Being in Julian’s presence was almost perfect. He enjoyed the human’s company. His scent permeated the apartment, as sweet as any forbidden fruit. He could even smell Julian on hisown clothing. He was certain they would share the bed tonight, as there was only one.
But ever since their kiss that morning, Julian would pull away if Valac got too close. He watched Julian move around their apartment, always finding something to do to keep himself busy. Never pausing to rest or let himself get near Valac, who watched him throughout the day with increasing despair. His need for Julian only grew, the hunger like a knot in his gut. He was desperate for him, but Julian held him at arm’s length. It was maddening.
When they joined the others that evening at the Rink, Julian threw himself into training right away, leaving Valac on the fringes. Watching Julian workout with the other humans, his problem only worsened. Julian gleamed with sweat under the colorful lights. Valac might have felt dubiously about his own clothing, but he had to admit they held a certain appeal. Julian’s clothes were tight in all the right places. His thin shirt revealed the easy shift of muscle in his back. His black pants hugged the curve of his buttocks and drew attention to his long legs.
Right now, he was on something called a bench press. Isaac was standing over him, holding his hands under the bar but not touching it while Julian pushed the weight up and down. His back arched with effort, and his legs were spread at a delicious degree. Valac wanted to be underneath him, wanted to spread them further and sink up into his body.
“Relax before you break the wall,” a voice said, and Valac looked down at his white-knuckled grip on the half-wall that separated the room.
He glanced over at Shadrach and softened his grip. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Trouble in paradise?”
“I have never been to paradise.”
“That’s not what—never mind. I was asking why you look like you want to sink your teeth into your boy over there.”
Valac growled softly. Julian would never allow something like that.
“Is he holding back?” Shadrach guessed.
“I’ve barely touched him.” He’d never do anything Julian didn’t want, but not taking and claiming was torture.
Shadrach smiled. “Oh, it’s fan-fucking-tastic to be on the other side of it.”
“What?” Valac scowled at him.
Shadrach sniggered. “I’m saying I was like you once. I wanted a human who didn’t want me back. Seeing somebody else going through it and knowing how it ends is… pretty satisfying.”
Valac’s gaze returned to the humans. To Isaac this time, the redhead who was helping Julian add more plates to the bar. He was a quiet one, but he and Shadrach seemed incredibly close.
“But you’re with him now,” Valac said. “So he did want you back.”
“After a while, yeah. The humans have trouble wrapping their heads around it, but they feel just as drawn to us as we do to them. We just don’t fight it, because we’re used to giving in to our impulses.”
“You’re saying he does want me,” Valac said slowly, “he just doesn’twantto want me.” He didn’t see how that was much better.
Shadrach shrugged one shoulder. “Could be. I don’t know Julian. Isaac needed some… convincing. The humans say they need time to process big changes in their lives. Julian has been through several big changes all at once. He probably just needs a little time. Luckily, time is a thing we can give them.”
Valac’s brow furrowed. “With our blood. Yes, I’m aware. I’m not sure Julian would want that, either.”
Shadrach smiled lopsidedly. “Like I said, it takes time. Some of the others were reserved about it, too, but they all take our blood now. I have a feeling yours will, too.”
Something that felt dangerously like hope took root in Valac. He wanted to spend eternity with Julian.
One by one, the other humans arrived, stepping into the training area with Julian and Isaac, who moved on from lifting weights to sparring. The demons lingered at the half-wall, lined up and watching.
“Goddamn, I love watching them train,” Malachi said, his eyes tracking Luke with a hunger Valac understood.
“And then they get all sweaty,” Storm agreed. “And they wonder why we want to join them in the shower.”
Valac wanted to joinJulianin the shower. If he looked good sweating, how good would he look naked, water trailing down his body, rubbing slick soap suds across his skin?
But Julian didn’t want that. Not yet, at least. Julian wanted normalcy. Maybe Valac could help him find that.
“Julian said this morning that he’d like a drink,” Valac said. “He said he used to spend time with his squad outside of their duties, and I think he would like something like that with the Sentinels.”
“Did he? A lot of the paladins don’t drink, so that’s a little surprising,” Talon said. “Alex only has a couple of liquors he’s willing to drink.”
