Chapter 13
Let's Make This Awkward
Malachi fidgeted with his seatbelt as he glanced out the window, looking at everything except Chuck.
It felt oddly familiar. Except the ride back to her house was much more fraught with tension and nerves.
He twitched in his seat; the sleeves of the shirt Chuck brought him dug into his biceps.
Without realizing it, his fingers were in the hem now, trying to stretch it around the muscle.
“Sorry, I guess I underestimated your size,” came Chuck’s soft comment.
Whipping his gaze to his arm, he dropped his hand as if he’d been scalded.
“It’s fine!” he snapped, then winced. “I’m sorry, Chuck, I’m sure this is just as awkward for you as it is for me,” he murmured.
The amusing part was that he meant it. He felt bad for putting her through this and was unsure how to act around her now.
“It really is fine. I appreciate that you got me something to wear. I didn’t expect that to work, much less show up…
naked.” He couldn’t help it. His demon heritage made his voice drop on the last word, and he had to bite his lip to hide his smile.
Feeling the heat from her blush across the car, Malachi snuck a glance at Chuck. The tips of her ears were pink, and her fingers were gripped tightly around the wheel, nearly white. He cleared his throat, the sound making her jump.
Suddenly, she laughed. “Oh, this is stupid. We’ve been living together for months. Granted, you were four-legged and hairy, but still. We’re friends, right? No need to be awkward.” She made a concerted show of relaxing her shoulders.
“Yeah,” he agreed quietly. “Friends.” He couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of sadness at that word.
He didn’t have any real friends, and now that he had one, he was deceiving her.
Firming his lips, he scolded himself. I’m a demon, I need to act like one.
Picturing Hyacinth’s threats, he squared his shoulders and inhaled deeply, not missing the way her eyes latched onto his chest as it stretched the material to near bursting.
“I’m glad, Chuck. I appreciate you still wanting to help me.
I… I don’t really know who I am anymore.
I don’t think I have anywhere to go.” He kept his voice soft and scared, but not whiny.
As expected, she immediately went into protective mode. “Of course, Malachi. I said I’d help you. And I will. We will figure this out. In the meantime, I finally have a use for that guest room.” She smiled at him, which grew bigger when he smiled back.
“Thanks, Chuck.”
Malachi stood in the middle of the guest room, glancing around forlornly.
After a quick dinner of take-out, Chuck showed him the room, pointed out towels, and gave him a few toiletries he might need, promising they could go shopping the next day for essentials.
She’d stood there awkwardly staring at him for a moment before planting a quick kiss on his cheek.
Something she’d had to stand on tiptoes to do, then hurried away.
Now he stared at the floor, at a loss for what to do next. She had gone to her room, and he could sense her going about her usual nightly routine. He turned to the bed and grimaced. It looked comfortable, and he had no doubt it would be fine, but he would miss sleeping with Chuck.
Wandering to the mattress, he pressed on it with his knuckles and tested it. Sure enough, it was soft and cool. Spinning around, he plopped on the edge and dropped his head in his hands.
In the car, he’d vowed to be more demon-like.
That meant he should be trying to seduce her and besmirch her soul.
Claim her for Hell. He sat there a few more minutes, wondering how he was going to do that, when he didn’t want to hurt her.
With a disgusted sigh, he threw himself back on the bed and tucked his arms behind his head.
He stared at the ceiling until the shadows grew longer, and he fell asleep.
He dreamed. Nasty, vicious dreams of Hellfire and torture.
Of being beaten and demoted to a first-level demon.
His skin and powers flayed from him before being scoured with acid and trampled mercilessly by the upper demons.
It was a nauseating whirlwind of depravity and torment. One he used to enjoy.
Jolting upright, Malachi stifled a moan and ran his fingers through his long, tangled hair.
He couldn’t remember ever being scared awake from a nightmare before.
He focused on his breathing and tried to slow it down, wishing Chuck were there to reassure him.
As he sat trying to get himself under control, he heard a tap on the door frame.
Jerking his head up, he stared wide-eyed at Chuck as she stood there, her aura flickering wildly with indecision.
“Malachi, are you okay? I heard you yelling. I guess it was a bad dream. Honestly, you look a little lost,” she called softly.
“I don’t know.” He sighed wearily. “I was having a nightmare, but I just feel kind of restless and on edge. Like, I don’t know what to do with myself. I don’t think all of me came back when I changed. I just…” he dropped his head in his hands and let his shoulders tremble slightly.
Chuck rushed to his side, sitting on the mattress next to him, putting her hand on his arm. “Malachi,” she whispered as he glanced up at her.
Demon. Incubus. You got this, he scolded himself. He let the barest hint of fear come to his eyes. “Chuck,” he murmured back. “I don’t know who I am anymore. I’m scared.” His hands crept to her waist. “I… Chuck…” his voice quavered, and she threw her arms around him.
“Shh, Malachi, it’s okay. You’ve been through a lot. I’m here. You have me,” she reassured him, stroking his back just the way he hoped she would.
Burying his face in her hair, he pulled her close against him, relishing the feel of her slender form against him. He sighed happily. “This. I needed this,” he murmured and held her tighter.
A pink glow surrounded him as her aura brightened. She sighed happily, too. “You know I’m going to miss our nightly argument about you sleeping on my bed.” She laughed.
“We could still do that. I would be glad to come curl up with you.”
Her arms dropped like stones, and she leaned back, her mouth open wide. “Malachi…”
“Sorry!” he blurted, his eyes widening for good measure. “I didn’t mean like that.” He let color creep into his cheeks. “I just meant that I’m used to being with you, so being in here by myself…” his gaze wandered the sparsely decorated room before he shivered slightly. “It’s a little lonely.”
Biting her lip, Chuck stared at him before taking his large hand in hers. “Just this one night, then you’re sleeping in your own bed.” She rose and tugged on his arm, pulling him with her.
Wordlessly, he followed as she led him to her room. The familiar warmth and the soft scent of lavender instantly loosened the knot in his chest. He stood at the end of the bed, watching her as she crawled under her blanket.
She pulled the other side of the large comforter down and patted the sheet. “Come on.” The corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled invitingly, reassuring him.
Slowly, uncertainly, he crept to the other side and stood there. “Do you um… mind if I take the shirt off? It’s a little… small.” His lips quirked the tiniest bit.
When her lips curved up higher, he yanked the offending item over his head, then flung it down.
“Oh man,” he groaned, stretching. He rubbed his arms where the material had dug in and sighed in relief.
“Much better.” When he looked back at Chuck, her mouth was just slightly open, and he chuckled in his head.
Her aura was again tinged with pink streaks.
Outwardly, he gave a shy smile and slipped under the blanket with her.
He kept to the far side of the bed and folded his arms behind his head, flexing his biceps innocently.
Chuck swallowed hard and quickly flicked off the lamp. “Night, Mal,” she whispered.
“Night,” he whispered back. Then, “Thank you, Chuck. I feel a lot better already. Just knowing you’re close in case… well, I don’t know in case of what. But you make me feel safe.”
A rustling noise and a shimmy of the mattress were followed by a heartbeat of silence before Chuck’s hand patted his arm. “Me too, Mal.”
Feeling relaxed, truly, Malachi turned on his side to face Chuck and could just barely make out her eyes in the soft light coming from outside. She was facing him and watching him closely. He took her hand in his and entwined their fingers, then closed his eyes.
The chirping of birds the next morning woke Malachi, and he blinked groggily at the ceiling, trying to clear his vision.
He realized something soft and warm was lying across him, stirring a deep need in his body.
Glancing down, he found Chuck had moved over to his side of the bed and wrapped herself around him in her sleep.
One arm and leg were thrown over him, and her head was on his chest. Equal parts amused and turned on, he lay still, not wanting to wake her and embarrass her.
He studied the way her dark lashes lay on her smooth cheeks and how her sleep softened lips were parted just the smallest amount.
Unable to resist, he traced a finger over her jawline, inching closer to that full bottom lip he desperately wanted to bite.
She stirred, and his hand froze before dropping quickly to his side.
He saw her eyelids flutter and quickly closed his eyes to see how she would react when she realized where she was sleeping.
A quiet gasp filled the room as Chuck woke fully with a start.
He felt her twitch against him as her head lifted.
He could almost feel her gaze on him, so he kept his breathing shallow and steady, willing his heart not to pound out of his ribcage.
Figuring she was about to pull away, he started to mourn the loss of her warmth, but she surprised him and lay back down.
Her head snuggled back into his chest, and her hand spread over his stomach, fingers trailing over his abs, pressing slightly for more contact.
Malachi was in agony. Split between trying to seduce her or working further to gain her trust. He thought hard and decided he would do both.
Giving her time to decide how she wanted to act, he stirred slightly, pretending he was just waking up.
She began to pull away from him, and his arms wrapped around her, a low murmur from his throat.
A stifled squeak slipped from her lips as he pulled her closer and turned, pressing himself firmly against her.
Trapped against him the way she was, there was no mistaking what his body thought of the contact.
He sighed happily but kept his eyes closed, nuzzling her hair and settling further into the pillow.
“Um… Malachi?” came her fervent attempt to wake him. She tapped him on the chest. “Why did I get gray sweatpants…”
“Hmm?” he mumbled sleepily.
“Malachi!” she called a little louder.
Quelling the huge grin that wanted to spread over his face, he blinked at her a few times, then dramatically widened his eyes as he glanced down to see how wrapped up in each other they were.
“Oh shit, Chuck, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize!
” He quickly let go of her and tried to scoot back, only to realize they were on his side of the bed, and there was nowhere for him to go. A fact that did not escape her notice.
“No, Malachi, it’s um… my fault. I think I got cold, and I woke up lying on you.
I tried to move but you ah… um… You turned over and pulled me back.
You were asleep and didn’t know you were doing it.
Just like I didn’t know. So, yeah, no harm done, right?
Anyway, we should get moving so we can get you some better-fitting clothes and things today.
I’ll uh take a shower, and if you want to use the guest bathroom, you can.
And then we should uh…” her frantic explanations trailed off as he placed a tentative hand on her waist.
“Chuck?” he called softly. “It’s okay. I don’t mind you curling up with me if you’re cold. I liked it. I mean, I must have if I didn’t want you to leave.” He studied her eyes, watching them cloud with indecision. “Come back,” he whispered, tugging gently on her hip.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she responded and leapt from the bed. She stared at him a little wild-eyed.
Slowly, he got out of bed and stood on the other side.
He watched her eyes tracking him as he rose to his full height.
Raking a hand through his wavy black hair, he sighed.
“I’m sorry, Chuck. I just still feel a little lost, and I had no right to put that on you.
I get it. I’m your dog. Your K-9 partner.
That’s weird. I’ll uh, go use the other bathroom.
” He glanced around, looking for the too-small shirt, grimacing as he stretched it over his chest. Smoothing the fabric over his stomach, he saw her greedily covering every inch of it with her gaze.
He kept his smile inside as she returned her eyes to his.
“Maybe it would be easier if I just turned back into a dog.” He gave her a lopsided smile, flashing his dimple, and hurried off to the other bedroom.
After he slowly closed the door, he let the large grin curve his lips in triumph.
He hadn’t missed her guilt-stricken look or the gray and red streaks through her aura as the barb hit home.
The grin slowly dissolved, though, as he realized just how much he had manipulated her.
It made him feel gross and dirty, something he didn’t normally mind.
He stared at the floor and closed his eyes, picturing the bulbous form of Hyacinth squinting at him, pointing a dirty claw and threatening to demote him to the base level of demons.
He shuddered, and it strengthened his resolve.
He had to make some progress soon, or it wouldn’t matter anyway.