Chapter 3
ONYX
Why had Onyx shared his food with Nico? It gave the wrong impression. He hadn’t planned to, but the witch actually needed to eat to survive, and Onyx didn’t. The hollow feeling currently burrowing its way inside him wasn’t about food. He probably needed a drink of blood when he got home.
“Will Rowan be offering refreshments?” Onyx could go for a glass of blood sooner rather than later. This aching hunger wasn’t usual for him.
“Probably.” Nico sat tense in the seat next to him as they rode through the city in a rideshare. They’d left Ollie and Harper to make their own way home.
He could practically feel Nico’s apprehension wafting off him.
Onyx rolled his shoulders. On second thought, it would be too friendly to accept blood from the vampire. He’d have to wait until later.
Eventually, they pulled up in front of an old-style building. Onyx doubted it was historic. Given the lack of genuine character, it was likely a modern dupe.
“Classy.” Onyx opened the door and stepped out.
Nico climbed out the other side. “Not everyone can own a building as sleek as yours.”
“More’s the pity.” Onyx gestured toward the entrance. “Lead the way. I don’t want to explain to the plebs at the door who I am.”
Nico shook his head, mumbling something that sounded a lot like can’t be serious, but led the way without otherwise complaining.
They bypassed the closed strip club, entering a door to the side, leading to a stairwell where a couple of vampire plebs were indeed lurking. Seemed Rowan was more than a strip club owning—sometimes performing—vampire if he owned and utilized the whole building.
Onyx had a feeling his brothers and their mates had discussed the vampire’s business before coming here last time, but Onyx hadn’t paid close attention, and once they’d gotten here, he’d been too focused on scaring Nico to absorb much else.
He followed Nico up several flights of stairs and down a red carpeted hall. The building was quiet. Other than the muscle at street level, no one was around.
Nico knocked on a polished wood door, paused, then entered. Onyx stepped after him, head high but not quite putting his nose in the air. He suppressed his magic, making himself appear human to other magical beings.
Rowan stood from a large antique desk in the corner of the room. Dammit, he was tall too. It was natural for Eternals, and therefore demons, to be on the larger side, but other magical beings should vary as much as humans.
“Nico, it’s good to see you.” The vampire stepped out from behind the desk. He wore a gray suit made of expensive-looking fabric, the fit suggesting custom tailoring. Rowan’s dark hair fell several inches past his shoulders, his brown cheeks flushed with life. He smiled politely but with no warmth.
“I appreciate you making time on short notice. Shall we sit?” Nico gestured to the leather couches next to a pair of bookshelves.
“Please.” Rowan stepped toward the seating area.
Was Nico not going to introduce him? That was fucking rude after insisting Onyx come.
Nico nudged Onyx with his elbow, and Onyx snatched his arm out of reach.
Rowan perched on the closest couch, and Nico sat opposite him. Onyx sat, spine straight, next to Nico, leaving enough space for another person to fit between them.
“What can I do for the owner of Gallery Four?” Rowan asked smoothly, turning his attention to Onyx.
So he recognized him. Was that supposed to be endearing or a power play, displaying his knowledge of the who’s-who in Shearwater Landing?
Nico glanced between them. “I wasn’t aware you and Onyx had met.”
“We haven’t,” Onyx corrected.
“No, but it’s a pleasure.” Rowan held out his hand.
His magic flared. If Onyx were human—as Rowan no doubt believed—he’d have felt inexplicably unsettled with the way the vampire was trying to intimidate him.
Onyx shook Rowan’s hand. “I’m always a pleasure.”
Rowan sat back, arms spread out on the back of the couch. “So, what can I do for you gentlemen?”
Nico scrubbed a hand over his face. “There’s some serious shit going on.”
What an astute assessment. Onyx blinked to keep from rolling his eyes.
“In the art world?” Rowan hedged, brow cocking.
What, did he think there was an art thief on the loose? If there was, it was more likely that Onyx was the culprit than the victim.
He’d robbed a few museums when he’d first escaped from the Realm of the Damned. Ash had a field day, refusing to acknowledge that Onyx had stolen items that had once belonged to him and other demons, therefore canceling out any claim of theft.
Onyx had no excuse for his stint as a jewel thief. That had been for fun.
“It’s a problem for the Human Realm,” Onyx said.
Rowan blinked a few too many times but otherwise didn’t show any surprise. “You’re aware of the magic world?”
“That should be obvious given I referenced the Human Realm.” And the fact that he was here at all. Unless humans came to this guy for favors, not knowing what he was. Onyx turned to Nico. “Why don’t you explain?”
He’d see how Nico wanted to approach this, and go from there. Maybe they should have discussed a game plan, but Onyx didn’t think it mattered. He wasn’t the one worried about the demons’ return.
“Have you ever heard that demons live in Shearwater Landing?” Nico asked Rowan.
“There’ve been rumors that the sooty shearwater flock is under demon enchantment, but I’ve never heard more than whispers. Why?”
“The Hounds of Hell all live here.” Nico glanced toward the windows like he’d rather be elsewhere. “I’ve met them.”
Rowan lurched forward, his movement too fast to pass for human. “You’ve met the Hounds of Hell?”
Onyx narrowed his eyes. “He has, but you don’t get to meet them. The Hounds aren’t the problem. All demons were freed from the Realm of the Damned and are now on Earth. Some might be headed here. Nico wants to put together a PSA so people aren’t caught off guard.”
“A PSA,” Nico muttered. “What a way to put it.”
Rowan didn’t acknowledge the comment, not taking his eyes off Onyx. “What does that have to do with you? How do you know anything about demons?”
Onyx leaned forward. “I am one.” He smiled, letting his fangs drop and his eyes burn.
Rowan was silent for a good thirty seconds. He didn’t move a muscle. “I can’t detect your magic.”
Onyx flicked his wrist dismissively, putting his fire and fangs away. “Demon trick. Our powers surpass anything you’re familiar with, since we were the ones to give them to you. If you can call it giving, in your case.”
The original vampires were a group of witches who’d slayed a demon and drank his blood in order to gain immortality. Killing a demon or Eternal was an unforgivable crime, even if the Eternal Realm had decided not to smite the perpetrators in this particular case.
Onyx liked to bring it up to make vampires uncomfortable, and hadn’t had the pleasure in a long time.
Rowan frowned. “I’m not that old. The origin of my species is hardly my fault. How do you know Nico?”
Onyx cut a glance at the witch. Nico looked tired. Was he genuinely stressed about all this? Really, there was only so much he could do about any coming upheaval. He should relax.
“Nico is…” Onyx trailed off. It was to their advantage for as few people as possible to know who the Hounds actually were. Lucifer was still looking for them, and who knew if any other demons would come sniffing around. “We have a mutual friend.”
Rowan studied Nico. “The boys from the other night?”
Well, it appeared Rowan wasn’t stupid. They might have to trust him with who they all were, given they’d gotten him involved the night they went to hunt Luc in the Realm of the Damned.
If he knew Harper and Ollie were involved, it wouldn’t take much sleuthing to get a glimpse of their mates, even if they weren’t detectable as demons.
“The night we had that strange disturbance behind the club?” Rowan continued.
“Yes. That was the night the demons were freed,” Nico said.
“None of that matters,” Onyx cut in before Rowan could ask anything else. “We’re here to get the word out. There’s going to be an adjustment now that the rest of my kind are back.”
“An adjustment?” Rowan stiffened. “How can it not matter what happened the night the demons were freed? Did you free them? Why did demons fall to Earth in the first place? Does it have anything to do with their return? What about the witch souls in Hell?”
Fuck, he had an inquisitive mind. What a nuisance. They weren’t going to get away with keeping this guy completely in the dark. Onyx should have refused to deal with this.
“Demons fell to Earth to—”
“It’s no one’s business why we fell from the Eternal Realm,” Onyx snapped, glaring at Nico.
Nico glared back. “Why can’t we tell him? What’s the big secret?”
Onyx didn’t want to talk about mates. It was irrelevant. “Why we came originally isn’t the issue. It’s literally ancient history. We lived among you before, and the world ticked along fine. Our return won’t be an issue unless witches and vampires make it one.”
“You don’t know that,” Nico argued. “Demons could start conflict as well as anyone. And I think people need to be aware of mates.”
Fucking witch. Onyx briefly contemplated strangling him. “Why the hell am I here if you’re going to say whatever you want? What happened to deciding what to share?”
“I agreed to let you decide whether to share your identity or not. I didn’t say I’d keep anything else quiet.” Nico shifted uncomfortably. “Why can’t we explain mates? Isn’t that why the demons were freed?”
Onyx clenched a fist at his side. “You don’t know shit about mates.”
“Well, it’s clear the subject is a touchy one for you,” Rowan interrupted.
Onyx’s eyes flamed. “Watch it, vamp. I could end you without breaking a sweat.”
Rowan didn’t even flinch, damn him. Though Nico sucked in a sharp breath.
“We’re surrounded by my coven,” Rowan said levelly. “You can’t take on a whole group on your own.”