He read it over and over again, stricken. This was a threat.
They weren’t going to let him go.
Chapter 8
Valac
It wasdifficult to keep track of Julian’s sleep schedule from Hell. Time moved differently in the underworld, and it was hard to make a connection to Julian’s mind from so far away. It took time and concentration, neither of which was readily available in Hell while Valac was traveling to Astaroth. He made an effort of reaching out whenever he could, drawn to Julian like an addict needing another fix. He could tell some time had passed the next time he sank into Julian’s subconscious.
Julian was floating, as he often did, from concept to concept, never focusing on any dreamscape for long. Valac wrapped strong fingers around his wrist and tugged him down to solid ground. As their bodies made contact, Julian regained awareness, and his living room solidified automatically around them. The soft, warm glow of the lamp beside the couch was the only thing lighting the room.
“Valac,” he said with some surprise.
“You didn’t expect me,” Valac guessed.
“It’s been a couple of weeks. I’d wondered—hopedyou were done with me.”
He wasn’t sure he would ever bedonewith Julian. “Hoped?”
Julian’s face hardened. “You shouldn’t be here. I told you, we can’t do this.”
“They cannot stop us.”
“It’s not about them.”
“Then what?”
Julian sighed, trying to pull away, but Valac tightened his grip.
“Don’t,” he warned. “You’ll lose awareness if we aren’t touching.”
Julian arched a pale brow. “Convenient.”
“Tell me why I shouldn’t seek you out,” Valac pressed.
“I swore that I wouldn’t get involved with the Sentinels.”
“I am not one of them,” Valac said.
“No, you’re ademon. That’s not better,” Julian replied. “I made a promise, and I don’t break my promises.”
“You made a deal with people who would do you harm,” Valac said. “That’s hardly someone worth keeping promises for.”
Julian growled in frustration. “It’s not about keeping my word tothem. It’s about my own sense of integrity. I keep my word. If I don’t have that, what else do I have?”
There was a note of despair in his tone—one Valac didn’t like to hear. “You tell me.”
Julian balked. “What?”
“You tell me. What else do you have?”
The human looked away, frowning at a distant spot on the wall. “I… I don’t know, okay? They made sure of that.”
Anger burned through Valac. “What do you mean?”
Julian tried to turn away, stopped only by Valac’s grip on his wrist. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me,” Valac growled. “Has something happened? Are you well?”
