Page 29 of Fallen

Talon smiled. “You’ll know for sure in the morning. And if you liked it as much as I think you did, you know where to find me.”

“It’s wrong…” But he trailed off uncertainly, like he wasn’t sure.

“Is it? Just because they say so?”

“You’re a demon.”

“Your god made me that way, little bird,” he said sweetly.

Alex’s eyes were drifting closed. One hand fluttered against Talon’s ribs. “He did?”

“Mm. Who do you think created the Hell we were born in?”

“Are you saying that God created Hell, which makes you one of God’s creations, which makes it okay for me to have sex with you?”

Talon pretended to pause and think about it. “Hm… Yes. Exactly.”

Alex smiled faintly. His mind was going hazy. Talon propped his weight up on one elbow and raised the other to Alex’s face, tracing the strong line of his jaw, the gentle curve of his cheekbone.

“Mm,” Alex murmured. “Feels good.”

“Come back to In Extremis tomorrow night.”

Alex’s brow furrowed. “Too dangerous.”

“Then don’t come there. Come to my apartment. But let me go with you to look for the mozgoran.”

Alex blinked his eyes open. “Why?”

“Demons can sense each other. If we get close, I might be able to find him.”

“No, I mean, why would you want to help me? Why do you care?”

Talon smiled. “You intrigue me. That’s a hard thing to do.”

“Is that why you…” He gestured down his body.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand me, little bird,” Talon said. “It’sveryhard for anyone to hold my attention like this. You have captivated me. You’re all I see.”

Alex stared at him for a long moment, and then whispered, “Dreaming. I’ve got to be dreaming. There’s no way you’d really say something like that.”

“I suppose you’ll just have to wait and see.” He brushed his fingers against Alex’s cheek, and the man’s eyes fluttered closed. “Sleep, little bird. I’ll see you tomorrow night, and we’ll find you the vengeance you seek.”

Alex sighed in contentment. “Nobody cares,” he breathed.

Talon stilled, certain he’d misheard. “What?”

“Nobody else cares… why would you?”

Sleep was taking him, so he missed the way Talon’s hand tightened into a furious fist by his head. Maybe no one else cared enough to help this human get what he needed, butTalondid.

“Because you’remine, little bird,” he swore, certain Alex was too far gone to hear him now.

He kissed him once more, and then slipped away, covering Alex with the sheet and disappearing into the shadows.

Chapter 10

Alex

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