Malachi bit the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting into laughter. He heard a soft chuckle and turned to face Chuck again.
“Malachi, thanks.”
He arched an eyebrow and popped his hands on his hips, adopting a devilish smirk. “Oh, I’m back to being Malachi now, am I?” He shook his head. “Evan? Really? Of all the names in the world, you come up with Evan?”
“I couldn’t well call you Malachi and expect Jax to believe you just happen to have the same name as my K-9 partner!” Chuck exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “I mean, fuck, Mal, I did the best I could on the spot like that.”
Without thinking, Malachi snatched her by the waist and yanked her against his body. She let out a soft oof as she slammed into him, her fingers landing on his chest. “Chuck,” he moaned in a strained voice, “do you know what that bad word coming from your sweet lips does to me?” At her choked gasp, he realized what he’d done and said. Letting her go like she’d scalded him, he backed away with eyes wide and lips parted slightly. He knew his normally tan face must be pale as he felt the blood drain from it. Her aura was flickering wildly in her confusion. “I… I’m sorry. Forget I said that. I shouldn’t have crossed that line.” He jammed his hands in his pockets and hurried away to the passenger side of the car, waiting for her to unlock it.
After a moment, the locks disengaging chirped, and he shuddered out a shaky breath. He cursed himself for a fool, letting his desire slip through. Quickly, he climbed into the passenger seat, clicking his seatbelt and gluing his eyes to the horizon through the windshield.
After a moment, the driver’s door opened, and Chuck slipped into her seat. She sat for a minute, not saying anything, then buckled her seatbelt and started the car. Clearing her throat, she put it in drive, then spokecasually, as if the episode in the parking lot had never happened. “So, I figure we should go pick up Reena, grab some lunch, then head back to the house. We need to figure out how we’re going to explain Malachi’s disappearance.”
He glanced at her, noting the small content smile curving her lips, and smiled back gratefully at her willingness to move past his fuck up. “Thanks,” he mumbled.
At Glenda’s house, Malachi stayed in the car. He didn’t want to face the knowing glances of the witch and needed a moment without Chuck’s presence and glowing aura to reset himself. Groaning, he scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “What the hell, Malachi? Don’t fuck this up!”
“That’s right, Malachi, don’t fuck this up.” A low chuckle on a waft of decaying flowery scent washed over him, chilling him to his bones.
“Hey, Hyacinth, how’s it going, boss man?” Malachi asked lightly.
Snorting, Hyacinth leaned forward from the back seat and rested his filthy, dirt-encrusted claws on Malachi’s shoulder.
“I’m just checking in on you. I was hoping to see some progress by now,” the lumpy demon hissed.
“I have progress,” Malachi insisted. “I made her think she helped me, she wants me to live with her, and we slept in the same bed last night. She almost kissed me earlier, and I made her jealous by flirting with another woman. It won’t be long. She’ll melt in my hands before you know it, and that angel grace will be pitch black!” The lecherous sneer that accompanied these words was false, but he was adept at showing what he wanted people to see. He radiated confidence and conceit.
Huffing a breath scented with an earthy swampish undertone, Hyacinth nodded slowly. “Well, that’s good news. See that it stays that way.” He chuckled. “Of course, as much of a coup as this would be, I almost wantto see you fail so I can drop your pain-in-the-ass self down to the pit.” His laugh grew more malignant and shiver-inducing. “I’ll be going. Get that angel corrupted soon, Malachi.” With a squelching sound, Hyacinth sank back down into Hell, laughing low under his breath.
Moments later, Chuck appeared at the door and plunked a slightly pudgier Reena into the backseat. Getting into the driver’s seat, she grumbled under her breath about not needing enemies with friends like Glenda. She leaned forward and waved toward the door at the witch, muttering about overfeeding Reena and needing to mind her own damn business.
Malachi simply sat quietly until they reached a red light. He glanced at Chuck, who glanced at him, and they both burst into laughter as Reena snored in her treat-induced stupor.
When Chuck was finally able to get herself under control, just as the light turned green, she smiled in genuine amusement at Malachi. “I have a feeling Reena is going to have a stomach-ache. Can you still talk to her?”
“Yeah, I can send her my thoughts still. The same way I can send them to you,” he answered, slouching slightly in the seat. He felt much more at ease, as if their earlier tension were behind them.
Chuck sniffed then and glanced over again. “Hey, do you smell… flowers?”
Now He's Fully Naked
After a casual dinner in which Malachi let Chuck teach him how to cook pasta, they were sitting on the couch watching the evening news as usual. The big difference now was that he wasn’t lying on the sofa with his head on her lap while she scratched behind his ears. He sat upright on his own cushion, sneaking glances when she wasn’t looking and pretending he didn’t notice when she did the same.
Sighing, Chuck lifted the remote and clicked the TV off. “Mal,” she started, a sad weariness weaved into her voice and crinkling her eyes. “We’ve been putting this off, but I need to be able to explain why you—K-9 you—isn’t around anymore. I’m not good at lying. I used my maximum effort today with Jax, and you saw how that ended.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust, no doubt remembering her blurted excuses with chagrin.
Releasing a weary sigh of his own, Malachi rose to his feet. “I think I have a solution. Wait here,” he instructed.
A silent nod was her only response as she watched him hurry to the spare bedroom now considered his. Pushing the door almost closed, he hurriedly stripped off his clothes and concentrated, turning himself backinto the silky Malinois form he’d had when he first met Chuck. Once the transformation was complete, he stretched, acclimating himself to four legs again. Shaking out his coat, he glanced at his collar, laughing silently at how he’d woken up from his initial change wearing only that. He idly wondered if that had given Chuck any fantasies.
Nudging the door open with his snout, he trotted back into the living room. His claws clicking on the hardwood floors alerted Chuck, and she was already on her feet when he rounded the corner.
“No! No, no, no, Malachi! Please tell me you didn’t trap yourself in that body again just to avoid the issue at work.” She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his scruff. Her hot tears dripped into his fur. “M-Malachi,” she sobbed, her aura solid gray with anguish.
Hurrying to reassure her, he woofed happily.Chuck, it’s okay, really. I figured out I could still change into the dog and back. Whatever the spell was, it’s still sort of there, but Glenda made it so that I don’t have to stay that way. I’ll be fine. I can be your K-9 during the day and your human friend at night while we figure this out. Please don’t be sad, Chuck. I want to help you the way you’ve been helping me. Let me earn my keep this way. I promise, I’ll be alright.
Leaning back, Chuck studied him through red-rimmed eyes, sniffling back further tears. “Truly?” she whispered, the question holding a quiet desperation he decided not to point out. “You’re not just making that up because you think it’s what I want to hear?” Her aura flickered with hope.
Rising on his hind legs, he placed his paws on her shoulders and licked the tears from her face, making her laugh.
