Page 53 of Unholy

“But,” he said slowly, “Sloan has given me pause a time or two since Hawk’s banishment. I can’t put my finger on it. I suspect my resignation will meet some resistance, butlike I said, there’s no law against it. As long as I can be with you, it’ll all work out. I’m sure of it.”

The line between Malachi’s brows didn’t fade. “Are you sure you should do this? What if they’ve been watching us? What if they know we’re together?”

“I think they would have confronted me by now,” Luke said. Surely they wouldn’t be letting him walk around freely if they had evidence he was sleeping with a demon.

Malachi didn’t look reassured. “It’s still risky. What if you just disappear? Stop going to HQ?”

“They’d come looking for me. I need a clean break. Don’t worry. I’ll go in today, get it over with, and come straight back here, okay?” The truth would come out eventually, if they kept watching Malachi, but after Luke resigned, it wouldn’t matter. He’d be free. They could be as disappointed and disgusted as they wanted, and he would get to be with Malachi.

Malachi’s arms tightened around him. “You better. I want to ravish you properly tonight. Tie you up and take my time with you, show you howtrulycherished you are.”

Luke shivered. “Sounds wonderful.” As eager as he was to get the ball rolling now that he’d finally come to a decision, he was still reluctant to abandon the warm, comfortable bed. He wrapped his arms around Malachi and groaned. “Now I have to get up and actuallygo.”

“Mm, yeah, that does seem like a hardship.” Malachi’s hands curled under his shoulders, and he rested his head on Luke’s chest. “What will I do without you here to act as my pillow?”

“No idea,” Luke drawled. “Cook me lunch for when I get back?”

Malachi snorted indelicately. “How quickly you’ve gone from ‘no, wecan’t’ to ‘cook me food.’”

Luke sputtered out a laugh. “You like to cook! I’m only thinking of you, I swear.”

Malachi’s laughter filled the air, shaking his body on top of Luke’s, and he raised his head to peck a kiss to Luke’s lips, his dark hair falling around their face like a curtain. “I’m sure,” he drawled.

“All right, how about this?” Luke rolled them, bracketing Malachi’s head with his arms and grinning down at the glittering crimson eyes. “When I’m retired—which feels really weird to say at thirty-four-years-old—I will need a hobby, so I’ll start doing some cooking foryou.”

Malachi tilted his head, teasing, “You’re going to take over my thing? Then what will I do?”

“Well…” Luke paused to think and felt himself flush as something came to mind. “I’ll learn to make desserts, and you can eat them off of me.”

Malachi’s eyes widened eagerly. “Seriously?”

“Mm-hm. Sounds fun.”

Malachi gave him a push. “Go on, then. What are you waiting for? Go get retired already!”

Luke threw his head back with a laugh and obediently climbed from the bed. He dressed, and when he turned around, Malachi had propped himself up on one elbow, watching him lasciviously.

“Stop looking at me like that or I’ll never get out of here,” he warned.

“Oh, once you get back later, you won’t be leaving again any time soon,” Malachi promised. He stood and pulled on yesterday’s jeans. “I’ll walk you down, at least.”

They walked from his apartment with their arms aroundeach other. They both knew Malachi couldn’t go out onto the street with him, and Luke couldn’t be seen coming or going from the main entrance. Instead, they took the stairwell on the side of the building, plodding down the concrete stairs with no real hurry. When they reached the bottom, Malachi drew Luke into a long, lingering kiss that stole his breath and left him panting for more.

“Be safe, okay?” Malachi entreated, his fingers reverently brushing the numb side of Luke’s face. “Call me the minute you get out of there. And no matter how they try to entice you to stay, remember that I love you, okay? As soon as you’re free of them, we’ll start our forever. Together.”

Luke nodded. His heart felt full to bursting. “Sounds wonderful. I can’t wait. You be safe, too, okay? Stay inside and wait for me here.” He couldn’t stand the idea of something happening to Malachi, especially not now that he was finally allowing himself to admit that he wanted to be with him.

“I will,” he promised, kissing Luke’s knuckles before reluctantly releasing him.

He backed toward the fire exit. Malachi had the right idea. When Luke got back, he didn’t want to leave again for a long time. Maybe he could stop at his apartment for some of his things on his way back, that way there would be even less reason to leave again.

He opened his mouth to say as much as he reached behind him and pushed the door open. Malachi’s eyes widened in horror?—

Pain exploded in his abdomen. Luke arched, a choked sound he barely recognized coming from his throat. He raised one trembling hand to his stomach, and his fingers slipped on wet, sharpmetal.

Horrified, he looked down. Aswordprotruded from his stomach, blood dripping from the tip like syrup. His head swirled, and he couldn’t draw in a breath. Every tiny movement sent a shockwave of pain reverberating through him.

“You are hereby banished from the Paladin Guild of Los Angeles,” a sinister voice said in his ear, “demon fucker.”

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