He wasn’t alone in these thoughts, because the other demons started laughing. Ashmedai joined them, his quieter laughter lost beneath the howling cackles of the others.
“Why is that funny?” Nicolas asked, looking reluctantly amused.
“Nic-las,” he said kindly, taking Nicolas’s hand, “how did we meet?”
Nicolas blinked at him. “We… You killed my squad.”
“By myself,” Ashmedai said. “In moments, yes?”
Nicolas’s throat bobbed. “Right.”
“We demons are as powerful as many men. Not like the mindless beasts you hunt. We have powers, strategic minds, enhanced strength.”
Nicolas nodded slowly. “It makes sense. I just… can’t believe that the guild could be brought down so easily. It’s been around for centuries. If it’s so easy to bring down, why haven’t demons done it already?”
“The guild used to be far more powerful than it is now,” Talon said. “Not that long ago, it was united. The humans in this room who left it created fractures that have weakened it. A handful of demons attacking a united Paladin Guild would stand no chance, as evidenced by the fact that a kalmachused an army of possessor demons to attack it not that long ago and failed.”
“You guys helped with that,” Nicolas pointed out.
“Yes, and therefore, we succeeded. But demons attacking a guild whose own people would lay down arms and refuse to fight for it? That’s a much easier war to win.”
“Is it the right thing?” he asked. “To break down the guild?”
All eyes turned toward Ira, who was leaning against Wolf’s side, his curls falling across Wolf’s shoulder. He blinked at them, pushed himself upright, and offered Nicolas a reassuring smile.
“They like to think I have all the answers,” Ira said.
“He has more than most,” Nathan added with a cheeky wink.
Ira chuckled. “But yes, I think this is the right thing. I think the Sentinels here are building something that will last even longer than the guild. We all want to defend what we have here—not just here in this room, but here on Earth. The demons, too. That, I think, is what will provide such a strong foundation.”
“Humans and demons defending Earth… together?” Nicolas said slowly.
Ira nodded. “Yes. I don’t have the full picture. I don’t know what will happen between now and then. All I know is that… we’re doing something important here. Something worth doing.” He gestured toward Ashmedai, who straightened under the attention. “Don’t you feel like your connection with Ashmedai is world-changing?”
Nicolas looked at him, his expression overwhelmed but melting into fondness the longer they stared at one another.
“I’m starting to think so, yeah,” Nicolas admitted.
Ashmedai preened. He closed the distance between them, stopping behind Nicolas’s chair and urging his head back to flick his tongue across his lips. Nicolas chortled, blood rising to the surface of his skin and turning his face pink. When he released him, Nicolas turned his drink up and drained it, avoiding the others’ eyes.
Daniel laughed, slapping his knee. “I’ve never seen you so flustered before.”
“I’d like to see you get kissed like that in front ofyourbrother and see how you fare.”
Daniel sat back, crossing his ankles on the coffee table. “Ah, nope, none of that for me. I am the lone,” he glanced around, counting, “fifteenth wheel. Ouch.”
They all laughed. All but Ira, who gave a small, close-lipped smile.
Ashmedai absently trailed his claws up and down the side of Nicolas’s neck, pressing his fingertips against his pulse. He liked the way Nicolas tilted his head to give him better access. Daniel fetched him another beer as conversation flowed from topic to topic. Julian spent some time telling Nicolas about the house he and Valac were renovating and invited them over to see it sometime.
‘We were all very close. Julian would host dinners at his house, and the whole squad would go over there,’Nicolas had told him. His human needed that companionship, and Daniel had just told him he couldn’t isolate himself anymore. They should rebuild those friendships.
“Dinner,” Ashmedai said, interrupting them.
“Sorry?” Julian asked.
“You should host dinner. Like you used to. Nic-las told me about them.”
