Page 7 of Mated to the Human: Volume One

“Between?”

“The Witcher and Sex Education.”

Derek shot him a look.

“What? I have diverse tastes.” Hollis fiddled with his napkin. “And I love Paul Hollywood.”

With a smile, Derek climbed to his feet. It was going to be awkward, but they’d figure it out. He was sure of it. “Let’s get comfortable and get our binge on.”

“Oh my god.” Hollis laughed suddenly. “I married a couch potato hellhound.”

“Yes, you did. Now, come on. I’ll give you the grand tour.”

4

As expected, the grand tour didn’t take long at all. Hollis was surprised at how nice everything was. From the giant tiled shower to the fluffy pillows stacked on the king-sized bed—the only bed, btw—every piece of furniture and decor was both beautiful and functional. Masculine, but not overly so. Certainly not what he’d expected from a freaking alpha demon.

Once they each changed into sweats and were settled on the couch, close enough that the single blanket stretched over both their laps, Hollis looked at Derek. “So, the demon thing…”

“Demon thing?” Derek asked, turning his head toward Hollis, one eyebrow arched and the light from the TV playing over his cheek and temple. He really did have the nicest face, Hollis mused, half forgetting his train of thought while his gaze tracked the hard line of Derek’s stubbly jaw.

When he realized Derek was still staring at him, he cleared his throat and started again. “Yeah, the demon thing. I mean, do you, um, shift? Like the wolves do?”

Derek moved his hand back and forth in a so, so gesture. “I have two forms if that’s what you mean. But unlike shifters, this body is my other form.” He turned more toward Hollis, drawing one leg up underneath himself.

“Oh.” Hollis let that sink in. He nibbled at the inside of his lip. “Will I ever see your real form?”

Tilting his head, Derek reached out and let his fingertips brush the back of Hollis’s hand. “Someday. I’m old Hollis. Very old. And that form wasn’t meant for this world. I can shift here, and have, but it takes a lot of energy, and it’s not…well, it’s not a big black dog like most people assume.”

Hollis stared at him, trying to wrap his head around all that information and not sure what to say.

After a moment, Derek slipped his hand beneath Hollis’s and twined their fingers together. “Do you know why I chose you?”

“Huh?” Hollis said, still stuck on what type of form was Derek’s real one. Did he have horns and a tail like in the movies?

“Your scent. That’s something hellhounds, demons, have in common with the shifters. Unlike humans, we perceive more with scent and sound than with our eyes. Your scent speaks to me.” He looked down at their joined hands. “More than anyone I’ve met in this world.”

Hollis’s eyes went wide. “Um…I…that’s good, right?”

With a chuckle, Derek leaned in closer. He still smelled so good, Hollis fought to keep his eyes open and not just breathe him in.

“It’s very good. Would you mind if I…” he trailed off, gaze roving from Hollis’s face down to his throat. “Scent you?”

“No,” Hollis said, probably too quickly. “I don’t mind.”

A warm, private smile pulled at Derek’s lips. He scooted closer, letting go of Hollis’s hand to slip his whole arm around Hollis’s back. Once that arm was banded around him, Derek pulled him forward and leaned in at the same time, running his nose along the tender skin of Hollis’s throat.

A wicked sensation shot through Hollis, making him shiver and gasp. His hands found Derek’s shoulders, solid and so warm beneath the thin material of his t-shirt, and held on tight.

“So fucking good,” Derek whispered, every word making his lips and scruff brush over Hollis’s skin.

Hollis let out a shaky breath and, figuring it was okay, pressed his nose against Derek’s neck as well. “I think you smell really good, too.”

A low rumbling sound came from Derek’s throat. Hollis thought it sounded somewhere between a hum and a growl. Hollis squirmed as the vibration went through him. He was getting hard, more turned on than he’d ever been. The thought that Derek could probably smell it made a rush of embarrassment and excitement wash over him.

He sucked in a hard breath, Derek’s warm skin under his lips, and kissed him there, right on the side of his throat.

Derek nuzzled him, pressing kisses of his own, both of his strong arms wrapped around Hollis now. His hands slid lower, gripping Hollis by the hips and lifting him like he weighed nothing until Hollis was straddling Derek’s thighs.

---