Page 82 of Indecent

Chaol inwardly balked. “No, it’s not that. I mean, it’s partly that. I don’t like seeing you get hurt.”

The room was strangely quiet around them. No one out in the main room was talking, too exhausted from the fight to recount for the others what had happened yet. It gave the air between them a hushed feeling.

“Then what?”

Chaol sighed, ripping open an alcohol wipe and cleaning up the black blood that had trickled down to Daniel’s elbow. “No one’s ever called me that before.” His voice sounded so goddamn loud, he wanted to cringe.

“What, baby?”

Chaol met his eyes shyly. “Yeah.”

“I’ve called you that before.”

Chaol huffed. “I know. But before you, no one’s ever… I know it’s a common term of endearment here on Earth. Hell, I’ve heard some of the guys here calling each other that. But… yeah. You’re the only one who’s ever called me that.” He didn’t know why he was embarrassed, but he couldn’t meet Daniel’s eyes when he added, “I like it.”

When he chanced a glance at Daniel’s face, he could’ve sworn the burning glow in Daniel’s eyes flared brighter at that.

“I’m glad,” Daniel whispered. “I don’t want anyone else calling you that, ever. You’re mine.”

“I am,” Chaol agreed. “I don’t want anyone else calling me that.” Tossing the wipe aside, he opened a packet of gauze and put it over the wound with some medical tape. It was better than nothing, and he felt better now that he couldn’t see the wound.

“I’ll call you baby.” Daniel widened his legs and pulled Chaol between them. “I’ll call you baby every day.”

Chaol draped his arms around Daniel’s neck. “I’d like that,” he murmured between their lips. “Call me baby. Call me baby when you’re inside me. Call me baby when I smell like you. Call me baby when we’re falling asleep together and every morning when we wake up.”

“For eternity,” Daniel swore.

Chaol shivered in Daniel’s arms. Everything about Daniel was made for him. His possessiveness, his hunger for Chaol. He wasn’t alone anymore, and he’d burn the world down for Daniel, if that was what he wanted. Although, these days Daniel was the one more likely to do any burning.

“I love it. I love everything you do.”

“Everything?” Daniel’s voice was low, rumbling with invitation, and Chaol was helpless to resist.

Chaol kissed him softly. “Yes,” he whispered. “Everything. All of it. I was yours from the moment we met.”

“Hell yes you were.” Daniel crushed their mouths together, mashing their lips between their teeth. It was painful and sloppy and so, so good.

But they didn’t have time for more. They needed to be there with the others to talk to Menadel, and then they had to find somewhere else to live. Julian and Valac’s house was in ruins. The club and all of the penthouses were compromised. Things were more complicated than ever.

“Come on,” Daniel said with a sigh, guiding Chaol back so he could stand, threading their fingers together. “Let’s get this over with.”

Out in the main room, no one had moved, although Luke had at least sat up.

“So, what happened?” Ira asked, in between biting his thumbnail. “Is everyone okay?”

“We’re fine,” Wolf said, tugging Ira’s hand from his mouth. “Some of the halflings at the club didn’t make it. We’ve got a mess to deal with there.”

Talon looked at Menadel, who was watching them all with an air of curiosity. “We need you to ward that building,” he said. “We all live in the penthouses above the club right now. I don’t think Ramiel or the paladins know about that, but the fact that they know In Extremis’s location now is not good.”

Menadel bowed her head, looking chastened. “I will, of course. It should have crossed my mind to ward your homes before this happened. I was preoccupied with hunting him down. Ramiel has been busy. You are not the only demons in the city, and he has been laying waste to any he can get his hands on. I’ve been trying to track him down, but he’s moving too quickly. By the time I lock onto his signature, he’s moved.” She sighed. “He’s always been a keen strategist.”

“You don’t need to track him,” Daniel said. “He’s coming after us now. For better or worse, we’ll be your bait. All you have to do is wait for him to show up. He tore apart Julian and Valac’s house yesterday because some of us were there.”

Julian sagged at the reminder, looking crestfallen.

“He sensed you,” Menadel explained. “Yes. I should have known. I won’t make that mistake again, you have my word.”

“How do we stop him?” Shadrach asked poisonously. “Does it take an angel to kill another angel? You said a demon wouldn’t be able to do it, so what’s the secret? We can’t keep going on like this. Every time he attacks us, we’re at a disadvantage, because we can’t kill him. All he has to do is wear us down. It’s just a matter of time until he kills one of us.”