Page 80 of Demon's Mate
“I am.” Ash measured flour into a stand mixer. “But until recently, I was off in the Rocky Mountains, near the Canadian border.”
Dante leaned in and whispered to Harper. “He lives in a hut.”
“It’s a hunting lodge, which you very well know,” Ash muttered.
“I grew up in the Rocky Mountains, only in Colorado.” Harper looked between the demons. “Do you think that’s a coincidence?”
Ash paused as he spooned dried yeast into a small bowl of water. “Probably not. Before, I’d have said there was no particular reason I settled where I did. I chose the mountains because they appealed to me. But maybe I was being drawn to you and didn’t realize.”
“So you weren’t just avoiding us over the last few decades?” Dante teased.
Ash scowled. “I was multitasking.”
Dante snorted.
Harper eyed Ash, trying to imagine him alone in the mountains. What would it be like to live together in an isolated hunting lodge? Even if it wasn’t near where Harper had grown up, the idea chased away all his warm feelings. “Do you want to go back to your lodge?”
“No, not really.” Ash opened a container of mushrooms. “Being by myself isn’t as appealing as it once was. Now that I’m back, I’ve realized I missed being around others.” He cut Dante a sheepish glance.
“Wow.” Dante leaned back in his seat. “Never thought I’d hear you admit that. I like Harper’s effect on you already.”
Harper grinned, warmth flooding him again. “I’d like to stay in Shearwater Landing. I get along with my roommate pretty well and want to have friends and build a real life like I couldn’t have before.”
“Then we’ll stay.” Ash sounded happy with the decision. “I’ll make sure your coven doesn’t bother you, and once we deal with Luc, we can do anything you like.”
Harper drew a deep breath like it was his first taste of fresh air.
With Ash’s help, he could escape his coven permanently. True freedom was possible, and for the first time, Harper wasn’t scared of what the future had in store.
“You aren’t worried about Luc?” he asked. It was weird referring to Lucifer so informally.
“Yes and no.” Ash abandoned the mushrooms and began mixing what looked like dough in the stand mixer. “He’s a serious threat, but we know how to handle him.”
“He isn’t acting as we’d expected now that he’s in the Human Realm, which is worrying, but we have an advantage in the city,” Dante explained.
Ash rested his hand on Harper’s. “I’ve already protected your apartment building, and I can give you personal protection until we cement the mating bond.”
Harper’s heart skipped at the mention of mating. “Why do I only need protection until we bond?”
“When we mate, you’ll be granted all my immortal abilities, like rapid healing and complete disease immunity. You’ll be almost as hard to kill as a demon. The bond also gives us an extra connection, so I’ll always be able to find you. Before then, I’d like to cast some spells on you to help me track you quickly if anything happens.”
“You mean you won’t be with me twenty-four-seven,” Harper joked.
“No.” Ash’s cheeks reddened. “But I’ll watch over you if that makes you feel safe.”
Harper squirmed. It would make him feel safe, but he kept it to himself. There was no need to get mushy in front of Dante.
Watching Ash cook was a treat. At first, it seemed odd for a demon with huge wings and horns to be in the kitchen, but the longer Harper watched, the more it seemed Ash was genuinely enjoying himself. He looked at home and happy, and it made Harper all gooey inside.
“What are you making?” he asked.
“Mushroom pizza.” Ash set a ball of dough aside. “You said the other day that it was your favorite.”
Butterflies filled Harper. He might actually float away.
After pizza,Ash flew Harper home.
Ash opened the service door for Harper, pausing outside. “I’ll track down the members of your coven who’re in the city and let you know what they’re doing. Then, we can decide how to approach them.”
