Chapter 10 Oops, I Did It Again
Oops, I Did It Again
“So, Drew, how are things going with that hunk of yours?” Dom asked as they were packing up from their study session.
Drew grinned as he thought of Zach and everything they’d been doing lately.
They’d still not had penetrative sex as yet, but over the past several weeks they’d gotten each other off almost every night.
Drew was even getting pretty good at blow jobs now and hadn’t barfed since that memorable first time.
He knew he’d be ready to take that final step soon, but he wanted to be in the right headspace for it.
At the moment, he was being torn between his university studies, his magical studies, and his Zach studies, and he wanted to be able to concentrate one hundred percent when the time came that they actually made love.
As Zach kept assuring him, there was no rush and they could take their time.
Gwen reached over and pulled down the collar of Drew’s polo shirt, and smirked at the large hickey on his throat. “I’d say things are going pretty good,” she teased.
A white and brown paw with claws extended swiped at her, and she yanked her hand away, glaring at the cat who had leaped out of the backpack. Zach jumped into Drew’s arms, purring loudly, and rubbed his furry cheek against his. “Sorry,” Drew apologised. “But you know how Noodle is.”
Gwen shook her head, sending her blonde ponytail swinging. “Your cat is weird, Drew. I’ve never seen a cat so fucking possessive of their owner before. If anyone so much as touches you, he goes into attack mode.”
Zach purred even louder.
“What can I say? He doesn’t like sharing.”
No, I do not, Zach agreed silently.
“How is he with Zach?” Dom asked.
“Oh, he adores him,” Drew said, trying not to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of having a conversation about Zach’s different forms with people who had no clue.
“That’s lucky, I guess,” Dom said. “Might be awkward otherwise, what with all of that bare skin within scratching distance.” He held a hand out to Zach, allowing him to sniff his knuckles, and then Zach tilted his head, permitting Dom to scritch at his neck.
He was the only one of Drew’s friends who Zach allowed to pet him in his cat form, and it always made Dom’s dark eyes light up when he was allowed.
“So, who’s up for getting a coffee?” Gwen asked the group as she finished zipping up her bag.
“Sorry, I can’t,” Drew said. “I have plans for tonight and I gotta go to the grocery store first.”
“Ooh, romantic night in?” Dom asked.
Drew grinned. “Yep! Zach’s been so good to me, always cooking and taking care of me, so I figured tonight I’d try to return the favour.”
You know you don’t have to, Zach told him.
I know, but I want to, Drew thought back at him.
“Have fun,” Dom said, giving Zach one last scritch. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Drew held the backpack open for Zach but he refused to jump in, instead scooting further up Drew until he was draped over his chest and shoulder. “Oh, I see how it is. You want to be carried, huh?”
Zach purred again and nuzzled his cold cat nose against Drew’s cheek.
“Okay guys, see ya!” He headed off, his backpack on one shoulder and his other hand cradling Zach’s butt to keep him steady. The weather had turned cool, and the wind had a chill to it so it was nice having a small warm body against his throat.
You’re better than a scarf, Drew told Zach.
I don’t like it when you’re cold, sweetness. There was a pause. You really don’t have to go to any trouble and cook for me. It’s okay. Really.
Drew frowned. Wait a second . . . You don’t want to eat my food because you think I’m a terrible cook. That’s it, isn’t it?
The silence was incriminating.
I’m not that bad! Drew protested.
Drew, Zach said gently. The last time you tried cooking something more than just pasta and sauce, you summoned a demon.
That was an accident!
I’m just saying, we can always just order in.
More determined than ever, Drew headed towards the Country Grocer which was next to the bus stop. It’ll be different this time, Zach. I’m doing well in my lessons, and I’ve got control of my magic. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.
It wasn’t fine.
Drew looked up at the two demons in his kitchen—real demons this time.
He froze. They looked human, but there was a red glow to their eyes and the smaller one had a mean smile on his lips.
He was wiry and powerful looking, with oily blond hair that hung limply around his shoulders.
“Well, well, well, look what we have here,” he sneered, his eyes trailing over Drew as a forked tongue came out to lick at his lips.
“Looks like Zachariel has his own little plaything.”
The other demon nodded his agreement. “Very pretty. I’m gonna enjoy tearing him apart.” And he certainly looked like he could tear Drew apart. He was tall and muscular, and a scar marred the dark skin of one cheek.
“Now, now, Asmodeus, there’s no rush,” the first demon said silkily. “Let’s have a little fun first. You know lust is my favourite cardinal sin.” He took a step towards Drew, which finally broke him from his frozen state.
“Zach!” Drew cried, edging away from the demons and backing himself up against the sink.
“Drew, what’s wrong?” Zach called from the other room—where Drew had made him stay, on the very edge of the ten-foot limit so dinner could be a surprise—a note of worry in his voice.
He appeared in the doorway and his eyes narrowed as he took in the scene.
“Beelzebub, Asmodeus, what are you doing here?” he all but snarled.
“Oh, we were summoned, Zachariel,” the one called Beelzebub said.
He smiled wickedly and tilted his head in Drew’s direction.
“Looks like your little plaything here isn’t getting what he needs from you, so he called for some real demons to give him what he needs.
” Beelzebub looked back at Drew and his forked tongue licked over his bottom lip again.
It was more than a little creepy. “It’s going to be utterly delicious destroying something so sweet. ”
Zach growled and lunged at Beelzebub, but Asmodeus stepped in between them and stopped Zach with a hand to his chest. “Now, now, Zachariel,” Asmodeus said in a low, menacing voice. “If you don’t behave, your toy is gonna suffer more than he needs to.”
Zach narrowed his eyes and took a step back, seemingly in retreat, but as soon as Asmodeus dropped his guard, Zach struck, punching Asmodeus across the jaw and then using the distraction to cross the kitchen and plant himself in front of Drew.
“You won’t be laying a finger on Drew,” he told the two demons.
“He’s under my protection.”Asmodeus wiped his nose, glancing down at the smear of blood on his hand then back up at Zach.
“Your protection, huh? How much good is that gonna do the kid?”
“You’re the one bleeding,” Drew snapped, feeling brave enough to be snarky now he had Zach by his side. “I reckon it’s worth a bit.”
Asmodeus sneered at Drew. “He took me by surprise, that’s all. Your cunt of an angel ain’t got nothin’ on me.”
“Charming as usual, I see,” Zach drawled.
Asmodeus gave a feral grin in reply.
“This is all well and good,” Beelzebub announced, looking rather bored. “But I’d much rather get to the fun part of this evening.”
“Oh? And what does that entail?” Zach asked.
“Well, obviously it’ll be us disposing of you and then having our wicked way with your young Drew here.” The calculated smile he flashed Drew made his blood run colder than Asmodeus’s evil bluster had.
Drew noticed that every muscle in Zach’s back had gone tense and he was practically vibrating with potential violence. “And I told you, neither of you will lay a hand on him,” Zach reiterated. “Now fuck off back to where you came from before this gets any worse for you than it already is.”
Beelzebub shook his head, making a condescending tsk noise.
“My dear, dear Zachariel, how naive of you. This isn’t a social call; we’ve been summoned!
Your precious Drew can send us back anytime he desires.
” He glanced behind Zach to Drew, who couldn’t quite maintain eye contact with the demon’s red eyes.
“So go on then, precious one. Send us back.” He paused and cocked his head to one side.
“Oh, wait! I’m guessing if you could have, you would have by now.
” He held a hand up to his face in theatrical surprise and turned to Asmodeus. “Oh dear! I don’t think he can!”
Asmodeus grinned again, his forked tongue peeking out between his teeth. “Seems like. That’s a real shame. Guess we’re welcome after all.”
“Yes, we’re not going anywhere in a hurry,” Beelzebub added.
Zach made the low growling noise again, and the hairs on the back of Drew’s neck stood up. “He might not be able to send you back to Hell,” he told them. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t kill you. The proper death . . . the one there’s no coming back from.”
Drew didn’t understand, but it was a threat the two demons didn’t take lightly.
“Now, now, Zachariel,” Beelzebub cautioned. “That threat applies to you as well.”
Zach dropped into a crouch and snarled, “Bring it!” before leaping towards them.
Drew stumbled back as the two demons and one angel began to brawl, falling this way and that across the small kitchen, smashing into the table and bench top, sending plates and dishes smashing to the floor.
For a moment it looked like Zach had the upper hand, but Drew knew that being outnumbered as he was, it wouldn’t last long.
Zach had never divulged what would happen if he got seriously hurt, but from the sounds of it he could die just as easily as a human could .
. . without the afterlife waiting for him.
A chill seeped into Drew’s blood at the mere thought of losing Zach, and he knew he had to do something, anything, to help.
Trying to focus and find his centre like Kensington had taught him, Drew searched for the spark of power which resided inside him.
He’d been able to tap into it to do small things during his training so far, but he knew there was a vast amount of power lurking within.
He just needed to reach inside and draw on it.
The fear he felt helped . . . the desperate need to help Zach, to keep him safe.
Suddenly, Drew was overcome with an almost blinding rush of power.
He took a deep breath, trying to control the magic which surged through him as he looked at the fight happening mere feet away, dismissing Zach and focusing on the two demons.
He had no spell, no incantation to recite, and no handy phrase in Latin to use, but he concentrated all of his willpower on what he wanted to happen, hoping it would be enough, that it would act as a guide for his magic.
“BEGONE!” he thundered, causing the walls to shake and more dishes to rattle off the bench and smash upon the floor.
There was a bright flash, and then with a loud crack, the two demons were gone and only he and Zach remained.
A beam of blinding light appeared in the centre of the kitchen, and when it disappeared Kensington was there in its place in his long forest-green robes.
He looked around the room, taking in Drew’s shaken appearance and Zach’s bloody nose, and arched one of his brows.
“What on earth happened here?” he asked.