“Why did you call us here?” a halfling out on the dance floor asked.
“Some of you are pissed that Lilith is dead,” Talon said. “It’s true, we killed her. But let’s not pretend any of you actually gave a shit about her. Change is nothing new to us. Most of you are hundreds of years old, aren’t you? You’re just pissed because it meant things were changing. So, as decreed by Astaroth himself,” he shot Valac a pointed look, “I will be taking her place. I’ll ensure the territory remains in halfling hands. I’ll maintain the wards on all your favorite haunts. I’ll see to it that the blood and the money keeps flowing in your direction. Sound good?”
For a moment, no one spoke. Then, up in the DJ booth, Xyra said, “What about your hunter friends?”
“Our dear sentinels?” Talon gestured to the group of humans beside them. “They only hunt demons who kill people. They’re well aware that we aren’t all mindless monsters, which is more than any of us could say about the paladins, isn’t that right?”
There were a few begrudging nods in the crowd, and Xyra shot him a thumbs up as she sat back, satisfied.
“What if the paladins come for them again?” someone asked.
“Then we fight back,” Talon said. Steel threaded through his voice. “Yes, the paladins are a problem. They have been for some time now. And we may have to deal with them in the future. But imagine a future where they were no longer a thorn in our side. With the paladins gone and the Sentinels maintaining order, both sides could thrive. Look at us, humans and demons working together. They understand that while we may not belike them, we still have the right to exist. If you’re killing or hurting innocent people, they will come for you. But if you continue to operate as you have been, they have no reason to look your way. And your fate will be inmyhands. Before they act against any of us, they’ll consult with me. You won’t be hunted like animals, that I can guarantee.”
“What if we don’t want to put our fate in your hands?” someone else asked.
Valac stepped forward, towering over them all. “Then your fate will be in mine, and I will not be as merciful as the leviathan. This is Astaroth’s will, and he will not be disobeyed.”
The crowd shied away from the behemoth.
Talon cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. “By the way, Valac has found a human he’s fond of, so he’ll be sticking around for a while. I’ll have an office set up here in the club by next week, and you’ll be able to find me there three nights a week.” He sighed, an almost imperceptible thing. He still didn’t like it, but Julian had to give him credit. He’d stepped up, if reluctantly. “On the whole, nothing’s changed for you. You just answer to me now instead of Lilith.” He raised a hand toward Xyra. “Hit it, Xy. Let’s get back to normal.”
Xyra shot him a finger-gun, and the music came back on. Wolf hit the lights, and the room darkened, black lights and streaks of color disorienting Julian. The familiar tug of Valac’s shadows drew him closer to the behemoth, who wrapped an arm around him as though he sensed Julian’s unease.
There was nothing to be afraid of, though. The halflings paid them no attention. With the lights off and the music blaring, they went back to partying. Nathan gave Storm a long, lingering kiss before the bouncer disappeared back outside, and then Nate drifted over to sit at the bar with Ira. Talon and Alex grabbed drinks from the bar and went in search of a booth. Malachibobbed along to the music, wrapping his arms around Luke, who wore a sappy smile.
Isaac caught Julian’s eye and mimed taking a drink, looking askance. Julian nodded, tugging Valac over to the bar with him. They probably needed to stick around for a couple of hours to make sure all was well.
“So, this place is new, right?” Julian asked once he had a cold beer in hand. “What happened to the old club after the attack?”
“Lilith reopened it,” Shadrach said, “but by then we were on the outs with her and didn’t go back there. The location was also compromised, because the paladins obviously knew about it and had no more qualms about attacking when it suited them. This place is warded. Only people with the exact address can find it. Word of mouth has led some of the human regulars here, and it’ll catch on with the underground scene over time. The important thing is that the paladins don’t find out about it.”
“So the old location is just sitting there empty now?”
“For now,” Shadrach said. “We weren’t sure what to do with it, but we knew it wasn’t safe to keep the business there, even if we added wards.”
“Why not just get rid of it then?” Julian asked. “If the location is compromised, it has no more value, right?”
“Because the paladins know about it,” Isaac said, smirking. “That’s what makes it valuable.”
“Not as a club,” Julian said.
“No,” Isaac agreed. “But if we need to meet some of them? Set up a place to talk? That’s an ideal space, because they already know where it is, but it’s on our turf.”
Ourturf. Not justdemonturf. That would take some getting used to, but Julian found he didn’t mind it. All the demons he’d met had been nothing but helpful. It was the so-called holy men who’d made his life hell.
In fact, the demons made it easy to join them. The Sentinels, too. They were welcoming. Accepting of his strange relationship with Valac. Understanding of the situation he found himself in with the paladins. Nonjudgmental every step of the way as he tore himself from the fold and made his own way. And the minute he’d needed help, they brought him wards to protect himself and kept an eye on his place. Why were they kinder than the Christian guild that had raised them?
He’d lost almost everything because of the guild, but with demons by his side, he could rebuild. It felt like he’d slipped into someone else’s life, like the old Julian reallyhaddied outside the restaurant that night. Everything he owned was gone. He’d been given the apartment where he lived now, the clothes on his back, even the food in his fridge. It would be stupid to refuse any of it, but none of it was reallyhis.
None of it—except Valac. Valac felt like his. He didn’t want the old life he had before. He wanted to rebuild something new with Valac by his side.
He turned, snagging Valac’s shirt and dragging him down into a searing kiss. Valac responded immediately, wrapping his arms around him and urging his mouth open so their tongues could tangle.
They parted only when Julian lost his breath, his lips damp and reddened.
“Little jewel, I want to ravage you,” Valac growled in his ear, fingers tight in his hair. “I’d take you in front of everyone if you’d let me.”
Julian burned. “I’d rather that only be for us.”
