Chapter 2
NICO
Nico shouldn’t have been satisfied to see the fight in Onyx fade, but it felt like a win.
“Fine. I’ll come with you to talk to the vampire and be the demon face of this bullshit. But I don’t want magical beings showing up here willy-nilly afterward. My life in the human world is separate, and the gallery is off limits.” Onyx’s stare bored into Nico, the chill palpable.
“Anyone with concerns can see me at The Herb Emporium,” Nico assured him. “I’m more approachable anyway.”
Onyx sniffed, and his lip curled. “Only because I aim for unapproachable.”
It was funny that Onyx thought helping might bring him unwanted attention. Beings in the magic world finding out he was not only the aloof owner of a business catering to the elite, but a demon, would make him more intimidating, not less.
Onyx had nothing to worry about. Witches weren’t going to come to him for help, especially when he acted like he was on the verge of biting everyone’s heads off.
Nico shouldn’t have found his viciousness hot. He wasn’t usually into danger, but maybe a little fear would do him good. Something had been missing in his life, and he didn’t hate the idea of working with Onyx. Nico liked a challenge.
“Now that’s settled, can we get lunch?” Ollie asked.
Onyx’s hard edges softened as he turned his attention toward the human. “Great idea. Ash, Dante, you’re dismissed.”
Ash rolled his eyes and stormed out.
Nico wasn’t sorry to see him go. He couldn’t figure out if Ash liked him or not.
Ash never passed up an opportunity to intimidate, seeming to love subtle and not-so-subtle threats alike.
He acted as if Nico was about to betray Harper at every turn, even though Ash had to know that wasn’t true by now.
Dante kissed Ollie and said goodbye, following Ash.
Onyx turned to Nico. “You can go too.”
Nico crossed his arms, his brow raising. “You’re dismissing me?” They didn’t know each other well enough for that to be anything other than blatantly rude.
“Obviously.” Onyx’s hard edges snapped back into place. His fair cheeks flushed slightly, and his eyes darkened, not quite burning with blue fire, but cold enough to sting.
He was a head shorter than Nico, and if he hadn’t been immortal—and in possession of the strength that came with that—Nico would have called him delicate.
Onyx’s appearance was deceptive. His stature didn’t make him any less intimidating than Ash or Dante.
If anything, Onyx was the one Nico feared most. He had the air of a man out to prove himself, and the way he’d lashed out when Nico had first met him on the rooftop of Rowan’s club told him that Onyx was unpredictable and had a serious temper.
All up, it was a dangerous combo.
But it wouldn’t be good to show any hint of fear. Someone like Onyx would pounce on it.
“Why don’t I go to lunch with you guys, and we can meet Rowan after?”
Onyx bristled. “Meet Rowan today? Did no one hear that I was busy, or are you purposely ignoring me?”
Nico didn’t acknowledge the challenge in his tone, remaining calm.
“I’m not ignoring or dismissing you. I’m sure you have a lot to do for your opening.
I can’t even imagine running a gallery. But we need to get on this.
If we didn’t have to give Rowan a heads up that we’re coming by, I’d say we skip lunch and talk to him immediately. ”
Even as a friend, Nico didn’t like dropping in on Rowan unannounced.
Between running the Valero Coven and his various enterprises, Rowan had a lot on his plate.
It made Nico glad he wasn’t associated with a coven.
The freedom to duck in and out of Rowan’s business suited Nico and allowed him to look after his own priorities.
Besides, to join Rowan officially, Nico would have to become a vampire, and that was never a life he’d wanted.
Onyx swept back his blue hair, and Nico wondered what his natural color was. Dark like his eyebrows, or were they dyed too? “Fine. Lunch, then the vampire strip club, then everyone leaves me the fuck alone.”
Nico grinned. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Onyx’s mouth opened and shut, his cheeks darkening. He pushed past, looping an arm through one of Ollie’s and one of Harper’s, and guided the two young men toward the door.
Nico followed. Seemed he’d struck a nerve.
Did Onyx actually mind helping, or was there some other reason he fought so hard against every suggestion? Nico shook off the question and pulled out his phone, shooting off a text to Rowan.
After locking up, Onyx led them to a small bistro around the corner, where they were seated in the courtyard.
Nico lifted an edge of the crisp white tablecloth. “Fancy lunch.”
“Hardly.” Onyx unfurled his napkin with a flourish and set it on his lap. “My treat, little mates.” He nudged the menus closer to Harper and Ollie, then frowned at Nico, his brow scrunching.
Nico swallowed a laugh. “You don’t have to buy me lunch. I’m a big boy.”
“Good because I wasn’t going to.” Onyx picked up his menu. “Not that I’m babying you,” he said to the others.
“We know.” Ollie looked like he was fighting a smile. “It’s no secret that neither of us can afford to eat at half the places you like.”
Nico glanced at the menu. Fuck. One meal wouldn’t break the bank, but he wasn’t coming back here in a hurry.
Onyx pointed out various dishes to Harper and Ollie, explaining what was good about each one. He seemed to know the boys’ tastes well.
“Do you three go out together often?” Nico asked.
Harper put his menu down. “Not yet. Ollie hasn’t been mated long, and with everything going on, some of our plans got delayed, but Onyx is going to take us on a food tour of the city.”
“How nice of you.”
Onyx squirmed in his seat. “Whatever. It’s not an open invitation.”
“Didn’t think it was. Besides, Ash might not like me tagging along. He probably thinks I spend enough time with Harper at work.”
Onyx’s head tilted. “Ash doesn’t like you?”
Nico shrugged.
“He likes you,” Harper insisted, not for the first time.
“Well, it doesn’t matter because Ash isn’t invited either.” Onyx disappeared behind his menu.
Interesting. Did Onyx not like the other demons any more than he liked Nico? Either way, he definitely had a soft spot for their mates.
Relief loosened the tightness in Nico’s chest. He worried about Harper and Ollie. They were young, at least ten years younger than Nico’s thirty-five, and they’d been swept up in this whole fated mate thing so quickly.
Ash, Dante, and Onyx were legends in the magic world.
The Hounds of Hell, formerly Lucifer’s closest allies, and now apparent enemies.
They were thousands of years old. Being bound to one of them came with a huge risk of being taken advantage of.
It was so much worse than the risk of binding yourself to your sire to become a vampire.
Nico didn’t like the power imbalance between the demons and their mates, especially human Ollie, and especially considering the telepathic element and irreversible nature of the bond.
Everyone—including Harper and Ollie—claimed Ash and Dante treated the boys right, and Nico had never seen anything to the contrary, but the mating bond was hard to get his head around.
How could you trust someone enough to go through with it? How could you be meant for one person? Had Harper and Ollie accepted immortality easily? If they hadn’t, Nico wasn’t aware.
Harper knew he could turn to Nico with anything—Ollie, too. If the situation turned out to be problematic, Nico would get them out. Somehow.
It was a relief that Onyx’s animosity didn’t extend to the boys. If it came down to it, perhaps Onyx would take their side, even against the other demons.
When the waiter came, Nico ordered a side salad and water. He had plenty of food at home, and considering it was Sunday, Lucia, his older neighbor, was probably going to saddle him with half of whatever she was cooking.
Onyx’s stare burned into the side of Nico’s head as he ordered, but Nico refused to look at him. He didn’t care if he couldn’t afford this place and ordered accordingly. Onyx judging him for it knocked Nico’s opinion of him back down.
As everyone else ordered, Nico checked his phone.
Rowan:
It’s not often you ask for my help. At least not on your own behalf.
Nico frowned. Rowan was busy enough, and Nico never had any serious problems of his own, so why bother Rowan with them?
Nico:
This isn’t personal. I’ll be bringing someone with me. Can’t say more now, but it’s big.
Rowan:
Intriguing. I’ll clear my afternoon.
Nico:
See you in an hour.
Nico let the others talk. Onyx was clearly content to ignore him, though Harper kept trying to rope him into the chatter. Normally, Nico would try harder, but unease ate at him.
Earth’s demon population going from three to hundreds, maybe thousands—he wasn’t sure how many demons had been in Hell—wouldn’t go smoothly, no matter what they did.
The most powerful covens, both witch and vampire, were going to be angry that they no longer sat at the top of the magic world’s hierarchy.
The food arrived, and Nico’s salad turned out to be more aesthetic than anything that would fill him up. Harper and Ollie had paninis, and Onyx seemed to have ordered the entire small plates menu.
“Everyone try these.” Onyx passed a dish of small pastries around. “They’re my favorite.”
Harper and Ollie dutifully grabbed one each. “Oh, yum.” Harper covered his mouth, eyes going wide.
Onyx thrust the plate at Nico. “Try one.” He shook it like Nico was putting him out by not taking the food.
“You don’t have to share with me.”
“Of course I don’t, but I’m not an asshole. Take a pastry. Unless you’re allergic to gluten or something.” Onyx narrowed his eyes as if he might spot a gluten intolerance lurking within Nico.
“No allergies.” Nico took a pastry, buttery crumbs flaking onto his fingers. “Thanks.”
Onyx popped the last pastry in his mouth, not bothering to reply.
They didn’t linger over the food. Maybe Nico wasn’t the only one anxious to get to their next task. Onyx shared everything he’d ordered, glaring at Nico if he didn’t try a dish fast enough. If there wasn’t so much on his mind, Nico would have laughed.
As their plates were cleared, Onyx slipped the waiter his credit card.
Nico hadn’t even gotten his wallet out. “You paid for my lunch.”
Onyx dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “Yeah, well, this isn’t the sort of place where you split the bill. I come here too often to embarrass myself.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
Onyx ignored him, smiling at Harper and Ollie and seeming to give his full attention to what they were saying. His blue eyes weren’t as cold when they were lit by the summer sun, and he had the faintest freckles along his cheeks.
Nico’s chest tightened, a sensation like something was tugging on his insides. He rubbed it absently. It’d be good it get this meeting over with. He wasn’t used to feeling like this.