Page 83 of Demon's Desire

Heart skittering, Nico pulled out his phone. His hand shook, and he almost dropped it. Onyx. He needed to talk to Onyx. Nico had to tell him how he felt.

It took three tries to unlock his phone. Finally, he found Onyx’s contact and hit call. The phone rang and went to voicemail.

Tears slid down Nico’s cheeks. There wasn’t time for Onyx’s games. He needed Onyx. He had to tell him he was falling in love. Nico couldn’t leave this life with his feelings trapped inside him.

He called again, and again. His head swam, and his body went cold. He couldn’t feel his toes.

“Hello, Nico. What’s so urgent? I’m busy shopping.” Onyx’s voice hit Nico like a jolt of electricity, almost enough to bring him back. But not quite.

“Onyx.” Nico gasped for air like he’d been running. “Onyx.”

His voice sharpened. “What’s wrong?”

“I want to be your mate. I’m f-falling f-for you.” Nico closed his eyes, head pounding. He couldn’t focus on the blurry shop and talk at the same time.

“Nico. Where are you? Why are you slurring like that?” Onyx sounded frantic, but he hadn’t acknowledged what Nico had said.

They must not be mates after all.

Nico’s heart cracked, and it hurt worse than the poison slithering through his veins.

“Nico, where are you!”

The shout jolted him. Nico tried to rise and couldn’t. His head lolled. He almost dropped the phone.

“Th-the sh-shop,” he slurred. “Bad. Nightbrush. Gotta message.”

A loud whooshing filled his ear. Nico winced. Had Onyx hung up?

“Nico, talk to me. I’m coming.”

Nico clutched the phone, but words were impossible. Onyx was still there. He smiled. That was nice. At least he wouldn’t die alone.

22

ONYX

Onyx torethrough the sky so fast, the city blurred.

“Nico!” he shouted into the phone. There was no response.

If Nico was at the shop, it couldn’t be Luc. He’d said nightbrush. The damn herb was deadly to any mortal. It killed humans in minutes. A witch had a little longer due to the magic in their blood, but not long enough.

Onyx’s chest constricted, pain radiating through his body.

Nico couldn’t die.

I want to be your mate.

Oh, hellfire. Flying at superhuman speed wasn’t the only reason the world blurred. Onyx’s tears whipped in the wind.

Why hadn’t he gone to lurk on The Herb Emporium roof? If Nico died because Onyx was more concerned about spiting Ash and not giving away a single one of his feelings than caring for Nico, Onyx would never forgive himself.

He’d follow Nico to the Realm of the Damned of course. But his mate deserved better than to spend eternity in that wretched place.

Even if they bonded, Onyx didn’t think he’d be able to bring Nico back to the Human Realm. That wasn’t how mortalsouls worked. Nothing could bring a witch back to Earth once the magic in their blood robbed them of the ability to reincarnate.

Onyx had to save Nico.