Page 26 of Demon's Mate

“Did you work up an appetite last night?” Dante’s mirthful voice floated across the kitchen.

Ash set his mug down and turned to face him. “Something like that.”

No way in all the realms was he telling Dante what happened. It would only give Dante false hope, and the last thing Ash needed was someone trying to convince him last night’s delusions meant something.

“Good. I hope it helped.” Dante pulled a box of sugary cereal from a cupboard and poured an obscene amount into a bowl.

Ash wrinkled his nose. “How did it go at the club with Onyx?”

Dante ruffled his wings. His whole house had been built to accommodate demons in their full form, with plenty of space, high ceilings, wide doorways, and large glass-paneled windows that rolled back so they could fly in and out. “About as you’d expect. He went home with that human couple.”

“Do you think he’ll come back, or will we have to track him down?”

Dante pulled a carton of coconut milk from the fridge. “He’ll be here.”

Ash doubted it but didn’t say anything as he cleaned his mug.

Dante settled on a barstool at the end of the counter and dug into his breakfast. “Help yourself.” He raised his bowl.

Ash shook his head. “I don’t know how you can eat that.”

Dante was like a human child left to their own devices with the amount of sugar he consumed. It was a good thing demons got their nutrition from blood.

Ash scrambled some eggs. They didn’t need to eat food to survive. Of the magical beings, only witches did, but most demons enjoyed human food. They even ate in the Eternal Realm.

What did Harper like for breakfast? Ash plated his eggs. What did it matter? He’d never find out.

As they finished eating, a crash came from somewhere at the front of the house. “I’m here,” Onyx called.

“Joy,” Ash grumbled, even though he was surprised Onyx had followed through on their deal instead of running off and avoiding them.

Dante shot him a glare. “Don’t antagonize him.”

Onyx burst into the kitchen, still in his club attire. “Full disclosure, I’m drunk.” He grabbed the box of cereal Dante had left on the counter and shoved his hand inside.

“Drunk is fine,” Dante assured him.

Onyx grinned evilly as he chewed, his blue hair disheveled. He smelled like sex.

Ash eyed Onyx’s rumpled shirt. “Where are your wings?”

Onyx gave Ash a pissy look, his pretty face pinching. “Where do you think?”

“Fine. Let me rephrase: why are you hiding your wings when you don’t need to?”

Onyx set the cereal down. “Because I don’t feel the need to hang around shirtless at every opportunity like you two.”

“Okay,” Dante cut in, his tone placating. “Why don’t we focus on the reason we’re all here.”

Something nagged at Ash about Onyx’s reluctance to let his true form out, but he let Dante change the subject, pointedly ruffling his feathers and earning a bone-chilling glare from Onyx.

“I’ve been diving into the flock’s magic,” Dante continued, ignoring them, “and can’t find any signs of Lucifer.”

Ash turned to face him, the similarity between Dante’s wings and the shearwaters’ plumage hitting him anew. “Perhaps he’s not here yet. And while that’s good to know, the shearwaters are what’s drawing him to us.”

Dante’s dark cheeks flushed, his black eyes narrowing. “I’m not leaving, and I’m not apologizing for interacting with the creatures of the city I live in. All you see is a beacon to call Lucifer to us, but can’t you acknowledge my birds are an advantage? If we go hide somewhere else, we won’t have thousands of eyes watching out for us.”

“Yeah, Ash.” Onyx crossed his arms, smirking. “Stop being such a pessimistic prick.”