Page 21 of Calling Chaos

“You like children?” Cooper asked, sounding surprised.

“Left to their own devices, children are the embodiment of chaos. Of course I like them.”

And then Chaos was treated to a real, genuine smile from his summoner. There was no repressed anxiety, no subtle quirk of his lips. His pretty, mismatched eyes crinkled at the corners, and his teeth were on display.

It was kind of wonderful. Lovely, even.

Chaos grinned back.

This really could be his very best summoning yet.

After Cooper had eatenhis fill—which had only been maybe a third of what Chaos had asked him to order, much to Chaos’s disappointment—they walked around for a while, at Chaos’s eager request. (Once again, his puppy was so very accommodating.)

This was much better than before, when Chaos had been wandering on his own.

Now Chaos was able to spill all his many thoughts to his companion, their joined hands swinging between them, and Cooper didn’t get bored or frustrated or sassy with him. He answered all Chaos’s other questions too: people ignored the traffic lights because “this city is always in a hurry—they’ve got places to be” and the men called out to the women because they were “acting like misogynist douchebags.”

In turn, Chaos explained more about the Book, his many centuries waiting in the Void, and how Cooper had managed to summon him. Chaos found itveryfunny that his puppy had accomplished it with a nosebleed and not a ceremonial knife.

How times had changed.

Eventually, many hours after the sun had set, Cooper grew tired—again—and they had to return to the apartment so he could rest.

Humans required a lot of care, didn’t they? Chaos maybe should have known that already, but he’d never bothered to pay much attention before.

There was Cooper’s need for regular food, for one. And regular sleep. And the way his feet seemed to get tired after miles of walking. There was also the teeth chattering he was succumbing to—apparently a light sweatshirt was not enough to protect Cooper’s fragile human skin from the cold night air.

So many things to keep track of.

Back in the apartment building, they walked past the guard at the desk, and Chaos stuck his tongue out at the man. The guard should consider himself lucky Chaos hadn’t set him on fire. The only reason Chaos had attempted toreasonwith him—ugh—was because Cooper had been so upset about the flames on his machines. For all Chaos knew, Cooper would beequallyupset over flames on the people in the building.

Chaos had been acting out of amazing, thoughtful consideration, and the guard hadn’t even appreciated his efforts.

Chaos should bite off all his fingers in retribution.

But the guard’s fingers didn’t look nearly as tasty as Cooper’s, which sort of lessened the appeal right now. Chaos refrained. For the moment.

Cooper led Chaos up the elevator and back to his apartment. He said he was going to get ready for bed, so Chaos followed him to his room, where he finally released his hold on Cooper’s hand and watched him select sleeping clothes that weren’t much different from what he was already wearing.

They stood staring at each other for a moment, and then Cooper held up the clothes in his arms. “Um. I’m going to get changed now.”

Chaos nodded. “Yes. I see.” In solidarity, he changed back to his demon form, although he kept on the comfortable sweatpants and sweatshirt. His magic adjusted the sweatshirt for his wings, creating little slits in the back for them to escape from.

Cooper gestured to the bedroom door with a nervous smile. “Would you like to give me some privacy, maybe?”

Chaos settled down on his haunches, stretching his wings out. “No, thank you.”

See? Chaos was very polite when he wanted to be. The guard downstairs hadn’t appreciated it, but Chaos had a feeling Cooper would.

Cooper seemed stuck for a moment. Was Chaos’s puppy malfunctioning? But then he let out a heavy breath, tossing his bedclothes on the foot of the bed. “I guess I probably won’t be the first naked man you’ve seen.”

“Nope,” Chaos told him cheerily. He’d seen many a nude man in his time. Usually when they were fleeing for their lives from his terrible destruction.

Somehow this was better.

Cooper started getting undressed, and Chaos stared, unblinking. He liked not blinking sometimes, even if it made his eyeballs itchy. It unsettled people. It definitely unsettled Cooper. But even more than that, Chaos was curious about his summoner, and he didn’t want to miss a detail.

And oh, hewaspretty, wasn’t he? Cooper didn’t have much hair on his chest, but the down under his arms was the same reddish blond as his hair, which Chaos found delightful. And the soft swell of his belly was even nicer unclothed. Chaos wanted to butt his head against it, to breathe in Cooper’s sugary-sweet candy smell. But he refrained. For now.

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