Chuck to the Rescue. Right?
Chuck looked over her shoulder and stared into the worried yellow gaze.
“That’s right. I’m not just human. You forgot I’m also part angel.
And I figured out how to control my grace.
Malachi is mine, bitch.” With that, Chuck clamped her fingers on Honeysuckle’s arm and closed her eyes.
She grinned and squeezed, her aura flaring out in a blinding, shimmering glow that engulfed the wrinkly demon in a golden haze.
Unholy screams ripped from Honeysuckle’s throat as she began to char from the inside.
She released Chuck and tried to scramble away, but Chuck slapped a hand on the demon’s forehead.
Screams grew louder as she leaned back, but it was too late.
With a whimper, she burst apart in a cloud of ashy light, drifting out of the cavern on the breeze.
Chuck studied the small pile of dead, curled-up leaves withering on the cavern floor that were all that remained of Honeysuckle.
She tapped the toes of her left foot on the stone and frowned while she rubbed her jaw distractedly.
“That seemed entirely too easy and a little anticlimactic. I really wanted to kick her ass a bit more before I poofed her out of existence.”
She glanced up at Malachi’s disbelieving grunt and planted her fists on her hips.
“What? I’m not allowed to want a little revenge?
That bitch had Jaxon and Luna jumped, tied up and drugged.
Made Kassidy believe Flick and the rest of us were in danger, kidnapped you and held you in this cave and had the audacity to think you belonged to her?
That bitch was grade-A crazy, and I’m owed a little payback. ”
Malachi grinned. “My darling love, you absolutely are. I’ll recruit some lower-level demons to step in as punching bags for you to take out your aggression on, but for now, can we unchain me?” He batted his eyelashes at her prettily.
Reena trotted over and began licking his fingers where his hands were still chained behind him. A small whimper sounded when she realized he couldn’t pet her. She turned watery eyes on Chuck and whined, her meaning clear.
“I’m okay, Princess. Mommy is going to let me out of these chains.
” He raised his eyes to check with Chuck.
His relieved smile melted into a frown when he noticed she hadn’t moved and was staring at him pensively instead.
He waited another minute, watching her work through her concerns.
Finally, he couldn’t take it and had to speak.
“Chuck, you are going to unlock me. Right?”
“Just so we’re clear, that demon plant lady was Hyacinth’s daughter? The one you had the fling with? The reason you were turned into a dog?” Her voice was heavy with judgment; her nose wrinkled in disgust.
He felt his cheeks heating as the embarrassment swamped him all over again. “Yeah, about that. I may not have been… completely honest about all the details originally.” Her arched eyebrow had him wincing.
“Obviously,” she drawled, then held up a staying hand as Luna moved to unchain him with the keys she’d unearthed from Ramsilel’s ashes.
“Kelly,” he purred, dropping his voice to a husky tone that she usually loved.
“It wasn’t my proudest moment, but it was before we met.
It was just a one-time thing! Flick dared me.
Triple dared me, even. You know I can’t back down from that.
It was one time; it didn’t matter.” He tossed his hair and flashed a sultry smile.
Rolling her eyes, Chuck crossed her arms under her breasts and snorted.
“Stop. You aren’t flirting your way out of this one.
You slept with her on a dare? Malachi, that’s horrible!
No wonder she went crazy. You did deserve that punishment.
” She sighed and took the key from Luna, tapping on her palm.
“But you don’t deserve this.” Crouching behind him, she began to pull on the chains.
Sitting quietly while she unlocked him, Malachi studied her aura.
It was blue, streaked with gray. She was sad and upset, but he felt like this was deeper than just knowing what he’d done.
Once the last chain was unwound, he leaped to his feet and pulled her close, frowning as she remained stiff in his arms.
“Kelly,” he whispered achingly, all pretenses gone, wrapping his wings around them to give them some privacy.
“I was a different person then. An aimless demon who only existed to conquer, fight battles, and cause chaos. Being with you changed me into someone who feels things. That recognizes what I did to her was wrong. I do know that now, but I didn’t then.
It wasn’t the actual reason her father put me into the dog body, though.
It was just a convenient excuse to use me for his plan.
He never truly cared about his daughter; she was just an inconvenience, and he used her desire for me to justify his plan so no one would be suspicious.
I told you, demons don’t make good parents. ”
Groaning, she banged her forehead on his chest a few times then relaxed against him.
“I get it, I do, and I’m going to get over it.
Eventually.” A humorless laugh escaped from her as she lifted her eyes to his.
“Mal,” she glanced back down, tracing her finger over his shirt.
“You said that with demons, the uglier the better. She was… hideous. Do you, did you…” Pausing, she chewed on her lower lip as she thought of what she wanted to ask.
Lifting her chin with one finger, Malachi smiled softly.
“Kelly, that’s most demons, yes. But if they were honest, they would agree, she was absolutely horrid.
My tastes are vastly different. I much prefer spunky brunettes with deep brown eyes, short hair, handcuffs, and really good aim.
That can grill steaks to perfection, will cry during movies, read smutty romance books with me, and thinks I’m her personal storm.
She’ll also have pretty significant hair envy. ”
Sniffling, Chuck met his gaze once more. “That’s a pretty specific type,” she murmured with a silly smile.
“There’s only one woman that meets that description, so I’m very damned incredibly lucky that she loves me.
Because I’m completely devoted and obsessed with you, Kelly Charles.
Please believe me when I say, I wouldn’t have touched her otherwise.
You are the definition of true beauty to me.
You are gorgeous, and I love you. Kelly, I was able to develop real emotions and pray to Heaven because of you.
I let an angel enchant me twice. Once to stay with you and the second time to go into churches and not use it for evil.
I did that for you, and if that doesn’t prove you’re it for me, tell me what I need to do. I’ll do it.”
“Nothing else. That was enough. Thank you, Malachi. I know it’s stupid of me to be jealous of a demon from your past. I know you’re centuries old, but you don’t see any of my exes kidnapping me and dragging me off to another realm.
This is uncharted territory for me.” She peeked through his feathers at the others who were standing back near the tunnel, trying not to listen.
Malachi picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist before devouring her lips in a kiss that would have set the room on fire if it wasn’t made of stone.
“You remarkably brave woman. You came to Hell with a human, a Nephilem, and a Chuglet to rescue me. You’re also pretty fucking crazy for that.
I love every bit of it.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.
“Also, this was way more dangerous than me taking Reena to a bar fight; that didn’t even happen by the way, so you can’t ever bring that up again. ”
Reena barked in agreement and then grumbled to get their attention. As all eyes turned to her, she yipped at the small demon still tied up in the corner.
“Oh, shit! Mordecai!” Malachi yelled as he set Chuck back on her feet. “I’m sorry buddy, I kind of forgot about you in the excitement.” He hurried over and pulled the gag from the child’s mouth. “You alright?”
Mordecai nodded, his eyes wide as he took in the rest of the rescue squad now gathered around him.
Jaxon scratched his head as Malachi freed the boy and he stood before them, flexing his small wings.
“Um, Mal, you uh… have any other secrets you need to tell us? Cause that right there is like looking at a younger version of you.” He gestured at Mordecai, who indeed looked like an age-regressed Malachi.
“He’s not my dad!” Mordecai reassured them quickly. He stared straight down at his feet and scrubbed his toes over the floor, mumbling something unintelligible.
Chuck squatted before him, plastering a friendly smile on her features as she tried to reassure him. “Hey there, Mordecai, right? I’m Chuck. We aren’t going to hurt you. Will you repeat that so we can hear you? We’d like to know your story.”
Peeking at her from beneath his lashes, he raised his voice slightly and flicked a finger at Malachi. “He’s my brother.”
Silence filled the cave as they all stared at him. Malachi dropped heavily to his knees next to Chuck as well. “Brother?” he repeated hoarsely.
“Yeah, so, um. Our parents reunited for a bit. They’ve split again.
But… obviously they were together long enough to have me.
” He gestured at himself and grimaced. “I didn’t even know I had a brother until recently.
So… when I heard about you and what you’ve done, I wanted to see for myself.
I don’t… I don’t feel like I fit in here.
” Now he waved around at the cave. “In Hell, I mean.” He sighed heavily.
“I saw you living topside and thought, if you can do it, maybe I can too.”
His breath froze in his throat, and his eyes went hot.
He’d felt the same way growing up. Like he never really belonged here with the other demons.
But he at least had his cousins to run around with, and it sounded like Mordecai didn’t have that.
Or anyone for that matter. The kid was alone, and he didn’t want to leave him, but how would Chuck handle what he wanted?
“Mal,” Chuck whispered, her voice soft and encouraging as she met his troubled gaze. She smiled and nodded once. “I understand. I agree, we can’t leave him here. Do it.”
Malachi pulled Mordecai in close and gingerly wrapped his arm around the younger demon’s shoulder. “Then you’re getting a chance to find out. Come home with us. You can stay with Chuck and me.”
Mordecai’s eyes lit up, and he threw his arms around Malachi, squeezing his neck so tightly, it choked him. But he didn’t stop hugging. He closed his eyes and leaned into it, a warm feeling flitting through him that he decided was somewhat pleasant.