Page 35 of Wreaking Havoc
“You have your own room.”
Kai frowned at him. “But I don’t want my own room.”
Sascha rubbed at his eyes. “Whatdoyou want, then?” If Kai was going to ask for a repeat performance of their time at the beach, Sascha was going to tell him to fuck right the hell off. He was no longer in the mood for sexy shenanigans with unattainable demonic entities.
But of course Kai refused to be predictable. “I wish to hold you as you slumber,” he said firmly. “I’ll sip on the rage you claim you don’t have. You’ll sleep better for it.”
Sascha stared at him from between his fingers. Sure. Let a demon hold him as he slept so said demon could literally drink his emotions. Why the hell not?
But of course he was going to say yes. Sascha couldn’t remember the last time someone had really held him. He was tired and weak, and he wanted a goddamn cuddle, even if that cuddle included weird demon bullshit.
“Fine,” he huffed, trying to sound put out about it. “Come along.”
“As you command.”
Kai kept saying those words, but Sascha was more than aware he wasn’t the one running this show. He could only hope Kai knew what he was doing.
Sascha sure as hell didn’t.
10
Kai
Kai waited patiently while Sascha readied himself for bed in the bathroom. He’d told Kai it would be a minute, mumbling something to himself about not letting hot demons interfere with his skincare routine any longer.
Kai was too pleased Sascha still thought him attractive to concern himself with the rest of that statement.
When Sascha came out of the bathroom, smelling fresh and faintly botanical, with soft leggings replacing his stiff trousers, Kai was already in human form under the covers. He patted the bed invitingly, grinning at Sascha’s pouty scowl.
He was a little surprised when, after crawling in, Sascha immediately latched himself to Kai’s side, throwing his arm over Kai’s chest and his leg over Kai’s hip.
“No talking,” Sascha mumbled, his breath cool on Kai’s skin. “And pet my hair.”
Kai obliged immediately, running the silken strands through his fingers as Sascha determinedly closed his eyes and somehowseemed to pretend Kai was not there, even as Kai held him tightly.
So Kai held the human in his arms, breathing in and out deeply, coaxing Sascha into the same steady rhythm as he sipped gently at the anger simmering under the surface.
Perhaps Sascha didn’t want to admit to his own rage, but Kai could feel it, turning the soul piece in his chest hot and prickly. It was delicious—rage always was, rich and spicy—but the emotion clearly unsettled Sascha, so Kai drank steadily until that heat dampened and Sascha slumbered in truth, his breaths deepening as he let go of consciousness.
Kai remained awake. He had much to consider, not the least of which was the conundrum of the bargain between them. They now had a name for Sascha’s enemies and a general location—it surely wouldn’t be too difficult to find them. And once found, Kai would rip them apart as easily as breathing.
But doing so would complete the contract, and Kai would be sent back to the demon realm. Back to what was supposed to be his home. And what had once meant freedom—in those long centuries waiting in the Void—now seemed some sort of divine punishment.
Kai would be sent back, unable to return. The piece of Sascha’s soul in his chest would join the rest of his bargain fragments, stagnant and buried. He would no longer be able to taste it, to explore its dark pockets and hidden corners.
It was intolerable to even think about.
Kai had grown attached to the piece inside his chest, as he had to the man in his arms. Something about Sascha grounded him, soothed an itch he’d known his entire existence. If Sascha had been in the demon realm, perhaps Kai never would have entered himself in the Book in the first place.
Kai wanted to keep him. Him and his delicious soul.
But the only way to keep them both would be a permanent bond. Amatingbond. And that would be madness to consider with a human.
And yet…
Now that Kai had tasted Sascha—not just his soul, but the pleasure they could have between the two of them—now that he’d felt that eager mouth on him…
What would Kai really be returning to in the demon realm? Power and glory? Perhaps. But no family, no mate match. There was the chance he’d find one eventually, but whoever he found, they wouldn’t be like Sascha—soft and sweet and small enough to tuck into his chest. Or full of the same complex human emotions: his hot and bitter anger, the sour tinge of sadness that encased the inherent sweetness of his soul.
