Page 84 of Demon's Desire

His mate.

He was a fool for being afraid and denying them both the chance to embrace the truth.

Onyx landed on the sidewalk in front of The Herb Emporium with a crash, cracking the pavement under his shoes. He tore the door open and burst inside, knocking over a table full of candles.

Nico wasn’t here.

“Nico!” Onyx raced through the shop, wings catching on the shelves until he retracted them. “Nico!”

Onyx rounded the counter and saw his mate slumped on the floor, his phone lying beside him, hand outstretched.

Onyx dropped to his knees. Nico’s skin was ashen, his eyes closed. Onyx grabbed his hand, finding it clammy and cold.

“Nico, I’m here. I’ll save you.”

Nico’s fingers twitched, and he moaned.

Oh shit. Oh shit.What if he was too late?

Onyx scrambled, his heart beating such a frantic rhythm that it was bound to burst. He brought Nico’s wrist to his lips and bit down, fangs extended.

Sucking the poison from Nico’s blood was the only way to stop the nightbrush. The herb couldn’t hurt Onyx. He’d metabolize the poison, but he had to get it all out to save his mate.

Nico’s blood was thick and bitter. Onyx pressed a hand to Nico’s chest, using magic to call the poison toward him and away from Nico’s vital organs. What if it had spread too far already? Did they have enough time to perform the mating spell before Nico died?

As he drank down gulps of poisoned blood, Onyx cut hiswrist and pressed it to Nico’s mouth. His blood would help Nico heal and give them more time.

Onyx trembled. It wasn’t enough. Nico was limp and cold, but Onyx couldn’t speak the ancient binding words to mate them while he drank Nico’s ruined blood. He’d have to give up on the poison and put all his hope in mating and the magic of the bond saving Nico.

He couldn’t bring himself to tear his lips from Nico’s wrist.

Nico jolted beneath him. Fuck, he was convulsing. It was too late! Onyx closed his eyes against a fresh wave of tears. His heart burst into flames and crumbled to ash. He had to pull back and perform the mating spell, praying it worked in time.

A hand closed around Onyx’s wrist. Onyx opened his eyes. Nico clutched the hand feeding him, his throat working as he drank Onyx’s blood.

Nico’s eyelids fluttered.

Onyx could have collapsed with relief. Nico was healing. Poison filled Onyx’s mouth, but Onyx’s blood gave Nico strength with every passing second. Onyx called more poison toward him, and his throat burned with it, but it was no match for his demon healing.

Nico met Onyx’s stare, his eyes bloodshot and hazy.

My mate.I’m sorry.

Onyx would have shouted the apology if he dared pull his lips from Nico’s wrist.

Seconds seemed to drag by, taking an eternity. This was longer than the thousand years Onyx had spent in Hell. He gripped Nico’s wrist tight enough to bruise, not allowing his mate to slip away. Nico’s hold tightened in turn, eyes not leaving Onyx as tears fell down his already damp cheeks.

At last, Nico’s blood began to clear. His citrus scent flared, and the earthy taste of orange burst on Onyx’s tongue.

As if he felt the last of the poison leave, Nico pulled Onyx’swrist from his mouth. “Onyx, I…” He choked on a sob. “I’m not dead.”

Onyx’s eyes flashed. One more swallow of Nico’s clear-tasting blood, and he withdrew his fangs. “You’re not allowed to die.”

Nico smiled. Still clutching Onyx’s wrist, he brought Onyx’s hand to his cheek and nuzzled his palm.

Onyx’s chest burst with sizzling energy, filling like a balloon. He stroked Nico’s rough jaw, his body’s renewed warmth the best feeling in all the realms.

“Tell me who I have to kill.” Onyx should have led with something sweet, but his fire burned, not dampened in the slightest. He understood Dante’s rage after Ollie’s attack like he never had before.