“Safe with Lord,” Hem says. “We came here first. Your demon isn’t lying.”
“He’s not my demon,” I growl. I don’t miss the looks Hem and Dempsey exchange. “He wants me to go to the demon realm with him to pick up some of his personal belongings now that we’re bound. I worried it was a trap.”
Dempsey shakes his head. “No, in fact, Montrose has endangered himself by telling you. Demons have a fierce code to never, ever betray another demon. It’s how they survive attacks, summonings, and bindings.” He smiles. “Unless you have Dahlia on your side, of course.”
My dragon is losing his mind right now, tugging me toward the kitchen where I left Montrose. All of it was true. Dammit. I treated him like ass.
“You didn’t know, Tino,” Hem says as if he can hear my thoughts. “You were right to be guarded.”
“Family first,” Dempsey says sweetly. “You were protecting Mac.”
Hem chuckles. “But if you want, we can talk about this hangover you’ve been?—”
“No,” I growl, cutting him off. “Come on.”
I walk back to the kitchen, calmer now, to find Montrose leaning on the counter, his long, lean body on full display as he doodles on my countertop with fire that quickly dissipates. Heglances up, standing upright when he sees my brother and his mate.
Dempsey smiles like he’s meeting his favorite celebrity. “Hi, Montrose.”
“Hello, human. I missed your name earlier.”
“Dempsey.”
Montrose’s eyelids flutter as he smiles. “Your aura is so soothing and pure. It’s clean. There’s not a negative thought or desire in you.”
Dempsey sinks into my brother’s arms while Hemingway beams with pride.
“You can read auras?” Dempsey asks.
“Not read. I see them as clearly as you see me.”
“What do you see in Hemingway?”
Montrose shrugs. “Supernaturals are different. It’s all about energy with us, rather than auras but…” His words trail off as he tilts his head and studies my brother for a second. “He loves you with every ounce of his heart and soul. I’ve heard about the bond of fated mates, but it’s truly breathtaking to experience it firsthand.”
Dempsey’s cheeks blush pink as he hums happily. My dragon is so close to the surface I can barely feel my human form. I blink, but the dragon doesn’t budge, pushing toward Montrose. Hemingway’s attention shifts to me, and he cocks his head with questions in his eyes.
I shrug, grumbling and setting the pizza boxes down. I’ve got bigger problems than what my lust-driven dragon is doing. I flip open a box and my heart drops when I see the thick mushroom topping.
“Sorry,” I mutter, hoping Montrose knows why.
Montrose looks too, then smiles, flicking his wrist. All the mushrooms rise, swirling above the pizza, until he flicks his wrist again and tosses them into the trash.
“Problem solved.”
At least one of them. I wish pizza toppings were our biggest challenge.
MONTROSE
Valentino’s energyhas shifted since his family showed up. He’s calmer now, the rage that was boiling off of him before at a low simmer. A part of me is disappointed. I like the fiery dragon when he’s angry, but even I have to admit that a calmer Tino is a safer one. Turns out he’s pretty either way.
“We’ll go now,” the cute human says. “Be careful, huh?”
“We will,” Valentino mumbles. “Uh, thanks, Demps.”
“Anytime. If you want to bring anything back…”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Hemingway says, chuckling and dragging his human out with him.
