Page 10 of Hellfire & Bowties
“Sofa?” Luc raised an eyebrow. “Be a bit hard to squeeze on with me on there already.”
Oren flushed, his brain supplying many,manyimages of just how that would work. Oren was a speck compared to Luc. He could probably curl up on his massive chest like a cat. Or maybe he could put his flexibility to the test and see if he could straddle those hips.
He tried to rid himself of the images, but it was hard… and he was in danger of being the same if he didn’t stop.
“You were going to give your bed to me?” Oren asked, trying to get back on track.
“Giving,” Luc said. “It’s called giving since you’re taking it.”
Oren shook his head firmly. “I want the sofa.”
Luc smirked and crossed his arms. “You think this is a negotiation, hon?”
“That thing is massive compared to me. It’s like a human bed all by itself. And I’m not going to be here for long. You have, well,Hellto run, and you need your rest.” Oren walked over to the sofa and plonked himself down on it. “This is good.”
“I could just move you,” Luc said, voice pitched low and eyes intent, and Oren was suddenly reminded just who he was talking to.
His mouth went dry, but not in fear. The prospect of Luc tossing him around was enough to send him into a spiral of want.
Luc snorted at his sudden silence, his forked tongue darting out to lick the corner of his mouth. Then he shrugged. “Take it if you want it so badly. Let me go dig up some sheets that won’t offend your human sensibilities.”
He exited the room, leaving Oren alone in the large space, tingling, with nothing to do but kick feet that almost didn’t reach the floor.
He looked around again, pursing his lips. He spotted an actual, honest-to-god window in the corner and hopped up excitedly. He threw the heavy hinges on the wood and opened them wide, only to let in a rush of screaming voices. He covered his ears instinctively, searching for the source. He realized they were coming from a crater that went so far down Oren couldn’t see the bottom, only the rings of hellfire that spiraled through it.
He slammed the window shut again and slumped back against it, ears ringing. “What a lovely vista.”
As he was trying to get his bearings, a flicker of red and amber lit up the space under the massive bed, drawing Oren’s attention. It continued to glow and move, like a small flame, and Oren stepped closer, crouching down to see just what it was.
Two molten, pupilless eyes stared back at him from the darkness, and Oren’s heart leaped.
He stumbled back a step, getting upright just as the thing launched itself from the dark space.
3
Luc
Luc managed to locate a new set of sheets eventually, ones that had been washed in soul water and not brimstone. It was the inferior choice in Luc’s opinion, but the tiny human had asked, and Luc felt an uncomfortably strong desire to make it happen for him. He was just turning the corner when he heard muffled growls and thumps coming from his open door.
Beast.
Luc sped up, rounding the corner and spreading his wings, ready to intervene, then stopped dead in his tracks.
What. The. Ever-loving. Heaven.
Expecting carnage and blood, Luc was completely baffled to see his hellbeast lying belly up on the floor, ragged tail thumping happily back and forth and making sooty char marks on the stone.
Oren was crouched over his large, spiky form and petting his open ribcage, tickling under his huge, gaping maw, which was dripping molten orange saliva everywhere in happiness.
“Who’s a good hellish creature?” Oren cooed. “You! That’s who. Yes, you are!”
Beast grumbled his delight, a horrid sound that grated on Luc’s ears.
“Who likes pets on his spikes, hm? Oh yes, that’s the spot, huh?” Oren said, curling a hand over the twin spikes that curled away from Beast’s head.
“What is going on here?” Luc demanded, scandalized.
Oren blinked up at him and smiled. “Oh! You’re back.”
