Devil May Lie (The Devils of Vitality)

by Chani Lynn Feener

He wanted to consume him, bask in his madness. And if he happened to burn in those chaotic flames? It’d be worth it just t...

“Be sure. Be absolutely sure.” Because Madden wasn’t going to let him go after this. No matter what.

Since when were muscular guys his type? Maybe they weren’t. Maybe it was just Madden.

Only, the second they’d started talking about it, he’d realized he was still too confused to do it. He couldn’t tell Madden he wanted to date him because he wasn’t sure he really did. Berga wanted him. Full stop. But could that be enough?

Was that what a relationship was? Was it compromise? If Berga agreed to date him just to keep him around, to keep him from leaving, was that compromise as well, or was it something else?

This wasn’t what he’d intended at the Docks. But what if one taste, one touch, wasn’t enough? Was this a punishment? Or a reprieve?

“What does dating look like to you? What’s your definition of it?” “Nervous?”

“I’ve never been in anything serious either, remember? We’re both new to this. There’s no reason to be afraid.”

No one had ever compared Berga to something they loved before. No one had ever told him he looked badass covered in blood or asked him to stay with them before either.

“and we tell each other when something is wrong. It means we rely on one another and we never, ever abandon the other. It means I’m yours, Butcher, just like you claimed the other night. And it means you’re mine. Most importantly?”

“We don’t do this with anyone else,” Madden concluded. “No one fucks you but me. I fuck no one but you. That’s non-negotiable. Remember, you aren’t the only one who knows how to destroy someone’s insides. You cheat on me? It won’t end well, for you or the person you let see you naked.”

It made him want to wrap his arms and legs so tightly around Madden, fuse the two of them together, so there’d be no escape for the Mad King. No way for him to break his promise—because this was a promise.

“I’m possessive of my things, too,” Berga warned. “That’s fine,” Madden said. “I’m obsessive. You’ve seen my boathouse.”

He liked the idea of there being no one else for the Mad King. Of being his only one. Of knowing that, not only was there a person out there that belonged to him alone, but also that there was someone who wanted him badly enough to give up all others.

Berga wasn’t wanted. He was feared. Revered by some. Tolerated by others. A necessary evil, all would say. But wanted?

“Call me whatever you want,” he breathed against his lips, “boyfriend, lover, it doesn’t matter.”

“Become obsessed with me, Mad King,” Berga said, exposing himself in a way, making himself vulnerable. “Prove it’s as you say. That you want me, no matter how dirty or filthy I can be. Prove you’ll never leave, and I will never hurt you. No matter what becomes of us in the future. If we decide to end this, or—”

“You taste fantastic, baby. Like sexy sin. Tell me, Berga. Tell me we’ve settled it between us. Swear that from now on, no one else gets this taste but me.”

Berga found himself nodding before he’d even fully processed the command, already so eager to agree with the way Madden was looking at him. Like he was precious. Like he was coveted.

“Only you,” he whispered, and when he held out his arms and Madden immediately fell back into them, he felt that last prickle...

Berga lifted a hand and rested it lightly over Madden’s wrist, needing to make a connection himself all of a sudden to help stay grounded.

He never talked about this with anyone, not even his best friend. Didn’t really understand why he was so willing to do so now. Why, whenever Madden asked about it, it suddenly seemed easier to bring up.

was still more than Berga had had in the past, and he wanted to hold onto it. Wanted to hold onto the feelings Madden brought out in him. “If you need help with anything in the future,” Berga said, “let me know.”

“Sleep, baby. Our problems will still be there in the morning, I promise.” “You’ve been making an awful lot of those.” “And I intend to keep every single one.” He grinned. “You do the same.” “Of course.” Berga didn’t intend to lose the Mad King. Maybe he never had.

“He called Yuze and sent him to an important event in his place. He risked pissing off the Emperor even, just so he could stay by your side.” “I wasn’t well.” It wasn’t like he’d done it to spend time with Berga or go on a frivolous date or something. There’d been a good reason.

“You make it sound as if we’re falling in love or some such nonsense.” When Flix merely stared pointedly, Berga snorted. “Love? I’m not even capable of that emotion.” Unless… “Am I?” “Why are you asking me?” “If you agree to be in a relationship with someone, does that mean—”

“I’ll keep him,” he admitted plainly, not seeing any other way around it. When his best friend went quiet, he risked a glance toward him. “What?” “You can’t do that.”

“I know what I’m doing. Madden is…actually quite tame. I can handle him.” “That’s what he wants you to think. What will you do if he calls things off? If he gets bored and moves on?”

“If he doesn’t want me to keep him,” he said, though it was a struggle, “then I’ll let him go. Happy? I won’t try to hold onto someone who doesn’t want me.” “You won’t lock him up or drug him again, you swear it?” Flix held his gaze with a steady one of his own. “I mean it, Berga.”

once but… It’d been a handful of days already since the last time they’d been together, and there was an odd, poking feeling in the center of his chest. Almost like a mixture between anxiousness and longing.

He’d purposefully left out the side effects of his experience so far. How he was growing more and more attached to the Mad King, beginning to rely on him and yearn for him in ways Berga hadn’t even thought he could.

A dark, disgusting part of him couldn’t help but wonder if Berga would have chosen differently that night if Rebecca had been present. Would he have asked her to fuck him instead and kicked Madden aside? Would the two of them now be exploring a possible relationship together?

Madden didn’t feel the same way. He was used to watching the other man fumble to make connections with others, but here the two of them were, their repertoire instantly clicking with ease. He didn’t like. Didn’t like the idea of someone else getting along so well with the Butcher. Especially considering the circumstances.

“Because I am. Flix says—” He snorted. “Flix again.” “This is serious.” “So am I. All you ever do is talk about Flix.”

“He won’t like the two of us together. If he orders me to stop seeing you—” “You’d do it?” He dropped his hand. “Just like that?” Berga’s brow furrowed. “Wouldn’t you? If Kelevra demanded you stop seeing me?” “I…” Wasn’t sure, actually.

“We agreed we’d figure out what this really is between us. I don’t want to end it until we do.” Madden didn’t want to end it, period.

“Why am I trying to hold onto someone who doesn’t want me?” he mumbled to himself. “I want you,” Berga corrected. “You have no idea how complicated you’ve made things for us, though. Idiot.”

“Earrings?” “They reminded me of your eyes,” Berga explained. “You have really nice eyes. They suck people in and make them forget things for a while.”

“Great.” Berga cleared his throat and glanced away. “Are you embarrassed?” Why did he like that so much?

Madden’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think, Butcher? That we’re nothing serious?” “It doesn’t matter what I think,” he said.

“It matters what Baikal and the Brumal elders think. Things are…tough over there right now. He only just took the throne from his father, and there are still older members keeping their eyes peeled for any mistake they can call him out for. Our true loyalty is meant to be with our organizations. Not with each other. You know that.” He did, but that didn’t change anything for him.

If he happened to make things harder for Baikal? Who cared. The guy was still the Dominus, he’d figure his shit out. The only thing that truly mattered to Madden was Berga. Since he was willing to make this bet, did that mean he wanted to expose them every bit as much as Madden did?

Berga nodded his head. “It’s a date.” It was. And it was also one step closer to Madden owning the Butcher, completely, and openly.

Berga had to keep himself together. No one else was going to do it for him. No one else would be able to even if they wanted. Except maybe…

No. He couldn’t start relying too heavily on Madden. Things were already out of hand. This weird connection between them had been unexpected. At the start of it all, it hadn’t even occurred to him there could be a possibility of growing attached. Yet here they were, with the Mad King insistent on staking a public claim despite the risks.

Madden might not be possessive, but he had a tendency to lean toward jealousy, and he wanted to mark Berga to keep others away. But for how long? Was he about to potentially throw everything aside for a man who could grow bored with him at the drop of a shiny hoverbike helmet?

“I don’t care who you spend time with,” Baikal said. “But the second it interferes with Brumal business, you cut him off, understood?

“What is?” “Just swear you’ll end things the moment it starts to affect your job or my position. Madden understands the stakes just as much as we do. He should let you go when the time comes. But if he doesn’t, I’ll involve Kelevra.”

Anything else would just be pushing his luck, and while he fully intended to follow Baikal’s orders and cut things off with Madden when he was told to… The thought of that happening right now, or any time soon for that matter, left a poor taste in his mouth he didn’t entirely understand.

Perhaps he’d already grown far too attached. Was it because he felt subconsciously comfortable enough around the other man to be pulled from a delusion?