“Cullen!” His voice was louder now, an edge of some false panic there.
He looked up at him with a frown, ignoring the eyes he could feel on him from the demons nearby. “What?”
For a long moment, he remained silent. And Cullen was surprised to note that his eyes seemed far away, like he was searching for something Cullen could not see.
Finally, he blinked and whispered, “Nothing,” his voice harsh and breathless.
Cullen’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he said nothing as he turned back to the party. “This isn't what I expected, you know." Gods, he did not want to talk to him but…well, despite the murderous aura around him, the misery and terror seeping from everyone else in the room was far worse. Talking could be a nice distraction, if only for a moment.
“What did you expect?” There was still an unidentifiable edge to his voice.
“I'm not sure.” He admitted. “But it seems so…human. Grotesque demons aside.” It was true. The lights were low and the music that pumped from hidden speakers were songs that he had known for a long time. It was hot and loud and it smelled like that sweet, unnatural scent that belonged to demons and… Even the clothes so many of them were wearing…it all seemed so…
“I just pictured it more like a nightclub, I guess. But it doesn’t have that vibe. It’s like a…demonic house party.”
To his surprise, Leviathan snorted. “Well, this is my home.”
Cullen said nothing, only leaned his head back against the wall behind him. Despite his better senses, Leviathan’s presence had calmed him somewhat. At least he knew what he wanted from him, he supposed, unlike all these other creatures surrounding him. They could be thinking of doing far worse things to him than rape.
"Is that what you're going to do the whole time?" Leviathan demanded. "Stand there instead of having fun?"
He shrugged. "Just because you're throwing a party doesn't mean I have to participate. The deal was no dramatics, not that I had to have fun.”
Leviathan swore under his breath in another demon language and Cullen turned his head to the side, hiding the smile that began to pull up the corners of his mouth.
Leviathan let out a low growl as if he sensed the smugness. "You will be joining in the festivities at some point. If I don't see you partake in something soon, I will force you to later."
Cullen simply stared at the floor near his feet, ignoring him.
"I'll be on my throne for most of the night if you need me." He heard him spin and walk away and felt himself relax slightly, despite being in a room full of monsters.
All these demons…Leviathan thought to himself as he propped his head on his fist. This room full of people he had not seen in hundreds of years. People who, in the only ways demons could be, were his friends. His companions. Some of the only souls he had been able to bear for a few moments at atime, aside from his brothers. All these people…and still he could not take his eyes off that stupid stubborn brat leaning against the wall across the room.
He’d never understood what was so intriguing about this one stupid human. He was beautiful, of course, with that thin oval face and those full lips. The eyes that gleamed more brightly than any jewels he had ever seen. He missed those sapphire wonders; it was half the reason he’d agreed to show the brat how to change that one small part of his appearance back to human. Though his demon eyes held a special kind of fury in them that sent shivers down Leviathan's spine and left him momentarily breathless every time they locked on him.
Every. Damn. time.
Even the first time he’d seen him from inside that brat Walker, when he’d been a few years too young for Leviathan to take any kind of interest…those eyes had still been striking, had still drawn his gaze and pulled him out of the dull darkness of a human soul. He’d even begun to dream about them.
And now…now he wanted this boy more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life.
And Cullen hated him.
For good reason, maybe, but if he’d had any idea that for Leviathan to even try with him…to attempt to court him… A muscle feathered in his jaw as he watched Cullen look around the room with a fake bored frown, acting as if his heart rate didn’t give him away. His fear and his uncertainty, and the nervous skip his heart always seemed to give when Leviathan edged in too close…
The memory of Cullen under him came, unbidden and unwelcome, if only for the reason that he couldn’t have himthat way right now. Right this second, in front of all these foul creatures…
His cock gave a hard throb, making him scowl and adjust it in his pants, his eyes still focused on Cullen.
This party had been stupid. A fitting punishment, yes, since he knew Cullen hated things like this, but all he wanted was to be alone with the brat. Reuniting with these old comrades–though there were only a few of them in the room he personally knew–was something that could have waited. He hadn’t needed to show off yet. And most of the wretches didn’t even deserve to be here in his palace. His brothers would probably laugh at him if they bothered to come out of their own hellish dimensions to see this. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened, though. And he was glad for it. Because he wouldn’t want a single one of those bastards anywhere near Cullen.
He scowled at the realization, at how…protective he felt.
Territorial.He corrected himself silently. Cullen was his new toy, after all. Most of his brothers would happily try to take him.
The thought had him bursting out of his chair. His shadows, ever present just at the edge of his will, bloomed into a small portal in front of him. He stepped into them, absorbing the cold brush of them with relief, and instantly stepped out beside Cullen again.
He jumped when Leviathan appeared in front of him, jerking backwards before throwing him a simple scowl. Leviathan said nothing, only held out his hand, his eyes blazing dangerously. A clear warning to accept the offer or suffer the consequences.
