Chapter Three #3
He turned and left, and Tex watched him go.
He desperately wanted to follow his mate inside the house, but he respected Nymon’s need for safety.
Nymon didn’t know if he could trust him, so he didn’t want to invite him inside the house, and that was okay.
Hopefully, they’d be able to trust each other soon.
But they’d only be able to do that if Tex was honest. He didn’t want to lie to his mate.
He didn’t want to have to come up with a story that would explain his presence in Starhaven.
Besides, he suspected that Nymon would see right through him even if he did.
No, he needed to tell his mate the truth, even if it meant that Nymon never trusted him.
It wasn’t like Tex had been sent to kill someone or do something nefarious.
He was here to gather information because some of the demons in Starhaven were hurting people. Surely, Nymon would understand.
It didn’t take Nymon long to reappear. Tex was still standing in the same spot when he did, and Nymon frowned when he saw him.
“I thought you’d have at least sat down,” he said.
He was carrying a bag and a bunch of clothes.
He dumped the clothes on one of the comfortable-looking chairs by the greenhouse door.
“I don’t mind if you use my chair. I got you some clothes and food, though.
Maybe you can shift, get dressed, and eat something as we talk? ”
It was a thoughtful gesture, and Tex wanted to kiss his mate for it.
He kept his lips to himself when he shifted, though.
He could feel that Nymon was watching him, and maybe he moved more slowly than he normally would.
He was pretty sure his mate was attracted to him as much as he was attracted to his mate, and no one would blame him for preening a little bit.
He knew he looked good. He’d spent hours upon hours training as a council assassin, and he still trained, even though he hadn’t become one. It had shaped his body.
Once he was dressed, he dropped into the chair Nymon had left empty. He waited for Nymon to open the bag he’d carried in earlier, not knowing what to expect. He waited for Nymon to demand the real reason why he was here, but instead, his mate limited himself to handing him a sandwich.
“I’ll cook dinner later,” Nymon said. “But I thought you’d like to have something to hold you over until then.”
“This is perfect,” Tex told him.
“It’s really not, but it’s good enough for now.” He leaned back into the chair. “How’s life outside of Starhaven?”
That wasn’t what Tex had expected. “It depends. What do you want to know exactly?”
“Whatever you’re willing to tell me. Where do you live? In a house?”
“In an apartment.”
“Do you live in a big city?”
“No, I live in a small town very much like this one. It just has fewer demons.”
Nymon snickered. “I bet it does. Are you really interested in demons?”
Tex was interested in one demon in particular, but he couldn’t tell his mate that yet. “I am. It’s hard not to be interested in a species you haven’t ever met before, you know?”
“But that’s not the main reason you’re here.”
“It’s not,” Tex admitted.
“You said you live in a small town. You’re allowed to leave it.”
Tex blinked, surprised by the change in the conversation. He’d expected Nymon to push and demand an explanation, but instead, he seemed more interested in Tex’s life.
Tex didn’t have a problem telling Nymon what he wanted to know.
He was glad for the reprieve. He knew it wouldn’t last long.
He couldn’t stay in Nymon’s greenhouse forever.
He had no idea what the future would look like for the two of them, but they would have one together. That was the one thing Tex was sure of.
He just had no idea how they’d get there.
* * * *
NYMON COULD TELL HE was confusing Tex, and frankly, he was having fun with that. He was having fun with Tex, period.
Surely, this wasn’t normal. They didn’t know each other, so why did Nymon trust Tex the way he did? Why did he want to lean closer and maybe have Tex wrap an arm around his shoulders?
Why did he want to kiss Tex?
That one was easy. Tex was hot. He was sweet and gentle. He was indulging Nymon and answering his questions without arguing. That might be because he was afraid that Nymon would warn someone that he was there, but it didn’t feel like that was the case.
He wasn’t sure he could trust his instincts, though.
It wasn’t only that he wanted to kiss this man.
He wanted to press closer, maybe crawl into his lap and hug him.
It didn’t have anything to do with sex, not all of it.
He shouldn’t feel this way for someone he’d just met, but he was already panicking at the thought of Tex leaving.
He didn’t know what to do with that. It didn’t make sense, and it wasn’t like him. He might trust people too easily, but that didn’t explain how he felt in this case. Nothing did.
It scared him, but at the same time, he liked it.
He could indulge in a small crush, right?
There might be something more to it, but he didn’t know what that more was, and he wasn’t sure he would find out.
There was no way Tex would be allowed to stay in Starhaven, and Nymon wasn’t allowed to leave.
That didn’t leave them in a place where they could explore whatever Nymon was feeling.
Eventually, Tex would go back to his life, and Nymon wouldn’t.
They probably would never talk to each other again when that happened.
Nymon didn’t like that thought.
The conversation stayed light while Tex was eating. Nymon didn’t ask him why he was actually here again, and Tex didn’t volunteer any information. He seemed puzzled by Nymon, which wasn’t surprising since he’d said he’d never met a demon before.
Tex finished his sandwich and bunched up the wrapping. He hesitated, and Nymon waited. He didn’t want to push Tex. He didn’t think he would spook him, but it didn’t feel right. If Tex wanted to tell him what was going on, he would.
“I did lie to you,” Tex eventually said.
“Why?” Nymon wanted to know the truth, but he was also curious. Why would Tex lie? Was it because he didn’t know Nymon and didn’t trust him, or was there more?
“Because I was sent here. I’m not supposed to tell anyone about my mission.”
Nymon blinked. That sounded official, which wasn’t something he’d expected. “Who sent you?”
“The council,” Tex admitted. “I’ve been sent to investigate a group of demons who are selling their magical abilities. I’m sure that most of it isn’t dangerous, but people are dying. They’re being hurt by their magic, and the council can’t let it continue.”
That was definitely not what Nymon had expected. “What are they using this magic for?”
“I’m not an expert in demons, but I know that some demons have been hired to kill and have succeeded.”
“You mean demons are using their magic to hurt others?”
“I’m sure it’s not the first or the last time something like this has happened.”
Nymon was horrified, but at the same time, he wasn’t surprised.
He’d heard those two demons the other day.
He might live in a small town, but he’d seen enough to know that sometimes, people just wanted to hurt each other.
He supposed that if they could get paid to do so, it would hold even more appeal.
Demons were magical. There was no ignoring that. Nymon wasn’t one of the most powerful demons in town, but he had magic. He wasn’t sure how he’d be able to use it to hurt people, but that wasn’t something he even wanted to consider.
People were the same everywhere, no matter what they were. They wanted power and money, and that was how those demons had decided to obtain that. They couldn’t sell their magical abilities to other demons, so they’d decided to sell them to people who didn’t have magic.
Nymon jerked away when he felt something touch his knee. He looked up to see that Tex had his hand raised, almost touching him but not quite.
Not anymore. He’d retreated when Nymon had been surprised, but Nymon regretted it.
He wanted to feel Tex’s hands on him. He was surprised that Tex was trying to comfort him, mostly because it wasn’t a gesture most people would do for a stranger, but maybe he shouldn’t be surprised.
Nothing about their situation was normal.
He reached out and grabbed Tex’s hand, twining their fingers together and squeezing. That was all he intended to do, but as soon as he did that, the plants around him went nuts.
Everything that could bloom did so. Normally, Nymon would have to push his magic into the plants for them to behave like that, but not this time. This time, he wasn’t doing anything but holding Tex’s hand.
Tex gasped and glanced around. The flowers were of all colors, from yellow to red to pink. Seeing them made Nymon feel slightly better, but he still couldn’t forget what Tex had told him.
“So demons are hurting people?” he asked.
Tex turned his attention back to Nymon with a sigh. “They are. I guess that in the end, demons aren’t that different from humans and shifters. There are good and bad people in all species.”
“And you’re here to stop them?”
“I’m here to find out who’s part of this network. I heard a conversation earlier that will help me. I’m not supposed to do anything about it, though. It’s not my place. I’m just following orders, and they’re to find more information.”
Nymon slowly nodded. He supposed that made sense. Tex had said that he worked for the council. “Are you a spy, then?”
Tex rubbed the back of his neck. “Not exactly.”
There was a story there. Nymon could tell by the way Tex carefully avoided looking at him. It made him want to push. Everything about Tex made Nymon want to push.
He wanted to learn the man’s greatest fears and what made him smile. He wanted to know what comforted him when he needed it. He wanted to be the person who would do that. “Will you leave now that you have this information?”
Tex hesitated again. “I should. I’m supposed to.”
“That makes it sound like you won’t.”
“I would have if I hadn’t met you.”
That didn’t make sense. “What do you mean?”
“I was never supposed to stay here more than a few days. I just needed time to find information that would lead us to whoever’s behind this operation.”
“And you said you found that.”
“I know more than I did when I arrived, enough to know where to start looking. I’m not ready to leave, though.”
“Why not?” Nymon asked in a whisper.
Tex swallowed. “Because you’re my mate. I don’t want to leave without you.”
Nymon closed his eyes. He’d suspected something like that, but he hadn’t wanted to hope, so he hadn’t allowed himself to think about it.
It was the only explanation for what he felt about Tex.
He’d seen enough movies and read enough books to have an idea what it was like to be a shifter’s mate, but he hadn’t expected it to be so overwhelming.
He hadn’t expected his entire being to yearn for Tex and to be desperate to find a way to keep him here.
The books hadn’t done enough to prepare him for what it really felt like.
He opened his eyes. “You’re sure?”
“You know how this works for shifters. I wouldn’t be telling you if I wasn’t sure.”
“I’m your mate?”
Tex smiled. “You are.”
“And you’re okay with that? I’m a demon. I’m sure you’d rather have a shifter or even a human as a mate.”
“Why would I? You’re as good as anyone else. I realize we don’t know each other, and that things are a little complicated, but I’m sure we’ll find a way to make this work if it’s what we both want.”
They would because Nymon wouldn’t have it any other way. He was ready to sneak out of town and push through the sensation of illness he’d feel when he did so. If Tex had managed to come in, Nymon would manage to leave with him.
But was that what Tex wanted?
Nymon opened his mouth to ask when he heard his front door open in the distance. For a second, he and Tex stared at each other. Nymon didn’t want Tex to leave, but if someone was there, he couldn’t stay.
“Nymon?” Kael called out.
“It’s my best friend,” Nymon murmured. “Unless you want me to explain who you are to him, you should probably leave.”
Tex nodded. “I think it’s too soon to tell anyone. We should talk first, and I need to call my supervisor.”
“Come back later, please.”
“I will,” Tex promised.
The only thing Nymon could do was watch him quickly undress and shift back. He managed to sneak out of the greenhouse and hide in the thick hydrangea bushes by the fence seconds before Kael stepped out of the house through the back door.
Nymon sighed. He loved his best friend, but right now, he wished he could tell Kael to go home.