Chapter Fifteen

Merihem

He wasn’t proud that he’d listened into the conversation between Silas and Peni. But he didn’t regret it either. How could he when it helped him to understand his blissful one? Even his demon side didn’t have an issue with them doing it.

Merihem had kept quiet the rest of the time as they ate the meal Silas prepared for them. He was mulling over all of his little goat’s worries.

Being honest about why he was in the human realm was a start. Also, letting Peni gain back some of the structure to his life, although it wasn’t what he wanted for Peni, it was what he needed right now.

All this ran through his mind as the taxicab pulled up.

“Remember, you’re welcome here anytime you like,” Silas murmured to Peni as he gave him a hug.

Merihem refrained from baring his teeth, that was not what Peni needed or wanted. Dakata didn’t hold back the grin that said he knew exactly what was going on in Merihem’s head.

They’d managed to fit in talking business in between the spying on Peni. “I’ll send over the next contracts to make sure they fit with what you normally do.”

Dakata slapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks. But you seem to be doing okay while running around after your blissful one.” His toothy smile made Merihem give him a narrow-eyed glare.

He’d shared how things had gone down with Peni when they’d met, including the kick to the balls. His best friend had laughed his ass off.

“You’re welcome,” Merihem groused, not sounding like he was at all.

“Don’t forget to put into place those things we discussed.” Dakata gave him a pointed look before glancing at Silas, who was whispering in Peni’s ear.

Dakata had a plan for Silas to sing on a big stage in Paris with one of his bands. He was going to be a supporting act and Merihem had gotten tasked with organizing it, so it remained a secret for now from Silas. “Will do.”

Silas popped his head in the door of the cab. “Good to see you, George.”

“Same,” he mumbled around the toothpick.

“Shall we go?” asked Merihem, placing a hand on Peni’s waist, stooping to manage it.

He looked at the cab, then at Merihem. “Didn’t you want to?”

Merihem chuckled. “Yes.”

Another round of goodbyes and they were driving away, this time Peni sat at the side of him, despite Merihem wanting to put him on his lap. He’d heard how Peni found it all too overwhelming and he was trying to turn over a new leaf.

“Did talking with Dakata help with your worries about the money?” Merihem felt that was a good place to start the conversation.

Peni sighed as he wiggled to look at Merihem fully. His brow became pinched. “I’m not sure I’m happy about taking Mr. Dakata’s money. I know you told him you already had it in hand. But Mrs. Danials was already paid, which would mean Mr. Dakata has to pay twice. That doesn’t seem very fair. I agreed to the rate she offered me. So wouldn’t it be wrong to accept more now after agreeing on the terms?”

Merihem resisted scowling at the mention of that woman. Only his blissful one had a point, he had agreed. “What about this…” his mind raced with what he’d heard Peni talk about and a starting point to giving him back his structured life, “You keep on cleaning for Dakata, at the proper rate. That’s if it will make you happy. I mean, I want you to do what makes you happy. We could get a new cleaner, and you could supervise them?”—one look at the deepening furrow between his brows and Merihem backtracked—“Or not. It’s purely your choice.”

Peni gave him a searching look. “You mean that? You wouldn’t mind if I cleaned the house?”

Hope, it came through their bond, but also in his voice. Merihem forced a smile. “I want you to be happy.” That was complete honesty.

The responding smile, though small, said it was the right thing to say. “I like cleaning.”

Merihem recalled the bit about the library science course. “You could maybe do the cleaning in the morning, then maybe if you felt like it, do,” he shrugged, trying to act casual, “maybe do an afternoon class for the library stuff. Online or at the college.”

Peni tilted his head and back was the searching look. “Were you listening to me and Silas?” he asked suspiciously.

Merihem had no place to shrink in the cab. His lips parted—

“What the… He—”

Peni glanced out the window right at the sound of crunching metal filling the cab, and they spun wickedly fast. Merihem watched as Peni bodily flew into the door, his head ricocheting off the window, which shattered a moment later. His large body, crammed in, hardly moved as he roared, reaching for their blissful one as he slumped down onto the seat unconscious.

What in hell’s name? His demon was doing his own roaring as he couldn’t emerge as the cab twirled like a ballerina, only with a lot more force as it hit other vehicles. Metal scrapping metal screeched as George wrestled with the steering wheel with bear paws.

Merihem, all set to translocate, found the cab flipping through the air and his head smashed against the roof, then there was nothing but blackness.

“Holy cow, did you see that?”

“The car danced across the Freeway like a puppet on a string.”

“Has someone called an ambulance?”

“I did.”

Voices floated towards Merihem as his head pounded and something sticky ran down his forehead.

Shake it off. Is Peni okay?

The absolute stark terror coming from his demon side brought Merihem from the haze of pain from his throbbing temple. His arm, though broken, he still clutched at the slight weight he held. He blinked his fuzzy gaze into focus, noting he’d tucked Peni right into his body and except for the wound to his head, he appeared relatively unscathed.

Upside down, he kicked at the battered and caved-in door. His leg protested, but he could already feel his body healing. He kept Peni hugged to his body and got on his back to shuffle out despite the glass shredding his skin. That was of no concern, Peni was all he could think about.

The smell of fuel met his nose as he lay on his back, heaving while looking up at a sea of faces. “Get back,” he growled, his demon giving him no time, and emerged to an almighty roar.

His naked body adjusted, the injuries disappearing as those around them scattered like ants at seeing an over seven-foot, naked demon. “Peni. Wake up, Peni,” his demon pleaded as they stagger-walked over to a place not scattered with glass and metal to place Peni down on the curb.

I can’t feel him through our link.

Shush, let me focus, his demon side demanded. His hands were running over Peni. He’s unconscious. His brain is a little swollen, but he’s okay.

Crackling noises came from behind, along with heat, and distracted them. Glancing back at the cab, flames flickered from the hood. The bear.

Our blissful one comes first!

Everyone else scattered because of you. We have to help the bear, too. Merihem felt his demon's reluctance, but he got up and ran to the car, ripped off the caved-in door and lifted a bleeding and unconscious George out of the car to carry him effortlessly to where they’d left Peni. There, he snapped, barely stopping short of dropping George to get back to Peni.

Sirens wailed in the distance and Merihem felt his demon gather their magic. There was no way they wanted to have to take their blissful one to a hospital and possibly get separated while they did all sorts of tests that weren’t needed. A glow appeared around Peni, seconds ticked by as he willed his demon to heal their blissful one. He didn’t care if this brought the wrath of their king, nothing was more important than Peni, not even his own hide.

He'd never have believed he’d feel like this, but all he wanted was Peni back in his arms, whole and safe.

Seconds later, he blinked back his tears, while he and his demon gave an undignified sniff when Peni shifted, and their tiny goat bleated madly at them, hopping about merrily.

“There-there, you’re alright.” His demon lifted the goat and cuddled him to his dirty chest. “You’re safe. We got you.”

The ambulance came to a screeching halt, two men jumped out of the front of it, heading in their direction. Then they got a load of his demon and halted.

“He needs help,” they growled. “He’s bashed his head off the windscreen and the door.”

How do you know that?

I didn’t pass out!