Chapter Four

 

 

None of them? What did that mean?

With the millions of questions running through Iago’s head, he hardly knew where to start. After studying paranormals for the last year and a half under the careful tutelage of older scientists, he finally had access to the answer to his every question. Iago just could hardly figure out where to start.

Lindemere is willing to tell me anything!

It was a heady realization.

I can gather so much information for Doctor Rubicon.

So why did that thought cause his gut to churn?

Deciding to think about it later, Iago asked the most obvious question. “What do you mean?”

Staring down at him, Lindemere smiled slightly as he skimmed his thumb-claw along Iago’s jawline. “I mean, a demon is created by the gods, fully formed and ready to serve one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

That wasn’t the first time Lindemere had mentioned the horsemen. It still blew Iago’s mind that they were real. No wonder the tranquilizer dart that had hit one of the four attackers hadn’t even slowed the creature down.

Did that mean they couldn’t be captured?

Hell, maybe they shouldn’t be captured—some things you just didn’t mess with. After seeing the damage they could do in mere moments to a highly trained squadron of guards, Iago thought the horsemen seemed like a pretty good thing to steer clear of.

The doctor had ordered the broker to get a gargoyle, after all. Then the man was supposed to use that gargoyle to lure and capture the master gargoyle—the leader of the clutch. That way they could have the entire group under control.

That certainly hadn’t turned out as planned.

Did Doctor Rubicon know that demons existed?

Realizing that Lindemere was still talking, Iago forced himself to focus. “As time goes by, we do evolve, changing, getting bigger, stronger, growing wings.” Lindemere hesitated an instant, then added, “But we don’t age and die like a paranormal. We are the creation of the gods, so the only way for our existence to end is if we’re beheaded.”

Iago couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, beheading will kill anything.”

“Except the hydra.”

Gaping, Iago whispered, “The hydra is real?” Seeing Lindemere’s grin, he scoffed and shoved his shoulder against the huge creature’s chest. “Now you’re just teasing me.”

Lindemere lifted his right shoulder and hummed. “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

Iago searched Lindemere’s expression, but the man’s small smile gave nothing away. Deciding that figuring out whether demons knew how to tease was best left for another time, Iago returned to the matter at hand—their attraction. Because it would be foolish of him to ignore the issue, seeing as he couldn’t bring himself to pull away from the much bigger male.

On top of that, even the light stimulus of Lindemere’s rough hands sliding over his jean-clad thigh and the skin of his arm created a riot of lustful heat coursing straight to his dick. Iago had always considered himself fairly asexual. For the most part, he could take or leave his desire for release, and when the need grew too great, he would just take himself in hand. While Iago wasn’t a virgin, finding a willing partner had rarely been a priority. On the rare occasion he’d gone out with co-workers, a guy with a geek fetish had always found him.

Lindemere, however, his touch, his presence, was completely different.

Maybe the reasoning why behind it didn’t matter all that much.

“So, we’re compatible, uh, to complete a bond?” Iago knew he should be concerned about how that would impact his life. Hell, he worked for scientists, after all, but the arousal was making it surprisingly difficult for him to focus on that worry. “I know that bonding with a shifter or vampire requires sex and a claiming bite.” To his surprise, he felt his cheeks begin to heat, but the throbbing in his shaft kept him from feeling embarrassment. “Is a demon different?”

Lindemere sighed, and to Iago’s disappointment, he pulled away, putting space between them. “It is different, yes.” Leaving his left hand on Iago’s nape, he gently massaged. “And painful. I was not born,” he reminded. “I am a soulless being. In order for me to bond with you, you must offer me three things. Your body, your blood, and your soul.” His black-eyed gaze held Iago captured with its intensity. “The ritual for you to share your soul with me must be completed four times, then part of you would always reside within me.”

Iago’s brows lifted. As a man of science, he’d never given his soul much consideration. His father was a genius, and when Iago’s own intelligence was proven to be just as high from an early age, his father had home-schooled him with tutors. Religion had always been spoken of in an abstract way, relegated it to a field of study, like history, science, and mathematics.

“Is the soul real?” Iago blurted out the question without thought. He’d never really considered it before.

Lindemere, however, his dark brows shot up, and he stared at him in shock for so long that Iago felt a little uncomfortable.

The demon finally seemed to shake himself out of his stupor, and he nodded. “Yes, Iago. The soul is a real thing. Although some refer to it as our chi or life force.” He hesitated an instant, then added, “It all amounts to the same thing. That internal force that makes up a persons’ inner being, their personality and conscience, and that’s the part of them that will continue on after their body turns to dust.”

Iago mentally reeled. “H-Holy shit.” As soon as the cuss was out of his mouth, he winced. His father had hated explicatives, saying they were nothing more than emotional outbursts and a waste of time and mental energy. Clearing his throat, Iago amended, “So religion is somehow based on truth.”

Tipping his head quizzically, Lindemere told him, “Yes. Just as myth and legend are also based on some grain of truth.” Then his gaze grew serious. “It’s also why pure science can be dangerous. It’s when humans and paranormals alike don’t take into account the voice of their inner being”—Lindemere touched his claws to his chest—”the conscience and soul, that’s when the worst atrocities take place.”

Swallowing hard, Iago understood what Lindemere was telling him. He felt no small measure of guilt and discomfort that it was a demon of all things that was telling him what he and his fellow scientists were doing was wrong. Still, that didn’t mean what paranormals were doing was right, either.

“I need more information,” Iago whispered, unintentionally stating his thoughts aloud. Realizing what he’d done, he amended, “Is having trouble thinking clearly a side effect of this attraction between us?”

Iago decided he must have said something right, for Lindemere grinned broadly. “It is.”

“Well, how do we fix it?”

Seeing the heat light up Lindemere’s dark eyes, Iago felt a shiver of need slither down his spine. He also deduced what a foolish question that had been.

Obviously. Sex.

Iago realized he was so on board with that.

“You must offer me your body,” Lindemere stated on a growl. His nostrils were flared, and the need in the demon’s eyes mirrored Iago’s own. Even as Iago opened his mouth to do something he’d never before done—offer his ass, seeing as he’d always only been with small men who had a geek kink—Lindemere lifted his hand and pressed the tips of his fingers to Iago’s mouth. “If you offer me your body, it will start our bond. And if you do this, I will have to ask you to find another lab position to fill your time.” Lindemere shook his head, his expression pained. “As much as I want to fulfill your every desire, I cannot, in good conscience, condone the actions of your employers.”

Snapping his mouth shut, Iago eased his head away from Lindemere’s fingers. A shiver went down his spine. “Trying to control me already?” he accused. Even with the heat of arousal thrumming through him, he heard the coldness of his tone.

Lindemere sighed, his lips twisting into a pained expression. “I do not wish to control you,” he countered softly. “You—” Pausing, Lindemere shook his head as he stood. He paced over to the pot hanging in the fireplace and lifted the lid, using a wooden spoon to poke at the contents. “Dinner will be ready soon,” he muttered absently, placing the spoon on a cloth on the right side of the hearth while replacing the lid. Lindemere turned back to face Iago and rested his hands on his hips. “If you wish to continue efforts to discover a way for paranormals’ healing abilities to be applied in some fashion to humans, I don’t have a problem with it. But not with those scientists, whoever the fuck they are.” A growl rumbled through him as he glared at Iago. “What they’re doing is immoral. It’s wrong. It’s torture.”

“Oh, and it’ll be just so easy for me to find another lab that is experimenting on shifters,” Iago retorted, rising to his feet. He began to use his right hand to point belligerently at Lindemere, but a twinge of pain had him quickly switching to his left. “Know any labs where shifters volunteer for that? Bet you don’t.”

“You’d be wrong,” Lindemere countered on a snarl, stalking toward him. “There is always another way, and it has been found by some.”

Iago froze, his jaw sagging open as shock filled him. “Wh-What?”

Really?

There were labs where shifters volunteered their blood and tissue, so scientists such as himself could try to figure out how to apply their strengths to humans? Did Doctor Rubicon know that?

Lindemere tipped his head back and took a deep breath. When he let it out, it was as if he was releasing all the tension in his body. His wide shoulders relaxed, and his hands unclenched. Lowering his chin, Lindemere again focused on Iago.

“I would not lie to my amina,” Lindemere told him, his rumbling voice soft. “If I have your word that you will not continue to work for those other men, I will introduce you.” His lips curved in the barest of smiles. “You wouldn’t even have to work in their lab. You could start your own.”

The allure of owning his own lab had always been there, but finding funding for that sort of thing was nearly impossible. Iago had no idea how Doctor Rubicon had done it. Without being independently wealthy, it had always been just a dream.

Iago shook his head. “I don’t have the money for that, but—” Unable to help himself, he hesitated. What if Lindemere was lying? He couldn’t give up his career for a fuck.

That’s not right though, is it? This is a demon. Not a fuck.

How do I know he’s not lying about, well, everything?

“You don’t trust me,” Lindemere murmured. While his voice sounded calm, there was a tightening around his thick lips that gave away his sadness. Nodding almost absently, he hummed. “Right. You’re a scientist. You require proof.”

Iago nodded slowly. “Proof would be good.”

Just like that, the heat in Lindemere’s eyes returned. He stalked slowly forward, a low growl rumbling from him. Holding out his hand, he stopped before Iago.

“Do we have an agreement then, Iago?”

Uncertain what Lindemere meant and why his demeanor had changed so quickly, Iago hesitated. “Agreement?” Even with his confusion, he began to lift his hand. “What terms?”

Lindemere smiled broadly, showing off sharp teeth. It should have scared the crap out of Iago, but he had the oddest desire to tilt his head to the side and offer his neck. Knowing Lindemere wasn’t a vampire, Iago didn’t understand the reaction and swiftly squashed it.

“Terms are as follows... if I prove that there are humane research facilities where you can pursue your interests, then you will no longer work for those who are inhumane.”

Iago thought about those terms for all of two seconds. He swept his gaze over Lindemere’s smug yet hungry expression, and his cock throbbed. He nodded, taking the demon’s much larger hand.

“I agree.”

As Lindemere lightly squeezed Iago’s hand, he felt a tingle work across his palm and up his arm. Goose bumps erupted over his shoulders, and the hair on his nape stood on end. Iago’s body shivered as tingles of heat trickled down his torso to his cock.

“Then offer me your body, Iago,” Lindemere ordered roughly. “Because I will fulfill my part of the bargain.”

Iago opened his mouth and whispered, “Lindemere, I offer you my body,” even as he wondered what the hell he’d just gotten himself into.