Page 54 of The Devil's Mercy

No matter the cost.

“Yes,” Titus replied, before shouting out a number that had the rest of the room gasping and then clapping when he won. He never looked ahead, however, keeping his eyes locked on Calix right up until they started the bidding on the next creature. “Consider this my proposal gift, little monster.”

“You tricked me.”

“Is it really a trick when the other party is so aware of what’s really going on?”

“How did you…” Calix frowned. “You’ve read Sister Grace’s files?”

“Each and every one of them.” Titus cradled the back of Cal’s skull and kissed his forehead before standing. “Wait here. I’m going to go have your new pet put somewhere safe until it’s time to leave.”

Damn it. What had he done?

“For the record,” Aodhan said, drawing his attention back his way. “I think you did good, Be’urn. I would have hit that prick with my car too.”

Calix wasn’t sure what it said about him that he was actually comforted by that.

…No. That was another lie.

He knew exactly what it said about him.

“Be prepared to pay us back for the gift.” Aodhan’s smug grin stayed with him the rest of the auction, causing a mixture of dread and anticipation to collect in Cal’s gut.

Chapter 15:

“Are monsters born, or made?” Aodhan asked, trailing a hand up the center of Calix’s bare chest.

“What?” the word came out breathy and weak, and Cal struggled to get a hold of himself. Fighting against the pheromones being pumped into the air was impossible and, truth be told, he was only partially interested in fighting it.

He’d known what was going to be expected of him the second he’d begged Titus to buy the sylar.

They’d relocated to a side room with a two-way mirror that took up an entire wall. The mirror faced the large room they’d been in earlier, where most of the other guests had either wandered off or started in on the second half of the night’s festivities.

Before they’d gone, Titus had done that thing of his, altering the feeling in the air until everyone around them had been a writhing, moaning mess. It’d be hilarious watching what had to be the richest people in the galaxy lose their minds and their composure, if Cal didn’t happen to also be right there with them.

Now, he squirmed in the plush yellow chair Aodhan had pushed him into, helpless to stop the doctor’s wandering hands as they teasingly stripped him of all his clothing.

“Maybe a little bit of both,” Titus answered Aodhan, coming up behind the chair so he could stare down at Cal. “Ours was probably made. He’s too normal otherwise.”

“Thank Light he isn’t normal,” Aodhan disagreed. “He’d be so boring then.”

“I’m right here,” Cal pointed out, but the other two acted as though they didn’t hear.

Pretty soon, he was completely naked, lying back in the chair with his hands resting on the armrests. He was torn between wanting to resist and just…giving in.

“Do you feel like you owe us, Azi?” Titus figured him out easily enough. “For buying you the sylar?”

He refused to answer, but he pressed his lips together stubbornly, causing the other man to laugh.

“Once we’re bonded, I’ll buy you anything you want,” the director promised. “And I won’t expect anything in return. What’s yours will be mine, and what’s mine will be yours. Take,” his sharp green eyes lifted toward the doctor, “my little killer, for example.”

Aodhan licked the side of Calix’s right knee and grinned at him as he parted Cal’s thighs. When Calix made a sound of protest, he shushed him. “It’s okay, Be’urn. You’ve been feeling empty, haven’t you? Let me fill you up.”

“Just go back to calling me baby,” Cal growled, hissing when the doctor pressed a finger to his entrance. “And you,” he glared up at Titus, “what’s with the ‘little’? There’s nothing little about either of us, and we’re only, like, two inches shorter than you, if even.”

“Oh he’s getting snappy,” Aodhan chuckled.

“That means we’re making him nervous.” Titus ran his fingers through Cal’s hair. “Trying to distract us so we don’t notice how turned on you are right now,littlemonster?”