Page 11

Chapter 11

Storm

Storm was downright smug with satisfaction. Nathan liked the coffee so much he didn’t put it down until it was empty, and he seemed to perk up as he drank it. He didn’t know why the man denied himself these little pleasures, but Storm intended to give them to him. Coffee was just the beginning.

The others were all at the Rink when they arrived. Nathan blew out a breath as they emerged from the car, and Storm rounded it, lighting a cigarette and tugging Nathan to a halt when he tried to move toward the building.

“What?” he asked impatiently, glancing between the Rink and Storm.

“Wait for me.”

Nathan shot him a frown. “Don’t smoke,” he said pointedly.

Storm leveled an exasperated look at him. “Just wait.”

Nathan huffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Why?”

“Because you could use the fresh air.”

Nathan blew out a breath, shifting from foot to foot—but he didn’t walk away. Storm considered it a win, especially when Nathan turned and leaned against the warm grill of the car. He checked to make sure his smoke was going downwind and settled beside him, leaning just close enough for their shoulders to brush and smiling to himself when he heard Nathan’s quiet intake of breath.

“Feeling better?” he asked softly, studying Nathan’s stubbled jaw.

Nathan inhaled deeply. “Yeah. I think so.”

Storm could barely take his eyes off the human beside him, but he didn’t like that his presence had upset him so. Would Nathan have handled the morgue visit better if someone else had been with him? One of the other demons or even one of his own squad members from the guild?

With a sigh, he felt compelled to say, “I’m sorry.”

Nathan looked at him with surprise. “What? Why?”

“You said… I make you weak. If my presence at the morgue made things harder for you… I’m sorry.” The words felt strange on his tongue. He wasn’t prone to apologies or caring what anyone thought, but he didn’t want to be the reason Nathan felt unmoored. Not like that, anyway.

Nathan was quiet for a moment, and Storm sucked almost desperately at his cigarette, needing something to occupy him so he didn’t start fidgeting.

“It’s not your fault,” he finally said. “I’m glad you were there.”

Storm found that hard to believe. “Glad? Really?”

Nathan winced. “Maybe not glad.” He smiled crookedly to take the sting from the admission. “Not at first, anyway. But later, in the elevator.” He scuffed his boot on the pavement. “I would’ve felt all the same things even if you weren’t there. Maybe I would’ve been able to hide it better if I’d been with someone else, but… yeah, you were right. It might not be a bad thing to let someone else be the strong one every now and then.”

Satisfaction warmed Storm from within. This was progress, wasn’t it?

Nathan bumped their shoulders together. “Don’t look so smug.” His tone was light and teasing. Another good sign, in Storm’s opinion.

He sputtered out a laugh. “Smug? This isn’t smug.”

“What is it, then?” Nathan asked.

“I’m just… happy you trusted me that much.” He didn’t often feel this unusual heat, and it took him a moment to recognize it as embarrassment . “I hope you know you can always trust me. I’ll always keep you safe.”

The easy humor faded from Nathan’s gaze. His eyes were wide and vulnerable, and Storm resisted the urge to reach for him. Things between them were still too precarious to risk setting his progress back with an ill-timed push for more. He needed to be patient.

With a bashful smile, Nathan looked away and straightened. “I need to go inside and update the others. Are you coming?” He flushed abruptly. “In, I mean? Are you coming inside—to the meeting?”

Storm struggled hard to hide his smile. “Yeah. Lead the way, sunshine.”

Nathan’s throat bobbed. God, Storm couldn’t wait until he was allowed to touch him again.

Inside the Rink, the demons were hovering around the snack bar with bottles of beer, Shadrach and Xyra included this time. The humans were in the training area. Angela, Zachary, and Ira were in the center, striking different attack and defense poses when Luke called them out. Alex was pacing around them, correcting their forms and giving encouragement.

“Hold up!” Alex called when he spotted Storm and Nathan, and they all came over. “You’re back. How’d it go?”

Nathan glanced at him, his eyes filled with anxiety, and before he could think better of it, Storm opened his mouth and started speaking. The tension bled from Nathan’s body, like Storm had relieved him of yet another burden, and happiness bubbled up in Storm’s chest. He gave them a rundown of what they saw from the body and what the doctor told them. The bone fragments and sulfur in the stomach were the oddest thing, but the claw marks on the inside of the chest cavity and ribs weren’t exactly cheerful news, either.

“So a possessor demon tried to claw its way out of that guy?” Malachi asked, leaning against the snack bar.

“Gross,” Angela declared, dragging herself up to sit on the half-wall. “Is this what you guys talk about when we’re at school?”

“Among other things,” Malachi said with a cheeky wink, and Angela shook her head with a grin.

“Frankly, I’m baffled,” Nathan said, flapping his hands. “None of it makes any sense.”

“How do possessors normally find a host?” Alex asked, glancing around at the demons for an answer. “Like, how did it even get in the guy in the first place?”

“Well, most often, it’s someone who invites the demon in, either intentionally or accidentally,” Talon said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “If you’re thinking this boy was targeted somehow, it could be that someone planted a hex bag on or near him.”

Beside him, Shadrach pointed at him, nodding his head.

“A hex bag?” Luke asked.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like,” Storm said. “A bag filled with magical ingredients to hex someone.” A realization hit him. “Bone fragments and sulfur would both be found in a hex bag.”

Talon nodded.

Nathan’s face twisted in confusion. “You’re saying this guy ate a hex bag? I mean, I’m no expert, but I doubt that’s something he’d consume accidentally.”

“Amphetamines and benzodiazepines,” Storm said thoughtfully. “The doc said he had drugs in his system.”

“You think it could’ve been a… drug of some kind?” Zachary asked, leaning on the wall by his sister.

“Is that possible?” Nathan asked. “Could someone have fit the contents of a hex bag into a… pill capsule or something for this guy to swallow, thinking it was a drug?”

“If something like that exists, it’s new,” Talon said. “I’ve never heard of anything like it.”

“Nor have I,” Wolf chimed in, and one by one the rest of the demons agreed.

Nathan breathed out a sigh. “I’ll report back to Sloan, see what he wants my next step to be. I could maybe contact the family. They might be able to tell me if this kid had a drug problem.”

“Let us know,” Luke said. “This sounds like a problem for all of us, and I know I’ll sleep better if we’re all working to find a solution.”

“Of course,” Nathan replied. “I came here because I knew it would benefit all of us for you guys to be aware of whatever is happening.”

“And Sloan?” Malachi asked coolly.

“Eh.” Nathan tipped his head to one side with a grimace. “I’ll tell him I had someone with me when I went to the morgue.” His eyes flashed toward Storm. “Hopefully he takes it as a sign that a truce would hold between our groups.” His cheeks darkened, and he abruptly averted his gaze from Storm’s. “I, uh—I should probably get going, actually. The sooner I give my report, the sooner we can figure out our next move.”

No, Storm thought as the others bade him farewell and Nathan turned to go, his pretty, quartz gray eyes moving across Storm like he was afraid of being caught looking.

Storm moved without thinking, following Nathan outside.

“Nate, wait.”

Nathan turned—but he didn’t stop, walking backwards toward his car. “I really do need to go to HQ and give my report about my findings.”

“Can I see you tonight?” he asked, desperate to hold on to this strange connection between them.

Nathan stopped beside his car, wearing an uncertain frown. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Come on,” Storm cajoled. “This wasn’t just one night. I know you felt what I felt.”

Nathan sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping. “Maybe I did, but it doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?” He’d fight tooth and nail for this, but he couldn’t fight Nathan’s own reservations.

“I told you. Sloan won’t stand for it. It puts the whole truce in jeopardy.”

Storm shook his head. “I don’t believe anything will come of this truce, sunshine. Do you? Really?”

Nathan’s brow furrowed. “I have to have hope, Storm. I can’t just go through the motions, thinking my actions don’t really matter. I have to try .”

Frustration rushed through him. “I’m not giving you up for some pipe dream that the guild will stop treating us like monsters.” He stepped closer, finally giving in to the need to push . “You’re mine , goddammit, and I won’t give you up for anything.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “What?” he said on a breath. “What do you mean ‘yours’? What does that mean?”

Storm pressed closer, penning Nathan in the circle of his arms and the driver’s side door. He didn’t seem alarmed to be trapped there, nor did he try to push Storm away. Instead, he tipped his head back, peering up at Storm’s face as though Storm held all the answers and they were only a breath away.

“I honestly thought the others were being dramatic,” Storm confessed, realizing after the fact that the others in question might be able to hear him from inside the Rink. “I didn’t think their obsession with their humans made any sense. But then I met you. And you’re so perfect. You’re honest and strong and radiant . You’re what sunshine would feel like if it didn’t burn.”

Nathan sucked in a shocked gasp. Their bodies lined up, and Nathan’s hands fell to his waist, gripping tightly but otherwise unmoving.

“You’re mine. I can feel it. I know you can, too.”

“This can’t happen,” Nathan breathed. “It’s dangerous.”

“All the best things in life are,” Storm countered. He stole in for a kiss, and Nathan didn’t rebuff him. He kept it light, a quick brushing of lips. “Tell me you feel nothing for me, and I’ll back off. Tell me you don’t feel it. Tell me last night meant nothing to you.”

Nathan closed his eyes, his face twisting.

“Tell me,” he ordered, his voice low.

Nathan didn’t respond. His hands fisted in Storm’s shirt.

“Kiss me.” Another order, this one nearly lost on the sun-warmed breeze.

Nathan closed the space between them, tipping his face back and sealing their mouths together. Storm caught the back of his head in one hand, holding firm as he guided Nathan’s mouth open, tangling their tongues together and tasting the remnants of the white chocolate mocha he’d devoured. Nathan’s arms twined around his back, and Storm uttered a rumbling, inhuman growl that had Nathan’s grip tightening in response.

All too soon, Nathan pulled away. “This doesn’t change anything?—”

“Shut up and kiss me again.”

And Nathan obeyed, reeling Storm in and opening for him right away, letting Storm lick into his mouth and meeting his tongue with his own eager one. Their hips lined up, and when Storm felt Nathan’s hard length in his jeans, heat seared straight down his spine.

“ Are they about to fuck in the parking lot? ” Malachi asked from inside the Rink. “ I was going to take Luke for lunch .”

“ If they’re doing that in the parking lot, we’re staying in here ,” Luke declared. “ I don’t want to see that .”

Storm didn’t want to share this side of Nathan with anyone, so with great reluctance, he parted from Nathan, slowing their kisses to light pecks and finally opening his eyes. Nathan’s were still closed, his brow furrowed adorably.

When he finally opened his eyes, they were filled with regret. “This can’t change anything.”

Storm sighed.

“You’re right, I do feel… something. I don’t know what it is. But my job has to come first. The truce has to come first. If it all goes up in smoke later, so be it. At least then I’ll know I gave it my best shot.”

Nathan would keep trying to change the guild from within until it bit him in the ass. Storm would just have to be there to make sure he came out the other side unharmed.

“Okay, sunshine,” Storm agreed, brushing Nathan’s bottom lip with his thumb, and Nathan’s gaze went heavy-lidded with want. “I’m not going to disappear, though. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you, even from your own nobility.”

His silver eyes sharpened. “I don’t need protection from myself .”

“Debatable,” Storm said, tugging Nathan away from the car so he could open the door for him. “Go on. Give your report, go on your patrol, do your noble warrior thing. I’ll see you later.”

Giving him one last suspicious look, Nathan got in the car and drove away.