Fifteen

Fifteen

JACE

I pull my BMW up to a deserted bus station at the edge of town, narrowing my eyes as I put the car in Park. The blue and white awning over the front entrance is sun bleached and ripped to shreds. What used to be a glass door is boarded up with plywood and cracked open. The only redeeming quality about this place is the neon-colored graffiti marking the dingy exterior, the purple and green horned demon with a pointed tail being my favorite of the edgy art pieces.

"You're sure this is it?" I ask.

"Yep," Desi says, looking down at her phone and the instructions she got from the medium yesterday.

"If this isn't some seedy shit, I don't know what is," I grumble, jabbing my finger against the ignition button.

"At least it isn't the last stall of a rest stop in the middle of nowhere. That's how Mandis, Glen, and I came in."

I wrinkle my nose as we get out of the car and unload our two suitcases. "Disgusting. I do not like the sound of that. In fact, that would have been when I bailed."

"Yeah, you would've had a meltdown for sure," she teases, bumping me with her hip. She looks up at me, and in the predawn light, her freckled face is pinched with worry. "Hey, are you okay? You sure you still want to do this?"

"I'm scared as hell, but I trust you. This'll be fine."

I'm not lying. I do trust her.

But I'm putting on the bravest face I can because I don't want her to think I'm a coward. My anxiety already puts me at a disadvantage, keeping me from the social events and experiences that it seems every guy my age has. Others see it as weakness. Something I should just get over. I say screw that; it's pure self-preservation.

I dread panic attacks—the anxiety over feeling anxious. The tight feeling in my chest and the fight to take my next breath. Sometimes I think I'm on the verge of death when it crashes down on me. I drown in a sea of hypothetical scenarios, each growing worse as my mind spirals. Sometimes I drift in the stormy waters for hours. Desi was my lifeline the other night. She eased me back to the surface and stayed with me until I caught my breath. Not once did she make me feel like less for losing control.

"Will it help if I explain what's about to happen?" she asks, holding her hand out to me. Her slender fingers wiggle, urging me to take hold.

Butterflies. Goddamn butterflies beat their wings in my stomach and my palms become sweaty. For fuck's sake, Wilder. Get it together. You've held her hand in public before. You've danced with her in front of a big crowd while they all watched and applauded. What's the big deal now?

But that was before.

Before we locked eyes through our bedroom windows and crossed whatever invisible line we'd drawn.

Forget crossing the line. We'd obliterated it.

But I agreed to go with her to her home realm and convince her family that I want to be her eternal partner. If I can't even hold her hand in an abandoned parking lot, I'm definitely going to fail.

And I will not fail her. Not when she's come through for me every single time.

I wipe my palm on my jeans and slide my hand into hers. The second she touches me, my mounting worry slowly recedes. She grounds me to the here and now. I fall into step with her as we walk toward the bus station.

"Do you want me to explain it?" she asks again.

"Yeah, it will help. Kill the element of surprise."

"The medium is like a ticket agent. Their job is to make sure no one enters or leaves this realm without being approved. They're like the guardians of the gates."

"Does this medium need to think we're together too?"

Desi nods. "Yeah. All the mediums think as one being. If one of them realizes we're faking it, all of them will. And it could get back to my father."

"Wait, one being? What do you mean?"

"Think of it like this: the mediums all share one conscience, they share thoughts, function as one. Don't let them fool you—they may look human, but they aren't."

I just shake my head as we enter the station; I have no idea what to say to that. Inside, everything is covered in dust—the counter, the linked plastic chairs in the waiting area, even the floor. We leave a trail of footprints as we walk through it, kicking up particles that catch the light. Desi guides me to a dark hallway in the back of the building. An exposed lightbulb hangs in the middle of the ceiling, with two steel doors on either side of the hallway. A hum of electricity comes from behind one, while the other is silent.

She nods to the quiet room, and I open the door. Bright light greets us along with a curvaceous blond wearing a low-cut shirt. The blond sits behind an oak desk with a large computer screen. They smack on a piece of gum and examine their pink, talon-like nails. "Can we help you?" they ask.

"I need to return to Infernis," Desi says, and for the first time, her tone carries the air of a royal.

Their big brown eyes framed with false lashes ping-pong between us. "Papers."

Desi digs out her identification and hands it to them. They set to work, pulling up her credentials on their computer, their nails clicking on the keyboard.

I lean in and drop my voice, saying, "Demons have passports?"

"How else would they identify angels and demons?"

"Of course," I murmur and wonder what other wild discoveries await me.

The medium returns the identification card. "It says here that you have clearance to bring one human with you. Is this him?"

"It is," Desi brightly says, holding up our clasped hands between us.

"You know the rules, he must return to this realm in two days." They turn their attention to me. "This is your one and only chance to visit outside your realm while you are alive. Anything you see beyond this point must be presented as a dream or a near-death experience when speaking with other humans."

"Yes, Desi explained everything to me," I say, recalling the hours she spent giving me a crash course in Infernis customs and traveling between realms.

"All right, if you will follow us this way, we'll open the portal for you."

The medium opens a tall, steel cabinet. At first glance it appears to be storage for mops and brooms. But when they wave their hand, the cleaning supplies vanish. "Enjoy your stay in beautiful Infernis."

Desi looks at me expectantly, and I sweep my arm out in front of me, delaying my entrance to the . . . portal for as long as possible. "After you," I say. "I insist."

Desi's bottom lip disappears between her teeth, and I know she's trying to keep herself from laughing as she steps inside the cabinet, holding her hand out to me.

"Come on, handsome. It's a tight fit in here, so it's a good thing you like me." She gives me a wink and pulls me flush against her. "Hi," she murmurs, sliding her arms around my waist, her fingertips slipping just under the hem of my shirt to graze my bare skin.

"Hello," I reply, hoping she doesn't notice the tremble in my voice. It's difficult to keep my wits about me with her proximity and the feel of her skin on mine. I place my hands on her hips, doing my best to not let them wander. But she is so soft and warm in my arms. And when our gazes connect for a split second, I swear there's fire in her eyes. Damn, I want to know what that burn feels like.

"No monkey business unless you're a two-pump chump. It's not a long ride," the medium says before closing the door.

Everything around us goes pitch black, and my stomach flutters like I'm being dropped. I grip Desi as tightly as I can without being too rough, but when bright multicolor bursts flash all around us like stars exploding in a night sky, I groan as my stomach starts to turn.

I drop my head to her shoulder. "What are those? Stars?"

Desi's voice is quiet and calm. "The energies of angels and demons. The In-Between is their final resting place when they choose to end their time in Infernis or Pax." As though she senses my panic, she slides her hands up my spine and places her palms on the back of my head, rubbing my scalp slowly and gently. Just like she did the night I found out she was a demon and she found out I'm a ball of anxiety. So even in this moment when I feel like everything around me is impossibly overwhelming, she brings me back to a place of calm.

I lift my face and a sound that I can only describe as pure childlike wonder escapes my lips. I'm aware that I probably sound and look a little ridiculous as I gape at the spectacular sight around us. This is incredible. And I thought sci-fi movies had the best CGI. They have nothing on the In-Between.

With a shudder everything vanishes, giving way to a man in a suit. A toothy grin spreads under their well-trimmed mustache. "Welcome home, Princess Desideria."

"Thank you," she says, guiding me forward with a hand on my back. I look behind us, expecting to see a battered storage cabinet standing in the open. Instead, I find a free-standing, arched door at the curve of a horseshoe-shaped driveway.

"What happened to the ugly cabinet?" I whisper.

Desi laughs, and the sound is like wind chimes echoing over the breeze. "This is Infernis. We don't need to hide the portals."

"That makes sense," I say, trying to find anything that signals I'm no longer in my realm. Nothing is out of sorts. Grass, trees, a small creature scurrying up a trunk, we could be anywhere.

Desi lifts her bag but I wave her off, laying it sideways on top of my rolling suitcase. When I intertwine our fingers again, my skin tingles at the touch, and I swear I feel her shiver. But I don't look at her to confirm. I can't.

It's about to be a long two days.

She turns to the medium guarding the portal. "Did my father send transportation for us?"

They nod and gesture to the gilded carriage turning into the driveway. "There it is now."

When the driver hops out of the carriage, I take a step back. The creature is unlike anything I've ever seen before. It has a long tail and skin with a greenish hue. The demon is humanlike and at the same time not. It flashes Desi and me a smile, showing off two rows of pointed teeth, before loading our luggage.

Realizing I'm staring, I release a long breath and take in more of this new place. The stars shine brightly in the sky and the cool breeze rustles the red and orange leaves on the dogwood trees across the street. A quick hum of wonder vibrates in my throat.

"Are you okay?" Desi asks, her curls whipping around and nearly hitting me in the face.

"Yeah, it's just—" I struggle to put my thoughts into words. "I expected this place to look ridiculously different from home. But it doesn't. It's just . . . enhanced somehow, I don't know."

It's not the only thing that's enhanced. Ever since we stepped out of that portal something about Desi has been different. I've told her before that she's gorgeous, and I meant every word. But here? Here she's resplendent. Everything about her is brilliant and dazzling. Her hair, her eyes, her—

Desi laughs as the driver opens the back of the carriage and we step inside. "What, you mean because we are about to take a horse and buggy to the palace instead of a car like normal people? And yes, we do have cars. My father is just extra AF."

I smile at the human slang she has picked up since moving in with Cannon and me, attempting to focus on it instead of how radiant she is in the moon's glow. "You have cars. That's unexpected. Is it always night here?"

"It's not night. It's quarter 'til five in the morning. It only took us a few minutes to travel through the portal."

"Right. Does your Circle look like this?" I ask, watching the scenery pass by. Antique light posts and storefronts with hand-painted signs line the cobblestone street. It's like something out of a Charles Dickens novel.

"No. My father has a thing for nineteenth century New York. Each of my brothers has made modifications to their Circle to reflect their personal taste. Some are what humans consider futuristic and others very medieval."

I turn to Desi, interested in her answer to my next question. "Then what will your Circle look like?"

She smiles and leans her head back against the seat, not taking her eyes off me. "Honestly, I haven't let myself give it a lot of thought. I want my eternal partner to be able to help me decide so that he's happy too." She bites her lip, and that simple little action does something to me. Something that is going to make being close to her this weekend really damn difficult. "What do you think about a space-themed Circle? Or maybe something modern, like a graphic designer would envision?" She gives me a wink and I swallow hard, forcing myself to stay with the conversation.

"A Star Wars themed Circle?" I ask, keeping the mood light.

"It's possible."

"Wild." I shake my head, soaking in the architecture and flora outside the carriage window.

It isn't long before we're pulling up in front of what appears to be a palace. We climb out of the carriage, and my jaw just about hits the ground as I look up at the building looming in front of us. It's constructed with black and gray stone, with turrets and spires, and stained-glass windows depicting dark but oddly beautiful scenes from what must be Infernis's long and storied history. No doubt it has countless rooms inside, and I want Desi to take me on a tour of every single one.

"My god," I mutter, eyes scanning the massive home and everything around it. "This is incredible. This is where you grew up?"

The grin that spreads across Desi's face is wide and proud, and I know immediately the answer is yes.

"Wait until you see the inside." She grabs my hand, guiding me to the front steps. "Come on, handsome. Let's go meet the fam."

"Wait, wait. Desi?" I pull her back, nearly causing her to bump into me. "Am I underdressed? I feel like I need some tights and one of those ruffly dog collar things."

She snorts with laughter. "Hades, no. Trust me, no one wears tights. Much less a Shakespearean shirt."

"You know who Shakespeare is?"

She ignores my question. Her gaze travels up and down my body, taking in my tailored black slacks and the fitted no-tuck crimson button-down. "You're perfect, Jace."

Her compliment makes my insides do some weird melting thing. I'm not sure whether to fear the outcome or revel in the feeling. It's something to analyze later.

"Do I bow when I meet your mom and dad? Should I pledge my allegiance to hell? Will they expect a blood sacrifice at dinner?"

"You're stalling."

"I'm nervous."

She leans into me. "Have you never met a girl's parents before?"

"I have. My ex's mom hated me, and her dad barely acknowledged my existence. It was one of those moments I'll never forget and never want to experience again. Hence the no serious relationship rule."

It's the most I've ever shared with her about any of my previous relationships, and the curious way she looks at me shows that she recognizes that. "I see. Well, clearly, she wasn't the one for you." Nearly cutting off her own sentence, she quickly backpedals and continues, "Not implying I am, just saying—don't compare her rude-ass family to mine, because mine may be a bunch of literal demons, but they're awesome. Now come on."

She tugs me up the stairs and through the doors as the doorman . . . doordemon . . . doorbeing. What is a demon with a face like a warthog and the body of a jacked-up bodybuilder that opens doors called?

"You don't have to bow, a handshake will do. Don't pledge your allegiance to anything. And the blood sacrifice won't be necessary. Not until the third meal," she says with a playful wink.

We enter the foyer, and I crane my neck back to admire the enormous chandelier dripping with black and clear diamonds. We climb the imperial staircase and weave through hallway after hallway. I slow her down as I examine every painting hanging on the walls and ask questions about them. It isn't until we reach a pair of black doors with snarling gargoyle heads carved into the wood that I fall quiet except for one question.

"Is this your father's office?"

She lifts her fist, wiggles her eyebrows at me, and knocks. A muffled command comes from inside, and she opens the door. The chance to show my nervousness is over. From here on out, I am the man who has vowed to be Desi's eternal partner.

The king's study might be the closest depiction to what I pictured when Desi told me where she was from. The skulls of countless creatures act as bookends on the floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and I can't help but wonder if Desi's father has some sort of fixation with biology or anatomy and physiology. A fire burns in the onyx fireplace and mounted above the mantle is the stuffed head of some vicious-looking creature that I cannot identify. The room is terrifying, but it doesn't compare to the being sitting behind an ebony desk in a high-backed chair.

Desi's father is a beast, but not like the demons with sharp teeth and scaled skin roaming the halls of the palace. No. The ruler of Infernis is every blue-blooded man's worst nightmare when meeting a girl's dad. He is the biker gang leader, the Mafia crime lord, the overprotective father who will break every bone in my body if I hurt his little girl. He wears fighting leathers and a crown of bones rests on his shiny, bald head. He gazes at me with a murky green stare, assessing me from head to toe.

Desi urges me forward, saying, "Father, it's good to see you."

"Desideria, I'm pleased you're here, and not alone."

I freeze, fixated on the giant ax sitting in the center of his desk like a menacing paperweight.

Desi nudges me, breaking my trance. I lock eyes with her, and my heart stutters and restarts in my chest when I see the adoring, loving expression on her face. "It's good to be home, and I am especially happy to introduce you to Jace Wilder, my boyfriend." She says the words with such confidence, they roll off her tongue so easily, that I have to remind myself that this isn't real.

"Jace," the king of Demons says, extending his hand.

I tap into that reassurance Desi gives me with her touch and extend my hand, my fingers trembling. "Mister . . . Your Majesty . . . Lord . . ."

So much for playing it cool.

"Chaos. You may call me Chaos."

I finally make contact with his palm and my face is on fire. "It's nice to meet you, Chaos."

"You as well. I've had your room readied for you, and your luggage should already be there. Go ahead and get freshened up, I have a big day planned for us. My wife and I will take you and Desi to visit her Circle today. The boys will be here for dinner with their partners. I'm sure they'll get rowdy as they always do." He releases my hand from his iron hold, and I flex my fingers to get the blood moving again. "Desi, I was thinking you could spend tomorrow showing Jace your favorite spots in Infernis and let him get acclimated to the way demons do things."

"That sounds like a plan to me," Desi agrees, then looks at me. "What do you think?"

I give her an enthusiastic nod. "I'm ready to see more of this place already. The small amount of architecture I saw during the ride here was so diverse. The planning sessions for them must have been intense," I muse, sharing the thing that has intrigued me the most since arriving in this realm.

Desi laughs. "Jace is a graphic designer, so he's enthralled with all things art and design related."

Chaos raises a dark brow. "Well, he's in for a treat, then. We'll head out and show Jace more once you're both settled."

"All right. Ready, handsome?" Desi asks.

"Absolutely. Again, sir, it was great to meet you, and I can't wait to see more of your realm."

Chaos nods his dismissal and we leave his study. As soon as the doors shut behind us, I let out a huge breath. Desi grins, placing her hands on my biceps.

"You did so good!" she says, shaking me gently.

"Thanks. But that was the most terrifying meeting of my life. Did your dad have a huge ax lying on his desk?"

We turn and walk, and she snorts, saying, "Yeah, but usually it's strapped to his waist, so . . ."

"The hell equivalent of a dad with a shotgun. This is definitely scarier."

"It's just for looks."

A humorless chuckle escapes my mouth. "Sure it is."

After taking countless winding hallways and staircases, we finally stop at a door. When she opens it, the sensual aroma of jasmine and vanilla greets us. Embers crackle in the fireplace, casting a soft glow on the ivory flowers etched into the mantle. The plush white settee is angled to capture the light shining through the lace curtains framing the window and the warmth emanating from the fire. There are pops of deep purple thanks to the decorative pillows and the comforter covering the four-poster bed in the center of the room. The singular, king-sized bed.

"Fuck me running. This should be interesting," I say, running my hand over the back of my neck. I don't know why I assumed they would separate us. We're adults who are supposedly in a committed relationship.

Desi's face flushes and she busies herself with a loose string on the sleeve of her jacket. "I didn't think about the only having one bed thing. I can go see if I can find an empty bedroom to sneak you into; I just worry that someone will notice and think it's strange we aren't in the same place at night," she rambles, her skin getting redder and redder the more she speaks.

I know what she's thinking about, because I'm thinking about it too: the night we spent on the couch and what Lux had sensed the moment he entered the house. That was one night accidentally sharing the same space. Sharing a bed on purpose . . . every demon will sense my desire for her whether they have the power to scent lust or not.

"Or I can sleep on the settee. It's just not the most comfortable thing in the world and definitely not long enough for you," she continues, capturing my attention again.

"No way!" I'm surprised how quickly I speak. Wanting to play it cool, I sit on the mattress and bounce a couple of times like I'm testing it out. "We got this. It's just sleeping. That is unless your father has some high-tech security devices in here that will make sure we consummate the relationship."

"I don't—he wouldn't . . ."

"It's a joke, Desi. But if you're uncomfortable sharing a bed with me, I can sleep on the floor."

"I'm not uncomfortable! I mean, I don't mind sleeping with you . . . oh, kill me now," she groans, burying her face in her palms and sinking onto the bed next to me.

I wrap my arm around her and rub her back. "Shhh, you're fine. I can't imagine the stress you're under. Don't let it get to you. You're not in this alone. Granted, my track record for impressing parents is zero to one, but maybe I'll do better this time."

She drops her hands and smiles. "You already have. I can tell my dad likes you. I'm not worried about that for one second."

"I don't think that was hard to do. Your dad seemed overjoyed that you brought a real-life human man with you. I think the only requirement was a pulse."

"Not at all. If my dad thought you were a tool or a douche, he would've given me the look. I've seen it many times, trust me. As long as my mom likes you, you're in."

"No pressure at all." I think of the last mother I had to impress. That was the beginning of the end, the first sign that our relationship wouldn't withstand harder times. It should have been clear to me, but it was her mother who caught on first.

"Is there anything I should do to win her over?" I ask.

Desi thinks for a moment, and her face turns that pretty shade of pink again. "Treat me like a goddess you can't get enough of and show how much you adore me. My mother is a sucker for a great love story."

I run two fingers over my lips and look her up and down, no longer able to contain how attractive I find her. I mean, I shouldn't hold back, should I? Isn't that why we're here? To convince people we're together? I can play into all the reasons I'm attracted to Desi. It will be the truth and buy her the extra months she needs to find a real partner.

"I can handle that," I say.

Her hand next to mine on the bed twitches, and I hook my pinkie around hers. When I lift my head, she's gazing at me, and she inches closer until her other fingers slowly entwine with mine. "I have a feeling you'll be really good at this," she whispers.

"Is that so?" I say, but the words come out more like a growl, sending a heatwave through me that there is no way she can't feel. Every inch of me is going up in flames, and the only thing that will soothe the burn is pressing my body to hers, and not just in a ballroom at a dance in front of a crowd of hundreds. I need her naked, curvy body underneath me.

What is wrong with me?I'm doing her a favor, playing a game. I need to keep focused and not let my dick take control, no matter how much it reminds me that it would like just that. That door should remain closed, but I inched it open the night I watched her come undone in her room. If I swing it wide open, I'm going to have a hell of a time closing it again.

"Yeah, that's so," she murmurs, scooting closer to me and shifting to her knees. I lift our clasped hands and rest them on her thigh, and I feel her shiver at that tiny bit of contact. "You're already making me believe you want me, and we just got here."

"That's because—"

Three firm knocks come from the door.

Desi and I jump away from each other, and she hurries to her feet, clearing her throat. "What is it?"

"Sorry to bother you, Your Grace, but your parents asked me to inform you that they are waiting for you and Mr. Wilder. The carriage will be here shortly to take you on the tour of your Circle."

"Thank you, tell them we'll be there in just a moment."

"Yes, Your Grace."

I stand and run my palms over my face. I can't let myself get out of control. Not in private. Not when it's not for show. Because then I have no excuse. And that's when my heart is in danger. Desideria's the kind of woman who will walk right through that open door and steal every last piece of me. She's hard to resist, though. Her face, her laugh, her body, her eyes, her skin . . .

"What's wrong?" she asks. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

I blink several times and shake my head. "Nothing's wrong, Desi. I just . . . you look different here. Your hair is redder, and your eyes are greener. And I swear your skin is glowing."

She doesn't even look down at herself; it's like she knows exactly what I'm talking about. "Both angels and demons are more . . . luminous, I guess is the right word, in our home realms. No one has ever had a reason to notice before, though."

Something about her in that moment seems so vulnerable, so precious, like a rare gem I need to protect. "You're beautiful. I mean, your skin takes well to your natural environment." I smack my hand to my forehead. And there you have it everyone, Jace Wilder at his finest, complimenting a woman with what sounds like scientific bullshit.

A grin spreads over her face, and she reaches up, taking my hand off my forehead. "That was quite possibly the most adorable compliment I've ever been given."

Adorable. That's great. I'm sure that'll win her mother over. We might as well wrap a bow around my neck and walk me on a leash. I work hard to stay in shape; maybe her mother will appreciate it if I get down on all fours and wiggle my ass for her.

"Adorable is what I aim for," I say, taking her hand and leading her out of the room.

Her parents are waiting for us inside the carriage, their gazes filled with good-natured accusations as we climb in and sit across from them. Of course they think we were caught up in some heavy make-out session. Little do they know that the man Desi's passing off as her potential partner hasn't so much as kissed her.

Although he's starting to forget all the reasons why . . .

"Mother," Desi says, giving her a warning stare. "This is Jace. Jace, this is my mother, Athena."

The queen of Infernis is graceful, with her pointed chin held high and a diamond and ruby crown perched on her head. Her red hair spirals down her back in thick curls, and her skintight silk gown hugs her hourglass figure. If it weren't for her amber irises flecked with blue, Desi would be the spitting image of her.

I hold out my hand and grasp her delicate fingers. "Athena? As in the goddess of war?"

Her heart-shaped lips lift slightly at the corners as she says, "Not that Athena, but her story is notorious in our realm and her name a popular one."

"Don't let my bride fool you, Jace," Chaos says, bringing Athena's knuckles to his lips. "She causes wars in her own way. One being the pounding battle cry of my heart when she steps into a room."

Chaos's words are admittedly cheesy, but the sentiment behind them is pure truth. Anyone can see that he's madly in love with Athena, and the affection he showers upon her is the kind of romance Desi reads about in her romance novels. No wonder she has such high expectations for love.

"Ugh," Desi groans, rolling her eyes. "You two are so nauseating. Sorry you had to witness that, Jace."

"It's nice to see two beings so dedicated to each other and in love."

Athena smiles and leans forward to pat my knee. "You don't have to look far. The attraction you and my daughter have for one another might rival what Chaos and I share."

Desi looks at me with wide eyes, but I just lock my fingers with hers and give her mother a bright smile. "I suppose only time will tell."

"Indeed," Chaos and Athena say at the same time.

Desi may think I'm oblivious to the wiggled eyebrows and her mother mouthing that I'm really handsome, but I see them gently teasing each other. However, most of my attention is on the passing scenery and the questions I'm asking Chaos about his architectural taste.

When we reach Desi's Circle, we stroll the grounds, and I listen to a detailed explanation about what it will take to run the Circle she'll inherit. The landscape is simple—grass for as far as I can see with a sprinkling of leafy trees. And energies everywhere. They glow in pinks, blues, greens, and yellows while relaxing under the sun or soaring in the air on swings hanging from branches. The energies don't have human forms but there is a humanlike quality to them, a head and limbs, but without facial features or hair. Chaos says they mostly stick together, communicate telepathically, and feed off the energy created by this realm.

"I think these guys need a lazy river that runs around this place," I say, remembering the waterpark staple I used to frequent as a child.

Athena stops stroking Chaos's forearm and spares a glance at me. "A lazy river?"

"Yeah. In my realm, they're found at waterparks or resorts. It's a river that runs in a circle, and humans sit in flotation devices and just float. I think these energies would enjoy it."

"Already making plans," Chaos says, giving me a firm pat on the back. "I like him, Desideria. He is already considering those under your keep."

The show of praise by Chaos creates a lump of emotion in my throat. It's been a long time since I had a parental figure give me any attention. My last acts as a son went unnoticed. It didn't matter that I was a kid taking on an adult task; no one told me good job or so much as patted me on the back. It feels good to be seen like that again.

Desi smiles and nudges me with her elbow. "He's a creative genius, always thinking two steps ahead."

My cheeks heat, and I shake my head. "Hardly, I'm just a graphic designer."

"Stop it," she chides me, pressing her index finger to my lips and turning to her parents. "Don't listen to him. He's not just anything. He's so talented—he started his own company from the ground up."

Chaos stops walking and sets his mouth in a firm line. He looks me dead in the eyes and says, "You know, if you ever need help, I can pull some strings . . . for a small price."

I take a step back. "You don't mean . . . Desi said you don't do that. I mean, energies and souls . . ."

Chaos roars with laughter, and Desi's mother whacks him on the arm. "Chaos, you almost gave the boy a heart attack."

"Come on, Athena. It's all in good fun. You have some preconceived notions you'll need to overcome, but I got a feeling you'll get there, son."

Son.I let it sink in and bask in the sudden swell of pride it brings me. It's nice to feel like part of a family again. A good family that loves each other unconditionally, that would stick it out through the tough shit. It's a change from what I'm used to when it comes to my own family.

Desi's parents look at her with such adoration, like they would turn a realm on its head if it made her happy, like they would set aside their self-preservation if it meant seeing her smile. I get it. That smile might not be mine for eternity, but it's mine for the next two days. And I plan on being the reason for it until I have to let her go.