Page 32 of Fallen

Ice slipped down his spine. “What?”

“You paladins think every demon that looks human is a halfling. We haven’t dissuaded you of the notion because it keeps you in the dark about what some of us can do. Those of us with black eyes aren’t halflings at all. I’ve never been human. I was born in Hell long before humans discovered the New World.”

Alex tried to draw away, but Talon’s grip tightened on his hips.

“You’re in no danger from me. That hasn’t changed.”

“You’ve been lying to me this whole time! I can’t trust anything you say!”

“I never outrighttold youI was a halfling. I just let you believe it.”

“That’s not better!” He tried to pry Talon’s hands off him, but his grip was like steel. Finally, he twisted a leg between them andkickedTalon in the chest, sending him sprawling onto his rear. “What the hell are you, then?”

Talon straightened, his hands braced on the floor behind him, looking irritated but otherwise unruffled. “I’m a leviathan.”

“What the hell is that?” He’d never even heard of a leviathan demon. There might’ve been something in the guild’s archives, but he’d have to do a deep dive. They learned about the most common demons in demonology classes as students, and if a leviathan was mentioned, he couldn’t remember it.

Talon smiled smugly. “Exactly.”

Alex leveled an unamused glare at him. “Okay, this is insane. You have to go.”

Talon pounced, grabbing Alex by the hips again so fast he barely had time to flinch. “I told you, little bird, you’re safe with me. I’d never do anything to harm you. In fact, I took great pleasure in taking you apart last night. It thrilled me. You’re so perfect.”

Alex covered Talon’s mouth, his eyes wide and his face burning. “No.”

He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to respond to any of the information he’d been given. Talon wasn’t a halfling. He’d been visiting Alex’s dreams—and would continue to do so, by the sound of it. He wasn’t going to leave Alex alone.

But did Alex really want him to?

Talon didn’t seem bothered by the hand over his mouth. In fact, he covered it with his own, tangling their fingers together. The weight of his gaze burned into Alex, and he ducked his head, carding his fingers through his hair in order to avoid Talon’s eyes.

He thought back to his dreams. To that moment on the beach from his childhood, his hands cradling Talon’s face. How his eyelids had fluttered like he’d been entranced by Alex’s touch.

‘You’re not alone, little bird,’he’d said.‘You’ve got me. Even when you don’t know it. Even when you feel alone. I’m here.’

It had felt like such a relief in that moment. Of course, he’d thought the whole thing was a fantasy. He’d never imagined a demon would say such sweet things to him. Hell, he’d never imaginedanyonewould say those things to him. His family was killed by a demon, and he’d held himself apart from everyone else for the rest of his life because of it. No one had ever bullied their way into his life whether he liked it or not andstayed.

And as the dream faded away,‘No, don’t wake up yet.’He pleaded with Alex to stay. To come and find the real him. Like he’d… wanted to see him. At every turn, Talon had been promising him safety, help, companionship, and Alex’s lonely heart yearned for it.

Talon’s free hand encircled his wrist, stroking gently, as though he was in no hurry to shake Alex from whatever trance he’d fallen into.

Alex blinked, coming back to himself. He drew his hand away from Talon’s mouth. “You omitted things. Important things.”

Talon lowered his gaze, looking forlorn. “I did. Nothing I thought would endanger you. None of the truths I omitted were intended to cause you pain. I thought you would push me away if you learned I wasn’t a halfling, and I wanted to know you. I wanted to see you, so I entered your dreams, where I knew you’d treat me with less suspicion.”

A pang of guilt went through Alex. He was certainly treating Talon with suspicionnow, but he deserved it, didn’t he?

“The things you said, though, in my dreams. Did you mean them?”

“Every word. All of it.” Talon leaned in, curling around Alex once more. “Don’t send me away. Your dreams will be a poor substitute now that I know what the real thing feels like.”

Alex remembered the muted sensation of their kisses on the beach and found himself reaching for Talon, cradling his head just as he had in the dream. And this time, Talon groaned like the touchburned, leaning into it as his eyes drifted shut and his brow furrowed.

“You can’t expect this to go on forever,” Alex said. “The guild won’t allow it.”

“They don’t scare me, little bird.”

“They should. If they find out you’re—circling one of their people, or whatever, they’ll kill you.”

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