Chapter Three

To Lindemere’s relief, Iago actually appeared to be giving his question serious consideration. He took advantage of his amina’s silence and urged him back toward the sofa. After guiding him onto a cushion close to the fire, Lindemere returned to preparing their stew.

Lindemere chopped vegetables and diced the meat he’d chosen into chunks. All the while he kept glancing up, checking on his Iago. Each time he did so, his mate sat staring into the fire, his expression appearing to be one of deep thought with furrowed brows and his gaze vacant.

Once everything was prepared, Lindemere carried everything to the pot hanging from a wire spit set up in the fireplace. He tumbled everything into the herb-laden water and broth already simmering in it. After replacing the lid upon it, Lindemere returned to the prep area and fetched a pair of drinks.

As much as Lindemere wanted to sit close to Iago, he recognized that his amina wasn’t ready for his touch.

Soon, he hoped.

Lindemere settled in a nearby chair, then took a sip from one mug before holding it out to Iago. He hoped his actions were clear as he swallowed the mouthful of honeyed mead. The drink was safe.

Iago only hesitated an instant, then leaned forward and took the mug. He rested it on his knee, then focused on Lindemere. The questions practically swam within his pale-blue eyes.

Gathering his patience close, Lindemere eased back, sitting comfortably in his chair. He took a sip of his own honeyed mead and waited.

“It seems I’ve received conflicting information about this bonding with a paranormal thing,” Iago began slowly. His gaze flicked from Lindemere’s face, to the fire, then around the room, and finally back to Lindemere. “You say a paranormal only wishes to please and care for their mate.”

Even though it wasn’t a question, Lindemere nodded in confirmation anyway.

“Well.” Iago paused, perhaps gathering his thoughts, and took a sip of his drink. He hummed in surprise as he swallowed, peering into the mug. “It’s good.” Iago sounded surprised.

Lindemere chuckled softly. “It’s honeyed mead.” Watching Iago nod, then take a larger swallow, he realized he needed to caution his human. “It’s stronger than what a human would be used to, so please keep that in mind.” Seeing his amina freeze, peering at him with wide eyes, Lindemere quickly continued, “I could offer you water, instead.”

There wasn’t much else to drink in the demon realm. They didn’t even have fruit juices. That was one of the reasons demons enjoyed doing their duties so much—it was a chance to explore human pleasures while on their plane.

“Uh no. It’s fine.” Iago returned the mug to his knee. “I appreciate the warning.”

Lindemere nodded before trying to get their conversation back on track. “What is it you wish to know about how paranormals complete a bond? It is slightly different between species, but it does all amount to the same thing.” Seeing the curiosity in Iago’s gaze, Lindemere added, “We wish to care for our lover. Keep them safe, happy, and”—unable to help himself, his tone deepened as his thoughts turned carnal—”well-pleasured.”

Iago’s brows shot up. “Lover! Oh.” He shifted in his seat, and his cheeks took on a pinkish hue. After taking a sip of his drink, Iago furrowed his brows and pinned a hard stare on Lindemere. “Then how come so many of these so-called mates or what-not end up disappearing or dying?”

Knowing that couldn’t be right, since the only way a paranormal would allow their bonded one to die was if they, too, had been killed, Lindemere paused, thinking. Being a demon under the Horseman of Death, Lindemere knew there hadn’t been an influx of paranormal and human souls being collected. That meant they were having a miscommunication or Iago’s information was faulty.

Lindemere was sort of leaning toward the latter.

“I am a demon who works for Death, collecting the souls of the dying,” Lindemere began slowly, working out the best way to tell his amina that he was wrong. “I would have heard if bonded couples began suddenly dying left and right. Will you share with me how you came to this conclusion?” A sick sensation rolled through his stomach. “Who told you this?”

Was someone manipulating Iago and those like him? Was that why he chose to look the other way in regards to a paranormals’ sentience?

Iago nibbled his bottom lip for a few heartbeats, then cleared his throat. “The, uh... people I work for showed us reports,” he admitted, shifting in his seat in discomfort. “They’re obituaries and missing person’s reports of people who they discovered were interacting with shifters and vampires and the like.” Tapping his index finger against his mug’s side in a display of restlessness, Iago cleared his throat. “The paranormals would get close to a human. Then before too long, they would begin distancing themselves from family and friends.” Lifting his bandaged hand, Iago snapped his fingers. Even around his wince of pain, he still stated, “Then bam! They would disappear or die. How is that taking care of your mate or beloved or, or amina?”

Lindemere hoped that soon he could convince Iago to share with him who the people he worked for were. First, he would need to prove that they were lying through their teeth to gain other people’s cooperation. That meant gathering more information.

It also meant putting Iago’s fears to rest.

“Oftentimes, appearances can be deceiving,” Lindemere told Iago, although, from his amina’s disbelieving expression, he didn’t agree. Keeping his tone even and steady, he offered, “Please allow me to paint you an alternative picture to that scenario.”

Iago scoffed but waved his injured hand in a go-ahead motion.

Obviously, the pain meds are working, and my amina is right-handed.

Dismissing the stray thought—which had only hit Lindemere because he could see his amina reinjuring himself due to his natural tendency to use his right hand—he shared the number one rule universal to all paranormals. “Due to a paranormals’ differences, anonymity, keeping their existence a secret, is paramount to safety.” Seeing Iago’s brows furrow and guessing at his thoughts, he stated pointedly, “This is not to keep their strengths to themselves. This is to keep paranormals from being captured, dissected, and experimented on. This is to keep them from being slaughtered for being different.” Lindemere did his best to remain impassive, but in his heart, it hurt to know that his own amina had been involved in such things. “Paranormals are born, they grow old, and they die, just as humans do. And just like humans, they want the opportunity to live their life, to find love and companionship, to have fun with friends and family, to have a safe place in the world to raise their young.”

Lindemere hesitated, then remembered the point he’d been trying to make. “Unfortunately, humans have discriminated against every group within themselves at some point in history. In fact, they still do. There’s still places that have slaves. There’s still places where homosexuality is a punishable offense. There’s even still societies where women and children are no more than chess pawns to the head of the family.” Seeing the way Iago pinched his lips together, Lindemere hoped he was getting through to him. “Humans slaughter people of their own race in droves under the guise of religion and superior ideology. If paranormals became common knowledge, what do you think would happen? Already there are human groups who hunt them.” He hesitated, then continued, needing to drive his point home and knowing no other way to do it. “People who kidnap mothers, fathers, children... and do unspeakable experiments on them in the name of science... in the name of someday helping all mankind. Please tell me how that’s any different than the slaughter of the Jews or the Native Americans or even first-born daughters because they’re not the right sex?”

Lindemere spotted the gleam in Iago’s eyes as he shifted his focus to the fire. Watching his amina blink repeatedly, he felt a pang in his heart. Unable to resist the pain he spotted in his soul’s eyes, he set down his mug and crossed the few steps needed.

Even seeing the tense set of Iago’s shoulders couldn’t stop Lindemere from settling next to him on the sofa and wrapping his arms around him. He pulled his amina against him. Feeling the stiffness in his human’s body, Lindemere rubbed his left hand up and down Iago’s arm while doing the same on his thigh with his other hand.

As Lindemere nuzzled Iago’s temple with his lips, he whispered, “When a paranormal finds his or her mate, and they win the affection of their human, that human comes to want to do anything and everything in their power to protect the paranormal they love.” He couldn’t resist pressing his lips to Iago’s soft flesh, ignoring the way the arm of his glasses dug into his cheek. “That means they are willing to fake their own death or disappear in order to ensure the opportunity to live a long, happy life with their paranormal.” After another hesitation, Lindemere decided to add, “Although, for the most part, that only happens after they’ve lived a number of years with their partner and questions about how they’re not aging could begin to arise.”

The more Lindemere had spoken, the more he’d gently caressed and massaged Iago’s limbs and nuzzled his head, the more relaxed his amina had become. By the time he’d finished, the human pressed against him. He rested his right forearm on Lindemere’s thigh and even turned his head toward him just a little, as if pressing into his touch.

“I-I—” Iago paused, his breath coming out in a hard exhale as a shudder worked through his body. “You—” Again, he snapped his mouth shut and huffed out a breath. Finally, he softly asked, “Why is your touch making it so hard to think?”

“Because you are my amina,” Lindemere replied simply. “I have been working for one thousand years to find you.”

“So, our attraction.” Iago tipped his head just enough to peer at Lindemere, meeting his gaze with a side-eyed look. “You claim our attraction is caused by... your... religion? Beliefs? Gods? What?”

Lindemere heard the hitch of indignation in Iago’s tone and couldn’t stop his soft chuckle. “No, Iago,” he countered. Lifting his right hand to Iago’s jaw, he used the light hold to turn his amina’s head so their gazes clashed fully. “Our attraction is caused by pheromones. We would have found each other attractive regardless.” Lindemere watched Iago’s brows lift and his lips part a bit, betraying his surprise just as well as his scent did. “It just happens to be ramped up a little because the Moirai have decreed that we are meant for each other.”

“The three fates?” Even though Iago’s tone sounded breathy, Lindemere still heard the disbelief in his tone. “You believe in them?”

“Oh, yes,” Lindemere replied firmly. “There is far more to any world than what one can see with the naked eye.” Then he winked and admitted, “Besides, I met them on the day of my creation.”

“Your creation?”

Lindemere figured he was seriously overloading his amina, but the man was a scientist, and as long as his human’s mind asked questions, he would answer them.

Nodding once, Lindemere explained, “You may have noticed that I speak of paranormals in the third person?”

Iago cocked his head, then nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Because I’m not like them. I am a demon, and we are different.” Lindemere pointed toward the door. “I told you paranormals are born, live their life, age, and die... it just happens to be at a different rate than a human.” Shrugging, Lindemere admitted, “I am a demon, Iago. I do none of those things.”

Seeing Iago’s lips part and his brows furrow in confusion, Lindemere waited for the inevitable questions. His amina was nothing if not curious. Lindemere enjoyed that about the human and prayed to the gods that learning their extensive differences would not drive them apart.