2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Sammy

T his coffee is amazing. Staying in a house with a proper coffee machine is incredible. Going back to instant granulated crap is going to be hard, so I really hope they don't get fed up with me for a while.

This kitchen is nice too. All bright and airy, with posh wooden counters. Fancy, like the rest of the house. It truly is lovely here. The house and the people. Easily the best place I've ever stayed, and that makes pissing Blue off even more terrible because not only do I feel shitty for upsetting him, I don't want to jeopardize my place here.

Pink walks in and flashes me a bright smile as he heads for the coffee machine. For a moment, his beauty takes my breath away. Not as badly as Blue's did, but still disconcerting. Which is stupid because I need to get used to it. I'm living with the seven most beautiful men on the planet. I mean, they used to belong to the richest man on Earth, and that scumbag searched the globe for only the very best for his perverted collection. So, of course, they are all absolutely stunning.

It's quite something living amongst the freed harem boys. I thought I'd be more pissed off about no longer being the prettiest in any room, but actually I'm finding it hugely relieving. And doesn't that just hint at a whole heap of trauma that I'm never unpacking .

"You alright?" asks Pink as he sits beside me with his mug of coffee.

"Yeah, just feeling a bit shit for upsetting Blue," I confess.

Pink's eyes flash with surprise. "You got to meet him? He swam up to you?"

"Yeah," I grin.

My stomach is feeling all tingly at that thought. I guess I'm proud that the notoriously shy boy approached me.

"What happened?"

I sigh. "We were chatting, I introduced him to ABBA. It was all going great. Then I jumped in the deep end and he swam away without a word."

"Did he not want you in his pool?" Pink asks with a frown.

"I asked first."

Pink's frown disappears and is replaced by a furrowed brow. He takes a sip of his coffee. He seems as mystified as me, which is making me feel better. At least I know I'm not being a complete idiot and missing the blatantly obvious.

"Maybe ask Lello to find out what's going on, when he gets back from holiday?" suggests Pink.

That's actually not a bad idea. Out of all the boys, Lello is the one closest to Blue. I wonder if it has anything to do with them both being water creatures? Or simply because Lello is a little ball of sunshine and if he chose you to be his friend, there would be no way of getting out of it?

Maybe I should try that tactic with Blue?

Suddenly, all the hairs on the back of my neck are rising. I turn my head to look behind me and sure enough, Gray has prowled into the kitchen.

"Hi," I say a little shakily.

He stands utterly motionless and gives me a long, searching look with those impossibly dark eyes of his. Then he silently drifts towards the coffee machine.

I shiver. It's unfair of me, but Gray gives me the creeps. I mean, he is an actual fricking demon and all, but I think it's more that I saw him eating people. Admittedly, it was people who were going to hurt me, but I still don't think that makes me a baby for finding it unsettling. Besides, Gray was helping me as a favor to Mal. It's not like he is fond of me or anything.

Quite the opposite, in fact. Mal said Gray had been jealous of me. He thought I was Mal's lover. Which, eew, no thank you. I don't see Mal that way at all. And I think Gray understands that now, but it is still rather unsettling to have a demon potentially seeing you as competition.

I watch him warily as he moves from the coffee machine and to the hob and starts frying bacon. Perfectly normal morning activities. Nothing to get freaked out about.

I turn back to my coffee, but Pink flashes me an all too knowing grin. He knows Gray freaks me out and he finds it amusing. Little shit.

I stick my tongue out at him, and he chuckles.

A warm, tingly feeling fills my chest. I have a friend. Several friends, in fact. People who know me, talk to me, seem to like me. People who know what I am and don't care. They don't call me a whore or a hole. Nobody here wants to fuck me, which is frankly a little insulting, but also deeply, truly wonderful.

For the first time I can remember, I can breathe. I don't have to watch my back. I can be myself.

It's going to be awful when they ask me to go.

My brooding is interrupted by Gray sliding a plate of sizzling bacon in front of me. I stare up at him in confusion.

"Eat," he says.

Okay, I'm going to opt for doing what the scary demon says. And, hello? Bacon. I'd be crazy to say no to that anyway.

I keep my eyes fixed on Gray as I gingerly pick up a piece and start eating. He watches me chew for a few long minutes and then nods and strolls away with his own plate of bacon and two cups of coffee.

When I'm completely sure he is gone, and way out of earshot, I turn to Pink.

"What the hell was that about?"

Pink chuckles and sips his coffee. I glare at him until he relents.

"Mal's like your adopted dad, right?" he says.

I snort. "Grandpa, more like."

"Point is, he took you in and looked after you?"

"Yeah," I admit.

What has this got to do with bacon? I'm so confused right now.

"Gray and Mal are mated now," says Pink carefully, as if explaining something to a small child.

I huff my annoyance. "Yeah, I know that. Marriage for paranormals with added magic shit."

Pink shakes his head at me, but he is still smiling. "Well now, you're Gray's kid too."

My jaw drops. All the way to the floor by the feel of it. And I swear my eyes are bugging out. What the actual hell? This cannot be happening.

"You're saying I have a twink demon step-dad?"

Pink nearly spits out his coffee everywhere. He laughs until he has to wipe tears away from his eyes.

"Looks like it," he wheezes.

Well, fuck my life.