“Do you want to kill us?” Mal said against my ear, his breath hot.

I lifted my head, keeping my eyes closed against the cold air, and pressed my lips to his ear. “Are you going to be nicer to me?”

“Fee…”

The torment in his tone made my throat pinch. “Mal, please. It hurts…”

He held me tighter and kissed my earlobe. “I’m sorry I was such a dick.”

“Friends?”

“Always.”

The vise that had been around my chest since we’d made love loosened. I’d missed him. I missed our banter. I needed us back, whatever I could get.

My stomach dropped as we descended.

“Look,” Mal said.

I tucked my chin, pressing my cheek to his chest, and opened my eyes to look down. A cliff jutted out over a churning sea, and planted on the cliff was a three-story mansion with two wings and a courtyard. White marble pillars twined with ivy and dotted with crimson berries jutted toward us. A fountain sprayed crystalline water into a pool filled with darting pink fish.

“Hold on,” Mal warned, and then we were diving toward the courtyard.

Mal pulled up last-minute, his wings flaring to catch the updraft so we could land lightly. He lowered me to the ground but held on to me.

“I really am sorry, Fee,” he said. “I thought it would be easier if I acted aloof.”

“What happened between us was real, Mal. I get why you don’t want to go that route with me, and yeah it hurts, but it hurts more when you push me away. We were friends first, remember?”

He touched my cheek with his fingertips. “I know.”

My eyes grew warm with the threat of tears. “If you can’t be my lover, then be my friend. I can’t lose you completely, okay.”

Fuck, do not cry, Fee. Do not cry.

He rested his forehead against mine and inhaled. “I’ll stay, Fee, for as long as I can.”

Stay with me. As in not die. Oh, God, Mal…

Movement on the periphery of my vision caught my attention, and two figures stepped out into the courtyard. Conah and another guy. This one was almost a head taller than Conah. His hair was so dark it seemed to absorb the light, and his face was all sharp angles and sloping planes. Piercing cobalt eyes stared at me from beneath straight dark eyebrows, and then he smiled, and the harshness of his features was softened by the curve of his luscious mouth.

“Malachi, it’s been a long time.” He looked from Mal to me, and it hit me that we still had our arms around each other, and I, as far as Asmodeus could see, was a guy.

Mal didn’t seem in a hurry to release me, though. In fact, he pressed a kiss to my temple before letting go of me.

Asmodeus’s eyebrow twitched, and there was a hint of amusement on his face. “Staking your claim, Malachi?” He looked at me. “I can understand why. Felton, you are a treat for the eyes.”

My cheeks grew hot under his scrutiny. I’d expected lecherous, but there was a sexual magnetism about the guy that was undeniable. Asmodeus…demon of lust. Yeah, I could totally see it.

“Nope,” Malachi said with a smile. “This one is mine.” He gave Asmodeus a faux stern look.

“I’m sure Felton can make his own decisions.” Asmodeus smiled at me, and my heart fluttered. What the fuck? He was using his mojo on me; I could feel it like tendrils kissing my skin. But the glamour was keeping the worst of it at bay, thank goodness.

I returned his smile. “Oh, I totally can.” I slipped my hand into Mal’s and he laced his fingers through mine.

Asmodeus chuckled. “Come. You must be hungry after your journey.”

Conah looked relieved, but Mal’s grip on my hand was tight as we followed Asmodeus into his home.

There was more they weren’t telling me, but what?

We stepped out of the courtyard and into the warmth of the mansion. Well, whatever it was, I was sure I’d find out soon enough.

We’d been fed small sweet meats and flatbread warm from the oven, and the world was a little brighter and fuzzier after the red wine I’d had. Conah had taken blood, but Mal had taken wine like me.

I had to admit, this mansion was something else. It was as if Asmodeus had taken European and western influences and melted them together. The structure itself was classic Greek, and the interior was tapestries, rugs, and etchings on walls. It contrasted with the winter vista outside its many windows.

It looked like we might be enjoying the décor a little longer than expected because it seemed like Asmodeus didn’t have a ready carriage to loan us.

I didn’t believe that for a moment, and neither did the guys.

“Come on, Asmodeus,” Mal drawled lazily. “You must have one carriage you can loan us.” He gave Asmodeus his most charming smile, and the demon’s eyes lit up with hunger.

I stepped closer to Mal, unconsciously staking my claim.

Asmodeus’s tongue peeked out to touch the corner of his mouth. “I’m afraid the drakes won’t be ready to fly for several hours. Especially for such a long journey. But you’re welcome to rest a while. I’ve had rooms prepared for you.”

“I bet you have,” Mal muttered.

“Sorry? What was that?” Asmodeus said with a smirk.

Oh, God. I could see so much of Mal in him it was uncanny.

“Nothing.” Mal gave him a lopsided smile. “Felton and I will retire to our room.”

“Oh? I had Mauve prepare a special room for our new Dominus. The view is exquisite. But if you wish to scorn my hospitality…” He looked down at his nails with a shrug, letting the sentence hang with unknown consequences.

Conah’s jaw jumped. Was this some kind of etiquette test?

I smiled and inclined my head. “I would love to take the room you’ve had prepared, and I’m sure as a gracious host, you wouldn’t mind me sharing the room with Malachi.”

It was weird calling Mal by his full name, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Asmodeus’s eyes crinkled. “As you wish, Felton.”

Felton. That was me. God, this was going to take some getting used to.

“Malachi, walk with me. Felton, Conah, feel free to settle into your rooms and freshen up. There’s plenty of hot water. Living in an outer circle doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the benefits of Imperium technology.”

He didn’t wait to see if we agreed to the plan before striding toward the double glass doors leading onto a balcony.

Mal gave me a tight nod and then followed his mentor.

“This way, please.”

I jumped at the sight of the female demon standing in the doorway. When the fuck had she come in?

“Come on.” Conah led the way out of the room behind the maid.

I glanced back toward the balcony in time to see Asmodeus open his inky black wings and take flight. Mal looked over his shoulder and locked gazes with me before launching himself after his mentor.

I guess when he said walk with me, he’d meant fly.

There was nothing like a scalding hot shower to chase away aches and pains. The carriage ride, the shifting into Loup and back, and the fighting had done a number on several muscle groups. I missed Iza. Urgh, she gave the best massages.

Right now, I’d even agree to a butt rub from the imp.

The shower stall was huge enough to accommodate at least four people, and jets of water sprayed out from the ceiling and the walls, hitting every inch of my aching body.

Half an hour was probably too long to shower. But fuck it. I wasn’t paying the water bill. I stepped out of the stall and froze. Where were the towels? They’d been in here when I’d gotten in? Hadn’t they?

Dripping all over the tiled floor, I headed into the bedroom and almost had a heart attack to find Asmodeus standing by the window holding a, you guessed it, towel.

My instinct was to cover my tits and my crotch, but I stopped in time. I was a guy. A hot, confident guy. That’s all he would see, and from the look on his face, it was enough.

I stood tall and held out my hand for the towel.

He took a moment before throwing it to me. Once again, habit had me wanting to tie it around my chest to cover my breasts, but he couldn’t see those, and men hung towels around their hips.

I did just that and glared at him. “Are you in the habit of invading other people’s privacy and stealing their towels?”

“I wanted to see what had turned Malachi’s head from females to males. I see it. You are exquisite, Felton.”

He took a step toward me, head tilted to the side, tongue peeking out to touch the corner of his mouth. There was no denying he was fucking gorgeous. No denying the sexual magnetism radiating off him, but he was the demon of lust. He was sex and power, but he wasn’t Mal.

“I taught Malachi all he knows,” Asmodeus purred.

I gave him a cool smile. “And at some point, the student became the master.”

He blinked in surprise. “You care for him.”

“I’m in love with him.”

Asmodeus’s eyes darkened with pity. “Oh, you poor boy. You have no idea the heartache you’ve signed up for.”

“I know everything, and I don’t care. I’ll take an eternity of heartache for a lifetime of loving him. It would be worth it.”

“Did you hear that, Malachi,” Asmodeus said.

I looked to the main doors to see Mal framed there. His chest was heaving as if he’d run a marathon. His emerald eyes were like beacons in his face as they tore over me, and then his gaze slashed across the room to settle on Asmodeus.

“Get out.” His voice was a dangerously low vibration that spoke of the need to do damage.

Asmodeus walked casually toward him. I tensed, expecting Mal to lash out, expecting goodness knows what, but then Asmodeus was gone, closing the door behind him.

Mal stared at me. “Did he touch you?”

“No.”

“Why did you say that stuff?” His voice was jagged and rough.

“Because I meant it.”

“Fuck you, Fee.” He strode toward me. “You tell me you want to be friends, and then you say shit like that.” He grabbed my jaw in a bruising grip, forcing my mouth open, and then crushed his lips to mine, claiming me with his tongue. He devoured me, licking me out, biting and sucking on my tongue until I was a panting, clawing mess in his arms. The towel was gone, my dignity and resolve were gone. I wanted him inside me, and I needed it now. He grabbed my ass and hauled me up so I could wrap my legs around him. His wings curled around us, shielding us, and he pushed me against the wall.