Page 62 of Calling Chaos

Both from the meeting and from Chaos’s enthusiastic demonstration of consummation, but Chaos kept that last bit to himself.

Cooper was still typing away to his internet friend, but he furrowed his brow in thought. “You could go Friday. I have to go out, anyway. It’s time to pick up the fake passports for Nix and Kai.” He paused his messaging, looking to Chaos with wide eyes. “You’re going to need the same, aren’t you?” He shook his head. “Back to square one, then. But I do need to pick up these first to get Ivan off my back.”

Chaos cocked his head. “But I should accompany you, if it’s a Mafia errand. What if someone needs slicing?” He held up his talons to demonstrate.

“No one is going to need slicing,” Cooper told him, suddenly looking a little pale. “My contact is super chill. He only deals in fake documentation—passports and IDs and stuff. So he’s only Mafia-adjacent. I’ve met with him tons of times.”

Tons of times?

Chaos narrowed his eyes. “Is he handsome?”

He didn’t really know why he was asking, except that Chaos had never really had cause to feel jealous before, and it was a fun feeling to play with. Jealousy was the root of much chaos in the romantic realm—Chaos appreciated its power.

“Um.” Cooper scrunched his nose, his glasses rising a bit with the motion. “Could be? If you like scraggly beards and kind of not-great hygiene and men in their sixties?”

“Doyou like those things?” Chaos had never asked about Cooper’s preferences. Perhaps he’d been remiss.

Cooper bit at his lip, as if hiding a smile. “Not particularly.”

“Good.” Chaos gave a decisive nod. “All right, puppy. We’ll both run our errands. A real power couple, as they say.”

Cooper let the smile he’d been battling grace his lips. “Who says that?” he asked, sounding amused.

Chaos waved a hand. “Some human somewhere.” Although, now that he thought about it, it may have been Nix. “It’s hard to keep track. Humans are always saying all sorts of nonsense.”

18

Cooper

“And you’re sure you’ll remember how to get there?” Cooper asked for maybe the second or third time; he couldn’t be sure.

“Puppyyy,” Chaos chastised, drawing out the word with a sly smile. “What a silly question.”

Cooper could only stand there, staring at him doubtfully. He was vaguely aware he was acting like a mother hen, but he couldn’t help it. He’d given Chaos directions to Ivan’s apartment—and then to his office, in case the Book was stashed there instead—but how much experience did Chaos really have navigating human cities?

Basically none, was the answer—at least not without Cooper at his side. Because, frankly, Chaos just wandering around the blocks, circling Cooper’s apartment for funsies, didn’t really count.

And now he was being stubborn and refusing to let Cooper order a car for him. When Cooper had suggested it, he’d wrinkled his nose and whined, “How will I enjoy the delicious disorder of the city from inside a vehicle?”

Cooper wished he’d thought to get Chaos a phone before now. He’d feel better with something connecting the two of them while they were apart. Obviously Chaos could handle himself when it came to any physical threats or danger, but there were just so many damnpeoplein this city. Cooper couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Chaos was going to disappear like smoke out of Cooper’s life the second he let him out of his sight.

It was a terrifying thought. Cooper had only just found out he got to keep Chaos—he couldn’t go losing him now. And he couldn’t give Chaos his own phone and have him contact the apartment security desk if he got into any trouble, because Cooper needed the damn thing to connect withhiscontact, who still hadn’t told him the meeting location for the day.

The nerves and panic started growing, churning in Cooper’s gut, and then Chaos’s hot hands were on Cooper’s cheeks, his eyes boring into his very soul. Their yellow-gold color clashed with Chaos’s hair today, which was a bright tennis-ball green. It had made Cooper smile when he’d seen it upon waking up—at least Chaos would be easy to find in a crowd.

“Listen to me, puppy,” Chaos said, firm and clear, all his slyness tucked away for the moment. “I’m very clever, aren’t I? And strong. And not afraid of any of the silly threats of your realm. Your worries are sweet, and quite tasty on the air, but they’re foolish. Even if I got lost, I would track your soul via our contract.” He released one hand from Cooper’s cheek to tap at his chest, over his heart. Was that where he was holding a piece of Cooper’s soul? “You can never, ever hide from me, even if you want to.”

For something that sounded like it should be a threat, it was surprisingly reassuring. “Oh.” Cooper let out a breath as Chaos poked at his cheeks, as if to encourage him. “That’s good, then. Cool. Freaky but cool.”

“Yes.” Chaos nodded seriously, his fox eyes unblinking. “I am both those things.” He cocked his head, stroking his thumb along Cooper’s cheekbone. “But as for you, sweet summoner.” He tapped his thumb, the talon poking sharply at Cooper’s skin. “If you feel any distress on your errand—if anyone is unkind to you in any way—you’ll phone Ivan, and he’ll have Nix come get you.”

“He will?” Cooper asked, doubtful once again. That didn’t sound like Ivan. He was more likely to hang up on Cooper and then later fire him for the inconvenience of his interruption.

“He’d better,” Chaos said ominously. “Tell him I said so. Remind him of my teeth.” He grinned, displaying his fangs. “And my claws.” He tapped Cooper’s cheekbone again. “And fire.”

Cooper let out another breath. It would be a last resort for sure, but that was better than no resort at all. “Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll call him if I need to.”

“Good, obedient puppy.” Chaos pressed a surprisingly chaste kiss to Cooper’s lips, then both his cheeks, and then finally his nose. He grinned impishly, his horns, wings, and tail disappearing and his eyes returning to an oddly dull brown, though his hair remained the same bright green.

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