Page 78 of Demon's Heart
They pulled away from each other, Dante’s hand lingering on Ollie’s lower back. “I should have, but I was worried about overwhelming you with information and honestly didn’t think you’d ever be in a situation to reveal us.”
That was fair, and Ollie didn’t think Dante was mad. Maybe this wasn’t as big a deal as Harper had made it seem.
Nico cleared his throat. “Not to be the fifth wheel, but we are in my shop.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.
Ash stepped forward. “Fine, witch.” He made a show of considering Nico. “You’ve been good to Harper, and he likes you. I trust his judge of character, so you can’t be that bad.”
“Gee, thanks,” Nico said so dryly Ollie’s skin itched.
Ash continued as if Nico hadn’t spoken. “Who we are is asecret that doesn’t leave this room, and if you don’t keep quiet, you won’t like the consequences. Don’t betray Harper’s trust.”
“Ash,” Harper hissed, elbowing him.
Nico seemed unfazed. His sharp eyes left Ash briefly to inspect Dante before returning. “I won’t tell a soul that I’ve met demons. But I’d like to know what you’re doing with Harper and Ollie. If there’s any trickery going on here, I’ll do everything I can to get them away from you.”
Trickery? What did that mean? Nico was way off base.
Dante stepped forward. “There’s no trickery. We’re dealing with a precarious situation at the moment, so the fewer people who know who we are, the better.”
Nico pursed his lips. “Precarious, how?”
“That doesn’t concern you.” Ash dismissed him with a flick of his hand. “We’ll deal with the demon problems and the rest of the community can stay blissfully ignorant.”
“Fine, don’t explain. But I’d like to know what’s happening with Harper and Ollie. Ollie said he was attacked by Lucifer.”
Everyone looked at Ollie.
His heart thudded. “I didn’t know it was a secret.”
“It’s all right.” Dante’s hand returned to Ollie’s back and his tension leaked away. To Nico, he said, “I assume you know the legends about the fall to Earth and demons giving rise to witches. But the reason we fell didn’t survive the passing of time. We fell to find our mates. Ollie and Harper are my and Ash’s fated other halves. No one will look after them better than we will.”
Ollie swayed like the floor had slipped out from under him. What did Dante mean they fell to Earth to find their mates? That was how it all started? It had been about mates all along. Dante said he’d waited for Ollie a long time, but had Dante been waiting for Ollie forthousandsof years?
Dante was ancient, but Ollie hadn’t known so much of hislife had been shaped by mates. Mating seemed like a part of his existence, not the driving force or the thing that kicked off bringing magic to Earth.
Ollie closed his eyes. How was he even supposed to process this?
“I’ve never heard of fated mates,” Nico muttered, giving the impression the jury was still out on whether he believed Dante. “According to legend, you must be the demons—the Hounds—who escaped Hell. Was it to find your mates? Will you drag Harper and Ollie back to the Realm of the Damned with you?”
“Back to the Realm of the Damned?” Ash scoffed. “We aren’t going back. Harper and Ollie will never see that cursed place. It’s not like the demons there are living happily with their mates.”
“Where are their mates?” Ollie asked.
Dante gently gripped the back of Ollie’s neck, turning him so they were face-to-face. “No one but Ash and I have found our mates. Most demons considered the search hopeless a long time ago.”
A chill ran down Ollie’s spine. “Only you and Ash?”
“Yes, Ollie. And I’m so, so grateful.”
Ollie’s throat thickened at the intensity in Dante’s dark, flame-flecked gaze. This went so far beyond the two of them.
“Why did Lucifer attack? Is he still here?” Nico cut in. “Is that the precarious situation you’re dealing with?”
“So many questions.” Ash sighed. “Look, Nico. We aren’t sharing all our secrets because one got out. I’m sure history told you Lucifer was displeased by his Hounds’ escape. But the details don’t concern you.”
“Maybe not.” Nico’s back straightened. “But it concerns Harper and Ollie. I’ll always stick up for people on the short end of a power imbalance, even if legends are going to walk into my shop and throw their weight around. I’m on their sideno matter what, and if what you say is true and you’ll protect Harper and Ollie from Lucifer and any other trouble, then I’m on your side too. If you ever need me, count me in, even if you don’t trust me enough to explain what’s actually going on.”
“Hmm,” Ash hummed as if he were impressed despite himself.
