Page 60 of Unleashing Mayhem
“Chaos and I will watch out for you,” Cooper reassured him.
“It’s not that.” Matty narrowed his eyes at a group of women in their twenties, whose attention was fixed on Nightmare’s retreating form already. “What if someone tries to touch him?”
“Then I think he’ll probably bite their head off. Possibly literally?”
“Oh. Right.” That had Matty feeling better, actually.
There was a burst of flame from the bench, followed by oohs and aahs from the children. Cooper ran forward. “Bracchus! Not the—the special effects, please.”
It must have been tough keeping up with a chaos demon. Matty was lucky to have gotten Nightmare. He was so…calm. Steady. Murderous but in a refined way.
A large figure approached, and Matty tensed, if only for a moment. The man was broad and muscular, with dark hair freshly grown out from a buzz cut.
And then Matty recognized him, and his tension melted. He grinned shyly. “Benny!”
“Little dude!” Benny lifted his huge palm for a high five, and Matty gave it to him.
Benny was Seth’s older cousin who did odd jobs around town. Matty had a hard time keeping track of them all, but he knew Benny was a regular bouncer at the Lighthouse.
But Matty had gotten to know him from his side job of delivering food for the apps.
Matty liked him. It was easy to like Benny. He was friendly without being pushy, and he was never offended when Matty didn’t have the stomach for people and selected the “leave it on the porch” option for delivery. Benny would just rap on the front door, yell, “Dinner’s on, little dude!” and walk away.
Matty trusted him, and he couldn’t say that for many humans. Benny had been gone for weeks already this summer, and Matty had kind of missed him.
A throat cleared pointedly, and Matty realized there was someone else with Benny, standing a little behind him. A stunning man with wavy dark hair, aristocratic features, and shockingly bright turquoise eyes.
Bright,coldeyes, and they were narrowed on Matty.
Matty took a step back, the shadow on his chest vibrating against him.
“Oh.” Benny clapped his companion on the shoulder. “Right. Matty, this is my boyfriend, Helio. He’s a little shy.”
The guy didn’t look shy. He looked…mean. “Oh. Hi. I’m—”
A pale, tattooed arm wrapped around Matty’s middle, pulling him against a warm chest. “Do not give him your name, sweet.”
“Benny already knows my name?” Matty couldn’t help phrasing it like a question. Nightmare seemed tense, and Matty wasn’t socially adept enough to navigate whatever was going on here.
“The fae,” Nightmare rasped. “No names. No favors.”
Was he talking about the cold-eyed man, Helio?
Helio, who was now tugging at Benny’s arm, whispering furiously in his ear.
Benny’s eyes widened. “Oh, that guy’s a devil too?” he asked, pointing at Nightmare, his voice at a completely regular volume, like he wasn’t even attempting to lower it. “Like Kai?”
Matty gaped. “You know Kai’s a demon?”
Helio sneered in Matty’s direction. “If he didn’t, you would have just confirmed it.”
A rumble left Nightmare’s chest—a clear warning.
Benny only laughed. “Be nice, babe,” he said to Helio. He grinned at Matty. “I deliver at your house a lot. You all seem to forget that people can see through the windows when the curtains are open.” He gestured to the top of his head. “Those horns, you know.”
“Have you…told anyone?”
“Um, no.” Benny scratched at his chin. “It’s a secret, right?”
