Page 77 of Calling Chaos

Cooper was glad he hadn’t splurged for business class this time. He’d had a feeling Chaos would enjoy the close-quartered jumble of coach, and he’d been right. Plus, with the season approaching midwinter the way it was, the flight was only half-full. He and Chaos could have had a seat between them if they’d wanted, but Chaos had insisted on taking the middle seat, pressing himself against Cooper’s side.

It had been easy to get tickets. After a quick call with Sascha, Cooper had gotten them onto the next direct flight to Portland, Maine. Sascha and Kai would pick them up from there and drive them the three extra hours to Seacliff, since Cooper didn’t have a license.

He’d need to remedy that, if they were going to start leaving the city regularly. He couldn’t imagine letting Chaos behind a wheel. Cooper might have access to a little more bravery than before, but he hadn’tcompletelygone off the deep end.

Chaos had been pleased when Cooper had suggested flying. “Yes, yes,” he’d muttered. “It’s time to get familiar with air travel. Just in case.”

Chaos’s concern had solidified Cooper’s decision to get out of town, at least for a bit. They needed to go somewhere where there were no threats, no Mafia business to get tangled up in. Leaving danger behind was why Sascha had gone to Maine in the first place—why he’d stayed—so maybe it was fitting that it was the reason Cooper was visiting.

They landed, everyone started deplaning, and Cooper and Chaos waved goodbye to Chaos’s new little friend. They hadn’t checked any baggage, seeing as how they only had a computer bag and one backpack between them, since Chaos could summon his own clothes (when he wasn’t stealing Cooper’s).

They found Sascha and Kai waiting at the curb, Sascha looking tiny next to his massive demon mate. Sascha waved brightly as soon as he caught sight of them. “Welcome, welcome!”

Kai was…glaring? Or maybe that was just his face, even in human form—Cooper didn’t know him well enough to know yet. Either way, he eyed them for only a moment before letting out a resigned huff. “You bonded?”

“You did?” Sascha asked in surprise, wide eyes darting between them. “Congrats!”

Kai was still maybe scowling at Chaos. “I suppose I’m stuck with you again.”

Cooper stepped in front of his demon, his hackles raised by Kai’s attitude. As if it was some burden to have Chaos in the same realm. “You don’t need to be around us if you don’t want,” he told the other demon. “We can find another place to stay.”

Sascha made as if to get between them and start offering apologies, but Kai held out a hand, cocking his head. “Are you…defending him from me, little hacker?”

Cooper squared his shoulders, even though the move put him nowhere near Kai’s absurd height. “Yes. I am.”

Weirdly, Kai grinned at him. He may have been a bit of a jerk, but he was beautiful when he smiled. Even Cooper could admit that. “Very good,” the big demon said in approval. “But there’s no need. I don’t mind Chaos’s presence on occasion. I became used to his chatter centuries ago.”

Cooper glanced over his shoulder to check with Chaos. He didn’t look the least bit offended by anything Kai had said. Instead, he started petting at Cooper’s shoulders, gazing at him adoringly like Cooper had just declared his undying love.

“What a good puppy,” he crooned, nuzzling his cheek.

And now Cooper’s cheeks were hot, and not just from Chaos’s touch. It was time to change the subject. “Where’s your, um, roommate?”

“Oh. He’s super shy about leaving the house. Worse than you.” Sascha winced at his own words, laughing awkwardly. “No offense.”

Kai pressed a kiss to Sascha’s pale hair. “No one is offended,zaychik.” He waved a hand to Cooper and Chaos. “Into the car with you. It’s a long drive in a tiny vehicle.”

The housethey pulled up to was big but a little run-down, with peeling paint and a porch that had seen better days. Cute though. Cooper could see the potential.

They made their way inside, and Sascha showed them to the spare bedroom they’d be staying in, then shepherded them back down to the living room. It didn’t seem like Sascha’s style—not nearly chic enough, compared to his New York apartment—but maybe it had been furnished by the previous owners.

Chaos cocked his head, peering intensely at the bookshelf against the wall, muttering something that sounded like, “Sothat’swhere it is.”

Before Cooper could ask him what he was talking about, a short, young-looking guy with enormous brown eyes and dark hair shorn close to his head poked his head out of the hallway. He kept it at that, the rest of his body hidden away by the wall. Those big eyes darted between them, and it looked as if maybe he was trying to place their faces.

“Matty!” Sascha greeted. “Come meet our guests. This is my cousin, Cooper, and his partner, Chaos. Guys, this is Matteo.”

Matteo kept eyeing them warily, not making any more headway out of the hallway.

Cooper stayed still, letting the other man—boy, maybe?—decide for himself whether to face them or flee. Sascha might have decided to lump Cooper and Matteo together as two shy introverts, but this…this didn’t seem like what Cooper dealt with at all. It didn’t read to him like general anxiety. It seemed more like fear. Specific and overwhelming.

Out the corner of his eye, Cooper caught Kai switching to demon form, tall and blue and horned. After a moment, Chaos followed suit, stretching his wings out as much as the little space allowed.

For some reason, that had Matteo’s hunched shoulders lowering. He crept forward until he was framed in the doorway. He was wearing sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt at least three sizes too big. “Another demon?” he asked quietly, eyeing Chaos’s wings and tucking his hands into his sleeves. “And you’re…together?” His cheeks went dark pink at his own question, but he didn’t backtrack. He just waited patiently for an answer.

Chaos wrapped a proud arm around Cooper. “He’s my puppy.”

“They’re bonded,” Kai informed Matteo, which was probably a more helpful explanation.

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