Page 139 of Legacy of Chaos

His knees bore the brunt of the impact, and then his wrists when he lurched forward and almost took a header. Several seconds went by as he tried to catch his breath and gather his strength to get to the bathroom.

His blurry eyes were barely capable of focusing, but when they did, just for a second, he gasped.

His hands…hisarms…they were so…big.

He knew his body would change during his transition into a mature Seminus demon, but to actually see it? It didn’t seem real.

He hadmusclesnow.

Not that they worked. His olfactory senses seemed okay, though, because the aroma of the potato soup, beef sandwiches, and German chocolate cake on the TV tray made his dry mouth water.

His stomach growled in agreement. How long had it been since he’d eaten? Masumi had tried to get him to eat…at least, he kind of remembered her shoving burgers, chicken strips, and french fries at him. He’d been in too much pain and tooexhausted to eat, though. He did remember being parched and taking massive gulps of water. Sometimes, it even stayed down.

Every inch of his body felt drained and bruised, and damn he needed a shower. But he needed food first.

Groaning, he crawled to the tray and reached for a sandwich. Coordination, however, was not a thing, and he only managed to spill the soup everywhere. Finally, he got a hold of the extra-thick roast beef hoagie. His hand shook as he shoved it into his mouth, and by the time he finished, he was wearing at least half of it.

But he already felt better. His trembling eased as he shoveled two hefty slices of cake into his face. He was pretty proud of himself for only dropping a few crumbs and one glob of frosting into his bare lap.

And, oh, hey, look at that. His penis no longer looked like a cocktail wiener. Nope, that was a freaking summer sausage.

He grinned at the comparison, something Mace had once said.

“Kid, you’re gonna love the transition. After it’s done, I mean. The actual transition is possibly the worst thing you’ll ever go through. But when you come out on the other side? Say goodbye, cocktail wiener, and helloooo summer sausage.”

Mace was awesome. And now that Chasm was transitioned, he could join Mace at DART. He’d dreamed of battling demons as part of DART’s spec ops teams, and he’d been training his entire life. But now that he had actual muscles and had grown a few inches, he might actually be worth something.

But what gift had he been given? He couldn’t wait to test it out. He hoped he got the mind-altering one. Fucking with people’s heads like his uncle Rade sounded like fun.

He’d gained something else during the transition too, something unique.

A personal symbol at the top of hisdermoire, just above his father’s Mpatapo glyph.

The personal symbol was, perhaps, the most anticipated—and feared—of all the changes brought about by the transition. What if you got something super lame, like the worm Tavin had been stuck with until he mated? Or Zhoin’s unfortunate scribble that looked like a pile of dog shit.

Not that it really mattered, he supposed, since most Sems’ symbols changed following an important life event. Usually, it happened after bonding with a mate, but he’d heard of a male whose symbol changed from a spoon to a shepherd’s crook after he saved the life of his sworn enemy. His own father’s had gone from a square to a symbol of forgiveness and peace after he got his life together.

His heart pounded as he contemplated getting to his feet and walking to the bathroom mirror. What would he find there? What would he look like, and what was going to be etched into his skin?

Absently, he stroked the area just below his jaw where his symbol would be.

Stop stalling. Go look.

Yeah, it was time to grow a pair. The thought made him chuckle, because hehadgrown a pair. Looking down, he smiled. A big pair.

Awesome.

The memory of Masumi stroking him, her every move and word meant to help ease the process, came back to him in a sweaty rush, and his groin grew heavy. Thank the gods he wasactuallyfeeling arousal because, with the exception of the very last time they’d fucked, every time his cock got hard, all he experienced was pain. His body had driven him to take Masumi over and over…and over and over. But even as his body waschurning and frothing, his mind had been screaming, knowing what was to come.

Pain like a thousand acid-coated needles shooting through his shaft.

With the exception of the last time, he’d passed out afterward, the agony too much to bear. But now, he felt like he could go another round…and enjoy it.

Later. Right now, he had to see what the Fates had chosen to slap onto his neck.

He could still feel Crux’s presence somewhere in the house as he eased to his feet, relieved that his muscles were strong enough to lift him. His uncle Crux, who used to be his brother, had insisted on being nearby in case his proximity could help Chasm through the transition. He’d said that having Chasm nearby during his own ordeal had helped, but Chasm didn’t see how. Yes, they shared a unique connection, but it seemed to be stronger on Crux’s side. He always knew when Chasm hurt himself, but Chasm had never experienced anything more than a vague awareness when Crux was nearby.

Standing, feet planted wide for stability, he tested his new body, swinging his arms above his head, rolling his shoulders, touching his toes. Energy filled him. Colors seemed brighter, his vision was clearer, sounds were crisper.

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