Page 66 of Demons Treasure Warlocks

Bale extrapolated from his vision of the future that Darius would never find camaraderie with the townspeople. Their bridges had been burned too low for Darius to forgive them. There was laughter though. And Bale had to let Darius know that laughter was always a good sign.

Returning home, Bale landed on the palisade with a whisper of sound. More lights than normal were on, making Bale suspicious. Being extremely silent, Bale opened the door and heard Darius speaking with someone familiar. He smelled tomato sauce and pasta and relaxed.

“Oh my God, Bale. You’re home. Finally.” Caspian ambushed him in the back mudroom. His eyes were wild as he kept glancing behind him.

“Hi, is it just you or is Isaac here as well?” Bale asked curiously. There was an energy that didn’t bode well.

“Um, everyone. Adam and Trey are here too. We sort of descended on Darius without saying anything. Why didn’t you tell us about his grumpiness? Holy hell, Bale. He’s a fucking snarly mess.”

Bale sighed. It wasn’t his place to keep everyone informed of Darius’s state of mind. He was only one man, and these guys were supposed to be friends. “I tried to keep everyone in the loop. You know Trey hasn’t quite forgiven me or Dare. I get that. I’m trying really hard to fix that, but I can’t be the only one. He has to give too.”

“I understand. I wish you and Isaac said something to me at least and then I wouldn’t have barged in on Dare’s sanctuary. I could have suggested our place.”

“I’m sorry, Cas. We’ve been working to get Darius up to snuff with his magic. He’s having a bitch of a time, and I didn’t want to subject you to it.” Bale shrugged and smiled briefly at Darius who stood in the corner of the dining room with a scowl etched deep on his face. Adam and Isaac worked in the kitchen quietly while Trey stood across the room, his arms crossed.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Darius resisted the urge to smite Trey. He had the gall to tell Darius to back off and let Adam and Isaac do their own thing in town. Darius was apparently in the way. Which was fucking dumb because Darius hadn’t been there since a week or so after Valentine’s day.

“Listen, Trey. I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but it’s fucking wrong.”

“People are getting nervous. They know spring is coming, and you’re all nosing around. They’re worried you’re going to start shit up. Please, back off for a minute,” Trey explained as though to a child.

“Oh my God. What the fucking hell? Adam, are you listening to your boyfriend telling me this shit?” Darius turned the conversation around and relaxed when he saw Bale in the door.

“Trey, there were better ways of saying that. And Darius, you need to chill. Trey is on our side,” Adam said softly.

“What do you mean I have to chill? People have been blaming me!”

“Why are you harassing Darius?” Bale’s deep voice caught everyone’s attention. Darius could finally breathe. Bale could fix this.

“We weren’t really. We wanted to see you. It’s been a minute.” Adam darted a glance at Trey who stayed mute. “I know the whole thing has been a challenge with schedules, but I thought, it’s a nice evening.”

“Trey’s pissed off because I’m not sharing every single decision I’ve made in regards what I might do. He doesn’t like not being in the loop,” Darius retorted. “I would have kept him in it if he wanted to be there, but he’s ghosted me a few times, and I’m tired of it.”

“Well, aren’t we a team?? You promised us you’d share what’s happening, and there’s been nothing from you!”

“You want my thoughts? Well, I’m done playing Yellow Dick’s game,” Darius hissed. “You all waited until the night of the seasonal change and then got your asses—”

“Darius.” Bale’s tone warned Darius that he’d gone too far.

“This has to end now. I don’t want a damned demon hanging over my head until the end of time. If I have to find his hidey-hole to smoke him out, I will do that.” Darius changed course for Bale. He didn’t need to alienate his friends quite yet.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Trey lowered his arms and puffed out his chest to intimidate Darius.

“You heard me.”

“Trey. Darius, be quiet.” Adam’s calm tone broke the tension slightly, and Trey sat. “I apologize for not being here. Winter’s been a bear. Trey’s been worried, and it’s made him antsy. Trey, let Bale and Darius tell us their plans, and we can report about what’s been happening in town.”

“Hawk thinks Dare is a loose cannon,” Trey said stubbornly.

“Hawk is a mothman who avoids conflict at all costs. He’s a terrible resource.” Darius started ticking off points. “Terra serves the fucking clowns at the coffee shop. I’ve seen the café at night after a town meeting. It’s always full of the fucking blowhards.”

Darius kept some other comments locked up tight, but the urge to unleash the truth nearly maimed him. And if Trey pressed the point about the Darius’s inability to speak in a reasonable manner, oh, the vicious words would fly.

“Hawk has a point,” Trey insisted. “He’s a good guy, and he’s concerned for the smaller cryptids.”

“But why does he think I’m going to fail?” Darius asked achingly. Hawk not trusting him or believing in him hurt so damn much.

---