“They wouldn’t know unless you reacted the way you did just now.”
Julian sputtered. “How could Inotreact like that?”
Valac nipped his jaw. “If I want to fuck you, I have to prepare your body. If we happen to be out, and we decide we want each other, what should I do? Wait until we get home and then begin the process?”
Julian softened somewhat.
Valac pressed on. “I wouldn’t stretch you open as much as I did just now. I moved quickly because I wanted you right away.If I put the shadows in and left them still, you would be able to walk and move just fine.”
“Like—like a plug made of pure shadow.”
Valac brightened. “Yes, exactly.”
Julian’s face was red, but he wasn’t saying no. “Maybe. But warn a guy!”
Valac leaned in, brushing Julian’s ear with his lips. “How about this?” he said lowly, and Julian shivered in his arms. “When we are out, I will only fill you up if you ask. If you don’t want it, I’ll just lay you out and take my time with you when we get home. But when we’re here, I get to do it whenever I want.”
Julian was breathing heavily now, and he turned, his damp breath grazing Valac’s lips just before Julian kissed him. “Yeah,” Julian whispered. “I think I can get behind that.”
A feeling of rightness settled in Valac’s chest. “Good. Now,” he turned Julian around to face the stove, “will you show me how this works? I’d like to be able to cook for you sometime.”
Chapter 21
Julian
Valac spentthe afternoon on the computer. After a belated breakfast, Julian helped him set it up and showed him how to access the search engine on the browser. Julian napped intermittently beside him on the sofa while Valac read page after page. He’d started with history, catching up on the highlights of the last two thousand years, but Julian couldn’t guess where his curiosity would take him after that.
When the sun fell, they dressed and made their way downstairs. The sky was an indigo blanket above their heads, and there were no streetlights around to illuminate the club’s entrance. Storm was standing outside the door, and the others were all gathered around him, waiting for Valac and Julian to arrive. Shadrach and Malachi had cigarettes, curls of smoke drifting into the air above their heads.
“Are we ready?” Talon asked, glancing around at each of them.
Storm said, “I sent the word out that we wanted to address the halflings tonight and made sure no humans have been allowed inside. Wolf’s already in there behind the bar, and Xyra knows to cut the music and turn the lights on when we go in.”
“Good,” Talon said gruffly, folding his arms. He jerked his chin at Valac. “And you? Are you ready?”
Julian looked between them, uncertain. “Are we expecting violence or something?”
“I don’t think so,” Talon said. “But I’ve been surprised before. With Valac here, I don’t think anyone will be tempted to fight. Better to be prepared, though. Just in case.”
“No one will harm us,” Valac assured him, curling his fingers around the back of Julian’s neck. “Halflings are weak. Even in a group, they’ll be no match for my powers.”
“Hey now,” Storm protested.
Valac smiled, a shark-like baring of teeth that shouldn’t have been as hot as it was. “You’re welcome to try and prove me wrong.”
“No, no,” Nathan said dryly, wrapping an arm around Storm’s waist, “we’ll take your word for it.”
Julian landed an elbow in Valac’s ribs, and his smile softened around the edges.
“Let’s get this over with, then,” Talon said, taking Alex’s hand and leading him down the stairs.
The rest of them fell into step behind them. Julian hung back with Valac, who brought up the rear of the group. He wasn’t sure what his role was here, really. He’d barely joined the Sentinels, and this seemed more like the demons’ business. But if Valac needed to be here, he could stand by in support. Having the halflings under control would take some of the pressure off the Sentinels. That had to be a good thing.
Just as Storm said, when they stepped inside, the music cut off and the overhead lights came on. Around the room, red-eyed halflings turned toward the door. Some of them looked openly hostile, but more, Julian thought, looked simply curious or wary. Almost all of them balked at the sight of Valac. Whispers hissedthrough the room, and Julian realized for the first time exactly how dangerous Valac must actually be.
Every demon in the room was afraid of him.
Wolf set a crystal tumbler on the bar and poured a dark liquid into it. Talon cast him a smile as he lifted it to his lips and took a sip.
