Chapter 6Nix

6

Nix

T he days and nights were boring when someone's mean (and sad—oh so very sad) contract didn't allow for any fucking. Especially the nights.

So. Very. Boring.

Dawn creeping up through the apartment's windows was the most glorious thing Nix had ever seen, and even then Ivan didn't come out of his room for another hour.

His locked room.

True to his word, that Ivan. Even after his little display at the desk the other night, he'd been locking his door every single night when he went to bed, like Nix was the boogeyman and Ivan needed protection from him.

Nix could have broken the lock, of course, but if dear Vanya felt the need to guard himself against little ol' Nix, then so be it.

The human had still cracked, with or without Nix's help.

He'd kissed Nix .

And true, there hadn't been any tongue or groping or any of the fun extras Nix so very much enjoyed, but it had still been mouth to mouth. Nix hadn't expected such an advance for another week or two, at least.

Thank the Book for vodka.

Although, Nix had a feeling it had been less about the alcohol and more about the way Sergei's visit had split a fissure in Ivan's defenses. There had been real vulnerability there, after the stocky Russian had left.

But clearly Ivan hadn't been feeling as open in the aftermath. It had been almost two weeks now, and Ivan had kept Nix firmly at arm's length. He spent almost all his waking hours at the office, his crew of brutes coming in and out, and apparently Nix wasn't allowed.

Ivan claimed he needed to capitalize on the Carusos' downfall before other families swooped in and beat him to it, but it felt to Nix like he was stalling.

Ivan hadn't mentioned Sergei since that night, and Nix hadn't seen the betraying bastard around. He'd almost have liked to invite him over, if it meant Ivan would crack again. If it meant Ivan would touch him again.

Speak of the handsome devil.

Ivan clearly wasn't feeling any more open this morning. He came out of his room fully dressed, in another black suit that could have used a bit more tailoring. Did he have something against showing off that firm ass of his? Probably , Nix thought, on his back on the ugly white couch, one knee crossed over the other. Most likely Ivan thought firm asses weren't good for appearances .

"I'm heading to the office," Ivan said tersely the moment he entered the living room, knotting his tie without looking at Nix.

"And me?" Nix asked, already guessing the answer.

"You'll stay here." Ivan gazed coolly down at him, still somehow avoiding Nix's eyes. "I don't need any distractions today."

Nix made a face, but he was ignored. He sensed the Book on Ivan's person, the demonic energy radiating out from his suit jacket. Ivan had taken to transporting it back and forth between his office and the apartment ever since Sascha had brought it back to him.

"Why were you so intent on getting that back, anyway?" Nix asked, nodding to where Ivan was concealing the tome. "Sascha wouldn't have been able to summon another demon, you know."

"Alexei could." Ivan scowled at his own words, bitter as always at even the mention of his middle brother. "He already has a vampire, I don't need him adding another supernatural creature to his arsenal."

Nix sat up, tucking his legs under him. "Your brother has a vampire?" he asked eagerly.

He half expected Ivan to tell him to mind his own business, but Ivan answered, "He does. A strange excuse for one though. He was…small." Ivan rubbed at his neck, on the opposite side from where Nix's lovely hickey had been before it had faded. "But still strong."

"What a fascinating family you have."

Ivan's only answer was a sneer of disgust.

Touchy, touchy.

"And what do I do while you're gone?" Nix asked, already bored with whatever answer Ivan was going to give him.

Ivan's cool blue gaze finally met his. "You'll behave."

He really liked that word, didn't he? Nix narrowed his eyes at him. "And how am I supposed to complete our contract when you leave me behind at every opportunity?"

But Ivan was already heading to the elevator. One silly little kiss and he was fleeing like Nix was some sort of toxic waste .

Humans were so fragile .

Nix waited until that firm ass was shut behind elevator doors before he decided to amuse himself with a more thorough search of Ivan's bedroom. He'd been mostly entertaining himself with human television, but he was beyond bored with that now.

In his second go-around, he hit pay dirt, pressed against the back of Ivan's bedside table drawer. A photo of an older man—pale-blond hair buzzed short, tattoos peeking out from under his sleeves—with what was undoubtedly a teenaged Ivan, looking painfully young and painfully miserable.

This must be the father, then. Nix studied him, but not much could be revealed by a photo. He was looking straight at the camera, as expressionless as adult Ivan could be. His mouth was pressed in an unforgiving line, and he had a tight hand clenched on young Ivan's shoulder.

Nix was tempted to tear the photo in half, to separate the two of them before the father's damage could take. But it was only a photo—what good would that do?

Instead he sneered at it, as haughty as he could manage. "I'm going to fix what you broke," he whispered, low and mean.

He froze, cross-legged on the floor by Ivan's bed, stopped short by his own words. Why was he so determined to help Ivan? Nix could easily coast here, allow the contract to keep him in the human realm without going to any extra lengths for his so-called master. He didn't have to listen to all Ivan's orders, as long as Nix's actions weren't directly harmful and didn't actively work against the goals of their contract.

Nix could have gone out any of these past nights and immersed himself in lust, if he'd really wanted. Could have fucked any human he wished.

But he hadn't wanted, not after that kiss. For all that it had been dry and brief, it had still been…real .

Nix was never allowed real. It was all about illusion, about veils upon veils of fantasy and want. Nix used different clothes, different forms, different personalities, even, shifting each to fit what the contract needed. Sometimes it wasn't even about any form Nix took at all—sometimes he was aiding in building desire between two humans, or aiding a human in finding any spark of desire inside themselves at all.

And Nix had always liked that fine—he didn't need it to be about him, not when it all still allowed him to feast on a hearty meal.

But it was different here. Nix hadn't used any illusions with Ivan, and Ivan still wanted Nix. He didn't want to want him, maybe, but he did. And that was a whole new level of interesting.

And then there was the way Nix could feel Ivan's soul piece in his chest, somehow heavier and more intoxicating than any soul piece he'd had before. He could feel all the hurt and bitter pockets of regret weighing it down, even as he could taste the sharp tang of Ivan's essence, delicious as anything Nix had ever tasted before.

There was so much potential there, with Ivan's inner strength, his self-control, his air of command. He could be great, even, if tended to properly.

And what does one human's potential matter to you?

The answer should have been nothing. And yet…

What would Ivan's soul taste like if Nix could heal even a fraction of those hurts?

Nix pictured the stretch of Ivan's neck in the town car, taut and vulnerable. His bleary blinking and shaky legs, stinking of vodka and regret after Sergei's visit. The tug of his hand in Nix's hair and the dry press of his lips.

It was all…enticing. Too enticing for a demon like Nix to even hope to resist.

It would be nice to have someone to discuss it with though. Repression might have been Ivan's bread and butter, but it wasn't Nix's. This was the best gossip about himself he'd had in centuries, and he had only his own hollow head to repeat it in. He didn't have a way to reach Kai, even if Kai were willing to talk with him about such things. He didn't have a way to reach Ivan, either, for that matter.

He needed one of those pocket phone things.

In the meantime…

Nix placed the photo back carefully, speaking to the only person who might be paying attention. "Are you watching, Chaos?" he asked, aiming his question at the wall across from him. "I would be, if I were you." Nix let out a long breath. "I think you'd like it here. I think you'd like it a whole lot."

He'd been thinking that, as he and Ivan had ridden in the town car that first time. The claustrophobic crush of traffic, the din of angry honking, the swarming mass of humans on the sidewalk. Chaos would have loved it all.

Nix rested his head on his raised knees. "We need to find someone to summon you."

He'd never tried to coordinate someone else's summoning before, but Nix wanted his friend back. They'd spent too long in the Void together to never see each other again. And maybe he also wanted to see what would happen. Chaos was sweet but…feral. Unhinged, even for a demon. Contract or no contract, he wouldn't have followed silly commands like Ivan's "wait for me while I go to the office" nonsense.

Nix flicked his tail, thumping it against the hardwood. And why should he follow silly commands either? It wasn't like he was of any use hanging around here.

He stood, changing back into his human form as he did so. He changed his outfit while he was at it, switching out his current sheer shirt for something soft and silky.

Ivan was a tactile man, after all .

Nix took the elevator down to the ground floor, finding the same doorman he usually did in the mornings. He waltzed up to him. "Hello, there," he said, grinning when the doorman's eyes widened at his approach. "What's your name?"

"Carl, sir."

"Mm. And how do you like working for Mr. Kozlov, Carl?" Nix was taking a stab that the man was employed by Ivan directly and not the building. Or the more likely case, which was that Ivan owned the building altogether.

"I enjoy it very much, sir."

That was a lie. But Nix didn't sense anything nefarious underneath it. No twisted plots or conflicting loyalties. Most likely the guy just thought Ivan was a bit of a dick. Or he hated his job in the normal way most people did, without wanting their boss literally dead.

Neither a rat nor a mole. See? Nix was useful as hell. Ivan didn't even know just how useful Nix could be.

Ivan didn't know who to trust? Nix could tell him. Being an incubus was about understanding people, after all. Nix didn't have to read minds to know when someone was lying.

This doorman was in the clear. Although, he couldn't possibly be working twenty-four hours a day. Nix cocked his head. "How many others share your position?"

"Um. Two, sir."

"And when do you change shifts?"

"Seven, three, and eleven."

Nix would have to investigate the other two at a later date, then. He patted Carl's chest, straightening the man's lapel while he was at it. "Very good. Call me a car, Carl. I'm headed to the office."

Nix was a little surprised to see the same driver as the day before pull up. He would have thought the man was assigned to Ivan alone.

He slid into the back seat anyway, immediately leaning in close to stick his head practically through the partition. "Hey, Oleg darling! Why aren't you with the big bad boss?"

"Orders. If you need driving, I take call," Oleg told him, his Russian accent obvious now that he was speaking more than two words at a time.

"Oh my. Ivan designated a driver for little ol' me?" Nix fluttered his lashes. "He's a sweetheart, isn't he?"

Oleg coughed, then cleared his throat, steering the car into the flow of traffic. "As you say."

Nix grinned, opening his senses and cocking his head to study the driver. "And how long have you been driving for him?"

"Since he was little boy." Oleg gave a small smile. "Car was not as nice then."

"And what did you think of the father?"

A sharp tongue of fear licked out from Oleg, as well as the teeniest, tiniest tendril of hate, even as his expression gave nothing away. "He was…firm leader."

A man who knew how to keep his mouth shut. But Nix wasn't above a little prodding. "Not very nice to his sons, though, huh?"

There was a long silence before Oleg spoke, his voice flat. "No. Not very nice."

Nix sat back, satisfied for the moment. Whatever his feelings for the father, there was no treachery in Oleg's veins. There was even the advantage of the little bit of sympathy he clearly still held for young Ivan.

Nix smiled to himself. That was two people accounted for, at least, among however many. Nix really needed a more efficient method though. He crossed his legs, tapping a finger against his mouth. He needed Ivan to call a meeting, perhaps. To gather a large host of his men all at once.

What Nix needed, really, was for Ivan to use him properly.

Nix's brain immediately flashed back to the images he'd seen in Ivan's head before. The naughty, naughty images, all of Nix.

He smirked to himself, rubbing his hands against the soft leather of the town car's seats. Ohhh yes. What he wouldn't give for Ivan to use him properly.

Nix blew Oleg a kiss as he hopped out of the car in front of Ivan's office building. He waved to the security guard as he walked on through. He'd need to investigate the man on the way out, but he didn't want to give him a chance to warn Ivan of Nix's arrival and get Nix barred from entry, in case Ivan was still feeling testy.

There was already someone waiting at the elevator, a young man a few inches shorter than Nix, made even more so by his hunched posture. His tawny mop of hair was clearly in need of a cut, and he was fiddling with the strings of the worn hoodie he was wearing, strings that were already frayed, looking like they'd been chewed on more than once.

Nix sidled up next to him. "Going up?"

The young man shot a startled glance toward Nix, his glasses glinting under the fluorescents.

It was Nix's turn to startle—the human's eyes were two different colors. One brown, one green. It was striking, even behind the layer of his glasses.

Nix was quick to compose himself. It was rude to stare, even if it was for nice reasons. He gave the stranger a smile instead. "Well, aren't you lovely?"

He would be too, if he was polished up a bit. He'd be, at the very least, a very fine cutie.

The young man immediately looked down at his feet again. "Uh—"

The elevator arrived, saving him from coming up with a reply. Nix shot him a wink as they stepped in together. He wanted to ask the man's name, but the anxiety rolling off him would have been palpable even if Nix hadn't been a demon.

He was shy, to say the least. Shy to the point of real apprehension.

And he'd hit the button for the top floor, so they were both heading for Ivan's office. Nix would find out who he was soon enough anyway.

Nix gave a little bow when the elevator stopped. "After you."

The man shuffled in front of him, shooting him a glance every now and then over his shoulder. He was acting stiffly enough that Nix might have thought him a threat, but there was no malice coming off him. He was just a naturally nervous little creature.

Cute butt though.

Nix darted in front of him right when they got to Ivan's door, waltzing through so he was the first thing Ivan saw.

He was at his desk, predictably, his tie gone and his top buttons unbuttoned. Nix could immediately sense the Book in the room. The demonic energy was now radiating out from one of Ivan's desk drawers.

Ivan looked up with a scowl, though he didn't seem too surprised to see Nix. "What are you doing here—"

"You have a visitor," Nix interrupted. He stepped aside with a flourish to reveal his new friend behind him.

Ivan's scowl dropped, his expression neutral once more. "Cooper," he greeted, not seeming surprised to see his new guest either.

Ah. The cousin. Nix turned to Cooper with new interest. It was hard to see any family resemblance, and the darker coloring was only part of it. Ivan closely resembled his father—maybe Cooper was connected to the mother's family?

Cooper stared down at his own feet, even as he addressed Ivan. The anxiety radiating off him thickened. "You needed me?" he asked, barely above a mumble.

Ivan tapped at his desk with one finger. "We have two people who need identification."

"Fake IDs?"

"Not enough. We need thorough documentation of their existence. Enough for travel, residency…whatever they might require. And it needs to come from nothing."

Cooper looked up from his feet then, apparent interest breaking through his reserve. "Social security cards, even?"

Ivan nodded. "Can you do it?"

"Uh, sure." Cooper tugged at the strings of his hoodie, biting his lip in thought. "I need approximate ages. Photos."

"I can get you those." Ivan pushed the pile of ledgers on his desk toward them. "And I need these digitized."

Nix came closer, stepping between them and watching as Cooper gathered the ledgers. He knocked his hip against the desk drawers, catching Cooper's attention. "You missed one."

"Oh. Um, thank you." Cooper grabbed blindly, adding the last of it to his pile and hugging them against his chest.

Ivan cleared his throat. "This is Nix, my new assistant. He's one of the ones needing ID."

Cooper met Nix's eyes fully for the first time for the briefest instant before he looked away again. "You, um, have a preference for your birthday?"

What a sweetheart. Nix winked at him. "Whatever you think best, Cooper, darling."

Ivan gave Nix's hip a smack. "Don't flirt with Coop. He can't handle your teasing."

Nix simpered at him. "Not like you, Vanya."

Cooper's eyes widened, his gaze flashing between them. Ivan only grunted, as if in annoyance, but his arm darted out, tugging Nix away from Cooper and into his side .

Nix leaned into the touch easily, sitting halfway on the arm of Ivan's chair, happy to play along with any little show of dominance Ivan might desire.

Ivan tilted his head to the door. "That'll be all, Coop."

Nix waggled his fingers. "Bye, Coop. So lovely to make your acquaintance."

Cooper ducked his head back into his hoodie and walked out the door without another word.

Nix clucked his tongue. "Poor baby. He's terrified of you."

"Coop's scared of everyone. Social anxiety or some bullshit. He prefers his screens to people."

"That's a shame." Nix brushed Ivan's pale hair back from his face. "He's a cutie."

Ivan grabbed his hand and held it still. "Behave."

"Why should I?" Nix asked, tugging his hand back and leaning in closer instead. If he slid over just a smidge, he'd be on Ivan's lap.

Ivan still had an arm wrapped around Nix's middle, his fingers toying with the hem of Nix's shirt, even as he frowned up at him. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I missed you."

"Likely story."

"Your doorman and your driver are loyal," Nix told him, deciding to be helpful even if Ivan was being difficult again. "Same with Coop there."

Ivan's eyes gleamed with interest. "You can tell?"

"I can tell. I read people. I'm useful, Ivan." Nix smirked. "So use me."

"Mm." Ivan dropped hold of Nix's shirt, and his thumb began stroking against Nix's hip instead.

Nix cocked his head. Something had cracked again, at some point during their brief time apart this morning. Nix's human was open in a way he hadn't been earlier.

Really, a person could get whiplash from the back-and-forth .

Or he could take advantage, and wedge himself into every little opening offered.

That sounded like more fun.

Nix lowered his head until his mouth was a hair's breadth from Ivan's. "Did I do good, boss?" he murmured. "How about a reward for behaving so well?" He licked his lips, fighting back a giggle when Ivan's thumb immediately paused its stroking, Ivan's gaze fixed on his mouth. "Perhaps another kiss?"