Chapter 27
Cullen fiddled with his hair in the mirrored wall of his bathroom, brushing through the short strands until they rested flat again, no longer sticking up in obviously just-fucked ways.
He set the brush back on the counter with a trembling hand and then began to fumble with the sleeves of the dark blue sweater he wore, pushing them up to reveal his forearms before tugging them back down again self consciously.
This was his favorite shirt to wear on dates but…well, he didn’t want to dress up for Leviathan. Didn’t want to look nice for him or worry about his hair or the irritating fact that he didn’t have any cologne. Not that he should care.
He didn’t care–
“Ready?”
He jumped at the soft voice, his eyes flicking to Leviathan’s face in the mirror.
He leaned casually against the door frame, as if he’d been there the whole time. A slow flush spread across Cullen’s face as he took in his still-wild hair and the sweater that matched Cullen’s style, though it was a dark gray color, instead of blue. And newer, as if he’d just bought it.
“How do you get your clothes?” Cullen muttered curiously, eyeing the dark, designer pants he was wearing. He tried not to tug at his faded jeans in response.
“I have my ways.” He smiled, tipping his head back. “Do you like them?”
“No.” He lied, turning away from the mirror.
Leviathan pushed away from the wall with a smirk. “What a shame. I like what you’re wearing.” He tugged on the sleeve of Cullen’s faded sweater. “I knew you would wear this one. It was always my favorite, you know.”
Cullen winced and, after a long moment, tugged the sweater off and turned to go back into the bedroom, rifling quickly through his wardrobe before he pulled out a different sweater, this one a deep red.
He pulled it on, ignoring the small hole in the wrist of one sleeve as he turned to face Leviathan again, his lips pulling up in a defiant smirk.
“I think I’ll throw the other one away.” He murmured, crossing his arms. “I don’t like it anymore.”
Leviathan's smile grew more dangerous. He gave a small flick of his fingers and Cullen gasped as fabric shifted against his skin. He shot his gaze down, startled when he saw that the blue sweater was settled on his skin once again.
“Wear that one tonight.” Leviathan murmured, seeming bored. “It’s warmer than the red one.”
Cullen snarled softly and spun for the wardrobe–and stumbled back in surprise when he found it completely empty.
“You bastard!” He hissed, rounding on Leviathan. “I don’t want to wear–”
“Are you ready?” He asked softly, shadows swirling around him as he held out his hand. Cullen fell silent, surprised when a nervous flutter went through him at the sight.
After a few long moments, Cullen swore under his breath and stepped forward, taking his hand.
The light began coming back in the form of pinpricks, dotting the dark world around them, getting bigger and brighter–and then they stood on a dimly lit street, empty of life. But nearby he could hear many people chatting and the sound of rushing feet.
People. His heart gave a painful thump and his eyes pricked with tears. He'd never been a fan of people in general but after being mostly alone in a fiery hellscape for so long, believing he would never experience any human interaction ever again…
Cullen sucked in a deep breath, sighing softly at the clean scent. "Doesn't the air smell great when it's not filled with smoke?" It may not be the fresh air of a meadow or anything like that, but dirty city air was better than nothing. He wondered exactly where they were.
When he turned to see Leviathan, he found him frowning slightly. “I like the smell of the smoke.” He murmured, almost a bit defensively. “The flames are…a comfort to me.”
Cullen watched him for a long moment, wondering if he should ask why, exactly, that was, but he only peeked around the corner of the alley again.
“Cullen.”
He turned again, jumping when he found Leviathan right beside him, his gaze intense as he leaned closer. His hands came up, pressing flat to the wall and caging Cullen in. He shrunk back against the cool brick wall on instinct, his eyes widening in surprise.
“I want to make something very clear to you before we do this.” The demon prince whispered, his eyes pinning him in place.
“O…okay…” He mumbled, trying to find the will to draw in a breath.
Leviathan’s lips brushed his cheek and quickly moved back to his ear. “If you try to run from me tonight, I will destroy every human in the vicinity to get to you.” He smiled, sharp canines nicking his skin. “And I will get to you, Cullen. So no tricks.”
He drew in a shaky breath, startled by how turned on the soft words were making him, despite the fear that they instilled. “I-I wasn’t going to…Why would you think I…”
“I don’t.” He whispered, brushing his lips slowly along his jaw until they were touching his own. “I just wanted to make sure you knew better.”
Cullen gasped softly, his hands curling tight in Leviathan’s sweater. “Please…”
“Please, what?” His hand came down to cup his face, his thumb pressing under his jaw to force his head up. Cullen gasped but Leviathan’s mouth was already on his throat, his teeth coming down gently.
“Levi–”
His tongue slid over his skin, making a harsh groan escape Cullen, and then he pulled away, leaving Cullen leaning breathlessly against the wall.
Once he’d calmed some, his teeth snapped together in irritation.
His body was tight and hot now, and his cock had grown partially hard.
Nearly enough to be seen through his pants.
“Jackass.” He hissed, pushing away from the wall.
“Now I’m going to have to be all uncomfortable during the movie.
” He brushed past him, stepping out of the alleyway.
Leviathan followed him, radiating smugness, and Cullen glared down the empty street–and felt his eyes pop wide when a group of people rounded the corner.
They were laughing loudly, clearly drunk, and hanging on each other.
Cullen felt a little twinge of nervousness as they started towards them.
Leviathan’s hand came up, curling gently around the back of his neck, as if he was reminding him again of the threat.
He ignored the tightening in his stomach and pasted a smile on his face as the group moved past them on the sidewalk.
He was momentarily startled by the scent rolling off them.
Like sunlight and a warm breeze and…life.
As if he could sense their vitality. Leviathan’s hand squeezed the back of his neck gently and then a slow thumb ran along his spine.
Cullen drew in a slow breath, blinking a few times before he looked up again.
Half the group had paused, the men’s eyes falling on Leviathan beside him while the women paused a little distance away, their eyes wide. Cullen tensed, expecting something dramatic, but one of the men only grinned wildly and called out, “Love the tattoos, dude!” Before he hurried back to his date.
Cullen blinked, watching them walk away, and then turned back to Leviathan in confusion.
He looked momentarily surprised before he grinned, looking pleased. “Good thing humans are so stupid,” he muttered, rolling up the sleeves of his sweater. “They so easily convince themselves they’re seeing something natural.”
Cullen’s eyes fell on the scaled veins that ran up his arms and throat, visible just above his collarbone. Tattoos indeed. Certainly not the markings of a Prince of Hell.
“If you keep looking at me like that,” Leviathan murmured, a slow smile curving his lips up. “I may be inclined to make you get on your knees in this very public alley.
“Shut up.” Cullen scoffed, whipping away from him as his face went red. “Let’s go.”
“Not yet.”
He jerked to a stop, his eyes going wide as Leviathan drew him back to him. Leviathan grinned at the surprise on his face.
“Your eyes, pet.” He murmured, drawing him even closer. “They hardly scream human.”
He sucked in a startled breath, realizing Leviathan had never kept up his side of the bargain to teach him how to get rid of those terrible beady orbs in his head.
“You told me you would–”
“I never specified when.” He blinked; when he opened his eyes again they were human, whites surrounding a little pebble of darkness. Still abnormal, really, but passable. Cullen’s throat gave a hard bob.
“Teach me.”
“It’s simple.” Leviathan murmured, pressing a light kiss against his eye, forcing it closed. “You simply have to want it badly enough.” He kissed the other closed and drew back. “Focus.”
He did, drawing up the image of his own face–the human one.
With the features that were just a little rounder, his skin just a tinge darker.
And his eyes… He pictured his own eyes…that dark shade of blue that had always earned him compliments and stares…
An ache shot through his chest, a fierce desire…
and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Leviathan’s lips part in surprise.
“Beautiful.” He breathed, bringing his hand up to touch his cheek. “I missed them.”
Cullen gave a hard swallow and turned away, his face burning.