Page 62 of Demon's Desire

“Bullshit. You’re here, intimidating me. Threatening Nico. You’re a filthy liar, and I’m not a naïve fool anymore.”

Luc grabbed Onyx by the shoulders, wincing as Onyx’s protective fire burned him. “You were never a fool.”

Heat sparked between them, and Onyx was overcome with a dizzying wave of power. He gasped and choked, his eyes rolling back. Everything in him seized.

Then all sensation disappeared, and Onyx crumpled to the ground. He blinked and pushed himself up with shaking arms.

Luc was gone.

Onyx’s blood boiled. Rage coursed through him and burst.His wings erupted from his back, tearing his shirt. His horns sprouted from his hair, and his tail struggled against the constraint of his jeans.

Onyx’s whole body burned.

What had Luc done to him? He felt different but couldn’t place why. There was no time to figure it out.

He forced his horns and tail away, pulled his phone from his pocket, and called Nico.

There was no answer. He called again. And again.

Nothing.

Onyx ran for the office window and leapt into the air. If Luc had hurt Nico, Onyx would burn the entire universe to the ground. No one was allowed to touch him.

Onyx didn’t want a mate. Didn’t need one. He had no desire to put his hope in someone like that. Tears streamed down his face as he flew, but no matter how fast he went, he couldn’t escape his thoughts.

What if Nico was his?

The possibility was terrifying.

17

NICO

“Aww shit!”Nico glared at the TV. “You’re not playing fair, Leo.”

“You’re not trying hard enough. Don’t blame me.” Leo’s voice filled Nico’s headphones, followed by laughter from the rest of the players in their band.

A crash penetrated his noise-canceling headphones, and Nico whipped his head around. Onyx was crouched, wild-eyed, outside the window.

Nico’s skin prickled at the look of sheer terror on the demon’s flushed face. “I’ve gotta go, guys.”

A chorus ofno, andwhat, filled Nico’s ears. Onyx yanked the window open and scrambled inside, wings catching on the window frame.

“Sorry. I’ll text later. Something’s come up.” Nico whipped off the headphones and exited out of a game with a click. “Onyx, what’s wrong?”

“Why the fuck didn’t you answer your phone?” he snarled, chest heaving, wide eyes red-rimmed, and sweat lining his brow.

Nico scrambled to take it all in. “I must have left my phone in my room.”

Onyx’s gaze flared with blue fire. “In your room? This apartment is tiny, couldn’t you hear it ringing?”

“I was playingWorld’s End.” He gestured to the discarded headphones and controller, a hit of defensiveness in his tone.

Onyx blinked. His attention darted around the apartment, and he seemed to deflate.

Nico’s own growing tension pulled his muscles tight. “What’s going on?”

Onyx’s cheeks flushed even darker. “Nothing.”