Chapter One

Merihem

Asmodeus glanced at Merihem, and that one look said it all. Merihem was in the demon shit. The level was yet to be determined. He didn’t have to wait long when King Asmodeus said, “Your actions have no rational basis, Merihem.”

Being forcibly taken to Dakata’s family home so Asmodeus could confront his friend's action in the demon realm, which Merihem had aided and abetted, didn’t seem like such a good idea now the demon king was furious with him, too.

“He came at my request,” Dakata, his closet and best friend, defended. “They all did.” Merihem didn’t need to look at the others in the room to scent their fear. Dakata’s family had all helped their brother seek out the dryad Wanda in the demon realm. It was the destruction and death that came afterwards that had pissed off the King.

“I’m well aware of who aided you, Dakata. And as this is a situation, not encountered in many eons, I will need to seek council.” Asmodeus’s gaze swept the room, landing on each individual. “That does not mean this is an end to this matter. There will be consequences, as no one has the authority to run amok in my realm without my permission. ”

With that threat barely hitting air, Asmodeus whisked them, as in himself and Merihem, back to his palace, leaving the others behind, likely quaking in their boots. Merihem barely gained his footing as the King sat on his throne silently.

Oh fuck, he’s brooding. This was not good!

In all the years he’d been ‘the controller’, Merihem had never pissed off Asmodeus enough to gain a threat or reprimand.

Asmodeus held all of Merihem’s attention as the King of Demons tapped his long claws against the arm of the chair, looking down his long, thin nose at Merihem. “Can you explain why I shouldn’t cast you into purgatory for the part you played in the destruction of Dusken?” His tone was almost bored while he continued to tap his claws. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap…

Such a ploy did not fool Merihem. Others had let their guard down and found themselves flayed alive for their stupidity and Merihem tried to avoid such a state. He had been ‘the controller’ in the demon realm and, subsequently, the human realm too, for long enough to know he was in serious trouble.

His position gave him a lot of power and prestige, something he’d enjoyed. That was what he’d used to aid his best friend to find Wanda, his blissful one, Silas’s sister.

A prat in the demon realm had mouthed off about Dakata’s situation and, in turn had left Dakata vulnerable to attack. A position Merihem held a lot of guilt for as well as a weight of responsibility. So he had not considered fully before helping his friend, just how furious Dakata would be. Never having had a blissful one—not that Merihem wanted one—he’d misjudged the destruction and mayhem Dakata would cause in his rampage.

Stupid—he couldn’t deny it.

Considering everything now, he chose his words carefully. “Your Highness, Dakata’s stressful situation brought out my need to assist him, as I have done since childhood. I made an error in judgment by not coming to you first. I apologize. In my defense, Wanda had limited time with her life connected directly to that of her trees.”

“What concern is that of ours?” Asmodeus asked, just the faintest hint of irritation as his fangs clicked together.

“Dakata explained Silas is his blissful one. That connection is something we were taught to hold as sacred. That we should honor above all else.”

At least Merihem was hoping he’d remembered what they’d taught him in demon school correctly. He’d not heard of an actual case before Dakata. The problem was, he didn’t need to see the skepticism from their ruler. He had heard it when Asmodeus had stated to Dakata he’d need to seek advice. He never did that—ever. Asmodeus was rattled by Dakata’s blissful one and that didn’t bode well for anyone in the demon realm.

The huge demon rose from the ornate chair that sat in the middle of a room that, though in the demon realm, looked more like a human’s home, only more decadent. Walls adorned in deep purple velvet matched the plump leather seats of the same color. The only chair that wasn’t purple was the gold and black ornate throne the king used. The Persian rugs scattered over the black marble were older than Merihem.

He moved silently towards Merihem, his coal-black eyes held Merihem’s as he towered over him by half a foot. He was by far the biggest in the demon realm. Clawed fingers ran over Merihem’s cheek, down to his throat, the claws digging in, giving him a reminder of exactly who was in charge.

Merihem didn’t breathe, or dare to swallow as they stared at each other, both weighing up the situation, only one was in control and it wasn’t him.

Asmodeus’s eyes flashed red, then his lips rose in a sinister smile. His lips moved and Gebre appeared in the room, Merihem’s underling.

“Gebre, how far are you from completing your ‘controller’ training?”

Merihem winced at the reality of being stripped of his role and responsibilities.

“Your Highness, if intensified, three or four days should see me ready.”

He’d never be ready in Merihem’s mind because the other demon enjoyed the killing a little too much. He relished the kill, prolonged it beyond what Merihem would class as necessary.

“Good.” The claws drew blood as Merihem started to sweat about what was about to happen. The red ate up all of Asmodeus’s eyes. “Finish his training, then you will find yourself banished to the human realm to help your friend until I find the answers I seek.”

~/~/~/~

Four days later that threat, the one that Merihem had hoped wouldn’t happen, did. In Dakata’s office, Merihem jabbed a finger into Dakata’s massive chest, uncaring he was provoking his friend. “Asmodeus, he sent me here as a punishment for helping you without seeking permission. I’m stuck in this realm until,”—his fingers made a motion for inverted commas—“I prove I can be trusted.” It stung. Asmodeus had been so fucking vague it just added to the overall pissiness of the situation.

“Did he say how?” questioned Dakata, looking concerned.

“To keep your sibling in order!” Merihem grumbled, sagging as he said it. He glanced at Luka and Christa and groaned. “It’s fucking babysitting. How damn degrading is that?”

“Can you put on some clothes?”

Merihem fired a warning look at Dakata. He hated wearing clothes; they scratched in unfortunate places. He waved a hand and a second later, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, he cursed his life. “I’ll be fucking expected to wear clothes all the damn time because of others shitty sensibilities!”

“Unfortunately, yes, you will. Luka, Christa, and Scott might be okay with you being naked and in your demon form. Those you’re gonna need to work with closely won’t be so understanding.” Dakata’s expression revealed sympathy, but it didn’t fix what he said.

“You’re expecting me to manage your business,”—he jabbed his meaty digit at Dakata’s siblings, his blood pressure hiking up—“and these two as well!”

Dakata nodded. “Who better than ‘the controller’,” he replied, looking far too smug for Merihem, who became tempted to knock his friend's—though that was a loose interpretation with how he was feeling right then—pristine teeth down his throat and see if Silas liked him then!

Merihem threw up his arms and got up to stomp about. Going with resignation—for the time being. He got in Scott’s face, Dakata’s personal assistant who didn’t so much as blink. “You’re gonna have to use some sort of code with me because I ain’t wearing clothes when I don’t have to!”

“Thank you, Meri.”

He glared at Dakata. “Don’t thank me yet! And I want your house, seeing as I’m gonna have to live somewhere on this realm.”

An hour later, keys to the house dangling from his fingers, Merihem opened the door to the large townhouse. He could have done it the way he’d normally, but he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to use his demon powers or not. Asmodeus hadn’t been very forthcoming with a do’s and don’ts list, so he wasn’t taking any chances.

Being the official babysitter to Dakata’s squabbling siblings and in charge of a music business, he could probably do with his eyes closed. I mean, how hard could it be?

Merihem’s thoughts were on how he could redeem himself and get the fuck out of dodge when something caught his attention. He paused, his large head tilting to one side as he listened out.

Was someone strangling a cat?

“Hello?” he called out. He paused long enough for someone to reply, getting nothing, he bent and slipped off his sneakers, bare footed he strolled through the lower level, checking rooms as he went.

The place was minimalist and a little too sterile for Merihem’s tastes, but a cast out demon couldn’t be too choosy. Following the noise—because in no realm could it be called singing—Merihem came to a halt in the kitchen's doorway.

His demon perked right up at the pert ass, swaying from side to side before giving a little shimmy as the dude scrubbing at the counter butchered the song that Merihem couldn’t identify. Sound canceling headphones explained why the guy continued to sing out of tune, unaware of his audience of one.

Amused despite his own pissed-off-ness, Merihem leaned on the doorframe, trying to recall if Dakata had mentioned he’d replaced his last cleaner. The woman of about fifty, who always scowled at Merihem when he was naked, was a definite contrast to the tiny cuteness in front of him. And okay, Merihem couldn’t see his face, but he could do some damage to the ass in spray painted on jeans. It wasn’t like he needed to see him when he’d fuck and roll off to fall asleep. Most had the common sense to leave before he woke.

He clicked his fingers—this was definitely a time to use his powers—and his clothes disappeared just at the same time hot ass spun around. Somewhere in Merihem’s mind, for the split second it registered, the powerful impact of their gazes locking, which was chased by a huge dose of unease.

The scream ripped at the air was so loud it potentially burst Merihem’s eardrums. Eyes of the palest blue widened with horror as they swept down Merihem’s naked body.

Not quite the reaction he’d been hoping for!

Merihem’s demon howled inside him. Before he could register what was happening, he was in his demon form—chasing a pygmy goat around the kitchen. “ Mine, ” his demon growled with grabby hands.

Merihem’s insides felt like they’d become plaited together as he attempted to do something—anything to prevent his demon from grabbing hold of the goat. Don’t touch it.

“Mine.”

I fucking heard you. But think about it…

Panic, it was kicking Merihem’s ass, even with his demon giving chase.

The head of the goat—who’d somehow managed to evade them on the chase around the large center kitchen aisle—connected with the back of Merihem’s lower calf with enough force that the shock had them tumbling over the size sixteen feet.

He landed on his back hard enough that his bones rattled. Winded, breathless, and at a total loss of how the tiniest white goat could send him toppling, Merihem wasn’t prepared for the goat’s next move.

A blur of white fur caught his attention when the goat spun on its little four legs between his and lifted its hind legs to aim its hoofs directly at his nuts.

What the fuck!

His hands came down right as the hoofs connected and he howled as the goat bleated madly before it made a mad dash out of the kitchen.

Stunned with aching balls, he lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, struggling to breathe.

Who the fuck has just kicked us in the balls? Who?

His demon actually had the audacity to laugh. You know who!