28

And so this part of the story ends, mostly.

Happy Readings

CHAPTER 26

I glanced at Shorn, doing my best not to show any emotion, "Really? Dare I assume you unmade that communication link also."

"Yes. It's my home and nothing can enter without my knowledge or permission."

Not getting mad. Nope. Just a little controlling over who I was allowed to talk with. Zen it out. "Hmm." I looked down at the desk and then at Oldavai.

Shorn spoke, "Oldavai, please close the door."

He quietly shut the door and his emotions simultaneously. He stood there in silence, only watching Shorn.

I looked back to Shorn, "Why isn't he talking? That's not normal."

"I think it has to do with two things. This," he held up our hands, "and that fact that I had the Dark completely block my office."

I swallowed hard, "As in, there was a bulging black void in front of your door."

"I wasn't to be disturbed."

If a nod could have sarcasm mine did, "Bet that caused a little concern."

"As you say, a little. Especially when some sorcerer threw offensive magic at it."

"Oh. What happened?" I asked calmly, but not really calm.

"It reached out and engulfed him. Let's just say it ate him if anyone asks, easier to explain."

I cocked my head to the side. "Oh," gotta love this office. I felt my left eye tick and rubbed it hard.

"Oldavai's been sitting in the public area waiting and watching for days."

Oldavai finally spoke up, "There's one very important factor you left out." His voice came out scratchy and dry, as if he hadn't had any water for a while. His chin jerked towards Shorn, "I know what that version of your eyes means."

I looked over at Shorn as he replied, "Dove brings out the feral side of me, but I am not going to terrorize the masses any more than I usually do." His grin was toothy. He brought our hands up and kissed my knuckles, "Give me a moment."

He stared down at the floor for a long time and then shrugged his shoulders, cracks and pops filled the room. When he looked up at me his eyes were his bloody red, "Oldavai is right. I can't let the beast out here. I'd outright kill anyone who talked to you, touched you, or refused to submit to me."

Oldavai cleared his throat, "Is she alright?"

I gave him a look of disbelief, "Why aren't you talking to me about me?"

Shorn answered for him, "Because Oldavai is incredibly intelligent despite how he looks, just occasionally misinformed. In this case, he's correct to wait for me to give him permission to acknowledge you."

I inhaled sharply and choked on my spit, coughing, I only got out, "Are you fucking..."

Oldavai interrupted me with a weird disruptive negative noise, trying to warn me.

"And he failed," Shorn said in serious tones.

I tugged on Shorn's hand, making him turn to look at me. My mouth opened. I got a face like granite stillness with silver trying to stream out from the depths of his eyes. My mouth quickly closed. I needed to reconsider my words before speaking. He frowned and put his hand up on my cheek. I instinctively nuzzled into it, and he did his growl purr.

"Two conditions, Dove." He leaned closer to me, speaking the words close to my face, his lips brushing my own in a soft caress while he whispered, "That I allow you your choices without repercussions on those around you and that you get to be polyamorous." He kissed me on the lips, and I was shocked into my own stillness, "Now go see Ila."

The hold of our hands lessened at the same time, and I walked towards the door. My fingers reached for Oldavai's in a reassuring touch, but he didn't move his hand when I touched him. I spun around on a thought, "Can you unmake the demon magic in me without killing me?"

Oldavai gripped my hand before the question was fully out of my mouth.

Mercury finally took over the red as he looked down at our hands, "I already tried."

My response was stopped by Oldavai's grip squeezing my knuckles together. Worry leaked out in thin trails of wind, swirling around his body. I closed my eyes briefly and stood in front of him, blocking his view of Shorn. For the first time I tried to manipulate the magic Oldavai gave me on him.

"Relax."

Of course he knew, but he said nothing.

He finally focused on my face, and forced out through gritted teeth, "He just admitted to trying to break the bond we have."

"Not necessarily. You must stop crushing my hand," I said calmly through the pain.

He immediately let go, "I apologize."

"Relax?" I pushed a calming wave into him.

He nodded, his body still rigid and ready to defend itself.

I turned, "Tell me."

Oldavai stood behind me, his hands a small rebellion against Shorn with their weight resting on my shoulders. I gave an imperceptible tightening of my throat as they pressed down on the bite marks still healing. Thankfully, Shorn's poison was gone or there could have been problems as it went deeper into my system. The demon in front of me saw it and his mouth gave the slightest quirk. I'm certain that actively seeing me flinch because of his marks gave him the push to turn his eyes back to red.

"I told you I dismantled the voices to give you peace while you were with me." He leaned over his desk, hands holding him at an angle towards us. "They fought back. Your magic fought me, Dove. It wanted to suck me dry. And every time you slept, I'd take a moment to see what I could safely do. There wasn't much."

I gasped and immediately distanced myself from them both, "It's getting bolder."

Shorn interjected, "I believe it's more determined when you are surrounded by a strong power trying to subjugate its goals."

I looked at Oldavai, "How can this be?"

His look was as baffled as mine, "I told you hunters can't hold on to and use our precision magics for as long as you have. Maybe it is because of Ezra's goddess."

Shorn interjected, "It's not. Our magic nested in her before she met any of us. I believe it just found," he walked around his desk towards me, fingers trailing over the smooth, black surface. I continued to back up at his approach until I was against the wall, my fingertips feeling the grooves in the paneling behind me. He never wavered in his pace, "the warmest, giving," he placed his hands on either side of my head, caging me, "malleable home it has ever known." He leaned down into my face, silver again moving in, "Who wouldn't want to stay?"

His presence surrounded me like a closure of warm air until my whole focus was on him. My eyes were wide, face upturned, a breath away from a kiss when Ila slammed into the room.

Shorn sighed and closed his eyes. "Ila, since when do you barge in here? Oldavai I allow, but not you. It is rude and I wouldn't ever do it to you."

"What the hell happened to you?" She whispered with outrage, staring at our position. The emotion flooded the room.

"Are you talking to me or Dove?" I was grateful he asked for us both because I wasn't sure either.

"I don't even know. I thought you killed her."

"I told you I didn't kill her," he opened his eyes and I stared into his bloody red ones.

"Yeah, that was before the Dark blocked your office. Before you refused my knocking. Before Miranda started being a loudmouth theorist." The volume of her voice rose at the end of her tirade.

He pushed himself off the wall and clasped his hands behind his back as he walked to her, "Dove was just on her way to see you. She was delayed because of our discussion, but we can pick this up later." He turned to me and gestured to Ila with his head. I plastered a smile on my face and went towards her.

She didn't move and remained blocking the door, staring at Shorn.

"Ila, he's not going anywhere," I said.

She scowled slightly and pushed me out of his office. We both heard his growl, and I clenched my teeth. She was touching me and he didn't like it. I was almost positive she had no idea. We were in her spelled office quickly though and no one could hear us in here. I hope she didn't try to kill me. Demons might not have the right to kill me, but I knew damn well that she believed she did.

She leaned against her desk and picked up a blue buoy, caressing its curves. She looked up at me and then back down. I'd never seen Ila at a loss for words and it shocked me. We stood in silence for several minutes, her stare flirting back to me consistently. Her emotion of scrutiny was a thousand tiny insect feet prickling along my arms.

I felt her decision as she leaned even farther back and crossed her ankles, "I need you to go to your home and lock it up."

Nothing about Shorn. Nothing about the Dark. "How long will I be gone?"

"I don't know yet." She wouldn't look at me now and kept tossing the glass back and forth in her hand.

"How long has he kept me?"

She stopped her movements and slowly raised her head, "You don't know? Where you in oblation?"

I shook my head 'no', "I was not in oblation when he encased his office in Dark," I said carefully.

She eyed me uneasily, "Have you ever been in his oblation?"

Not her business. I did my best to maintain eye contact and piss her off, "Have you?"

It worked.

"Shut up, Dove. Go lock up your house and meet me back here tomorrow around ten in the morning."

"How long has he closed up his office?" I figured if I phrased it differently she might answer. I was right.

"It was maybe eight days. Every stupid being was up here. Initially they attempted to bully or bribe every demon on payroll to go into his Darkness. If there's one thing I stand by it's that demons are not stupid. No one in this office is stronger than Shorn, maybe there is no demon stronger than Shorn." She sighed and started to flow the buoy over and under her hand faster and faster like a magician.

I knew of one but said nothing.

"I told them that again and again, but sorcerers can be extremely hardheaded. Their desire for knowledge will derail even their minimal morals. Once they gave up on the demons they decided to use different tactics. Some went unwillingly into oblation."

"More than one?"

"Yes," she stilled her movements and looked up again.

"Oldavai watched the entire time they tried to study and probe the Dark. That incubus completely closed himself off, sat there looking like he was just another human watching the show. Frustrating single word responses. Believe me, I tried, really, really tried to get a rise out of him. When I couldn't, I started to worry." Her one-eyed stare was filled with demand, "I need you tell me if Shorn is unstable."

I cleared my throat trying to keep myself from showing confusion, "That's a weird question to ask about a demon, especially one as old as Shorn." There wasn't really an answer to that. Weren't they all?

Her face paled with anger, "Let me be more specific, Dove. Is he turning lucifer?"

Oh.

I shook my head quickly, "There is no evidence of that. I swear. I would know since I was in close proximity to him for the entirety. He just needed some alone time."

Her face went serious, homing in on one word, "How close? As close as I saw you just now?"

My smile might have been fake, but it was a sincere fake, "Let me lock up my house like you asked." I turned to the door.

"Dove."

I stopped with my hand on the knob, waiting for the threat.

"Do you need help? Are you in over your head?"

I wiped the shock off my face at the genuineness coming off her before turning back around.

With an extremely calculating demon named Shorn?

Absolutely.

"No."

CHAPTER 27

I walked into Shorn's office without knocking to find him and Oldavai with barely an inch of space between them. The room simmered with antagonism to match the tone of the demon language spewing from their lips.

"I think you two lost the concept of acceptable social distance," I said banally, refusing to acknowledge their argument. I walked up to them and placed one hand on each of their chests and wormed my way between them. They both took tiny movements backwards to allow me to wedge myself into their angry pocket of air.

The edges of Shorn's lips turned up slightly at the corners, "It appears you have also forgotten the meaning of personal space."

Oldavai scowled, unable to switch from anger to amusement as fast as Shorn.

I sighed, "I need you to take me home, Shorn." I emphasized his name so Oldavai would know I didn't want his mode of transportation. That demon put a hand on my shoulder as Shorn gazed at me in contemplation.

"I can take you home," Oldavai said with a bite to his words.

I shook my head, and reached backwards with my hand to touch his, "I know. I just need a little space. Shorn will leave me alone. I'll be back here tomorrow morning and before you ask, I don't know what Ila has planned."

Shorn and I continued to stare at one another, the only sounds were all our breaths filling the room.

He finally spoke, his words dangerously quiet, "What makes you think I'll leave you alone?"

"Because I'll ask very, very nicely," I said giving him a coquettish look, which had him lidding his eyes. "Also, you're the one to blame for bringing us back into the working world."

He snorted, "Worst decision I ever made."

I turned into Oldavai and placed my arms around his waist. He immediately hugged me back and I snuggled deeper into his chest. "Just for a bit. I have a feeling this next assignment will be...," I didn't have the words. "All I know is I could feel her considering it and me heavily."

He breathed deep into my hair as he bent his tall frame over me, a riotous quiet emanating from him. We stayed like that for long enough that my whole being relaxed into him even more. His hand smoothed along the waves of my hair and I had a sneaking suspicion that he glamorized it with his gold glitter. My thought was confirmed when Shorn did his growly chuckle.

I looked over my shoulder at him and he held out his hand. I turned back to reach up to kiss Oldavai, only as soon as I looked up his hands framed my face and his mouth was over mine. The incubus' feelings of yearning washed over me, and I ran my own hands up his scalp and through his hair.

He moved his lips back from mine, "She is concerned, disquiet... unsure." His announcement of my feelings had my face screwing up. It was such a blasé attitude about revealing such to Shorn when he was anything but agreeable with the situation just mere moments ago. He palmed my hair back from falling into my eyes, "He can help you through the addiction better than I, although that is a misnomer when it comes to you. Whatever it is, if he's willing, then so be it, just be weary. It puts me on edge to see him so intimate with you and I may use any means to stop you if I think he is channeling too much of his alter self." All I could feel was his sincere worry as his gaze locked on the demon behind me.

Shorn cawed a short laugh and I jumped from it.

"You should be more concerned about yourself, brother. There are two conditions to be with Dove that I heard straight from the dragon's mouth. Allowing her the decisions she makes without repercussions on others and letting her choose whomever she desires. That is the only reason you are not dead."

I turned around and crossed my arms, my words ready to spew. He didn't need to use Ezra as a threat. The gentle pressure of his fingers on my lips was quick. I glared, hating him for thinking he had the right to shush me like a child.

His eyed me kindly, which was such an odd expression for him that I stalled, letting him speak, "You are exasperated with me."

Oldavai's voice whispered through the room, "That's obvious."

Shorn continued, "I will tell anyone who crosses your path the same. I will tell them to beware because I have seen Ezra as he is now, but least they forget, part of him is still as much an animal as I am."

It's true. I had forgotten about the dragon part of Ezra. The one who placed the torque in my home to state clearly, here is my hoard.

He looked up at Oldavai and his expression turned serious, "That doesn't mean that any of this will be easy or even doable." He dropped his fingers to hold out his hand, "Come. I will take you home."

I turned quickly, giving Oldavai a fast kiss and then slapped my palm into Shorn's, the tiniest bit irritated that he was correct. He jerked my arm towards him harshly and turned me, my back to his front, arms locked securely around me. My last sight was Oldavai looking like he wanted to rip me out of his grasp with the emotions to match battering against me.

Then, there was Darkness. Moments later we were in my meditation room. Shorn kept his arms firmly around my middle. His stance behind me solid and familiar, even up to the point of his head bowed over my own, breath a warmth on my scalp. I was even wearing my sleeping shorts and tank that I had on when I had made a huge cluster at the safe house.

Instead of feeling scared or nervous, or even impatient, I raised my arms to circle around behind me to grasp behind his neck. His sigh was long and loud. I felt the brush of his lips on the top of my head before we slowly let each other go.

He reached over to cascade my locks through his fingers, his face instantly angry, "Do you want this to stay?"

I caught the gold sparking as he turned it to and fro. I shrugged, "At least it's not my entire body."

He gave me a severe look, "That doesn't answer the question, Dove."

True. So, I gave him one he wouldn't like, not even sure why I wanted to annoy him. Maybe it was the way he kept shushing me. "Leave it. He is only concerned."

Shorn leaned closer to my face, his fingers turning into a grip, "He is possessive."

I raised a mocking eyebrow at him and covered his fist with my hands, "Leave it. You asked the question so that means you're open to negotiation."

The smile he gave me felt wily, burrowing its way through me like maggots, his face so close I could see the determination in every crease of his expression, "Negotiation? Then here are my terms. Only a section."

"I never said I was open to negotiation," I replied calmly, refusing to be swayed by his unrelenting grip.

His face softened and tone quieted, "For me, then. Just a section. You'll do that, won't you?"

My irritation came through in my words, "You're trying to maneuver me into getting your way, like a child."

The smile came back, but more slowly this time, "That is my negotiation, some or none."

Indignation hit, and it wasn't even about Oldavai's glamorization anymore, it was the idea of it. I forced myself to be calm and quiet despite the embers of fury igniting inside of me, "You have no right."

His other hand rose to curl gently around my neck, those silver eyes boring into my own, "I have every right when you have my visible claim on every part of your body. When my poison has traveled the pathways of your very blood and my Darkness has consumed you." He moved closer, the front of his body touching mine, his thumb under my chin and hand forcing my head to look up at him, "You are filled with me entirely and I don't need to fuck you. I will though."

Always, the closer he was the more I felt him encase me in his presence. The warmth of Darkness surrounding us, as if we were in our own little bubble of intimacy. For once, I flailed against it mentally. It felt good, relaxing, but inside I wasn't, I was a swirling mass of intense emotion that was done with them all.

"Am I only in control of my life as it fits within your parameters?! As it fits in Ila's, or Oldavai's?!" My voice came out sharp like a knife.

Shorn stepped back, his smile still on his face, "Are you defying me, Dove?"

I spoke through gritted teeth, "Let go of my hair."

He did, spreading his hand wide so I could see. Then he slammed himself into me, his hands caressing from the top of my strands and down. I reacted instantly and jammed a blade into his side. Stab, twist, pull. He was quick. As I used my hands to push myself away his own was already crushing my arm to keep me next to him.