was clearly content to ignore him, though Harper kept trying to rope him into the chatter. Normally, Nico would try harder, but unease ate at him.

Earth’s demon population going from three to hundreds, maybe thousands—he wasn’t sure how many demons had been in Hell—wouldn’t go smoothly, no matter what they did. The most powerful covens, both witch and vampire, were going to be angry that they no longer sat at the top of the magic world’s hierarchy.

The food arrived, and Nico’s salad turned out to be more aesthetic than anything that would fill him up. Harperand Ollie had paninis, and Onyx seemed to have ordered the entire small plates menu.

“Everyone try these.” Onyx passed a dish of small pastries around. “They’re my favorite.”

Harper and Ollie dutifully grabbed one each. “Oh, yum.” Harper covered his mouth, eyes going wide.

Onyx thrust the plate at Nico. “Try one.” He shook it like Nico was putting him out by not taking the food.

“You don’t have to share with me.”

“Of course I don’t, but I’m not an asshole. Take a pastry. Unless you’re allergic to gluten or something.” Onyx narrowed his eyes as if he might spot a gluten intolerance lurking within Nico.