Page 17 of Chaos Demons

Oh.

“You’re losing control of your aspect, Ramsey. I felt it long before you entered my office. I can’t have The Lord of Strife stirring up trouble with the dead. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you need to get your shit together. Calm the fuck down. Now!”

Because a god shouting at you to calm down wassuch a greatway to calm down.

I ground my teeth, jaw twitching. My chaos bunched and tumbled, pounding within me and echoing out into the world.

“If you can’t get your strife under control, I will,” Osiris threatened. “I’ll stash you in some forgotten corner of the underworld and keep you there. That’s your other option. What will it be… nephew?”

The thought of being taken so far from Ana nearly broke my mind, I couldn’t allow that. I needed her with every fiber of my soul.Shewas what calmed my chaos, but I hadn’t been able to see her.

I rose. “I’ll take care of it, Uncle. I promise.”

“You’d better.”

I turned to leave, but he spoke again. “I’ve got Anubis looking into what’s riling up the dead, other than you, that is. Once you’ve gotten yourself under control, help him.”

Gods, I hated when Osiris ordered me around.

“What’s Horus doing?” I spat back, just a little too vehemently. I turned back in time to catch Osiris’ heavy sigh.

“He’s being a royal prick, as usual. Even if heismy son, you know I can’t command another who possesses the aspect of rulership. The day he does anything for himself — or to help any of us — is the day the world ends.”

Good to know Cousin Horus was still a do-nothing, entitled ass. It was a not-so-well-kept, shameful, family secret that Horus had insisted on being breastfed by Isis until well after he was a thousand years old. That poor woman loved and hated her son. The rest of us just hated the stuck-up daemon prince.

“Fine,” I muttered.

“Good.”

And that was that. I left and stalked down through the office complex to the parking garage and burned off far too much rubber from my Lamborghini’s tires as I sped out of there. I had to see Ana… now… no excuses.

I made it to her place in record time, parking in the middle of the street because I couldn’t find any spots at the side and I couldn’t wait.

I flew up her stoop and pounded on her door until someone answered. My chaos was throbbing within me, nearly out of control.

“Ramsey,” Grey said — even before he’d seen me — as he opened the door. “Nowreallyisn’t a good time, especially with your conflict raging like that.”

“Ana cools my chaos,” I bit out, barely able to speak. “I need to see her… now!”

I pushed past him. Grey was strong, but not as strong as I was, and I barreled through him… far too easily. The Lord of Conquest fell with a very un-daemon-like “ooof,” making me pause and turn back.

I hadn’t really looked at Grey until that moment and was surprised at what I saw. He seemed… weak. His skin was far too pale, and there were huge bags under his eyes. It looked like he hadn’t been sleeping much… but then, I’d never sleep if I was in Ana’s bed.

My rage exploded and I nearly ripped the daemon lord limb from limb in that moment. The only thing that stopped me was the thought of Ana. Not only would she kill me if I hurt Grey, but… I needed her, now!

Charging upstairs I kicked down the door to her room and barged in. It was late morning and it looked like she was just getting up. Sitting on the side of her bed, slightly bedraggled — but still gorgeous — massaging her temples. She wore a pair of silken shorts and a robust cotton sports bra. It was far from lacy lingerie, but it was still so very hot on her.

She looked up, shocked, as I arrived. She also looked like she hadn’t slept much. If I hadn’t been certain before that Grey was occupying all her nights — a breach of our agreement — I was now.

“Ramsey?” Ana groaned. “What…?” She seemed to slowly catch up with what had just happened. “My door!”

“It’s what you get for denying me while fucking Grey every night!” I roared, my rage suddenly blossoming into a living thing around me. “I need you, Ana. Now!” I began undoing my pants.

“What? Fuck, no! Ramsey, it’s too early for this. I’m not tired because I’ve been with Grey.” She rose, but seemed a bit unsteady on her feet, still holding her head with one hand. “I’m tired because I work late, and I can’t sleep with Eva and Melin—”

“It doesn’t matter. I need you, Ana.” I had my cock out and was stepping out of my pants.

But at the same time, my mind was growing… fuzzy.

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