me. Is my yearning so obvious?
Cas hated that he’d made her pensive. She’d had far too many worries of her own. “I should be going.”
“Where? How will I get in touch with you?”
He finished his cup. “I’ll stop by again soon.”
She hefted the sack of coins. “I could make a ring out of some of these for you to give Mirceo.”
To signal a commitment? Cas shook his head. “A waste of good gold. . . .”
TWENTY-SIX
“Miss me, sweetheart?” Mirceo said from behind Caspion. It was sunset on the fourth day.
The demon’s shoulder muscles bunched. “You. Fucking. Child.”
“I missed you too.” He’d counted down the seconds till he could return, choking down blood mead, dealing with his ever-growing lust, and hardly sleeping. Over those nights, he’d hunted for the males who’d hurt his mate, stalking the plane of Abaddon as a deadly mist. But he’d discovered that Caspion had long since killed those fiends. “Let’s agree never to part again—”
Caspion twisted around, his expression half wrathful, half wrecked. “You didn’t do as you said you would. You didn’t consider things. Or else you would not be here!”
“I’ve clearly arrived just in time.” In fact, he’d arrived fifteen minutes ago to spy, half-tracing so Caspion couldn’t detect his presence or scent. The big demon had been pacing with his hands in fists. That muscle in his clenched jaw had ticked.
Mirceo hadn’t been the only one counting down the seconds. As he’d watched, Caspion had drawn back a fist, slamming it into the wall.
Voice hoarse, the demon said, “Why have you come back?”
To get claimed. Mirceo had prepared his body for Caspion, and he had a vial of lubricating oil in his pocket. “Tonight is the hunter’s moon—incidentally, my mate and I are hunters—and I have a date with him.” He’d decided to bond with his male over more than just pleasure. Mirceo would delight all of his demon’s senses with food, spirits, and spectacle.
They would drink and be merry, celebrating the beginning of their lives together. After Caspion claimed him, Mirceo’s anxiety wouldn’t arise. Obviously.
Just don’t look at his neck. Ignore your throbbing fangs. If he fed from Caspion right now, they’d both come, which wouldn’t do. To drag the demon over the finish line tonight, Mirceo needed to keep him on the edge.
“This isn’t a fucking game! I could kill you for this. Do you doubt my resolve?”
“No. Nor do I doubt mine. One more time: I don’t want anyone but you.” Even in their very first meeting, Caspion had revealed hints of vulnerability. After experiencing his mate’s past, Mirceo knew why. The demon did lack faith in himself, would think himself unworthy of a prince. I’ll convince him otherwise tonight. “I could have gone out for the last few nights and bedded others, but I had zero interest.” Keep things light. “Though I do admit to masturbating like a fiend.” He held up his palms. “I’m surprised I don’t have blisters.”
A low growl left the demon’s lips as he clearly called up the mental image. Inhaling for calm, he released Mirceo.
“Admit it: you’re relieved I came back.” He’s falling for me. Mirceo had known it. Who could resist him when he turned on the charm?
“Part of me. The rest is too busy reading the writing on the wall.”
Mirceo refused to get dragged into an argument. “Speaking of which . . . I believe you’ve added to your collection of holes. Since this place is now half mine, lay off.” He tapped his chin. “But I do think we should reside in our clifftop villa most of the time.”
Caspion seemed to be grinding his molars. “You’re going to see my memories sooner or later. Until you do, you won’t know me well enough to make this commitment. Something you witness could change your mind. I won’t have you use that as an excuse in a few centuries to take some kind of break.”
“You assume I haven’t already dreamed of your past?” Whenever he’d managed to doze for a few moments, Mirceo had experienced even more memories, including the one of Caspion’s match against Trehan.
Mirceo had relived every horror. The fractured bones . . . the iron spike breaking off in the back of his head, lodging into his brain . . . Caspion’s own people cheering for a male he despised more than anything. . . .
Trehan had disgraced him in front of an entire society. How could the demon ever set aside his revenge? Even Mirceo had awakened from that