“It does. We’ll be immortal as long as we have their blood in our system—and don’t die. We can still die. We’re just harder to kill, because we heal a lot faster, too,” Alex explained. “I asked Talon about whether it would change me the first time he gave me some. He told me drinking his blood won’t determine wherewe go after our death. Not that that would really matter, since we’ll live forever.”
Ira patted Julian’s shoulder. “If you want Valac, you can be assured that he will be the one constant in your very long life, if you’d like him to be. He’s not doing this to tempt you or lead you astray, and I think you know that, deep down.”
“You’re right,” Julian admitted. “I just worry—about everything. What if he gets bored or annoyed and leaves me? He’s all I have left. I wouldn’t know how to function without him, and it scares me to rely on someone like that.”
“He’s not all you have left,” Alex said. “You have us now.”
Julian’s heart squeezed. That was true, wasn’t it? He’d spent the day training with them. For the first time in months, his body was deliciously weary from training, not from stress and lack of sleep. He’d almost forgotten what it was like to have people in his corner, supporting him because they cared about him and because they were in this together.
“And the thing about the demons is that they don’t understand love like we do,” Ira explained. “They understand possession. They want to keep us, which means making sure we’re happy. If Valac is the same way—and I’m sure he is—then he won’t do anything that would jeopardize your feelings for him. That’s his main priority. It’s the same for Wolf. They’re not going to get bored or annoyed. They’re not going to leave.”
Alex chimed in, “You’ve known Valac for a while now, right? Does he seem like someone who would leave you high and dry?”
Julian blew out a breath and leaned back. “No. He’s been great. I’ve leaned on him pretty hard through all of this. I guess I’m just worried that things will be different outside of our dreams. It’s sointensethat it… scares me.”
Alex’s gaze softened. “Talon can dreamwalk, too. I promise, reality is better. In every way. All you have to do is give it a try.”
Julian looked at Valac once more, and this time their eyes met. Julian warmed under his attention, his body responding in a way he’d never experienced with anyone else. Like a flower turning toward the sun.
Malachi had dragged Luke out onto the dance floor, their hands clasped in an old-fashioned style dance as they swayed from side to side. Luke was smiling widely—wider than Julian had ever seen him smile at the guild. Storm tugged Nathan out beside them, guiding Nathan’s arms around his neck, and Nathan looked ten years younger as he gazed up at the halfling. Isaac was sitting on a stool at the end of the bar, and Shadrach stood between his legs, leaning in close. Julian couldn’t tell if he was whispering in his ear or kissing his neck.
Julian longed for a lover’s embrace like that. And all he had to do was reach out for it.
He drained his beer—a little liquid courage would go a long way right now—and stood.
“Go get him, Jules,” Alex cheered.
Talon saw him coming and moved away from Valac to return to Alex. When they passed each other, Talon murmured, “Remember what I said,” and tapped his temple with a cheeky wink.
Julian pursed his lips and didn’t rise to the bait, ignoring Talon’s ringing laughter behind him and Alex’s barely audible chastisement. Valac was watching him approach, his glowing eyes soft with fondness, and that was the only thing that mattered to Julian.
He strode right up to him, between his legs, and threw his arms around Valac’s neck. A low growl spilled out of Valac as he wrapped his arms around him, bringing their bodies tightly flush, like touching Julian relieved an ache that had plagued him all day. Julian sighed against Valac’s neck.
“Have I mentioned yet how grateful I am that you’re here?” he breathed. “I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if you hadn’t come when you did.”
No, that wasn’t true. He knew exactly what would have happened. He would have died outside the restaurant, and he’d barely be a footnote in the guild’s history. A coward who threw in the towel and got what they thought he deserved.
The black ink under Julian’s lips writhed. He couldn’t feel any change in the texture of Valac’s skin, but it was strange to see up close. Feeling bold, he pressed a kiss to it, and Valac shuddered, his arms like steel around Julian’s back.
“I’ll never let them hurt you again,” Valac rumbled in his ear.
Julian couldn’t get close enough. Wrapped in Valac’s arms and pressed together from hip to shoulder still wasn’t enough. “Val,” he whined. He wanted more, but he didn’t know how to ask for it.
Fingers gripped the back of his hair, gentle but firm, and guided Julian’s face up. Valac ducked his head and crushed their mouths together. Fireworks exploded behind his eyelids. It felt like coming home. Julian gripped the back of his shirt, opening his mouth and flicking his tongue against Valac’s for a greedy taste.
Cool tendrils wrapped around him, and Julian opened his eyes. Valac’s shadows had emerged from his body, curling around him possessively.
“You make it hard to maintain control,” Valac said. “Is that okay? They won’t harm you.”
Julian reached for one curiously. His fingers passed through it, but it still felt like a solid thing wrapped around his upper arm. Strange. “Yeah, it’s fine.” He pressed another kiss to Valac’s lips. “Take me home?”
Valac stood. “Yes.”
The world faded around them, and a moment later they were standing in the dark living room of their apartment upstairs.
Valac’s eyes were twin points of violet light in the darkness. He gripped Julian’s head firmly, guiding him up to kiss him slow and deep. His hands trailed down Julian’s back, rucking up his shirt to plaster against his bare skin, and Julian groaned at the heat of his palms, the noise swallowed by Valac. Down his back and over his ass, Valac’s fingers curled around the back of his thighs and hauled him into his arms.
Julian yelped as Valac took his weight, leaving him no choice but to wrap his legs around Valac’s thick waist. Like this he was, for once, taller than Valac, and he seized the opportunity to draw the demon’s face up and plunder his mouth with his tongue.
