Page 23 of Inferno (Drake Security Book 4)

VALENTINO

Ilift Xaze’s head and pour cool water down his throat. He’s been out for days, only stirring briefly and smiling at me before falling asleep again. I don’t know how I know, but he’s getting better. Stronger. Maybe it’s the mating bond giving me the sense of security I feel.

After laying his head gently on the pillow again, I massage the scented lotion Lake brought by into his hands and forearms. He told me Xaze loved it when they went shopping together, so he bought him some to cheer him up. Lake is so much more thoughtful than I thought he would be upon meeting him. He’s kind and truly cares about this family.

Dempsey and Dahlia have been by a few times too, telling me what they’ve learned about dragons mating with non-dragon supes. It’s information that might interest me if my mate was awake, but right now, it’s all noise. They couldn’t find anything about how demons bond though, which does tickle the back of my brain. Maybe the bond isn’t secure?

My dragon reacts to that thought, surging closer to the surface and sending ripples of scales across my arms. Yeah, okay, it’s definitely secure on my end, but what does Xaze feel? Does he know what I did? Will he understand?

I rise from the chaise and busy myself straightening the hoard room. All the art and jewels, the stacks of money and other luxury items I’ve gathered over the years don’t seem to excite my dragon, even knowing we can share them all with our mate.

A thought comes to me—more like accosts me, holding me hostage for several tense seconds—and a tendril of smoke rises from my lips. Gods of fire. Xaze is an incubus. He feeds off energy and emotions, not things. He meant it when he said that what I’d been hoarding for him all these years wasn’t physical.

I hurry back to him, squeezing onto the chaise beside him and putting my hand on his chest. Then I close my eyes and recall centuries of memories, letting them flow through me and hoping like hell they reach my love.

Visions of my adventures come back in vivid detail—all the traveling and flying, the early years when I was just as easily triggered as Nico and often backed him up torching people who pissed him off. I laugh at that. We didn’t really hurt people, but scaring them was fun.

Then as teen whelps, my bond with Arson grew, and I remember all the times I kept look out him while he stuffed shiny trinkets in his pockets from the street markets back home.

Then there were the times when Hemingway would bore me with summaries of all the books he’d read, but I loved spending time with him so much and drinking up his excitement, so I happily did it.

The time Lord taught me how to drive after I avoided it for decades flits through my mind next. It was one of those rare moments when Lord dropped the ‘serious big brother in charge’ act and laughed his ass off when I crashed the car into a snowbank for the third time that day. Damn, that was a good time.

With a deep exhale, I blow out those memories and summon my most carnal moments. Nameless, faceless bodies tumble through my mind, an erotic mixture of limbs and orifices, of steamy nights and chilly mornings, an endless chase to soothe an itch that couldn’t be scratched.

Until now. Until Xaze.

My mate stirs, his eyelids fluttering until he finally pulls them open, gazing up at me. He’s completely in demon form right now, glorious and perfect as he was made.

“Deliciae.” A slight smile pulls at his lips as he licks them. “Now that’s a hoard,” he says. His voice is scratchy and strangely deep, and I remember what he said about the trapped souls.

“You felt it?”

He nods slightly. “It’s warm like medicine spreading through me.” As he speaks, his voice starts to normalize, but his face flickers between the demon and human form. “Were you saving that for me?”

“Saving what?”

“Your memories. Your experiences.” His smile brightens. “Delicious.”

My dragon flips with joy before purring and rolling into a contented ball. “Apparently. All that chasing and sex and debauchery was for you.”

“Sweet, lusty dragon,” he murmurs, his demon eyes searching mine. “Where am I?”

“My hoard room, baby. You’re safe.”

“Mag…” He shakes his head, refusing to finish the word.

“He’s dead.”

He visibly relaxes, his shoulders dropping and tension draining from his face. “Mac?”

“Not dead. Thank you for protecting him.”

Xaze scoffs. “I couldn’t get us out. Was he hurt?”

“Not badly, and he told us how brave you were. How you offered yourself in his place.” I lift his hand and kiss it. “He said he wasn’t as scared because you were there too.”

“The little twerp is sweet. I didn’t want him to die. I didn’t want you and your brothers to suffer.” He exhales slowly. “How did you find us?”

“I don’t know. I felt you, I guess.” I frown. “I have to tell you something.”

He nods, smiling softly.

“You were cut by the dagger, and it was slowly killing you.”

He flinches. “I remember. How did you fix me?”

I tense, fearing his reaction, but my dragon is purring so loudly my chest vibrates. Xaze tilts his head against the pillow.

“Tino?”

“I gave you my fire, Xaze. I bonded us.”

His forehead crinkles with confusion but then relaxes as his eyes grow wide. “What? How did you know that would do it?”

“I didn’t. I was so desperate to save you I think I would’ve done anything.”

“If it hadn’t worked, what would’ve happened to you?”

“Doesn’t matter. It did work.”

“What would’ve happened, Tino?”

Swallowing the bitter taste in my mouth, I admit, “I would’ve died with you.”

“Hades and Persephone,” he whispers. “You risked your life to save mine?”

“It was a no brainer. You’re my mate, Xaze, and I hope you feel the same because I pretty much made it a thing.”

He struggles to sit upright, but after a second, his strength seems to flood back as his skin brightens and his eyes become clear. “You gave me your fire? That’s what this feeling is.” Xaze rubs his sternum. “All this time I’ve been asleep, there was this sense of…” He tilts his head back and forth. “Tugging is the best word I can think of. I felt a rope around my heart, pulling me back from certain death.”

I put my hand over his, gripping his fingers, and exhale a puff of smoke, allowing my dragon to come to the surface. I know my eyes have shifted as my vision sharpens and a pretty smile spreads across my mate’s face.

“There’s my sweet dragon,” he whispers.

“Can you feel him inside you?”

Xaze nods. “He’s so happy. Content. He…” His words fade and he blinks rapidly. “He loves me.”

“He’s not the only one.”

“Is this real?” Xaze’s voice cracks, bringing me close to tears. “I’ve really found my mate?”

“Yeah, it’s real. It explains a lot if you think about it.”

“I thought I was just dragon dick whipped.”

A laugh bellows out of me. “So you’re not upset I gave you my fire?”

“Upset? Gods, Tino, you are too good for this world. The only thing I’m upset about is that I wasn’t aware of it. I bet it felt good.”

“You can feel it again whenever you want to, but I think you need to regain your strength a little more.”

He laughs softly. “So much makes sense now. The way we were so drawn to each other, how much it sucked to be apart, how strongly I reacted to your memories.” He squeezes my hand, gazing at our entwined fingers.

“After you ditched me in the hotel, I basically lost my shit for three weeks. That’s never happened. That should’ve been a clue,” I say.

“Want to hear something wild?”

“Yes.”

“Many moons ago, before I had even fully grown into my incubus powers, an oracle told me that my destiny would lead me down an unknown and unexplored path, and that when I got there, I would have a feast of decadent energy.” He lifts his gaze to mine. “It was you the oracle saw. It was you hoarding experiences and living life to the fullest for the day you’d feed them to me. You are my mate, Valentino. My Greka.”

My breath hitches and my dragon loses his mind upon hearing my true name on his lips. “Say it again.”

“Greka.” Xaze giggles. “Ooh, the dragon is happy too.”

“Elated.” I cup his face. “Gods of fire, Xaze, I never knew I could be so content and settled.”

He wiggles his shoulders and exhales. “I want to kiss you and cuddle and make love.”

“Me too.”

“But I need a bath. I need to wash the stench of the underworld off me, even if it’s just metaphorical at this point.”

“I can do a bath, assuming I’m invited to join.”

“You’re stuck with me now, dragon. You better join me.”

“Stay here. I’ll draw the bath and bring you over in a few.”

“Not going anywhere.”

“Ever?”

With a brilliant smile, he says, “Ever.”

MONTROSE

After Tino leaves the room,I stretch, still soaking in the memories that linger in the air. I lick my lips, tasting the hedonism and lust Valentino sowed in his long life. Delicious.

He gave me his fire. My lips spread into an involuntary smile. I can feel it burning inside me, but it’s not at all like the fires of hell, which hurt if you get too close. It’s an internal warmth I’ve never had on my own before, and it’s tangible, allowing me to close my eyes and pluck it, feeling it tug right back to my beautiful dragon.

I glance around the space, noting the trays of water and half-eaten food, and the bowls with discarded cloths in them. He took care of me when I couldn’t care for myself. A bubble of new emotion bursts in my chest, spreading through me and settling like a second skin.

I love him.

The door of the hoard room opens and Tino stalks in, his sexy smile firmly on his lips. He scoops me up and carries me down the hall to his bedroom. I stroke his hair as we travel, simply studying his face.

“You’re beautiful, Tino.”

He huffs a chuckle. “You know, I’ve heard those words or similar a lot in my life, but they never mattered to me at all until you said them.”

I brush my fingers across his stubbly cheek before leaning in to leave a kiss there.

“I got the water as hot as possible,” Tino says.

He sets me down, taking my hand to help me step into the luxurious bath water. A fragrance I know I’ve enjoyed before wafts up around me.

“What is that?”

“Oh, probably the lotion Lake got you. He said you liked it when you went shopping. I’ve been putting it on you.”

My heart flutters in my chest. “Lake got me a gift?”

“Yeah. Dempsey read to you a little and Dahlia tried a few potions. My brothers visited every day. We all just wanted you to make it.”

He strips his jeans off as his words linger in the air.

“They…” My head spins. “Your brothers accept me?”

“Babe,” Tino says, sliding into the water with me and tangling our legs together, “of course they do. All along you risked yourself for our benefit. You chose potential death over letting Mac face Maggard alone. You proved your loyalty.” He smiles. “Besides, they knew we were mates before we got our shit together.”

A knot I wasn’t aware I was carrying in my gut unravels and slips away, and I suck in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. As I do, I call forth my internal fire, heating the water until it bubbles.

Valentino laughs, splashing the now boiling water with his hands. “Damn. I was thinking of using fire to make it hotter, but this is way better.”

“Finally, someone who can handle my heat.”

“I can more than handle it. I thrive in it.” Valentino lifts my foot, gently massaging it and drawing moans of pleasure from my lips. “How do you feel? Tell me the truth.”

“Amazing, honestly. Stronger than I’ve felt in a long time.” I tickle his leg with my tail. “Thanks to you.”

His eyes heat as he flicks his tongue over his bottom lip. “That tail is dangerous.”

“Aw, you’re not afraid of little ol’ me, are you, big boy?”

“Not afraid, no. Intrigued by all the things we can do knowing we have eternity.”

I crawl forward, sliding between his legs and pressing my chest to his thighs and lower torso. “There’s so much to explore. So much pleasure to experience.”

Valentino drags his thumb across my chin, rubbing back and forth. “Good thing the two of us were built for pleasure.”

I lay my head on his body for a moment, smiling as his flesh ripples with supple scales. “Your dragon knew, didn’t he?”

“Yep. I thought he was just reacting to your pheromones. I thought we both were, and even though it was such a visceral reaction, I just figured you were some kind of high-powered incubus.”

I chuckle at that. “Well, I am very skilled.”

“That’s obvious.”

I tilt my head up to see his face, letting my tail crawl up his body and between his legs. His cock instantly hardens, but the energy between us isn’t soaked in lust and desire. No. It’s a slow, contented ripple.

“I love you.” The words bubble up and out unbidden, but once they’re drifting in the air between us, I’m filled with such incredible joy and elation that it leaves me lightheaded. “Gods of hell, I love you.”

Tino exhales, his eyes softening before his dragon blinks through. Stunning.

“I love you, Xazedose. So damn much it blows me away.”

“I feel so full of emotion. It’s a feast, an abundance of….” I shake my head as my voice trails off.

“I feel it too. But…” His brow crinkles and a wave of panic spreads through me.

“What?”

“The bond between us is beautiful, but it feels wrong how it happened. You weren’t able to be present and fully consenting. I don’t know how to fix that.”

“Oh. Is that all? You scared me.”

He drags a hand through my hair. “If you think I’d ever leave you, you need to ditch that fear right now. Not gonna happen.”

“Good, because if you thought I was a menace before, just try to leave me.”

Tino smiles, leaning down for a brief kiss before sliding his hands under my armpits and pulling me up. We share a kiss so hot that the water around us bubbles up even more, spilling over the edges. I can taste his memories on his tongue, and as I gobble them up, I get stronger by the minute.

He breaks the kiss, but keeps our foreheads pressed together. It’s time I told him something.

“Tino?”

“Yeah.”

“I know how we can fix it.”

He pulls back enough to meet my eyes. “How?”

“We can mate the demon way. If… if you want to.”

“How do we do that?”

“Don’t laugh, but it’s remarkably similar to how humans marry. I think they stole the ritual from us.”

He smiles. “A wedding?”

“Well, not exactly. There’s a ring and vows involved, but unlike with humans, the vows are an unbreakable bond. It can only be severed through death.”

He nods, his face serious, but even from here I can feel his thoughts swirling. “The bond I gave you ties our life forces together. If you die, I die, and vice versa.”

“So what you’re saying is we’re already bonded for life in the dragon world?”

“Yes, and if we do your process, then we’ll be bonded in the demon world too.”

“And if I do that, it changes my incubus abilities. You’ll be the only one affected by my pheromones.”

Tino licks his lips. “No one else will feel it? No one else will desire you?”

“No. Just my mate. I won’t feel other people either. I’ll feed forever on your energy and all the experiences you hoarded for me.”

His cock swells beneath me. “Gods. That’s fucking beautiful.”

Nodding, I rub his chest. “I didn’t tell you why the ring Mac took was so important.”

“This ring?” He lifts my left hand from the water, showing it off.

“Yes. It’s my mating ring. We make them ourselves when we come of age, and we keep them until we find the ones they’re intended for. That’s why I had to get it back from Mac, but now I think it was all part of the plan to help us find each other. If Mac had taken anything else, I would’ve let it go and never pursued him.”

Tino’s mouth drops. “It was fate all along.”

“Some of it was. We still made our choices.” I shrug. “Or, hell, maybe we didn’t. I’ve been a selfish dick my whole life, but there was no way I was gonna let Maggard hurt Mac.”

Tino nods, his eyes full of wonder. “You’re part of us now, Xaze. My family is your family, warts and all.”

I laugh softly, but my eyes well with unexpected tears. “I haven’t had a family. Not really. When we’re born, our parents send us off to the appropriate level and we rarely see them again.”

His brow wrinkles. “Demons don’t need family?”

“We don’t know any better unless someone shows us otherwise.” I blink the tears away. “I’m really part of all this? The love and acceptance the other mates have can be mine too?”

“Hey, we accepted a wolf, for fuck’s sake.”

I laugh, wiping my eyes.

“They love you because I love you.” His voice cracks and his dragon purrs loud enough to vibrate through me where we touch. “They accept you because fate decided you were mine and I was yours. We’re a motley crew, but we love each other and we have each other’s backs no matter what.”

Twisting my lips, I revel in the explosion of new emotions spreading through me. “I think this demon needed a family.”

Cupping my cheek, he says, “Welcome to the Drakes. I’m so happy you came.” He presses a sweet kiss to my forehead. “Now, love of my life, show me how to demon bond. I can’t wait.”