Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
ASMODEUS
" D id you hook up with anyone at Club Desire last night? I heard it got pretty wild after I left." I still felt a mild headache from the amount of alcohol we consumed. Demons usually don't feel the effects of such substances, but the club knew people who could get potions that could put anyone down for the count for a price.
"Nah." Malthus pulled out from our apartment complex and headed toward the expressway. “You know I don't do that anymore."
"I still don't understand why. You used to live for going out and getting laid. Now, you seem to never go out. When was the last time you hooked up with somebody?
"What time were we supposed to meet them?" Malthus shifted gears as we neared Hotel Gray.
"We have about fifteen minutes." I checked the email to verify the time and destination. "And the parking garage is coming up on your left. Stop avoiding the question."
"Do you think this meeting will go well?" Malthus turned into the large gray building and looked for an available space. "I had a strange sensation on my neck all morning—a premonition of what's to come from today's meeting."
"Fine. I'll drop it for now. But soon you will talk to me about what's happening with you. It’s not good to keep it all to yourself. The point of having friends is having people who are there to listen to your vents and worries. Now, about this feeling you got, is it good or bad?" I had learned to listen to my friend's gut instincts about situations. "Do you foresee a battle developing in there?" Both sides had promised a peaceful meeting, but when demons and angels met, there was always a chance for physical combat.
"No. It's not a warning of danger—at least not today." Malthus pulled into a compact space on the first floor and turned off the engine before looking at me. Something big is about to happen—a massive shift in energy and balance. I don't feel dread but hope."
"That's good, then." I patted my friend's hand and unbuckled my seat belt. "Let's get to this meeting. I think both sides could use a bit of hope after all these years."
The earthbound demons and angels had been toeing the line for centuries. We all feared one last step would turn our uneasy truce into a full-out war. If change was in the air, I was going to choose to believe that maybe we would finally find a path toward a reliable peace between our two factions. Our battles would not only harm us, but the humans we live among would be caught up in the mess. None of us wanted that.
Exiting the car, we found the hotel entrance from the attached parking garage and entered the lobby side. Quickly checking in with the front desk, we followed the staff's instructions to the meeting room.
Walking toward the bank of elevators, an imaginary rope was tied around my waist, pulling me forward. Time slowed, the surrounding noise muffled, and my vision zoned in on only one target. A beautiful man stood before the sizeable silver wall. Tall and slender, his sun-kissed blond locks flowed over his shoulders, and his sapphire eyes held me captive. I couldn't focus on anything but him.
Mal stopped abruptly and tugged my arm back, mumbling something to himself about hookups and fucking up. But none of that mattered to me at the moment. Standing right before me, looking just as lost in the connection as I felt, was the one man I had waited my whole life for but always doubted would show up. The one man who could complete my soul and love me fully. The one whom Fate had declared mine.
"Mate." The word left my mouth before my brain registered what my heart felt.
"Mate," the beautiful man responded, letting me know that this was, in fact, the initial meeting of two fated mates.
"Holy fuck," the man beside my mate shouted, and I couldn't agree more.
Holy fuck, I have a mate.
"This is going to be an exciting meeting." Mal smacked me on the shoulder, breaking me out of my mate's trance.
Meeting? Oh yeah. The meeting. But why ? —
That was when I realized that the men before us weren't ordinary. They were earthbound angels, and they were the men that Mal and I, as earthbound demons, were here to meet.
Well, fuck. This is going to be interesting.