Page 28 of Demon’s Desire (Lovers of the Damned #3)

ONYX

My perfect little butterfly. If Onyx hadn’t already melted into goo, he would have after hearing those words. Why couldn’t every moment be as blissful as this one?

He clung to the feeling, and still, it slipped away.

As Onyx’s pleasure faded, the sting in his thoroughly spanked ass healing, fear crept in, turning his fire cold.

This was too much. He’d shown Nico way too much. Said too much. Fucking felt too much.

Was Nico his mate? His pulse quickened. He wished he’d never even entertained the question. If it turned out Nico wasn’t, Onyx wouldn’t be able to handle it.

That was why he never wanted a mate, but the seed had been planted and had already begun to grow.

Nico stirred on top of him. “What’s wrong? You’re tense again.”

Onyx should deny it. He couldn’t. It would be better to get away. “Let me up.”

“Yeah, all right.” Nico pulled away and his cock slipped free.

Onyx clenched around nothing, fighting an irrational urge to cry. He couldn’t bring himself to stand.

Nico’s hand came to rest on Onyx’s lower back, above his tail. “Let’s shower. I’ll clean you up.”

Onyx didn’t move. He didn’t want to figure out what came next. “You don’t have to clean me.”

“You want my cum dripping out of you forever, dirty boy?” Nico taunted.

“Maybe.” Onyx suppressed a smile as some of his pleasure came rushing back.

Thank fuck Nico knew when to give him a break from sincerity. If he’d said he would take care of Onyx, Onyx might have lost it.

Nico pulled him off the couch and spun him around.

It was impossible to meet Nico’s gaze, so Onyx focused on the dark hair covering Nico’s chest. He should return his damn horns and tail to tattoos. If his blushing had seemed out of control in his human form, it had nothing on his demon form.

Dante and Ash probably assumed he hid his horns and tail because his lack of pigment was irregular.

That wasn’t it at all. The translucent blue skin wouldn’t be a big deal if it weren’t for the flushing.

Even Onyx’s forehead and cheeks turning lavender would have been fine if it were always like that when he had his horns out.

But no, the color only showed when Onyx’s fire burned. Like his eyes, but much more sensitive to any incremental change in his mood. And unlike his eyes, it was near impossible to control.

It wasn’t fair that he had to walk around like a neon sign broadcasting when he was upset, or had a crush, or was lying, or feeling anything other than neutral boredom. It made it so much harder to pretend he didn’t care.

“Take a shower with me.” Nico’s hands roamed Onyx’s body like he couldn’t help touching him, and it went some way to soothing him.

“Fine. If you’re going to keep asking.” Onyx still couldn’t look at Nico, his insides twisting.

Humiliation increased his pleasure in the heat of the moment, but now Onyx wanted to crawl out of his stupid translucent skin.

Infuriatingly, Nico tilted Onyx’s chin until their eyes met. “You’re not turning bashful on me, are you?”

Outrage had Onyx flushing to the tips of his horns. “Bashful? Not fucking likely. I’m a work of art, and you’re lucky to see me naked.”

“Mmhmm.” Nico pumped his eyebrows. “So true. No one does naked like you. Thank you for allowing me to see such beauty.” He even said it without sarcasm.

Onyx’s skin burned. His cheeks were bound to be purple. Face and ass. Fuck.

“Come.” Nico tugged him out of the living room. “You’re lucky the bathroom was renovated recently, or we wouldn’t both fit in the shower.”

Onyx zoned out as Nico turned on the water and guided him into the—still small—shower. Nico seemed happy to quietly pamper Onyx, gently washing his body as Onyx stood there like a rag doll.

Letting someone take care of him was divine. Onyx wanted Nico to look after him forever, which was idiotic. He was a demon. He didn’t need looking after. If anything, Onyx had to take care of Nico and ensure nothing bad happened to him.

“What was that heavy sigh for?” Nico asked, jarring Onyx out of his daze. They were scrubbed clean, and Nico turned the shower off.

Onyx pretended to be interested in the loofah hanging from the basket holding the shampoos. “Tired,” he lied.

“Then let’s lie in bed.”

Onyx didn’t protest as Nico guided him out of the shower and toweled him off like a helpless child. He didn’t object when Nico dragged him to the bed and curled up with him under the comforter, despite it being the middle of the day.

Nico turned Onyx on his side and pulled him in close, his back pressed against Nico’s hairy chest, his tail nestled alongside Nico’s cock.

Nico’s lips brushed along the shell of Onyx’s ear. “Will you tell me what you were protecting me from when you came over?”

Onyx white-knuckled the arm wrapped around him. He didn’t want to. Talking was the worst, especially after he’d already revealed too much. But Nico deserved to know if he was in danger.

Onyx nestled as far back into Nico’s embrace as possible. “I went to the gallery this morning and found Luc there. He got in without breaking my protective spells. Said it was because we share blood.”

“Have you sworn blood loyalty to him?”

“No. Forced loyalty isn’t a thing in the Eternal Realm. Being Luc’s brother by blood must have made it harder for my protections to sense the difference between us. He obviously found a way to exploit our connection.”

Nico nuzzled behind Onyx’s ear. “Finding him in the gallery must have been a shock. It’s your space. He shouldn’t have invaded it like that.”

“Yeah, well, he is the Devil.” Onyx hesitated, gripping Nico tighter. He’d probably leave bruises, but Nico didn’t complain.

“Luc mentioned you and”—Onyx took a breath—“I was scared he’d hurt you. Seeing how easily he got into the gallery meant he could break into your apartment without me knowing. He could have done anything to you. I need to call Dante and Ash and have them protect you better.”

He should have done that already, before Luc showed up, but he hadn’t thought past whatever had made Nico jumpy that evening. Onyx had assumed the danger was minimal—Nico hadn’t acted like it was serious—and had no reason to think Luc would target him.

But if they were mates… No. Now that Luc believed they were mates, things were different. Onyx had to be prepared for Luc to act on that belief.

“Why would Lucifer mention me?” Alarm laced Nico’s tone.

Of course it did. But knowledge of Luc’s vicious side wasn’t what caused Onyx’s pulse to pound. He couldn’t admit why Luc had brought Nico up.

“Luc must be spying on us again. He saw through my invisibility and said he could see through Ash and Dante’s too.

It was how he tracked Ash and found Harper—” No, don’t mention mates.

“He’s obviously seen me with you. Luc was taunting me.

Trying to trick me into thinking he was sorry.

But the only reason he’d mention you is to remind me he could hurt you.

It was a threat. I won’t believe any of his lies. Not again.”

“Hey.” Nico squeezed him. “Slow down. How did Lucifer threaten me? What did he say?”

“He said he wouldn’t hurt you, but it was a lie, I know it. That’s how he works.”

There was a long silence.

True, it turned out Luc hadn’t hurt Nico. That didn’t mean he wasn’t planning to. Luc wouldn’t change overnight. He was up to something.

“What else did Lucifer say?” Nico asked at last.

“He kept saying he’s sorry for hurting Harper and Ollie. He claims not believing they were real mates excuses his actions. He asked for help, and this time said something about demons wanting to kill him. But why would they? He freed them.”

“Retaliation?” Nico suggested. “Eliminating Lucifer would ensure he can’t reimprison them. How did he manage to trap everyone in the first place?”

Onyx had put those potential motives together, but he didn’t believe Luc was telling the truth and had dismissed any reasons someone might want him dead as irrelevant because the threat was a lie in the first place.

Unless it wasn’t… Were demons trying to permanently kill Luc?

Onyx didn’t know how to feel about that.

Half of him was sick to death of caring for a brother who treated him like trash.

The other half ached at the possibility of Luc being scrubbed from the universe.

No one deserved that fate. Onyx had stopped Dante from committing that crime against Luc, mostly to save Dante, but partially to save his brother.

“To trap everyone, Luc stole magic from me, Dante, and Ash, and created a seal around the Realm of the Damned. And what’s more, those stolen pieces of magic apparently allow him to see through our invisibility illusions.

We never knew that was possible. Luc kept that secret for a thousand years and must have seen us sneaking around countless times. ”

“But he told you he could see through your invisibility today?” Nico sounded surprised.

Onyx nodded, dread sending chills through his body.

Luc had given away two big advantages—that he could get past Onyx’s protections and see him regardless of illusion—when he had no reason to. No reason except to prove he was on Onyx’s side. Or to trick Onyx into believing he was on his side, more likely.

But then, Luc had thrown that potentially regained trust away by threatening Nico and attacking Onyx.

Admittedly, it had been a weak attack. Nothing bad had happened. Onyx hadn’t been cursed or hurt like last time, only incapacitated for a second, allowing Luc to disappear.

Onyx took a second to assess himself with his demon sense, in case a latent curse had been laid. Everything seemed as it should be. He felt great. Better than usual. That wasn’t the sign of an attack. He hadn’t felt this good in so long, he’d forgotten this particular feeling of wholeness.

Onyx went rigid in Nico’s arms.

“What is it?”