Ash watched as the dark shadow twisted up from Jared's arm to manifest into a young man before him. No taller than five-eight, the demon was dressed like a steampunk, complete with large goggles that rested on his mop of black dreadlocks and a small goatee. His fingernails were painted as black as his eyes and clothes. The only color on his body came from a small pink stuffed bunny that he had chained to his hip.
Nim's black eyes fastened on Acheron and widened. He darted behind Jared's back to hide. "Friend or foe?"
Jared let out an aggravated breath. "Friend. And a good one at that."
Nim peeked around like an unsure child. "He reeks of Charonte demon."
"I know and I want you to go with him."
"No!" the small demon barked. "Nim stays with Jared. Always."
Jared cursed. "Could you help a brother out, Acheron? I need you to take custody of Nim and keep him safe for me."
"No!" Nim snapped, even more determined than before.
Jared growled in response. "Damn it, Nimrod. For once in your life, do what I ask and go with Acheron."
The demon clutched the small pink bunny to his chest and frantically shook his head no. "Nim stays with Jared. Those are the laws."
A muscle twitched in Jared's jaw. "I should have never saved your life."
Ash felt his pain and understood what Jared was doing. Since Ash had a demon of his own, he knew what a weakness they could be. And what a responsibility. Even though the demon appeared to be around the human age of twenty, his actions said he was even younger than Ash's Simi. "Nothing worse than adolescent demons."
"You have no idea."
"Actually, I do." Ash approached Nim slowly, like he would a small toddler. "Nim, you can come with me and I promise nothing will hurt you."
Nim gave him a mean, sullen stare. "I don't know you."
Jared tried to push him toward Ash. "He's a good man."
Nim bared his fangs at both of them in a vicious hiss. "He's been with the Charonte and they hate me. They hurt Nim and make him bleed. I want to stay with Jared." Nim immediately returned to sleep as a small dragon tattoo on Jared's neck.
Jared let out a long, aggravated breath. "Is there any way to get him off me like this?"
"No."
"Figures." His eyes shimmered with gold flecks that flipped until his eyes were a solid golden amber. "One day my master is going to kill him if I don't find him a new home."
"I think you need to tell him that."
"He says he'd rather be dead than leave me. According to him, we're family. I guess that makes me the psycho uncle no one wants to talk to. And he's the kid with only imaginary friends for company. Normal Rockwell, here we come."
Ash smiled at his twist on the paint er's name. Honestly, Ash felt for Jared, but there was nothing either of them could do. "Then it's his decision."
Jared gave him a harsh stare. "Would you feel that way if it were Simi?"
"You know the answer."
"And you know why I have to get him off me."
True enough. There was nothing worse than having an exposed weakness that those around you preyed on. One they used to control your actions and subjugate you. Ash knew that better than anyone. And he felt sorry for Jared's situation.
Sighing, Ash changed the subject to something he could perhaps control. "So why were you ordered to kill Nick?"
Jared shrugged his coat back on. "He's the last of the Malachai bloodline."
Ash laughed at the absurdity of that idea. "Nick Gautier is a Malachai? C'mon, Jared. Lay off the crack."