Asmos grinned, his sharp teeth flashing in the light of the office. “I’m going to have all the friends.”
“I’m sure you will,” Bel agreed. He exchanged an amused glance with Mammon.
Bel and Mammon had both begun to worry about Asmos in the last decade. Slowly, their friend had been losing some of the fire that made Asmos…well, Asmos. Gage and Cary joining Lucifer in their realm had been a treat for them all, especially Asmos.
Bel hadn’t felt jealous of Lucifer finding his mates. He’d wondered if there was a chance for him. Of course he had wondered. Like Mammon had said, they were too old to hang their happiness on a mate. Bel been happy enough spoiling Lucifer’s mates. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Luci. Luci deserved the two amazing mates that had appeared to him.
What had Bel ever done to receive such a blessing? Asmos wasn’t wrong. Demons openly discussed finding their perfect match. Bel hadn’t been one of those.
“Tell me everything!” Asmos demanded. “I’m trying to decide if I need to spend more time in the human realm.”
Mammon visibly shuddered. “Who would want that?”
“Me!” Asmos said as he stomped his foot. “Mate, remember?”
Bel shook his head. “Next time get your own damn popcorn.”
Asmos tilted his head before flopping back. A chair appeared just before the little demon landed.
Show off.Nothing new with that though. Maybe Asmos would be willing to help Atlas learn more about magic? Bel would ask if Dean couldn’t make time.
“Tell me!” Asmos whined.
Bel told the very short yet intriguing story of how popcorn and cherry Slurpees had netted him his mate.
Asmos squealed and kicked his feet as his tail whipped out, knocking over a stack of papers.
Bel caught most of the falling papers, then waved his hand to rescue the rest. “Careful,” he growled. Even though he hadtechnically hired Atlas as his assistant, he was trying to get through most of the paperwork before his boy realized how far behind Bel really was.
“You owe me so big!” Asmos claimed, pointing a finger at Bel. “You found your mate because of me.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Bel dismissed. He actually was grateful for that little errand that had sent him into the path of being stalked by his mate.
“You owe me!” Asmos drawled. “What should I demand? It had to be something good. Something…mate-worthy.”
Ignoring that for now, Bel would find a way to thank Asmos and Cary later. After he figured out how to help his mate. They had so much to work through. Cary’s flickers, his demon bloodline, and the attack on his family.
“So can I meet him?” Asmos asked.
“He’s asleep,” Bel replied sternly. “And he needs his rest. Be quiet.”
“But Cary said he needs friends!” Asmos argued.
“You can make friends after he wakes up. And has his coffee and breakfast,” Bel responded in warning. Asmos was a lot to take in first thing in the morning.
Asmos huffed. “You’re no fun. You’re going to be just as protective as Lucifer, aren’t you? That’s not fair! I should be able to see my friend whenever I want.”
Lucifer putting boundaries in place for his boys was beginning to make more sense now. Bel did not want anyone justpopping in, even if it was Asmos. “He doesn’t know we’re mates yet,” Bel reminded his friend. “So keep that to yourself.”
“You haven’t told him?” Mammon questioned sharply. “Is that wise?”
“How much have you been told?” he asked. “About my mate?”
“Nothing!” Asmos declared. He pushed out his bottom lip. “Cary texted me an invitation to dinner but you were already gone by the time I got there. Luci said dinner was postponed and I wasn’t allowed to come visit until the morning. I grabbed Mamm and we hit the bar.”
“I had to listen to him drunk-whine all night thanks to you,” Mammon accused.
Bel shrugged. Mammon needed to get out of his cave more anyway. Like, the literal cave that Mammon lived in.
