17. Gabe

17

GABE

There’s something flaming on my doorstep when I open the door to head out for work.

“Van? Do you know what this is?” I call out. “Is it a demon ritual of some sort?”

He joins me with duster in hand, and he looks over my shoulder. “Fuck. Don’t touch it.”

“What is it?” I squat to get a closer look. It appears to be a disk with something written on it, but I don’t know the language.

“A calling card of a demon I pissed off in the Hellrealm.”

My stomach twists. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I may have humiliated him in the ring.”

“Ring?” I cock a brow.

“Fighting ring. Was the only way I could stay hidden from Poe.”

“Not following.” I stand to meet his gaze.

“The short of it…. I needed a charm to keep me hidden when I got summoned to my crossroads, so I hired a Hellwitch to make the charm but didn’t have money, so I was their pit fighter for the last year before Poe found me. Never lost. I imagine someone wants a rematch and finally discovered where I am.” Van looks around. “Got any salt? It’ll neutralize the magic and make it safe to touch.”

I rush to the kitchen to grab the salt shaker from the cabinet. “All I got.”

“It’ll do.” Van unscrews the top and pours it over the disk, making it sputter until the flames go out. “Still, don’t touch it.” He nudges it with his toe. “I’m coming with you to work today.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Probably?” He shrugs. “It could be a prank, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Smart. Tell me about these fights?”

“Not much to say. It’s like dog fights, but with demons and Hellwitches instead of animals. Some were fights to the death, but I never participated in those because my Hellwitch wanted me alive to keep fighting.”

“You don’t think it’s the Hellwitch wanting you back?”

“Nah. He was satisfied with my performance and wouldn’t come after me. I more than paid for the charm.”

I nod as I press a hand to his chest. “I haven’t seen you wear a charm.”

“Poe took it,” Van grinds his teeth. “When he sent me to Hex.”

“Which wasn’t a bad thing, right?” I ask, tugging on his shirt to pull him down.

“No, it wasn’t.” He presses his lips to mine, and I melt into his embrace. His tail wraps around my arm. “You’re the best thing to come out of all this. Well, and I think Wick isn’t so angry at me anymore.”

“I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask.” But never felt right asking.

“I’ll answer you anything.”

“What caused you to start breaking the crossroads rules?”

A hint of a smile lifts his lips. “Someone picked on Wicky and I lost it. We’re not allowed to fight among ourselves, but I was eleven, Wick was four. Some asshole a few years older than me started mocking Wick and his feathered wings. While we joke that he may be part angel, we don’t mock him for it. Feathers don’t mean angels.”

“It does for me.” I kiss him again.

“And I’m happy for it.” Van picks up the disk from the doorstep and pockets it. “When that asshole started mocking Wick, I saw red. He may have been two feet taller than me, but I wasn’t backing down. Poe had to tear us apart. He told the asshole to stick to his age bracket in the creche or find himself at a crossroads. Haven’t seen him since, but I probably wouldn’t recognize him, anyway.”

“And you?”

“Oh, I got diaper duty.” Van sticks his tongue out and shakes out his hands. “Poe said it’d help me be calmer to be with the babies, but it didn’t work. I can’t deal with all the screaming and crying.”

“I can’t see you working with babies.” I snort at the image in my head. “Though if you put your mind to it?—”

“It’s a no from me. I don’t enjoy them at all.”

“My plants are my babies. I don’t think I’d do well with kids either. But I might change my mind in a few centuries.” I chuckle at the thought and his face. “Come on, I have to get to work.” I take his hand, but he pulls away.

“Let me just change into something else real quick. Won’t be long.” Van releases me and rushes to my room. He’s in a pair of jeans and a fresh t-shirt before I know it. I don’t know where he put the duster, but it doesn’t matter. “I love walking with you to work. Fresh air, stretch my legs. Being with you.” His tail claims my waist again, and I lean into him as we walk. “It’s really?—”

And he’s summoned again. Panic tries to set in. What if it’s the demon that wants to fight him? I don’t know where Van’s crossroads is to chase after him. Maybe Warwick will know. Or Pike.

I race to Flutter and Fangs and burst through the door, panting.

“Are you okay?” Lark asks as he rushes to my side.

“Van. Van’s crossroads. Do any of you know where it’s at?”

Pike swallows from the bar. “We’re forbidden from knowing exactly which crossroads is assigned to who. I still don’t know, and I’ve been released from my crossroads.”

“Shit.”

I spin, looking for Wick, finding him with Frankie on the far couch.

“What’s wrong?” Wick says when I reach him.

“There’s someone after Van and I’m worried they summoned him to fight.”

Wick goes pale. “Let me… Let me go search for him.” And he disappears.

“I’m being silly, aren’t I?” I ask Pike and Lark.

Lark takes my hands. “No. You’re worried.” He looks to Pike. “It’s understandable with how you feel about him.”

“We enjoy each other’s company,” I say, knowing in my heart it’s more than that.

Lark cocks a pink brow at me. “Don’t lie to yourself. You’re in love. We’ve seen the way you look at each other. You have heart eyes more than not.”

“He’s nothing like anyone says he is. No one’s given him a chance to just be Van. He’s on edge most of the time, but it’s so subtle no one would know if they weren’t looking for it. I just… Van’s amazing.”

Pike laughs. “I know, but he’s stubborn as fuck.”

“That too.” My cheeks heat at the naughty thoughts of his cock, and his mouth on mine.

“Your mind is in the gutter, isn’t it?” Lark asks.

“Deep in the gutter,” I say. “I can’t get enough of his lips.”

“That’s tame.” Pike huffs.

“We’re in polite company,” I say, making Lark laugh.

Lark waves at Pike. “This demon is not polite company. He’ll talk about sex all day if we let him. Ever since he became an incubus.”

“Has Van shown you that tail thing he does?” Wren, Lark’s older brother, comes from the kitchen with a chicken finger hanging from his mouth. “Nothing like that tail thing he does.” He brushes his long white hair over his shoulder. “Sorry for the late notice.” He pulls the chicken from his mouth and tugs Lark in for a hug. Wren’s bigger than Lark, taller, more muscles, but it’s obvious they’re brothers.

“I wouldn’t say you gave any notice, but I’m happy to see you this week,” Lark says.

“And you’re eating more of my food,” Pike grumbles.

Wren drops a few coins from the Fae lands on the countertop. “I’m paying this time, see ?” He winks at Pike who rolls his eyes.

“Wait. Do you know where Van’s crossroads is?” I ask Wren.

“Sorry, I don’t. We fucked around in the bathroom a few times and never even left the bar.”

“Didn’t need to know that,” Lark deadpans.

“Well, now you do. Where’s that kitty cat boy? We have a D appointment.”

“Sparkle isn’t in yet,” Pike says.

“Then I’ll wait.” Wren hops over the bar top and slides onto a stool. “Don’t have any courtesan duties for three days. I plan to make the most out of them.”

There’s a sizzle behind me.

“I can’t find him.” There’s panic in Warwick’s voice. He paces. “But that doesn’t mean anything. I won’t be able to find him if he’s at his crossroads.”

I pace with him. “So I shouldn’t worry?”

“Not yet.”

“I don’t know that I’ll be able to concentrate until I see him again.”

Lark waves at Frankie’s couch. “Go sit with Frankie.”

“I can’t?—”

The door opens and in strolls Van. I rush to his side and pat him down, making him laugh. “What’s wrong, angel?” He brushes hair from my eyes and I can’t stop looking him over, making sure every piece of him is still there.

“I was worried. You just told me about someone that wants to fight you, then you disappeared. I thought maybe they summoned you.”

He wraps me in his arms and pulls me close. I burrow as close as I possibly can.

“Sorry I scared you.” Van’s voice is so gentle as he caresses my back.

I shake my head. “I may have overreacted.”

We stand there until I feel like I can breathe again, and I suck in his scent.

“I got you, Gabe.”

We have an audience, and I don’t care. At least until the door opens and in strolls Domhnall, of all people.

“Lookie here,” he says. “You’re still alive.”

Warwick charges the gargoyle before he can say anything else.

“Wick, don’t,” Van shouts and Wick stops short of attacking. “What do you want Domhnall? All you do is antagonize us. Why don’t you?—”

Domhnall throws something at Van. It looks suspiciously like the disk from earlier. Van spins, so it hits him in the back.

“Shoren says hi,” Domhnall says before he saunters back out of the bar.

“Who is Shoren?” Pike growls as he jumps over the counter.

“Don’t touch me.” Van tries to see what Domhnall threw at him, but can’t.

“Salt,” I shout.

“Fuck,” Van says. “Shoren’s issued a challenge. I can’t not accept.”

“You can reject him,” I say as Lark hands me a shaker of salt. I pour over the disk until the flames go out and it drops off him.

“No, he can’t.” Pike picks up the disk. “What did you do in the Hellrealm, Van?”

“What I had to, to survive.” Van snarls and snatches the disk. He snaps it in two, sparking a flame in the air. “I accept your challenge. Meet me in the cornfield between here and the farmhouse. One hour.” The flame glows red and snuffs out.

“What have you done?” Pike asks again.

“I’m keeping everyone safe. When I take him out, he won’t bother anyone ever again.”

“Please, don’t,” I beg him. “I don’t want to— can’t lose you.”

“You won’t. I’ve never lost a fight yet.”

“Van. Walk away. Please.” Say no.

“I have to prepare.”

I don’t chase after him when he leaves, but Wick and Wren disappear. Hopefully to talk sense into him. My legs threaten to buckle. “He doesn’t need to do this. He doesn’t.” I shake my head.