Page 22 of The Devil’s Bargain (A Devil to Die for #3)

“I’ll take care of the sale,” Nyxian said. He stood next to Aodhan outside the hospital room, watching through the large glass observation window.

Inside, Mercy and Calix were sharing a bed, the detective lying on his back with the director on his side, his hand carefully kept directly over his heart. They were both unconscious.

Still.

“What’s going on in there?” Nyxian asked, and it was clear by his tone he’d been trying not to all this time and had finally given in.

“It was too soon after he healed me,” Aodhan explained quietly.

“He lost control of the energy and his body went into stasis to sustain his lifeforce while it balances out.” He’d already gotten a confession out of Mitri about what had been done to Calix.

“As our First, he’ll instinctively put Cal’s wellbeing over his own, which is why it’s so important they remain connected and no one disturbs them. ”

Even unconscious, Mercy was forcing the flow of energy into Cal.

“He’s cycling energy between the two of them, clearing out the poison and repairing the damage.” If not for the fact he had to keep his hand right where it was, Aodhan could help with the process through sexual means, but that was out of the question as things were.

So he was trapped standing outside looking in.

Like a fucking stranger.

Powerless.

Useless.

“Make sure he hurts,” he growled, and Nyxian didn’t need him to elaborate to know exactly who he was referring to now.

“I’ve got a buyer lined up already. You’ll like him.”

“So long as he’s deranged.”

Xian clicked his tongue. “He’ll make what I did to my Harbor look like child's play.”

“Perfect.” He’d already cleared things with Nero, bought the man’s silence and sworn him to secrecy. Zane wouldn’t say anything either, he was sure of it, so that meant he’d at least managed to lock this down.

As for the medical staff at the hospital, Aodhan merely stated he didn’t know. By the time he’d arrived at the scene, it’d been over. Not a complete lie.

“Wake up and put a believable spin on this,” he murmured, staring at Mercy’s still form.

“You’ll call me if you need anything, yeah?”

He waved him off.

“I’m serious, A.”

“Your unwavering devotion toward my person and secret boner for me has been noted.”

Nyxian flipped him the middle finger and sauntered off, but Aodhan wasn’t gifted the peace of solitude for long.

“Here.” Zane handed him a cup of coffee, glancing at the monitors within the room while he waited for Aodhan to take it. “They’re stable. That’s good.”

“Nothing is going to happen to them,” Aodhan stated firmly.

“Of course not, brother.”

“I mean it.”

“So do I.” He took a sip from his own cup and then gave him a partial smirk. “Titus Mercer is too much of a control freak to let something like this keep him down. The forensic scientist didn’t even get a good shot in.”

“He got Cal.” Aodhan scowled and Zane dipped his head.

“Apologies.”

He sent him a sidelong look. “I forgot you were coming for a visit. Thanks, but why are you still here? Isn’t Pavel going nuts without you? That guy’s a freak.”

“I’m glad that you approve.”

Aodhan snorted. “Since when?”

“Since always.” He shrugged a single shoulder like his confession wasn’t a big deal. “How long do you think they’ll stay like that?” He jutted his chin toward Aodhan’s pod.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Why? Don’t tell me you’re planning on sticking around until they wake up or some shit like that?”

“All right.” Zane took another casual sip. “I won’t tell you.”

The two of them had never been all that close, and a lot of that was Aodhan’s fault.

He’d been a crappy older brother growing up, viewing Zane as little more than a family pet meant to be humored, trained, and occasionally experimented on.

But that didn’t mean he’d never cared, even if it had been in his own twisted, fucked up sort of way.

He shook his head and grunted at himself. “Bonding with Calix has made me weak. I’ve got a damn bleeding heart now.”

Zane chuckled. “I heard what you ordered Nyxian to do with Mitri. Don’t worry. You’re still the same ruthless devil you’ve always been.”

“Thanks, baby brother.”

“No problem.”

“You hear that, lovers?” Aodhan tapped against the glass. “You better wake up and rein me in before I do something psychotic like set the north wing of the hospital on fire.”

He would never.

Not with Mercy and Cal still in the building.