Chapter Nine
WHAT TO DO NEXT?
ORIE
As soon as Orian and I are inside my house, I whirl on him and sock him right in the shoulder.
Startled, his mouth opens, his eyebrows furrowed over wide eyes. “Okay,ow,” he grunts, rubbing his shoulder.
I point a finger at him. “You have been less than helpful, brother, and you think you’re staying here?Andworking atmybusiness?”
He shrugs before pushing a hand through his hair. “Listen, the timing of your call also happened to be while I was in the middle of my own crisis. I was unhappy with the life I found myself in, and thought your call might be a sign.”
I take a deep breath, processing each word as I stare into him. He doesn’t seem to be lying; his tone has the same sincerity as when he arrived. That means that he really does want to be here and start anew—andnotmess up the life I’ve built.
Maybe there is room in this town for two shadow demons.
“Promise you’re telling the truth?” I ask, crossing my arms.
He nods. “I swear it.”
“Tail swear?” I cock a brow, taking a step closer.
This time he rolls his eyes, the corner of his lips ticking upward. “Really? Are we children?”
With a one-shouldered shrug, I simply respond, “Just making up for lost time, dear brother.”
Slowly, a grin takes over his lips, and he turns to the side. I put my hip to his, and our tails intertwine at the tips a few times over. We used to do this when we were young—before other demons pitted us against each other.
There could only be a single number-one shadow demon assassin, after all.
Releasing our tails, we face each other again, and I sigh. “So, whose issues are we dealing with first—mine or yours?”
“Definitely yours,” he answers without hesitation. “Yours are currently affecting you, mine is all just, well, lore, I suppose.”
It’s only lore—history—if he stays here. Otherwise, it’s his active story. Even now, I know I’ll let him stay. He came all this way to help me, the least I can do is return the favor.
Besides, I’m happier than I thought I would be to have my brother back in my life—especially since we aren’t in competition with each other anymore. It’s like when we were kids.
Taking a few steps back, I turn and head toward my living room. I hear his footsteps behind me, and once we’re there, we plop down on couches opposite one another.
“So, you left out a part about the feelings that this guy, Carson, has stirred up inside of you,” Orian says, sprawling out and kicking his feet up. “I’m assuming that besides making you feel things that are more intense and out of your control than you’re used to, he’s also making you feel?—”
“Stop,” I interrupt, waving my hands out in front of me and squinting my eyes closed. “I don’t want to even hear you say the word.”
He laughs. “But am I right?”
Shit, am I really about to admit that amongst all of these uncontrollable emotions, feelings, and urges, there areintimateones? Fuck me.
At first, I didn’t knowthat’swhat I was feeling. The pure desire that his presence awakened in me was different than anything I’ve experienced. I mean, I hadn’t even seen him, so I knew it couldn’t be lust.
“But how could I feelanythingfor a man I had never met? That I had never even seen? That’s why I’ve been assuming he has to be dangerous,” I blurt, letting my thoughts flow freely and quickly from my mouth.
Orian shrugs. “A mate bond, maybe?”
“Amate bond?” I gawk. “Aren’t those only for, like, werewolves?”
He rolls his eyes, sitting up a bit more. “We aredemons, Orie, or have you forgotten since living a human’s life? Things that are possible for other monster races are also possible for us. We can travel across the world throughshadows.”
