Page 9 of Demon's Mate
“Yeah. He used to live with me. We started off as roommates, and then… Well, you know. It was a mistake.” Ollie made a face. “I’m never letting that happen again. I’m just glad he was the one to move out.”
Harper nodded like he might understand from personal experience. His stomach twisted. He’d never had a boyfriend, but technically, he was betrothed.
Damnation. Even thinking the word made him want to hyperventilate. He refused to accept being engaged without his consent, no matter what his father had organized. The betrothal didn’t count.
Arthur Nightingale knew Harper was gay and didn’t accept him. That had never been more apparent than the day he’ddeclared Harper was going to marry some woman named Aurora from the Thornfield Coven.
Harper had never even met her. The Thornfields were a Shearwater Landing coven, and if they were on good terms with the Nightingales, Harper didn’t trust them.
Arthur had always talked about Harper carrying on their family line. They were supposedly descended from the first witch and Lucifer himself. Never mind that Harper had cousins and tons of other relatives,hehad to father children with a witch from a good bloodline to carry on the Nightingale name.
He had no idea if he wanted kids, but he’d never have a wife. Back when he was still trying to appease his father, improve his rank, and earn love, Harper had suggested surrogacy as a way of continuing the family. But Arthur hadn’t wanted to hear it.
The topic hadn’t come up in a while, and not at all since Harper had started his hunt. Then, two weeks ago, Harper’s father had called to say Harper had a fiancée and her family was expecting him at their compound for an engagement party in three weeks.
Harper had seen red. His father’s complete disregard for him had hurt and enraged him, even though it was nothing new. But he hadn’t argued. His escape plan had already been set, so he’d lied and agreed to meet Aurora without a fight.
He hoped the woman wasn’t looking forward to the marriage any more than Harper was. And if she was, oh well, she’d move on, he was sure.
Now that Harper was free, he could find a boyfriend. Was that too ambitious? Something casual might be better to start with.
He hadn’t been in the right headspace to put himself out there for a long time, even if he’d had the chance—which he hadn’t while constrained by his coven—but the idea of meetingguys and hooking up didn’t stress him out anymore. Not like it had after his assault. Now, two years later, his life was just starting in so many respects, and Harper was itching to embrace all of it.
Harper longed for a partner, someone he could share everything with and love with all his heart. Someone safe who he belonged with and trusted. But he’d never trusted anyone.
Maybe he’d figure out how after his coven was out of his life for good.
“I’m sorry you guys had a bad breakup,” Harper told Ollie. “I promise I won’t try to date you.”
Ollie laughed. “Perfect. Sounds like we’ll get along great.”
Harper smiled. He hoped so.
4
ASH
“Lucifer has leftthe Realm of the Damned.”
Dante stood in grim silence before eventually saying, “And you know this how?”
Ash turned to face the sea. They were on Dante’s balcony, off the back of his house built on top of the cliff north of the city. His whole property was protected by a powerful illusion, rendering the building and anyone in it invisible, allowing Ash and Dante to have their demon forms displayed freely.
“I know the same way I’ve always been able to sense these things. My connection to the Realm of the Damned and the magic trapping us there changed when we escaped but didn’t break entirely. No demons have left the Realm since we did. Until now.”
Dante gripped the railing, his soot-colored wings flexing and sparkling with a hint of silver. “But how do you know it was Lucifer and not someone else? Every demon wants to escape. That’s why Lucifer had to imprison us there in the first place.”
“Only he and the three of us have a connection to the magic sealing off the Realm of the Damned. You know that. Our escape didn’t break the seal. Everyone is still imprisoned there,leaving only Lucifer able to follow us, using the same method we did to escape.”
Dante tucked his wings against his back as the wind picked up. “Yes, I know. But why follow now? It’s been over two hundred years since we broke free.”
“I don’t know.” Ash dropped his head between his shoulders, arms outstretched as he braced himself on the rail.
Ash, Dante, and Onyx had been imprisoned in the Realm of the Damned for centuries, along with every other demon who’d fallen from the Eternal Realm. It wasn’t the Eternals who’d trapped them, but Lucifer. Lucifer, who had once been their friend—their brother—until somewhere along the way, he’d turned Ash, Dante, and Onyx into his dogs, forced to do his bidding and subjected to his control.
Lucifer had stolen some of Ash’s, Dante’s, and Onyx’s magic to create the seal that trapped all demons in the Realm of the Damned. When they’d finally escaped, Ash had predicted Lucifer wouldn’t follow them to the Human Realm, not wanting the rest of the Realm to know his loyal dogs had abandoned him. And it seemed he’d been right.
Until now.
