Page 45 of Indecent

Daniel hoped that was true, but he remembered how angry Chaol was. He might not have been thinking clearly. He could even understand, if somewhat begrudgingly. If Nicolas had been killed, Daniel wouldn’t be able to be in a room with his killers and not react. He definitely wouldn’t be able to ally himself with his brother’s killers. He’d had no idea he was asking that of Chaol, and he was pissed that Chaol hadn’t told him. All of this could have been avoided if he’d just been honest. And now he was out there somewhere while that murderous angel was on the loose. Daniel was going to crawl out of his skin just thinking about it.

“Come and stay with us,” Julian said, “Ash and Nic can bring your stuff there, and you can sleep in our guest room for as long as you need.”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?” Daniel asked. He’d rest, and when he woke, he was going to hunt down a demon.

“Are you kidding? Not at all.”

“I boxed up your stuff at the apartment,” Nicolas said. “We’d be happy to bring it to you.”

He nodded. “Okay. Thanks, guys.”

Maybe he couldn’t immediately rush off to find Chaol, but it was a step in the right direction.

Chapter 15

Chaol

Chaol regretted leaving almost immediately. His body ached with the need to return to Daniel, knowing he’d left Daniel behind and distressed. He had no one to blame but himself for the state they were both in now. He should have warned Daniel before they made it to the surface. But he hadn’t, and now Daniel might never forgive him. He should have told him why he really wanted to come to Earth. Daniel had a brother; he probably would have understood. Instead he’d kept it a secret until it rightly blew up in his face.

He’d hoped there would be a way to have Daniel and his revenge when they got to the surface. Now he knew that wasn’t possible.

Which begged the question: what the fuck did he do now? He wanted Daniel more than anything, but could he stomach working with those demons to do it?

High in the sky, with the cars along the highway looking more like string lights than automobiles, Chaol spread his wings wide and glided through the air, circling over the Rink. He couldn’t stand to be far from Daniel, but at least up here he was too far away for any of the others to sense his presence. He would keep an eye on his darkling and return to his side when it was safe. If Daniel would still have him, that is.

Late into the night, Daniel finally emerged from the building. There was a sense of power to him now, like a vibration in the air. It called to Chaol, and his keen eyes landed on him at once. He followed the pale-haired Julian to a car and got into the passenger seat.

Chaol followed them from the parking lot, the salty taste of the ocean lingering on his tongue as they turned north on the highway. He pumped his wings hard and fast, keeping the car in sight far below him.

It eventually came to a stop at a house hidden among a grove of trees, with a small, grassy field beside it. Was this where Julian and the behemoth lived? The house was a quaint, two-story farmhouse. Not at all what Chaol would have expected for a behemoth, even if Valac had mostly left the household decisions up to his human.

The two figures emerged from the car, and Daniel followed Julian into the house. Chaol was much too far away to hear their voices, and he wondered if this was where Daniel planned to sleep.

Was he angry? Would he send Chaol away?

He lingered in the sky until all the lights in the house went off. Dawn was a golden-gray haze on the edge of the horizon when he finally worked up the courage to glide down toward the house. Daniel’s presence was obvious even through the walls, and Chaol stopped in front of a window on the second level, peering in through the gap between the curtains.

Pale hands parted the fabric, and then Daniel was there, opening the window with hasty, fumbling fingers.

Chaol was struck by the sight of him. He was a beautiful man. Standing bathed in silver moonlight, the play of shadow and light highlighted the relaxed dip and curve of muscle on his corded forearms. He wore a soft T-shirt and sweatpants, and Chaol felt a momentary throb of regret for storming off before the shower Daniel had obviously taken at the Rink. His dark curls were messy—Chaol wanted to run his fingers through them. His orange-ember eyes gazed unblinkingly at Chaol, as if drinking him in.

Chaol wished he’d savored those moments in the cemetery more. He’d thought that was the beginning of something. Now, he feared it was already over. Daniel was probably pissed, and rightfully so. No amount of groveling would be enough, but he hoped he’d get the chance to try.

“Come in,” Daniel entreated. His dark, glowing eyes were pleading.

Chaol landed on the windowsill, gripping the sides with his hands as he transformed, tucking his wings away. He needed to apologize for flying off, for trying to attack his friends, for lying. But when he opened his mouth to speak, Daniel lunged, hooking his hands under Chaol’s legs and hauling him closer.

Chaol’s ass hit the windowsill as Daniel shoved between his parted legs, crushing their mouths together and holding Chaol against him in a steel-tight hug. Chaol moaned into it, their tongues tangling. He tried to resist for a moment, just to see how strong Daniel was, and a sharp little thrill went through him when Daniel exerted more pressure than he could easily dislodge.

He was strong, his darkling. Good.

Daniel ripped his mouth away, gripping Chaol by the throat and holding him still. Chaol reeled, mouth kiss-bruised and slick. He found purchase on the sides of the windowsill, blinking at Daniel’s teeth-baring snarl.

“You lied to me,” he growled.

Daniel was volatile for a lot of reasons now that he was a harbinger, but Chaol wasn’t scared. He gently patted Daniel’s wrist, and the hand around his throat loosened, sliding around his neck to pull him properly into the darkened bedroom.

“I did,” Chaol said, shutting the window behind him and drawing the curtains. It left the room in almost total darkness, but neither of them moved to turn on a light. Neither of them needed one now. He wasn’t sure Daniel even realized it.