Chaos was saving lives with his little game here, and no one was appreciating it.
Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose. “How—”
And then Cooper spilled the beans before Chaos could say anything at all, his words coming out in a rush. “I was uploading the ledgers you gave me. I wasn’t quite sure why you wanted that old, weird book with them, but I didn’t want to miss it if you needed it, so I did it anyway, and then it just kind of…happened.”
Whatever Ivan felt about that didn’t show on his face. “You summoning a demon just kind of happened,” he repeated.
“Yes?”
“And where is the Book now?”
“I still have it.”
“I should fucking hope so,” Ivan snapped.
No. Nope. Nuh-uh. Chaos didn’t like it. Not the tone, not the language, not the look in Ivan’s icy eyes. Chaos hopped up, standing in front of Ivan in an instant. He felt Nix edge closer, and Chaos shot him a warning glance, stopping his dear friend in his tracks.Ivanmight not realize he wasn’t the biggest predator in the room, but Nix did.
“Hi,” Chaos said to Ivan because he could be polite for Cooper’s sake, even when the other person was a rude icicle creep. “You’re scaring Cooper.”
“Chaos,” Nix warned.
Chaos ignored him.
“I didn’t intend to scare him,” Ivan said slowly. “I’m simply…irritated.”
How funny Ivan should use that word.Irritated. What did this man—thishuman—know of irritation? He thought he had some idea because he’d lost his Book for a few measly days?Chaoswas the one who was irritated. Locked in the Void for centuries, nothing to do but watch and wait. Stuck there as demon after demon completed their contracts and were set free. Finally summoned again, graced to find his perfect puppy, only to have his bonding time interrupted by this mean. Cold. Man.
“Irritated…,” Chaos repeated. He cocked his head, imagining the perfect slice of his talons through Ivan’s mortal belly. Or better yet… “If I set that suit of yours on fire with you inside it,” he asked, the flames’ pull already tingling at his fingertips, “do you think you’d be more or less irritated?”
“Chaos,” Nix tried warning again. And then, “Bracchus.”
It was strange, the way Chaos’s true name sounded wrong now coming from the lips of anyone but Cooper. He turned to look at Nix—his friend’s eyes were beseeching. “I’m rather fond of this one,” Nix said, none of his usual teasing or flirting or sly little innuendos. “I’d like to keep him in top condition.”
And there was something in his words, something true and genuine that not even Chaos could ignore. Nix wasn’t looking for a bond just to free himself. Helikedthis human. Enough to stay with him forever.
That was…unexpected.
Chaos loved unexpected.
“Oh.” Chaos released some of his rage, allowing his inner flames to bank and cool. “Why didn’t you say so?”
He felt a rush of fondness for his friend, who’d tried his very best to entertain and distract Chaos through the painful boredom of the last centuries. The two of them may have been thrown together by circumstance, but their bond was real.
Chaos had maybe gotten a bit of Cooper-focused tunnel vision and forgotten to be a good friend to Nix.
Oopsies.
He smiled brightly. “Hello, Nix. You could tell it was me?”
And then he threw himself into Nix’s arms for a hug, his last, lingering irritation soothed away by Nix’s quiet “Hello, sweets.”
Chaos would let the mean cousin live. At least for now.
11
Cooper
Cooper stood awkwardly by while Nix and Chaos embraced in his living room.
