Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Adam

"I want to thank you for joining my team and allowing me to adopt you. I promise to take very good care of you."

Loma lifted one thin orange brow as his spiked cheeks pulled into a smile. "Adopt us?"

"What's that mean?" Loma's younger brother, and Adam's second assistant, Luma, asked. He was a slightly darker color of orange than his older brother, but their facial features were nearly identical. Identical demons. Awesome-sauce!

"Don't worry. I take very good care of my minions. You'll want for nothing as we plan world domination."

"I thought I was answering phones and handing out the application to match demons with jobs?" Luma asked.

Adam waved his hand. "That's what I meant." He grinned.

Luma was looking a little worried, while Loma laughed. "I've heard this about you."

At least one of his new minions was on board. "Now head over to the house and Siezman will get you all set up in your rooms. You can start here tomorrow morning."

Loma rose first. "Thank you for the opportunity."

"We are going to have so much fun!" Adam told him.

Now Loma looked a little worried. Demons were just so serious all the time. Still, Adam felt like these two belonged with him. He'd get them to loosen up. "Oh! And if you hear screaming or grunting, make sure you knock before entering. You know what, you should probably knock before entering any room." Furfell was not shy about taking Siezman whenever he could.

Luma looked over at his brother. "What—"

"I'll explain it to you on the walk." Loma pulled his brother toward the front door of Adam's new office.

Luma seemed young but Adam had already double-checked that the brother demons were of age. He did not want to traumatize an underage demon with Furfell's horniness or dirty talk. Damn, that demon had really needed a mate. Furfell was so different even though he'd only been mated for three days. He worshipped Siezman and didn't care who knew it. Of course, Adam thought all mates should be worshipped so he wasn't actually the best to ask.

Since Adam was pretty proud of what he'd accomplished that morning, he rose and locked the door before he headed toward his private office. He stepped through the door that led to the Archives where he would find his friends.

As he expected, Ari and Seb had their heads bent over their work and didn't even notice him.

Adam poured himself a cup of coffee from the new machine that Ash had set up for his mate.

"More minions?" Ari asked as Adam sat across from him.

"That makes nine. Only eighty-seven to go."

"Too bad you couldn't claim Gaston," Seb said.

Adam sighed. "Nate is being unreasonable. Gaston is mated to Notel. Notel is my minion. It just makes sense."

Seb laughed. "I don't think he sees it that way."

"Hey! I let Notel move into Bo's house with Gaston. The least he could do is let me claim Gaston."

Seb stretched his back out as he eyed Adam's cup.

Adam passed over the coffee before he went and made himself another one.

"Thanks!" Seb slurped up the caffeine like he hadn't had any all day. Adam doubted that.

With a fresh cup, Adam retook his seat.

"How is everything going?" Seb asked. "There always seems to be so much happening around you."

"Right!" Adam loved it. Loved his new life. "I think everything is really coming along. The office is set up. Thanks for the help with the forms. Siezman helped me post in the Hell message boards so employers know to contact me if they have a need. I'll match up demons with the jobs they want. That is at least the first part of the plan. I'm still reading the books from the schooling the demons attend and have already found several items that need to be addressed. It's just going to take time."

It was hard that Adam was so limited. He wanted to snap his fingers and fix the realm but that wasn't one of his powers. If he ever met Lucifer, they were going to have a talk.

"One step at a time," Ari advised.

"I know." Mal told him the same thing.

"We're having dinner in the human realm tonight," Seb said. "Are you and Mal coming?"

"No." Adam shook his head. "My mom put her foot down. We're going to the fae realm for dinner with my parents and siblings tonight. Axel is throwing a barbecue this weekend so we can all hang out." Adam glanced at Ari. "You're still coming, right?"

Ari twisted his hands in front of him. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"We're sure," Adam and Seb together.

"And our mating ceremony is Friday night," Adam said. "You'll see everyone again there. Remember you met them at Seb and Ash's party."

"I have never spent any time in the human realm," Ari said.

"You'll have fun," Adam told him. "Gaston and Notel are coming as well. Plus, Seb is bringing Jasmine, right?"

"Yeah, the guys want to meet her, and I hate leaving her at home alone," Seb said. "Ash says it will be fine. Bo will be there to calm her if she gets overly excited or nervous."

"So see! Plenty of Hell representees will be there," Adam pointed out.

Ari nodded. "I want to go. Don't get me wrong. I just don't spend much time outside of here." He waved his hand around.

"It'll be good for you," Adam said. "You'll get to spend time with new friends, get away from work, and Drake is a literal chef. He has already started exchanging recipes with Notel."

"It does sound fun," Ari admitted.

Perfect! Adam loved that he could bring together his new family and his chosen. He wondered if this made Ari and Atom two of his minions as well but figured it was better not to ask. He'd work on them. Slowly. Before they knew it, they would belong with Adam as well.

"He has that look in his eyes again," Seb whispered. "Should we be afraid?"

"Well," Adam teased.

The front doors opened and all three of them turned.

Levi stomped into the building, clearly frustrated and irritated.

Adam rose. "Tristan?"

Levi didn't stop until he was as far from the door as possible on the other side of the table. "I swear he's following," Levi growled. "I can't prove it, but he is there every time I turn around."

"Damn it!" Adam started toward the door.

"Don't!" Levi grabbed him from behind.

"You love working out with the warriors and helping Atom! I'm not going to let him take that away from you," Adam declared.

"He actually isn't doing anything other than being around." Levi hugged him tight. "It's just frustrating."

"I'm going to have Mal drag him down to the core and torture him!" Adam didn't care if Mal had already said that wasn't possible. Hey! Maybe he could get Furfell to do it. Furfell owed him after Adam had innocently gone into the kitchen that morning for coffee and had gotten way more than he bargained for. Adam would now wait until Notel arrived before he went looking for anything to eat or drink.

Levi snorted. "Easy there, tiger! I'm fine. Just annoyed."

Adam huffed. Tristan wasn't doing anything wrong that they could tell, but Levi was uncomfortable around the demon. Since Levi loved all the other demons that he hung out with, the issue was only with that one demon. If Adam got his hands on Tristan—

"What's my firebug up to now?"

Turning his head, Adam growled at his mate. "Tristan needs to be dragged down to torture or I won't be responsible for what happens to him."

Mal took Adam from Levi's hold. "You can't. Unless he breaks a law, he hasn't technically done anything wrong. We are here to help our demons."

"Not him! I'm not helping him."

"Mate."

"No!" Adam could feel that something wasn't right with Tristan. Maybe not on the level as he had with Zacorah, but Adam didn't trust Tristan.

"Adam," Mal said.

"Nope!"

Mal sighed.

"You can't make me!"

There was silence. And Adam began to feel bad. He hated disappointing Mal, but Levi was his brother. Adam could feel that Tristan wasn't a good being.

"I'll wait until he does something," Adam said.

"Thank you, boy. I swear, if he steps one foot out of line, I will take care of him myself."

That would have to do. "What are you doing here?"

"You mean after I felt the spark in my chest telling me that my mate was about to light someone on fire?"

He huffed. "Is that why you called me firebug? I thought that was a cute nickname but—"

"It's because every time I'm away from you, I feel like I'll go up in flames until I get to hold you. You might be little, but your bite is mighty."

"Aww! Daddy! Kiss me!" Adam kissed Mal before his mate could even think to refuse him. His sweet sappy demon mate!

Adam showed Mal just how much the words meant to him. Adam had always been a little much for everyone. Too energetic, too clingy, too loud. Mal made him feel perfect though.

"Public building," Ari called out.

Adam pulled back before sticking out his tongue as Seb started laughing.

"Really?" Seb elbowed Ari. "How many times have I caught you and Atom—"

"Anyway!" Ari cleared his throat. "Don't you have somewhere else to do that? We have work to do."

"We do!" Adam brightened. They could get some afternoon loving in. He turned back to his mate. "You don't have to go back to work, do you?" Maybe batting his lashes would help.

"Apparently I'm taking the rest of the day off," Mal said. His claws dug into Adam's ass.

"Yay!"

Mal looked over Adam's shoulder. "You heading back with us?"

"No, go ahead," Levi said. "I'm helping Atom more this afternoon then headed with Seb and Ash up for dinner. I'll be back late."

"We probably will be too. Call if you need anything," Mal said.

And they were in their bedroom.

"I love the blinky blink thing," Adam told his mate. He started to pull at Mals shirt. Which wasn't easy since Adam was fighting against his own weight.

"Wait," Mal said. "Do you actually blink when you transport yourself?"

It was the first time his mate had asked him that. "Yes?"

Mal laughed as he threw Adam back onto the mattress. "You know you don't have to do that."

"But it makes me feel like a genie!"

Mal snorted. But he also yanked his shirt over his head, so Adam was distracted. "Are you going to just lie there or are you going to undress?"

"Can't you just blink my clothes away?" he teased.

Mal smirked.

"Holy shit!" Adam looked down at himself. He was naked! "You did it! How? Hey! Why haven't you done that before?" He remembered all the times he struggled to get his pants off with his shoes in the way and pouted.

"I didn't even know I could do that," Mal said. "Huh."

"Where'd they go?" Adam asked curiously.

Mal glanced around the room. "I don't know."

Adam laughed. He climbed to his knees before standing on the bed. "What about your clothes?"

"I think I'll just take them off the old-fashioned way. I like these pants."

Adam launched himself at his mate. "You better hurry!"

Mal caught him and look at that! He was naked too.

* * * * *

Mal

On his tiptoes, Adam cupped his face. "No glamour. Remember that I love you just the way you are."

Mal frowned. "Your family—"

"Can get used to having a demon in the ranks," Adam told him. "You are perfect. Besides, my mom is going to love you."

He would never admit how much he'd needed to hear those words. Mal could understand if Adam's parents were disappointed with their son mating the Master of the Hell realm.

"I'll blink us there!" Adam told him.

Mal linked their fingers together before bringing Adam's hand to his mouth where he kissed his mate's knuckles. "You don't have—"

Adam gave an extravagated blink and they were standing outside a cute yellow and white house.

The difference between the fae and Hell realm were immediately noticeable. The cool wind, colors popped here, and Mal found himself blinking at their brightness.

"My boy!" a woman's voice called out.

The screen door opened, and an older female version of Adam ran down the steps. "Finally!"

She ran into Adam's arms, and he hugged her even as he rolled his eyes. "Mom! You're going to squeeze the stuffing out of me."

"Maybe if I saw you more than once a year, I wouldn't get so emotional when you visit," she told him.

Finally, she drew back to peer up at Mal. And she did have to peer up. She was even shorter than Adam. Not even five foot tall.

"Don't you think he should visit more often?" she asked Mal.

Mal was not stupid. "Yes, ma'am," he said dutifully.

"I knew I would like you!" She hugged Mal's waist.

As gently as he could, Mal patted her back.

"Let them go, Mira. Or they'll never come to visit." A tall broad man stepped out of the house with a smile.

"I just want Mal to know how much we appreciate him bringing Adam home for a visit." She grinned at him. "Can I call you Mal? Or should I call you Master or Duke—"

Mal shook his head. "I'm just Mal. The one that loves your son."

"Aww!" She was hugging him again.

"Dad!" Adam whined.

"I got her." Adam's dad stomped down the stairs and in their direction. He pulled his wife away from Mal before offering his hand. "You can call me Todd. Or Dad."

"And I'm Mom," Mira said.

Uh, what? He was older than Adam's parents.

"I think he's older than both of you," Adam said.

"Doesn't matter. He's family," Todd, no, Dad, said.

"Thanks?" Was that the correct response?

"He's so wonderful!" Mira gushed. She tried to get back at him but Todd picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Your rolls are going to burn." He carried her toward the house.

"Put me down! What will my new son think?" Mira cried.

"That youre a crazy woman," Todd told her.

They disappeared into the house.

Adam began to laugh, and Mal turned to his mate. "You should see your face! Wait!" He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture. "Priceless! I have to send this to the guys. You should have seen her with Axel."

"Uh." Mal ran his hand over the back of his head.

"And," Adam cackled after he typed something into his phone, hit send, and then pocketed the device, "you havent met my siblings yet!"

"Why did I agree to this?" he asked.

"Because you love me!" Adam told him. Then like he always did, Adam jumped into his arms. "And you can't get away now. You're all mine."

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Shrieks, curses, and shouts came from the house.

Adam snickered. "And…my siblings are here as well. Tony always pops in, trying to scare my mom."

What if he just blinked them back home? Mal would even do the blinking thing if Adam would just agree—

The door flew open and two men and a young woman raced toward them.

"Too late," Adam whispered. "No escape for us." He wiggled down and Mal released him.

For the next several minutes there was more hugging, shaking of hands, shouting, and talking. So much talking. Until Adam and one of his brothers were rolling around on the ground, wrestling.

Mal looked around him. Surely, they were pranking him.

"Stop! Stop!" the young lady, what had she said her name was, Nancy, shouted. "He's going to run!"

Adam stopped sitting on his brother's chest. He grinned at Mal. "Nah, he's made of stronger stuff than that."

Mal wasn't so sure.

This…his mate's family…they were nuts!

"He is so totally contemplating on his life decisions right now," Nancy said.

She wasn't wrong.

Adam grabbed his brother's nose and twisted before he leapt away. His brother tried to catch his ankle but Adam was already skipping toward Mal. Mal watched his mate carefully. He did not want to get pulled into whatever all this was.

"I would say that we're normally not like this but that would be a lie," Adam said.

"It's…" Mal cleared his throat. "It's fine."

Adam laughed. "Come on! There's no rough playing allowed in the house. We've broken too much of my mom's stuff." He pulled Mal toward the house.

Mal followed because, well, because he would follow his mate anywhere. Even into what he was sure was a house of crazy people.