Page 26 of Indecent

Daniel flushed. “Then—why do you want me?”

“Because you’ve stormed Hell itself to get what you want. Because you’re ready to take on an angel with a hammer just to protect me. Because you put your trust in me when anyone else would’ve run screaming. You treat me like more than a monster.”

Daniel scowled up at him. “You’re not a monster.”

Chaol swooped in for a quick, sloppy kiss. “See?”

Daniel huffed out a laugh.

“You will retain all of your memories as a demon—or most of them, at least. Your principles, your personality, and your opinions will all be the same. Your preferences may change. You may enjoy the taste of blood or the sensation of pain. Those are things I’m more than happy to weather with you.” He smirked.

“Do you enjoy the taste of blood and the sensation of pain?” Daniel suspected he already knew the answer.

“Who doesn’t?” Chaol quipped.

Daniel sighed. “I’ve seen demons lay claim to humans before, y’know. What if you don’t feel that anymore when I’m also a demon? What if it only happens between humans and demons?”

Chaol gripped his jaw and guided his head up for another kiss. “Have a little faith, paladin.”

Daniel rolled his eyes.

“Don’t borrow trouble. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it as it comes. One way or another, I’m fucking you hard as soon as we get to the surface.”

Daniel burned all over at those words, and despite the worry lingering in the back of his mind, he smiled. Chaol was right; whatever happened, they would deal with it. He had no choice but to become a demon. Whatever happened after that was already predetermined. He couldn’t get out of Hell any other way, so they would just have to deal with the fallout when it came.

Chapter 8

Chaol

They were running. Daniel’s hand was clenched tightly in Chaol’s, his breathing labored. The sky above them was almost completely dark, and while they seemed to be well away from the angel, new threats were emerging with the encroaching darkness. Glowing eyes peered at them through the darkness, laughter and shrieks filling the air as the demons of the city realized a bright, human soul was racing through the streets of Pandemonium.

He’d intended for them to be outside the city before nightfall, but the angel’s attack and Chaol’s weakness in the hours that followed had slowed them down. He wanted to kick himself. Maybe it would’ve been better to take the long way around outside the city after all.

Now they were surrounded by demons, and the cloak wasn’t going to be enough to hide Daniel when they all came out to play in the darkness.

“Not much further,” he said.

“Where are we going?” Daniel panted.

“Somewhere safe.” It would be easier to explain when they weren’t running at top speed.

The squat building was within sight when Daniel’s hand jerked in his. Chaol turned as Daniel shouted in alarm. A demon, half-blended with the shadows, had sunk its claws into his cloak. Daniel jerked free, leaving gouges in the fabric.

“Come on, come on,” Chaol urged.

They stopped in front of the little stone building with a slanted roof. Windows were carved into the walls, shielded by wooden shutters. When Chaol touched the door handle, it glowed red and allowed him to turn it. He all but shoved Daniel inside the dark room ahead of him and slammed the door shut behind them.

Daniel’s quick breaths were the only thing that broke the silence for a few moments. His eyes were wide, because he couldn’t see in the absolute darkness of the room the way Chaol could.

“Where are we?” he whispered.

“Hang on, let me turn on a light.” He brushed past Daniel to touch the fireplace, calling forth the hellfire below the surface. It was a neat trick. Demons like him couldn’t control the hellfire, but there were access points like this throughout Hell. Like the geyser where he’d found the rybboc and estrith resting, hellfire burbled out of the ground all over the place. In places like this where a house was built around it, it acted as a convenient source of light.

Daniel blinked in the warm, reddish glow, turning to take in their surroundings. The home wasn’t a large one; it was only a single room. The air held a chill, because he hadn’t been there in so long. There was a bed on the far wall, layered with furs, and a chest at the foot of it made from scaled demon skin. A bookshelf loaded with leather-bound books and scrolls stood on the right wall, and a worn rug covered the stone floor. In the corner beside Daniel, a small table with a lone chair gathered dust.

It wasn’t much, but it was all he had now.

Something outside tap-tap-tapped on the window shutter, and Daniel whirled around, inching away from it.