Chapter Nine
Dane
The taste of ripe apple had me moaning. I couldn’t recall the last time I’d had fresh fruit, and there was an entire bowl on the counter. While on the run, I’d eaten whatever was convenient, which mostly consisted of processed foods. When I died, I would already be well-preserved.
As I chewed, I poked around, but so far, I hadn’t spotted Kyson. That was strange since his scent had guided Malachi to the kitchen.
Malachi.
He was an enigma wrapped in temptation. No sooner had I thought he would let his guard down than the grouchy bastard snapped it back into place.
But why was I trying to befriend him? He’d made me a prisoner here and bitten my head off like it was his favorite pastime.
Still, those brooding eyes, lean muscles, and chiseled jaw constantly stole my gaze.
For real, I thought he was going to kiss me earlier when our faces were inches apart. Would I have let him? Even burned, he was handsome as hell.
But would you have kissed him back?
Oh shit! Had he just heard me? This mind thing was creepy but also kind of cool. Now I could tell him off without speaking a word.
Or talk to him when he wasn’t invading my room. I wished I’d known about it when Emmett tried to attack me. I’d been too frozen with fear to shout for Malachi. Would I have thought about mind-shouting for him?
Probably not.
My steps slowed when I felt that familiar tingle. It wasn’t an ability I had, more like survival instincts.
I stopped chewing and glanced around, my gaze landing on Kyson, who stood off in a shadowy corner. The apple fell from my hand and hit the floor, the juices splashing my foot.
The look in Kyson’s eyes was too cruel to belong to him.
“Are you still practicing being a badass?”
I asked after swallowing the bite of apple in my mouth. Please let him be practicing.
“Malachi?”
No answer.
Kyson twirled his finger in the air. “Sorry, but the number you dialed has been disconnected.”
Backing away, my hip struck the island in the middle of the room, but I was too terrified to respond to the pain. “The guy you possessed earlier wasn’t available?”
“I like variety,”
Osiris smiled.
I hated to see Kyson looking at me with such sinister eyes. He might’ve kidnapped me—for good reason—but I truly liked him.
It had to be like reliving his nightmare all over again with Osiris inside of him. The demon had possessed me once, and I still had nightmares because of what he’d done while “wearing” me.
“Kyson, you in there?”
With my hand on the edge of the island, I slid backward as he slowly stepped forward.
“He’s busy, trapped in one of his memories of our time together.”
Osiris tilted his head in that horrifying way of his, the menacing smile deepening. “I don’t know why you run, sweet boy. You know I’m going to find you.”
The smile faded into a deep scowl. “And I’m done chasing you. It’s time to come home, Dane.”
“Malachi! ”
I averted my gaze, cursing that I’d looked him…Kyson…in the eyes for the second time. Osiris had used torture to train my mind to obey his command. Demons were proficient at breaking a person. I should know.
“Look at me, Dane.”
It wasn’t what he said, but the way he said it, each syllable a soft blade sliding into place.
My body throbbed with phantom pain, every inch of skin he tortured coming alive to remind me of what he would do if he got his hands on me again.
Keeping my eyes downcast, I continued to back away. If I could reach the door, maybe I could lure him into the hallway where Malachi was waiting for me.
“Malachi, please answer me!”
“So naughty.”
Osiris tsked. “You’ve picked up some bad habits while you were gone. Do you honestly think I would allow you to call for help?”
I turned and bolted for the door, slamming through it so hard it nearly ricocheted back at me.
Oh crap! The hallway wasn’t empty. At least half a dozen vampires were there, and it sounded like they were lodging a complaint.
The prince stood there, wings spread, appearing irritated.
“Osiris,”
I choked out, stumbling forward. “He’s in Kyson!”
Every single vampire turned their attention toward the kitchen. I collided with Malachi, too shaky to stop myself.
He caught me, his body solid and unyielding. For the first time, he was giving me the comfort I’d so desperately needed. His arms curled around me protectively, his voice low and steady as he said, “Stay behind me.”
Unlike at Flaming Wings, I was doing as he said. There wasn’t just one threat, but many. I was stubborn and mouthy, not suicidal.
Despite having so many vampires around me, I slipped behind his tall, broad frame, watching as Malachi turned his focus back toward the open kitchen door.
Osiris emerged as if he was on a leisurely walk. “You think I didn’t know what you were doing, dear boy?”
To my surprise, Giovanni moved closer to me. Either he was standing united with Malachi or the prick was about to drain me dry. With the way my luck had been running lately, I scooted a step away.
Giovanni’s blue gaze slid toward me. “Stay put.”
“Just as long as you attack Osiris and not me.”
The side of his mouth curved. “You are a very tempting morsel, human.”
“Seriously?”
I hissed. “And you expect me to trust you?”
His eyes became haunted. “Never trust me, Dane. Ever.”
He still terrified the shit out of me, but at least he was honest. My attention darted to Osiris as a feral grin appeared on Kyson’s face. “You won’t hurt me,”
he taunted, spreading his arms wide. “Not while I’m wearing your precious friend.”
“He’s not my friend,”
someone behind me muttered.
I inched closer to Malachi. If Kyson had been living among them for five years, what exactly did he have to do in order to gain their trust?
“Why did you have to choose Kyson?”
someone else asked. “His stench is burning my nose hairs.”
I watched as Giovanni leveled a glare at them, and the men quieted.
Malachi had tensed, his hesitation obvious even as the vampires closed ranks. “You’re not leaving here with him.”
Malachi’s tone was final.
“You gonna stop me, prince? You’ve been trying, and failing, to do that for five years. Yet, here I stand, wearing my former pet.”
I’m not a pet. I could practically hear Kyson arguing. I wanted the demon out of him in the worst way. Would he remember being possessed? I had, and I didn’t envy the trainwreck Kyson would be once Osiris exited him.
And he would exit Kyson.
“Please, Malachi. Make him give Kyson back.”
He didn’t reply, so I tried again. “ Malachi?”
“That wasn’t a temporary block.”
Osiris looked right at me, causing me to tremble harder. “Sorry, but that line of communication has been permanently severed.”
Malachi reached back and brushed his fingers over my hip. The sensation of his touch had me leaning in closer. From the corner of my eye, I saw Giovanni watching us.
“You know,”
Malachi began, “you’re mistaking me for someone who cares. I don’t give a shit about you possessing some human , but I won’t let you leave with him on principle.”
When he took a step closer to the demon, I took a step forward too. “Try me, you sadistic fuck.”
Those words had to have burned like acid on Malachi’s tongue. He might not have shown Kyson that he cared, but I knew he must. If Malachi didn’t, he wouldn’t have rushed to find the guy.
Once again, I peeked around his wings, only this time I made sure to weave my finger through the intricate ties on his leather pants. If Osiris turned that gaze on me again, I wanted Malachi to yank my ass back to him.
Before anyone could move, black smoke poured from Kyson’s mouth, swirling and racing back into the kitchen. Kyson collapsed to the floor, unmoving.
I gasped. I’d never seen the demon do that. When he’d possessed me, I’d felt the moment he’d left my body, but just like Kyson, I’d immediately passed out. The smoke was terrifying and weirdly beautiful. Now I wanted to scour my mind for even thinking that. But I noticed the vampires didn’t go after the smoke. Sunlight poured through the kitchen door, creating an impassable barrier.
I moved around Malachi’s wings and took a step in Kyson’s direction.
“He could still be lurking in the kitchen,”
Malachi snapped. “Don’t even think about it, Dane. He could possess you.”
But I didn’t listen. I dodged his grabby hand and sprinted straight for Kyson. Gripping him by the arm, I dragged him closer to the shadows where the vampires waited. Jeez. For a skinny guy, he was solidly built. I was panting by the time I stopped.
I really needed to start working out.
“Kyson and Dane are under my protection,”
Malachi announced to everyone. “I claim Dane as mine. Come anywhere near him and you will feel the full weight of my wrath. Pass my decree on to others.”
The sound of his voice didn’t just carry authority—it carried possession, wrapping around me like chains forged from darkness.
The way he had just claimed me caused my lips to slightly part. My instinct was to argue that I belonged to no one, but… Shit, was I really catching feelings for the winged vampire? I didn’t want to admit it, but the jolt I felt was undeniable. I had to have Stockholm syndrome. That was the only explanation I could think of.
But he could have told me what he’d planned on doing first. Once we were alone, he was going to feel the full weight of my wrath.
Malachi swept Kyson into his arms, his expression feral as he turned and headed away from the kitchen.
“Come, Dane.”
His voice was sharper than it needed to be.
I followed, my gaze flicking to Kyson’s slack features. Right now, my anger could wait. “He’ll be okay, right?”
Malachi didn’t answer. He just carried Kyson through the halls, his silence doing little to calm the growing knot in my stomach.