Wreaking Havoc (Demon Bound, #1)

by Grae Bryan

There should be a special place in hell for people who called before ten a.m.

Really, Ivan was lucky to have anyone on his side, with what an unbelievably major dick he’d been the last few years. Well, since birth, really, but he’d amped it up lately, even for him. Sascha supposed betrayal did that to a man. Not that dear middle child Alexei had seen his actions as a betrayal—survival, more like. Never mind that he’d left his little brother here all alone to deal with their oldest brother’s hissy fits.

“I’m not a tourist. I live here.” For now, was the part Sascha left unspoken. Until Ivan deems it safe to return.

But Ivan, in his rampage after Alexei had tanked a business deal and fled into the night, costing them millions, had apparently pissed some other family businesses off, and now Sascha was caught in the crossfire. Someone was trying to make a message out of him. He, who had never even held a gun. Some mistaken asshole seemed to think his death would actually put a damper on Ivan’s day. And now he was stuck in this town until Ivan deemed it safe to return. He was concerned he had a mole in his operation, someone who’d spilled the beans on the timing of Sascha’s arrival to his office.

There was a goddamn monster standing in Sascha’s living room.

The monster gave him a deeply unimpressed look. “Explain your purpose, human.” Explain his…purpose? Sascha’s purpose? “E-Excuse me?” Sascha sputtered. “You just—just appeared in my living room.” The monster’s glowing blue eyes narrowed. “You summoned me.” “I did not!” Sascha argued. “I wouldn’t! I don’t make a habit of summoning monsters into my living room.” The monster gave him a concerned frown, like Sascha was daft. “No monsters here.” Sascha gaped at him. “What?” “I’m not a monster, pup. I’m Kai.” He bent his absurdly large torso into a weird half bow. “Kaisyir, at your service.” He said the last part grudgingly, like at Sascha’s service was the last place he wanted to be.

Kai cocked his head toward Sascha’s coffee table, where the bottles of polish and newspaper still lay. “You painted my mark.” Now that he mentioned it, the design Sascha had traced did bear a remarkable resemblance to Kai’s weird smoke tattoos. Still. “I was just doodling with nail polish!” Sascha protested. Kai huffed, like Sascha was the one being unreasonable. “You said the words, did you not?” “I didn’t know what I was saying!” “And you spilled your blood upon the symbol.”

Sascha peered up at him. “Am I right in thinking you can’t leave that circle?” Kai eyed him warily. “Not until our contract is finalized.” “Oh! I see.” Sasha nodded frantically. “Okay, cool. Perfect.” And then Sascha did the only sensible thing he could do. He straightened from the wall. He took a deep breath. And he ran right the fuck out of the house.

Alexei had always been the one Sascha had turned to, growing up. Seven years older, Alexei was the only one in their family who’d looked after him without asking for complete subservience in return. He’d been a safe space. A haven. But then he’d left. He’d left.

He dropped the call, mortified to find he was holding back tears. What had he really expected? For Alexei to drop everything and run back to him because Sascha was spouting deranged nonsense about demons? He was a grown man, for fuck’s sake. He shouldn’t be asking for Alexei to clean up his messes in the first place. And more than that, he knew better. People left—left Sascha—and they never, ever came back. Not his mother. Not any of his dozens of nannies. Not Alexei. Ivan would probably do the same someday, most likely by way of a bullet through his head.

Sascha didn’t have to bite back any tears this time. Of course Ivan wouldn’t take him seriously. No one did. No one ever had. But with Kai at his disposal…

This demon wanted to be at Sascha’s beck and call, form a contract, wreak havoc on Sascha’s enemies? Then maybe it was finally time for Sascha to start doing things a little differently.

There was a flash of bright light, a puff of smoke, and then Kai felt the boundary ease. He was free. He let out a joyful cry, stepping out in one long stride and sweeping the human up, tossing him in the air. “It’s done!” he crowed, catching him as he fell. There was no reply. He looked down to find Sascha limp in his arms. The human had fainted.

It was almost beyond comprehension: Kaisyir summoned by one who fainted at bloodshed. What possible enemies could such a slip of a thing have? Opportunists, perhaps? Aggressors looking to take advantage of his slight build and frail disposition? A hot surge of anger rose in Kai’s chest at the thought of it. He ran his tongue thoughtfully over sharp incisors. Whoever they were, they had another thing coming, didn’t they? The pup had protection now.

Strange. Kai had never enjoyed the feel of a soul piece before. Nor the taste of one. But Sascha’s… Delicious.

Kai did not fuck his bargains. Although, he’d never had a bargain like Sascha before…

It was because he’d begun to lose hope he’d ever be summoned again. He’d thought the Book must have been lost or somehow destroyed, no matter that it was supposed to be indestructible. But clearly not. Sascha had found it. Sascha had saved him.

Sascha. Kai’s hand kept returning to his chest, over the place where the soul piece resided. He found himself strangely impatient for the human to wake. He’d never been that way before—it was usually a relief when his bargains slept, their demands on hold for a number of hours. But he found himself returning to the bedroom and pulling up a chair. Watching. Waiting. He told himself it was for Sascha’s protection—Kai didn’t yet know who the pup’s enemies were. It was best to stick close, so as not to muck up the contract. Yes, that was the reason for his vigilance. Nothing more.

He still looked fierce as hell, reminding Sascha of some legendary Highlander from a trashy romance novel. What he was, when it came down to it, was sex incarnate. Sascha swallowed with a dry throat. Oh God. This was just a disaster, wasn’t it? There was no use denying it anymore. Sascha really wanted to fuck this demon.

Although, that didn’t explain why Sascha wanted nothing more than to bury his head in that massive chest, to let himself be held and comforted by a literal demon. Stupid. It was so stupid of him, to want that. Maybe he was the dumb one after all.

He was a strange creature, this Sascha. Fearful one moment, brave the next. Bold beyond reason, then unaccountably shy. Full of contradictions at every turn.

And perhaps Kai should have been alarmed with how quickly he was changing his own mind—telling himself one moment that he didn’t fuck his bargains, then spending the next considering how best to seduce sweet Sascha. But it was only natural, wasn’t it? Kai had been alone a very long time, and Sascha was so very…tempting. Kai brought a hand to his chest, where Sascha’s soul was lodged. Was it perhaps the little soul piece’s fault? It had settled so well within him it was hard not to think how else they might merge.

But of one thing he was certain—he wanted Sascha. And what Kai wanted, Kai would have.

He’d kept thinking of Kai, Mr. I-Can-Smell-the-Desire-on-You Demon. And look, was it really Sascha’s fault he’d been born a size queen? Why would fate tempt him like this?

“Have you summoned our coffee yet?” No, because I was hoping you’d still be asleep, you goddamn walking wet dream.

Either way, people were going to stare. That didn’t mean Sascha had to like it. And yes, Kai was a giant, tattooed, gorgeous hunk of a man with a waterfall of silky hair down to his pecs, and he looked like sex incarnate, but he was Sascha’s giant, tattooed, gorgeous hunk of a man, damn it. He’d summoned him, fair and square. He’d even had his finger nibbled to seal the deal. So all these other jerks should just keep their damned eyes to themselves.

He tensed. There was that heat at his back again. Were all demons this clingy? Kai’s breath caressed his ear again. “Make him give us all the coffee he has.” “I will not,” Sascha hissed. He glanced back, his irritation deflating when he caught sight of Kai’s unbearably hopeful expression. He sighed again—he was doing a lot of that these days—and turned back to the counter. “Seth? Better make that four. Four very large coffees.”

“Good boy,” Kai told him. Sascha’s head whipped around to showcase a vicious glare. Kai laughed, gesturing with his chin. “Turn back around now.” After another moment of scowling, Sascha did, giving Kai a direct look at the back of his neck. The exact spot a mating mark might lie. Kai ran his thumb over it—another shiver ran through Sascha’s frame.

He nudged even closer so the whole of Sascha’s back was brushing against his own bare chest. Sascha was slight, fitting so perfectly against Kai’s broader frame, just as his soul piece fit so perfectly inside. His skin was cool in comparison to Kai’s own body heat. It was oddly soothing.

“I thought you wanted me to be nice to you, hm? You crave sweetness, don’t you, Sascha? Sweetness to match your own?” “I’m not sweet,” Sascha mumbled. “Oh, but you are.” Kai brushed his hand along Sascha’s stomach, feeling him tremble. “The sweetest morsel I’ve come across in a long, long while.” “You make it sound like you want to eat me,” Sascha accused shakily. What could Kai say to that? He did want that, in a way. The small taste of Sascha’s soul he’d had so far was not enough. He wanted all of it. All of him.

He pressed his mouth to Sascha’s ear. “If you think this is nice,” he whispered, “think of how I’ll feel inside you. If we weren’t at this beach, with all this blasted sand, I’d have you writhing on my cock already.”

He wanted Kai to be nice to him? Kai would worship him, if this was the result.

“Then change,” Sascha ordered. “Pardon?” Kai was momentarily too aroused to grasp Sascha’s meaning, the ache in his cock redirecting all his attention. Sascha arched an imperious blond brow. “If I’m going to fuck a demon, I want to fuck a demon. Change back.”

Sascha had already decided to trust him with his body when it came to healing. He supposed he’d have to trust him with the rest when it came to sex. Trust him not to let this thing between them grow too big for Sascha to handle.

That thing was not going to fit. No way, no how. Size queen card revoked. License expired.

He was usually better at seduction than this, but it wasn’t every day he was confronted with demon dick, okay? He deserved a little grace.

Fuck, how was he going to go back to sucking human dick after this? This was the blow job Olympics, and he was fucking crushing it. He couldn’t be sent back to regionals.

“If we were in the demon realm, and you were a demon, I would bring you a fresh kill every night,” Kai told him. He said the words while staring pointedly, like they were supposed to mean something.

But of course Kai refused to be predictable. “I wish to hold you as you slumber,” he said firmly. “I’ll sip on the rage you claim you don’t have. You’ll sleep better for it.” Sascha stared at him from between his fingers. Sure. Let a demon hold him as he slept so said demon could literally drink his emotions. Why the hell not?

They now had a name for Sascha’s enemies and a general location—it surely wouldn’t be too difficult to find them. And once found, Kai would rip them apart as easily as breathing. But doing so would complete the contract, and Kai would be sent back to the demon realm. Back to what was supposed to be his home. And what had once meant freedom—in those long centuries waiting in the Void—now seemed some sort of divine punishment.

Kai had grown attached to the piece inside his chest, as he had to the man in his arms.

Kai wanted to keep him. Him and his delicious soul. But the only way to keep them both would be a permanent bond. A mating bond. And that would be madness to consider with a human. And yet… Now that Kai had tasted Sascha—not just his soul, but the pleasure they could have between the two of them—now that he’d felt that eager mouth on him…

Kai grinned at him. “Would you say it’s sweet of me?” “Stop.” Sascha’s sleepy flush darkened, and he tucked his head into Kai’s neck. “I can’t handle your flirting right now,” he mumbled against Kai’s skin. “Are you like this with all your bargains?” “No,” Kai answered honestly.

Kai wasted no time. “Your brother is dying,” he told them. “Come for him.”

Then he caught sight of Alexei’s face. It was a face he knew as well as any other, particularly Alexei’s hazel eyes, so different from Sascha’s or Ivan’s icy-blue pairs. Except now Alexei’s eyes were black. And his teeth were bared at Kai, and those were not the teeth Sascha remembered. His eyes widened, and he gasped, the sound quickly turning into another ragged cough. “Alexei,” he managed to get out between coughs. “You’ve got—you’ve got fangs.”

Alexei made a noncommittal noise. Then he cocked a brow at Sascha. “You know, there are legitimate branches of the family business you could take part in.” “Psh.” Sascha waved a hand. “As if Ivan would let me.” Alexei leaned forward, looking surprisingly eager. “Then make him let you. So you’ve been powerless before? You’re not anymore. You have an actual demon at your disposal, Sascha. One that looks at you like you’re his precious fucking treasure.”

“When the contract’s done, you’ll be gone.” There was silence as Kai stared at him, his expression unreadable. God, Sascha was stupid for bringing this up, wasn’t he? This demon just wanted to get his dick wet, and Sascha was messing it all up with his stupid feelings. Then Kai spoke. “I don’t have to leave. There is a way.” Hope stole Sascha’s breath, bottling it up in his chest. “What way?” he whispered. “A permanent bond.” A look of pure satisfaction crossed Kai’s face, as if the thought pleased him. “A mating bond. I would no longer claim just a piece of your soul—I would be linked to all of it. Linked to this realm, and to you.”

That was Sascha’s real flaw, wasn’t it? His horrible weakness. He couldn’t help loving the people around him, even if they were terrible people. Even if they tortured men and pushed Sascha away and left him all alone.

Kai stood, and even after their days together, his height still took Sascha’s breath away. “Then there’s no issue. I’m not human, Sascha. I don’t need your mortal reasoning to know what I want. I run on instinct.” He stepped toward Sascha. “On desire.” Another step and he was close enough that all Sascha could smell was that spicy, smoky scent. Kai’s voice lowered almost to a whisper. “And what I desire…is you.”

It wasn’t just the violence of Sascha’s childhood that had wounded him—it was the neglect. Abandoned by the mother, sent away by the father under the pretense of protection. Was it any wonder Sascha wanted someone’s full attention on him, even if that attention came with demands? He needed to be wanted. And damned if Kai didn’t want him.