Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Adam

Adam groaned and rolled over in bed. He vaguely remembered Mal waking him and giving him a kiss before his mate left for work but that hadn't seemed like that long ago. Why was he awake?

A pulse traveled up his arm.

Visitors? What time was it?

Adam raised his head but there were no clocks in the bedroom. Damn it, he really needed to do more decorating around the house. Adam grabbed his phone charging on the nightstand. Seven in the morning.

His arm pulsed.

Was his magic wonky again? It should only alert him once as a guest first passed onto their property.

Pulse.

Pulse.

Pulse.

"What the fuck?" Adam groaned. He climbed from under the covers and had to scoot to the side of the bed. It was just so massive but then again so was his mate. He dropped down beside the bed, his ass giving a little twinge.

Mal had kept him awake well into the early morning hours and Adam was feeling it both physically and in his grumpiness. Not that he had any regrets. Adam would spend all his nights sexing up his mate if it was up to him.

Pulse.

Pulse.

Fuck his life! He just wanted to sleep in. Adam had a lot of plans on how to spend his day until Mal came home. This was messing up the part where he slept in!

Adam stopped at the dresser where they'd put his stuff and pulled out a soft pair of lounge pants and a T-shirt. He would find out what was going on with his magic, get some coffee, and maybe lounge around in bed for a few hours. Mal had promised not to be too late.

He dressed quickly before yanking the bedroom door open.

The house was quiet.

Adam didn't know if his minions were there or not.

Pulse.

He growled. His magic might be powerful in this realm, but something was screwing with it. He really needed to learn more of his new home's soil content. Adam didn't want to have to wait until his mom could come down. He relied on his magic and needed to keep his mate and new family safe. He'd figure it out.

Stomping down the steps leading to the front of the house, he paused when he spotted his minions huddled in front of the door, whispering.

Gammer was wringing his hands and looked like he was almost in tears.

"What's wrong?" Adam demanded.

They all three jumped.

He hurried down the rest of the stairs and went right to Gammer, pulling the smallest demon into his arms. "What happened?"

"It's my fault," Gammer said against his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Shh." Adam rubbed Gammer's back as he addressed Siezmore, the more logical of the demons. From what Adam had picked up, the other two often deferred to Siezman. "What?"

"Word has gotten out about…how you treat us," Siezmore said quietly. "It's…" He shook his head.

How did he treat them? Had Adam done something wrong? No, Mal would have told him. "It's what?"

"It might be better if you see for yourself." Siezman nodded toward the door.

"O…kay." He wrapped his arm around Gammer's lower back before walking to the door. He pulled it open and peered out. To where at least a dozen demons of all shapes, sizes, and colors had gathered. Some stood in small groups. Some lounged against his new trees. All turned toward him.

Adam darted back from view. "I don't get it," he whispered.

"It's my fault," Gammer said again.

"What's your fault?" Adam asked gently.

"I went to the trading circle this morning. I wanted to start working on your playroom. I was talking to some of my friends"—he waved his hand toward the demons outside—"when one of the warrior demons came and started being mean. He kept calling me a lesser demon and said…and said…I had to do things for him, but I told him that he couldn't call me that anymore. That you said so!"

Oh shit, okay. Adam could handle this.

"He laughed and pushed me down, but I told him what you said. My friends heard and I told them that we're not lesser."

"No, you're not." Adam patted his back again. There was so much to unpack in what Gammer was telling him. A warrior bully, it sounded like. And what had he been demanding? Maybe he needed to get Mal involved? No, this was his mess and he'd try to clean it up first. "But why are all these demons here now?" He peeked around the doorframe to the yard again.

"They want to work for you too," Notel said. "We tried to get them to leave but they just kept coming!"

Well crap. Now what?

Adam gave Gammer one last squeeze. Time. Organization. A plan. He had this. Stepping out onto the front porch, he gave the gathered crowd a smile.

"Hello."

Like a wave, the demons moved closer.

Oh, oh that was a little scary. He stood his ground though. This was his home. He was mated to the Master of the realm. Adam would be dealing with demons daily from here on out.

"I'm Adam." He didn't know if these demons even knew his name. "I am mated to the Master of the realm." He used Mal's title even though it felt thick, wrong, on his tongue. "What can I do for you?"

The demons started to talk at once.

It was loud.

He held up his hand. They didn't stop. Adam cleared his throat. Nothing.

A long shrill whistle sounded.

Adam winced with everyone else.

He blinked at the demon with gorgeous coal-black skin, bright blue eyes, and long curved horns that stepped up. "Quiet! The little Master is speaking," he ordered.

"Thank you…."

The demon bowed his head. He was bigger than most of the demons in the yard and his power was blinking in and out. Adam had never seen that before. He'd have to ask Mal.

"Montelo," the demon said. "Please excuse our intrusion. Some of us wanted to get a look at the Master's mate to see if you are truly as kind as we've heard. Some would like to apply for a position in your household."

"Montelo is nice," Gammer whispered. "He's…a friend."

Adam caught the quick smile on Montelo's face before Adam glanced at Gammer who seemed… If Adam wasn't mistaken, Gammer was blushing. "Okay."

He turned back to the crowd. "You have questions, I'm sure," Adam acknowledged. "I'm still new to your realm but I will be working with my mate to secure more help if needed. You are more than welcome to speak with my house staff"—Adam had almost said minions—"and leave them a…resume if you'd like to be considered for any future positions."

Adam glanced over his shoulder at Siezman, who nodded. Oh good, he hadn't messed that up.

"Is it true that you don't call your staff lesser demons?" someone yelled.

He scowled. "I do not. I don't like that word and I've already spoken to my mate about it." Adam took a deep breath. "I am from the fae realm. I have also lived in the human realm for a couple of decades. Power and magic comes in many forms and shows at different times. Just because you are smaller, not from a certain lineage, or your gifts aid you in service industries instead of a leadership role does not mean you are lesser than anyone else. I know that my mate and I would be lost without our house staff. They are vital to my mate successfully filling his duties."

Several demons murmured to one another.

The demon Montelo turned back to the crowd, "You heard it for yourself. Now respect the Master's mate and do as he asks. Talk to his staff. Put in resumes."

There were several nods in the crowd and quite a few smiles.

"Thank you all for coming," Adam told them. "I promise to listen to my staff and review any resumes that come in."

That seemed to satisfy the demons and they began to wander off, talking to their friends or rushing away in a hurry. Adam slumped against the doorframe. That was a lot to handle before coffee. He needed to learn more about his new realm and what the procedures were for talking to demons. Did they need to hire more staff? He'd ask his minions. And talk to Mal.

Montelo slowly approached.

Now this demon was very interesting. Not only was his power blinking in and out but his muscles were visibly vibrating.

He bowed his head again. "I would… May I please speak with Gammer?"

Hmm, the matchmaker in Adam wanted to push Gammer toward the handsome demon. Instead, he turned to Gammer. "It's up to you."

"Yes. Yes of course." Gammer slipped past Siezman and Notel and onto the front entry.

Montelo was there to meet him in three long strides. He gripped Gammer under his elbows. "I heard what happened with Zacorah. Are you injured? What did he do to you?"

"I'm fine!" Gammer sounded embarrassed.

As much as Adam wanted to eavesdrop, this really wasn't his business. Gammer seemed quite taken with Montelo.

Adam pulled Siezman and Notel into the house with him. "I need coffee. Then I need you tell me everything you can about those demons, what I can do for them, Montelo and Gammer, and whoever this Zacorah is."

"I will start a full pot," Notel said. "You're going to need it." He strode off toward the kitchen.

Siezman continued to stare out the front door.

Adam snagged his sleeve. "What's wrong?"

"Montelo is coming into his power. It hasn't settled yet, but I can see that it won't be long. That means that he'll probably be moving away from the core to follow his purpose. That's going to hurt Gammer."

"I thought there was something between them," Adam said. "And I can see his power sort of blinking in and out."

"Yes," Siezman confirmed. "His power is building. His body is changing. Just last week he was as small as I am."

"Wow." That was a fast transaction.

"Montelo has always watched out for Gammer. Gammer doesn't always…remember his place. He gets so excited—"

Adam held up his hand. "He's not doing anything wrong. I really mean it when I say that you guys are not lesser."

Siezman sent him a small smile. "You say it but the demons here are set in their ways. I don't want to see my brothers hurt."

"We'll figure out how to protect them." Adam pulled Siezman into a hug. "How to protect all of you."

Siezman hugged him back. "Thank you."

"Now about this other demon? Zacorah?" Adam really wanted the scoop on him.

Siezman sighed. "He…he is what would you call it in the human realm? An asshole?"

Adam snorted. "I kind of figured that out for myself."

"He recently came into his powers but even before that he would bully some of the smallest of us. He was always the biggest of our generation. We always knew he would become a warrior. He used that…to get what he wanted from others."

Adam did not like this guy. He pulled back and stared at Siezman. "I want to hear everything."

Siezman glanced toward the open doorway.

"Let's go get some coffee," Adam suggested. He drew Siezman toward the kitchen, knowing that he wasn't going to like the upcoming conversation. He'd promised to protect his minions though and Adam always kept his promises. Plus, he really hated bullies.

* * * * *

Adam

"Thanks for bringing me," Adam said to Siezman as they arrived at the top of the hill.

"The Master is right over there." Siezman pointed toward where several large masses gathered. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I'll be fine." He patted his minion's shoulder. It was past seven in the evening and his mate still hadn't returned home. Adam was done waiting for Mal and had come to find his wayward mate on his own. Okay, with Siezman's help, because he still didn't know how to think his way to where he wanted to be. "I'll see you back home."

Adam waited until Siezman disappeared before he turned toward the bodies in the distance. Mal stood a head over everyone else. He spoke to four other male demons as screams and moans echoed around him. Adam shuddered. What a horrible place to spend all day, every day. No wonder Mal had been so miserable before Adam had arrived.

He started in the direction of his mate but also allowed his gaze to dart from side to side. Even though he could hear the tortured souls that were being punished, all Adam could see were hills and hills of red sand.

It didn't take Adam to walk more than a dozen steps before Mal's head snapped in his direction.

Adam stopped and waved.

And he was in Mal's arms.

How…? Okay, he knew Mal could move him when they were together but that had been…weird. One second, he'd been standing there, looking at his mate, and the next he was in Mal's arms. Adam lifted his brow. His mate had some explaining to do. "Hello, mate."

"Hello, mate." Mal lowered his mouth and kissed him.

Now that was a proper greeting! Adam thrust his tongue inside Mal's mouth, claiming the big demon after spending way too many hours apart. Yes, they both had work to do but they also should never go so long without kisses.

Mal pulled away first. "What are you doing here?"

Really? Adam turned his wrist and tapped his imaginary watch.

"Oh!" Mal's expression fell.

"I missed you. Since you didn't come home to me, I came to you."

Mal's smile was Adam's greatest treasure. "I missed you too."

"Master."

They turned to where the other four demons were standing. Looking quite uncomfortable.

"Hello," Adam greeted.

They all bowed their heads.

"Let me introduce you to my Lieutenants," Mal said.

Adam was so thankful that he'd spent the afternoon with his minions learning as much as he could about his new realm and the hierarchy. He patted Mal's shoulder and was set on his feet.

"Yes," Adam said. "I did want to meet the demons that were basically my mate's backup and tell you how much I appreciated all you do."

"You did?" one of the demons, red with spiked horns, asked.

"Of course. I don't know your names though."

"I'm Somari. I have worked with the Master for the last four decades."

"I'm Crannell," a gray demon with silver eyes and a long thin tail said next. "I have worked with the Master for the last four decades as well."

"Furfell," a demon with deep blue skin and an attitude said.

Adam did react to the hostility that he could feel even when Mal stiffened. He linked his fingers with Mal's and squeezed.

"I have worked with the Master the longest." This demon was quite different from any other demon that Adam had been around. His face was nearly human, except for where a human had scruff, there were scales. He also had peach-colored skin but pale scales ran down his back. "My name is Yuri and it is a pleasure to meet the Master's mate."

"Thank you, Yuri. Thank you all. Like I said, I wanted to meet you. I hope you will accept an invitation to our home for dinner one evening. Maybe next week?"

"You are inviting us for a meal at your home?" Somari asked.

"I am. I understand that someone must watch over the tortured souls, so we might have to set something up for different nights, but I'd like to get to know my mate's most trusted allies."

Yuri smiled. "We will accept." He sent Furfell a hard stare. "All of us."

"Awesome!" Adam was so glad that he could extend the invitation. Siezman had been an amazing font of information. He'd also shared that when Mal first became the Master, he spent more time with the demons that worked closely with him and friends like Ash and Ari. As time had gone on, Mal had slowly started to withdraw until he'd been all alone. Just his three house demons to do his bidding. That was not how they would live now.

"I'm so glad that I was able to catch your Lieutenants," Adam told his mate.

"As am I." Mal dipped his head and kissed him. "You will never cease to amaze me."

"I am kind of amazing," Adam replied.

Somari and Yuri laughed. Crannell shook his head. Even Furfell had a smirk on his face for a second.

"And that's my cue to take you home," Mal said.

"Wait!" Adam pulled on his hand. "Aren't you going to show me around? Or what you do or something?"

"No." Mal lifted Adam into his arms.

And they were in their living room.

"That's not fair!" Adam told his mate. "I can't just blink you somewhere."

Mal smirked. "It's not blinking."

Not this again. "Whatever. I really did want to see what you did."

"No, mate. I don't want that. I purposely have the residents of the hills hidden from your view. They were there; you just couldn't see them."

"Really?" Adam jumped out of Mal's arms. "Do you think I can't handle your job?"

"I have no doubt that you can handle anything," Mal said.

His mate's voice was low and deep. Sweet but still rough. It made Adam all shivery. "Then what is it?" Adam asked.

"Just because you can handle it doesn't mean I want you to. I like the brightness and love that you have brought into my life. My home. Every time I peer into an evil soul, I see it all. What they did. Why. Even how much they enjoyed what evil act that landed them in eternal punishment. I have to live with that, and I don't want to share that burden. I want to be able to let that burden go when I'm with you."

"You do love me!" Adam teased.

"Yes, mate. I love you," Mal said very seriously.

Adam froze. They hadn't actually said…that was the first time either of them had said those words. Rising to his tiptoes, Adam caressed the spikes under Mal's jaw. "I love you too."

Mal's hands were firm when they grabbed Adam's ass, and he was lifted. Adam wrapped his legs around Mal's waist while kissing his mate. He started to pull at the seam of Mal's shirt, trying to get the thin material that separated them off.

They moved through air and Adam was being lowered on top of the soft mattress. The room smelled like them now. A mixture of sulfur and ash combined with fresh grass and sunshine.

"Hold on, mate." Mal stood and yanked off the shirt that Adam had been tugging on.

"Don't make me wait," Adam begged. He started to pull off his own clothes, All of a sudden desperate to feel his mate inside him. Adam undressed in record time.

"Lube," Mal growled.

He rolled over before climbing up the bed. Just as Adam reached for the lube still on the bedside table, Mal's heavy body covered his.

Adam tossed the lube in the direction of his mate while trying to spread his legs. It wasn't easy with Mal's bigger body on top. The scrape of Mal's fang against his ass cheek had Adam tensing. Surely…

Adam screeched as Mal nipped his sensitive flesh.

Mal kissed the same spot just seconds later. "My wonderful boy. Thank you for coming for me. Thank you for making an effort with my Lieutenants. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I will thank the fates for all my days."

He pushed back against Mal's slick finger probing his hole. "My Daddy! I will always come for you. You belong with me always. I know you have work, but you also have a very needy mate at home."

"Yes, baby. My needy boy. My sweet mate."

Adam squeaked when Mal's thick finger entered him. He didn't know when or if he'd ever get used to Mal's digits or his massive cock. A part of Adam hoped he never would. Throwing himself back, Adam tried to take Mal's finger deeper. He was all for prep, but he needed to be filled.

"Patience, boy," Mal growled.

Fuck that! Didn't he just say how needy he was? Adam thrust back again. This time Mal's finger slid deep.

"Boy!" Mal growled. He smacked Adam's ass hard.

His entire body burned. Adam rode Mal's finger as he groaned loudly. "Again Daddy," he begged.

Mal squeezed his ass cheek. "Does my boy like that?"

"Please!"

Mal squeezed, ran his claws down Adam's cheek, then smacked him again.

God! That was…that was…

Adam barely felt the second finger enter him while Mal smacked his ass a few more times. He was riding high on adrenaline and passion. He pushed back with all his might, wanting to be spread open wide. He timed his thrusts back with each strike of Mal's palm. Adam was on that very edge between pain and ecstasy.

"Come!" Mal demanded with one more slap.

Lifting his head, Adam yelled as his cock erupted. Mal had known. Had somehow felt that he'd needed that release.

He started to fall forward but Mal caught his hips. His fingers no longer inside Adam making Adam feel way too empty.

"Daddy," Adam whined. "More."

Mal chuckled in his ear as he held Adam up on his knees with Adam's back against Mal's front. "You can barely sit up."

Adam wiggled his ass. "Nothing wrong with my hole. Please, Daddy. Please fill me up."

Mal's arm tightened around his waist, but that thick cockhead brushed against Adam's entrance.

"Yes!" Adam hissed.

"I got you," Mal promised. He pushed carefully inside Adam.

"Mmm," Adam hummed. He loved having Mal so deep inside him that it felt like Adam could keep him there forever.

"Let me do the work," Mal ordered. He gave a few small, short thrusts.

Like Adam would ever complain about that. He grinned. "Fuck me good, Daddy. Your boy missed you."

Mal jerked against him, and those gentle thrusts grew harder.

Adam mentally chuckled. He had his Daddy's number.

Mal's cock brushed over Adam's prostate as he nuzzled Adam's neck.

Adam jerked. His cock hardened again. Okay, maybe they had each other's numbers.