A moment later, the demon shows up. Hartley makes a terrified squeaking sound and wisely takes several steps back behind his demon lover.
“What do you want?” Diablos grumbles. “Why do you all keep calling me like I’m your very own personal assistant. Do you see me in a sexy maid uniform, happily flouncing around, waiting for your call?”
“Um, baby. Keep the outfit at home, please.”
Lirin gets the giggles.
“It has to go back to Nightmare,” I interrupt.
“No,” he pauses. “Seriously?”
“Yes,” I say with annoyance lacing my voice.
“Fine. But if Puppy yells at me, I’m pointing the finger straight at you.”
I shrug.
A moment later, Becky and her pack show up.
“Oh, that is interesting,” Becky says with no inflection in her voice. I must admit, I am impressed.
“That needs to go back,” Stix says.
“Told you,” I growl.
“No one likes someone who says I told you so all the time,” Diablos grumbles.
“No one likes grumpy demons who share their sexcapades either,” Reed points out.
I laugh, and Becky edges closer to me, enough so that I stop paying attention to Diablos and focus on her.
“You look well,” she says gently.
I feel my cheeks heat. This is weird, how do I escape? “Things are going well.”
The creature shrieks and buries itself in the sand, sending plumes flying. “Feed me,” it cries from beneath the sand.
Stix grabs its ankle and yanks it back out.
“Home,” the king commands.
The creatures shivers. “Feed me?”
“Open the door, Puppy.”
The door opens, and Stix throws it through. Even from here, we can all see it happily leap and yelp. It rolls in the sand barrier it keeps and lets out another happy sound.
“So, it was just lost?” Lirin murmurs. “That’s so sad. Poor little guy.”
“Not all creatures are going to be bad and here to intentionally hurt people. Some will be lost, some scared. Thank you for not killing it,” Stix says and moves to Becky.
I don’t like being this close to him, so I edge further away.
“Mei saved him,” Leaf says with a growl and pulls me into his hard chest, providing a nice shield of protection from the Nightmare King and his omega.
The Sirens move around us, and I realise their movements are intentionally keeping me at the center of a very protected circle.
“Do you want to come for dinner?” Becky suddenly says.
