Page 10 of Unholy

“That’s disrespectful,” Luke said, pointing at the grave.

“Demon,” Malachi reminded. “Besides, they don’t care. They’re long gone.”

Luke crossed his impressive arms over his chest. “Fine, tell me how you know me, then,” he challenged.

Malachi turned his head to hide the depth of his amusement. “It was weeks ago. I was standing outside a club—a normal, human club, I’ll have you know—and I saw you. Swaggering down the street with purpose, confidence in every step. You have conviction in what you do. A moral code. I confess, I find it intriguing. I’ve never had a moral code—at least, not that I remember. It’s fascinating to watch how you work.”

Luke frowned like that didn’t compute.

Malachi leaned forward. “Most of you holy men function in a squad, like you’re afraid to go anywhere alone. But not you. Youonlywork alone. Why is that?”

His expression shuttered. He tapped his scarred jaw,angling his head for Malachi to see—as though Malachi hadn’t spent weeks imagining what they wouldtastelike.

“I used to have a squad. Now I’m all that’s left,” he said coldly. “I appealed to the council to let me work alone after that. I was distracted by a team, too worried about losing anyone else, and it was putting both them and me in danger. I can focus when I’m by myself. Better to be alone than to lose anyone else.”

Those were practiced words, and based on the coolness of his shuttered expression, words he was forcing himself to believe. Inexplicable fondness welled within Malachi.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Malachi crooned, sliding off the headstone and into Luke’s space. “You don’t have to be alone.”

Chapter 5

Luke

You don’t haveto be alone.

The words snagged like a barb in Luke’s mind. He did, didn’t he? That was what he’d told himself since he’d lost his squad. He was better off alone. It was safer that way for everyone. He’d rather die alone than watch someone else he cared about get hurt. His squad were like brothers to him. Losing them had nearly destroyed him. He couldn’t go through that again.

Malachi’s red gaze was far too knowing, and Luke wondered for a moment if halflings could read minds. He didn’t think so. They’d never mentioned it in the guild’s extensive demonology classes. Was he really just so easy for Malachi to read?

“I could join you on your hunts,” Malachi offered, easy as you please.

Luke’s thoughts ground to a halt. “What? Why? Why would you do something like that?”

“Because I’m immortal. Those snarling beasts can’t killme unless they rip my head from my shoulders, and none of them are powerful enough to do something like that.”

“No,why?” Luke asked, clenching his jaw so hard it hurt. “Why would you want to? Why would you help me kill demons?Why?” What game was this halfling playing at? He was already risking everything by standing here and having this conversation. He couldn’t be seen with this demon, and he certainly couldn’tpatrolwith him.

Malachi’s head tilted like a predator measuring the distance to its prey. Luke feltweighed. “I can tell you a believable lie or I can tell you the truth, which you won’t like.”

What kind of choice was that? “The truth,” Luke said firmly. “Always the truth.”

Malachi’s smile was sharp around the edges. “The truth is, you’re mine. I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on you. You’re beautiful and fascinating and everything about you has captivated me.”

Luke’s lips parted in shock. “What?”

“I brought you the intel about the sagdrannon because I knew it would please you to kill it. I’m offering to aid you on your hunts, because I see how lonely you are.”

“No.” He shook his head firmly. This couldn’t be happening.

“I told you you wouldn’t like it.”

“I don’t justnot like it. What you’re saying is dangerous. I can’t be seen with you. That’s why I came here?—”

“And summoned me,” Malachi said. “You came here, to a deserted location, and summoned me. You didn’t have to. You had to know that whatever answers I had for you wouldn’t be anything you wanted to hear. You knew I didn’t tell you about the sagdrannon because I wanted to repent for my sins or do a good deed. You summoned me…” He leaned in, dangerously close, and Luke inhaled the scent of smoke and whiskey, “because you wanted to see me. And this was the only way you knew how.”

Luke shook his head stubbornly. “No.”

“You’re as intrigued by me as I am by you.”

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