Page 98 of The Misfit Mage and His Darling Demon

“Like for research purposes?” he whispered, hands finding their way onto my body.

“Precisely.”

He snickered as I went to kiss him. “Hi, Tony.”

My face fell flat, and I gazed at the scorpion perched atop Wally’s head, nestled between his curls like the worst adorned crown in history.

I sighed, realizing I shouldn’t have hastily rushed to Wally’s bedside without properly securing the door. The heavy plodding steps of Weather bolted up the steps, down the hall, and the Cerberus barreled into the room, lunging onto the bed. I prepared to catch the pup in a telekinetic hold, but Wally beat me to it.

Darting off the bed in blurred speed, he caught the rambunctious beast in his hands, holding the hound that easily weighed two-hundred pounds. He held the massive puppy above his head, his hands scooped under Weather’s front legs, cupped across his chest while the back paws dangled, nails digging into Wally’s bare chest as the Cerberus searched for his footing. Wally had gotten so strong thanks to the devil essence circulating inside him the nails didn’t leave a single reddened mark on his pale flesh.

“Sorry, I tried to keep him entertained, but he sniffed out Wally’s miraculous recovery and just had to say hello,” Mora said, slinking into the bedroom.

“Yes, yes. I love all the kisses, Sunny.” Wally lowered Weather to the floor, and the puppy rubbed against him, tail swatting Wally’s thigh indicating he needed pets pronto.

“Cute undies.” Mora eyed Wally whose face burned bright, almost turning the same shade of pink as his very revealing briefs. “Since you’re awake, perhaps it’s time we all discuss what Kell and I have done to the villa.”

“Our villa,” I said.

“You can keep it or what’s left. I’m really only interested in one little piece of this prized palace.”

I grumbled, while Wally rushed to dress himself.

29

Walter

“I think I’ll meet you both in the helm.” I held a shirt and pair of jeans in front of my chest and stomach as Mora kept her lingering gaze on me. “I’m going to take a shower.”

“Care for company?” Bez asked, minxy as ever.

I grinned then grimaced. “I sort of just want to decompress for a minute. Also, I really need a thorough shower because I can smell myself, which is an indicator.”

“I think you smell delicious,” Bez said.

“Uh-huh. But you also think chocolate covered swordfish smells delicious.”

“Truly divine taste, Bezzy.” Mora sniffed the air like she was envisioning the meal only a Diabolic could enjoy, then rested her eyes back on me. “But he has a point. The Alden musk is a personal favorite.”

I quirked a brow.

“Toodles.” She waved her fingers back and forth. “Come along, Bezzy.”

Bez reluctantly left without a word, giving me a moment to catch my breath. He whistled sharply, which was literally the worst type of flirty gesture. Weather’s ears perked up, Sunny’s expression softened with hesitation before my puppy trotted out of the room, following Bez and Mora without so much as a kiss or pet goodbye. Did Bez steal my Cerberus?

“You too, Tony. We’ll catch up soon. So much to talk about.” I lifted my familiar off my head, offering him a delicate breeze to carry him out of the room and reach the helm alongside the others.

The trickle of black lining the gust was unintended. I tensed. With Bez’s essence, I had to focus, fixate on the entirety of the Diabolic essence that linked us together if I sought to cast demon abilities. The devil housed within me, didn’t work the same way.

I was connected to Beelzebub, the literal devil locked away until the end of time. Thankfully, I couldn’t feel him, but I remembered him. Somehow, pieces of Bez’s memories had seeped into that devil essence which he’d held onto for centuries. There was so much of my boyfriend’s past just beneath the surface of my memories, interwoven with the essence residing inside me, and as much as I wanted to explore my new powers, the lengths and capabilities I’d now be able to meet—I didn’t want to unbox Bez’s private history.

Stepping into the bathroom, I started the shower and allowed every thought to wash away. Okay. Not every thought. We’d need to have a conversation about Bez’s memories laced within the essence now circulating through my body. In order to survive these changes, I needed to understand them, which meant I had to use these abilities. During my resurrection I glimpsed one of Bez’s memories, and who knew how many more would surface in the future.

My body had changed. Nothing Diabolic in nature. I had to be honest, I wouldn’t mind the tails. Not so much thewings. They seemed like a lot of work. No demony or devily appendages. I’d simply noticed my muscles had tightened. I wasn’t sporting an eight-pack with the deepest V cut known to mankind like Bez, but for the first time in my life, I could see a bit of definition in my abs. The actual muscles began to appear slightly sculpted opposed to my soft, flat stomach.

Also as I stared at my reflection, I realized I was staring at my reflection. Crisp and clear, without my glasses. I snorted. Even the best incantations in the world couldn’t permanently fix blurry vision or any senses, all of it temporary, reliant on constant recasting and maintaining fluid mana control. And contact lenses were the literal worst, whereas Lasik was roulette just asking for a bad outcome.

“Stop catastrophizing,” I said, finally understanding the gist of the term.

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