Page 33 of Hellfire & Bowties
“We came by to help him empty the storage room like you ordered. It’s still a disaster, FYI. When he called it a day, he said we deserved a reward for working hard. Sent me to grab him things from the living world,” Zorun said.
“And you justwent? Without checking in with me?” Luc asked.
“Of course not.” Zorun snorted, looking offended. “I’m your second-in-command. I only follow your orders.”
“Good,” Luc said, placated for a split second before he looked down at the robe and skin mask again. “Then how…?”
“Jek follows my orders, though,” Zorun said with a sly smile, “so he went.”
Luc pinched the bridge of his nose with his claws and sighed. Motherfucking smart-ass. “Why do I put up with this?”
“He’s making himself some friends, boss,” he said. “Kassel even let him file and polish his claws. They’re purple now to match his skin.”
“Have I lost my mind?” Luc asked nobody in particular, willing his brain to comprehend the scene in front of him.
Before he could though, a happy voice called out to him, drowning everything else out in a flash.
“Luc! There you are.” Luc looked over to see Oren waving at him with a pink brush. “We’re doing face masks!”
Luc walked over, moving with intent as the floor was slippery, barely visible, and covered in jars and bags and boxes of things. He came to a stop next to Oren’s chair and stared down into his eyes, barely able to resist the cute smile Oren trained on him.
“They’re lavender scented and help you feel relaxed and calm.” Oren wiggled a little purple pot in his face. “You should try some.”
“It doesn’t feel entirely unpleasant,” Kassel said flatly, almost squirming uncomfortably when Oren put his hands back on his face, spreading the face mask along the bony ridges and around the multitude of eyes.
Oren’s fingers looked gentle, caring, and Kassel was obviously enjoying it way too much. Even though he looked like he’d rather be a chew toy for the nearest hellbeast. He must have been hiding it. The bastard.
More steam began to rise from Luc, something evil lurching inside, something possessive and ugly. The hours he’d spent failing to have the little human underneath him all day caught up to him in a rush. The promise he’d made Oren rang in his ears, and he wanted to deliver on it right away.
He would have him. Because Oren washis.
“EVERYONE OUT!” Luc bellowed, and this time his voice echoed around the steam-filled room like a siren.
His demons all jumped up, covered in various human paraphernalia that went skittering and flying in all directions. Jek bolted upright and finally noticed Luc. He went wide-eyed, looking over at Kassel and Oren and wincing. He curled into a ball, wrapping his tail around him.
“Boss… Jek—” Kassel started, but Luc glared at him, sharp wing tips scraping against the floor threateningly.
“Out,” Luc hissed through his teeth.
Kassel lumbered off without anything further and many followed hot on his tail, fearing Luc’s wrath, the scents of fruit and summer trailing after them. Jek was last, long tail coiling behind him as he tried to sneak and slither past Luc unnoticed. Luc’s hand shot out, catching his tail and yanking him back.
Jekeeped!
“I gave you ONE JOB!” Luc growled into his face, steam escaping his nose and mouth and forming clouds between them. Jek’s eyes widened as he wrapped his arms around the soft spot where his entrails would be. “Fail again and I’ll chop off your tail and make sure it never regenerates. Got it?”
Jek nodded fervently, globs of hair mask splashing everywhere.
“Good,” Luc grunted, then shoved Jek away. “Now get lost.”
He took a couple of deep breaths as he watched Jek wind out of the room, trying to settle the storm inside him once everyonewas gone. He’d had no idea it would feel like this.Caringfor someone.
Jealousy, possessiveness, lust… those feelings he knew well. He was the ruler of Hell, after all. It came with the title. But being this bent out of shape because of one tiny, bowtie-wearing human was beyond his wildest imagination.
Yet there he was. Seething with jealousy, not just because somebody else was near the person Luc wanted, but because Oren had chosen to spend time with others and not him. Sure, there was something of a reason for it, but logic had no place in Luc’s frazzled mind at that moment.
Balance needed to be restored. And the balance, according to him, was Oren being focused solely on Luc.
“Luc…” Oren called, his voice very similar to how it sounded first thing in the morning; breathy and soft.
