Page 5

5

ASH

“An art gallery?” Ash stared at the pristine, modern building Dante had taken him to in the Arts District. Since when had Onyx been interested in art?

Dante didn’t seem phased, but then he’d known about this place for more than a minute. “It’s become one of the most prestigious in the city.” If Ash didn’t know better, Dante sounded impressed.

Dante opened the door, and Ash followed him into Gallery Four.

The front room was cavernous, with the ceiling extending past the lofted second story. A small plinth sat in the center of the foyer, holding an abstract sculpture. Two large paintings hung on opposing walls, with a sleek reception desk situated behind, sectioning off more gallery space at the back of the building.

Onyx was not at the desk.

“May I help you, gentlemen?” asked a rather short man with perfectly done silver hair.

Ash stepped forward. “We’re looking for Onyx. ”

“Onyx?” The man stiffened. “And who, may I ask, is inquiring?”

Ash gave Dante a sidelong look. He’d better deal with this. Ash didn’t have the patience. He could blame it on living out in the woods alone for too long, but waiting over two millennia for his mate had worn his patience away.

Dante approached the silver-haired man and began reminiscing about an opening Onyx had apparently organized several years ago that had debuted a now-famous artist. It was like Ash had stepped into another world.

At least Onyx was channeling his energy into something productive and seemingly legal this time.

After a few moments, the gallery curator departed up the stairs, presumably to find Onyx, though not before he wrinkled his nose at Ash’s touristy shearwater shirt. He came back down minutes later.

“You may go up,” he said to Dante.

“Thank you,” Dante replied graciously. Ash climbed the stairs without acknowledging the man.

At the top, Onyx leaned against an open doorway at the back of the equally cavernous second story. He was smaller than Ash or Dante in height and weight and looked alarmingly human.

Onyx wore jeans and a T-shirt, but unlike Ash, his looked expensive and painfully fashionable. Onyx’s pale skin glowed like he’d fed recently, and he’d dyed his hair to match the deep blue of his eyes and wings. Not that his wings were on display, of course.

“Ash and Dante,” Onyx cooed in a sing-song voice. “What have you come to hassle me about this time?”

Ash bristled. “We don’t hassle you.”

Onyx raised a brow.

Okay, fine, but the hassling was always warranted. “ Have you done something we should know about?” Ash braced for the answer.

“Of course not,” Onyx purred.

Ash didn’t believe him. He was nothing but trouble. However, that wasn’t why they were here. “Do you have somewhere we can talk? That man from downstairs is probably listening in.”

“Follow me.” Onyx turned down the hall he’d been blocking and led them to a room at the back. “Would you like something to drink? Ash, it might help with your crankiness.”

Dante unsuccessfully stifled a snort.

Ash glared at him. “I’m fine. I eat regularly.”

Demons had to drink blood to maintain their immortality in the Human Realm, another hitch in Lucifer’s plan no one had known about ahead of time. Ash didn’t cast illusions to feed on innocent, unsuspecting humans, and he often couldn’t be bothered finding a willing member of the magic community to source blood from, so he was constantly pushing how long he could go without feeding. But he wasn’t telling Onyx that.

Onyx opened a small fridge hidden in the wood paneling of an ornate bookcase on the side of the room. “Really, Ash, let me pour you a glass. It’s bagged.”

“Stolen then.” Ash wasn’t surprised.

“No, we buy it,” Dante cut in. “Or at least I do.”

Onyx huffed. “I’m not a thief.”

Both Ash and Dante gave him a look.

“Anymore,” Onyx amended. “Besides, I only steal fun things like jewels.”

Ash ignored the comment. Dealing with Onyx was like trying to befriend a feral animal. You couldn’t give him an inch of wiggle room, or you’d get bitten. “We need to talk.”

Onyx closed the fridge, his eyes flashing with blue fire. “I’m sure we do. I mean, why else would you have left your isolation cave?”

“My what?” Ash crossed his arms and loomed imposingly. “I don’t live in a cave.”

Onyx laughed. “You sure? You’re seeming very caveman.”

Ash shouldn’t let him get under his skin. Onyx was only trying to annoy him, and giving Onyx what he wanted led to even worse behavior. Ash needed to try harder to be friendly and forget the thousands of years of animosity between them, but it was nearly impossible.

“Oh, come on, Ash.” Dante elbowed him in the arm. “You live in the woods. It’s close enough. And maybe if you visited every few years, we wouldn’t make such a big deal out of seeing you.”

Ash grunted in acknowledgment. Dante might have a point.

Onyx flopped languidly into a chair behind a desk as sleek as the one downstairs. “What’s up? I’ve got a lot going on, so you better get to the point.”

Dante sat in the leather seat opposite the desk. Ash remained standing. “We have bad news,” Dante said carefully.

“So dour.” Onyx wrinkled his nose. “But I’d already guessed as much given…” He gestured to Ash.

“Lucifer has left the Realm of the Damned,” Ash began before relaying everything he and Dante discussed.

Onyx’s playful mood soured, his mouth tightening into a thin line. “Really, you two are going after him? What happened to getting free and living our lives? Forgetting about all of it.”

“We can’t forget Luc if he’s coming for us.” Ash refrained from mentioning they could ignore Lucifer if they hid somewhere other than Shearwater Landing and stopped calling attention to themselves by enchanting the wildlife, but he didn’t want to keep hounding Dante. There was no point. Onyx might be feral, but Dante was an immovable stone .

“Haven’t you considered Lucifer could have new minions?” Onyx flicked his wrist dismissively at the other two. “A new inner circle to leach power from? He isn’t going to come after us alone. We won’t have the upper hand. Seriously, do you know him at all ?”

“Then what do you think we should do about it?” Ash challenged.

Onyx sneered. “ We? Nothing. You and Dante? I don’t know. Not my problem.”

Ash ground his teeth. “Aren’t you even the least bit worried?”

“Why would I be? When has Lucifer ever cared what I’ve done?” Onyx’s voice turned as cold as his blue fire. “He lets me get away with anything. He’ll always forgive me. No matter what I do. Escaping the Realm of the Damned will be no different.”

It was true. Onyx could cut off Lucifer’s wings and Lucifer wouldn’t be nearly as angry as he’d be if someone else attacked him.

“Let him come,” Onyx spat like he was shooting venom. You’d almost think he hated Lucifer for letting him get away.

Ash rubbed his temple. He’d been in the middle of Luc and Onyx’s squabbles for eons. No one could deny that Ash and Luc had been close, but Onyx seemed to think Luc loved Ash more than him and treated Ash more like a brother, even though Onyx was Luc’s blood.

“We aren’t just going to sit around waiting for him,” Dante said, breaking the tension. “Come on, Onyx, you don’t want him dragging you back to the Realm of the Damned. He won’t let us stay here, not even you.”

Onyx chewed his lower lip. “Doesn’t mean I want to get involved in whatever the two of you are cooking up.”

Onyx always tried to get out of helping, no matter what the problem was, but then, why had he settled in Shearwater Landing, so close to Dante? Shouldn’t Onyx be on the other side of the world where no one would bother him?

“Are you going to leave town and hide if you don’t want to help?” Dante asked.

“No.” Onyx’s mouth dropped open, eyes flashing. “I’ve worked my ass off for this gallery. I’m not leaving it behind.”

“Then we need a plan.” Ash braced his hands on Onyx’s desk, leaning forward. “If the two of you refuse to leave, we need to do something. Otherwise, we might as well walk back to the Realm of the Damned and lock ourselves in.”

“Fine.” Onyx glanced up, eyes glinting. “But I want something out of you first.”

“Of course you do,” Ash muttered.

“Both of you.” Onyx cut his gaze to Dante.

“And what do you want?” Dante asked with a sigh.

Onyx flashed his fangs. Nothing good was about to come out of his mouth.