Demonicus (Overworld Underground Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

every option."
    "Please do." His touch was electric. I gazed into his lovely jade green eyes. They were the color of his soul—I'd seen it when he revealed to me his true nature. After a day like today, I desperately needed to feel safe. Tyler was my refuge in a world gone mad.
     
    After a wonderful bedroom romp, we prepared a late lunch and ate on his balcony. The winter weather had given way to warm days this weekend, hinting at a possible early spring, though my British side cautioned against optimism, especially where weather was concerned.
    Tyler seemed preoccupied as he sipped his wine.
    "What's wrong, darling?" I touched his hand, wishing I could glimpse his every thought.
    He shrugged. "When George mentioned the Daemos, it just made me think."
    "About?"
    "What I am." His eyes saddened. "Demon spawn—Daemos—they're a permanent part of this world. Somehow, Baal mixed demon souls and human souls to make a perfect hybrid."
    "What makes you different from Daemos?" I really hadn't given it much thought, but Tyler seemed to be struggling with it.
    "I'm a pure demon possessing a body." He twisted the wine glass between his fingers. "It's like I'm an invader—a foreign cell that this realm would purge if it could."
    I shook my head and gripped his hand. "You belong here, Tyler." I pressed myself to him. "You belong with me."
    He squeezed me and laughed. "I know. I guess I overthink things sometimes."
    "You overthink things?" I pshawed. "You, sir, tend to jump first and overthink things later."
    "Guilty as charged." Tyler sipped his wine. "On another subject, what would you like to do tomorrow?"
    I glanced at the kitchen table where I'd piled work documents on Friday. "It's not so much about what I want to do as what I have to do. Our little vacation let my work pile up at OnTech."
    "We can have someone else do it, Em." He leaned back in his chair. "There's no need for you to work."
    I arched my eyebrows. "We've had this conversation before, Tyler. I will not be a kept woman."
    "That much is obvious, what with your little jaunts with those Custodians." His voice bore a hint of condescension.
    "Little jaunts? Can you really call them that especially after your hands-on experience today?"
    He bit a pickle and chewed on it. "Well, today was probably more exciting than what you're used to."
    "More exciting?" I almost threw the mustard bottle at him. "Every single mission has been terrifying. I was being stalked by a vampire, for God's sake."
    "Yeah, and you took away his vampire mojo." He frowned. "If it's so terrifying, why do it? I mean, it's not like we don't have money."
    "I don't do it for the money."
    He leaned forward. "Then why do you do it?"
    I dropped my sandwich on the plate. "Because I can help people."
    Tyler pursed his lips. "Well, I guess that's a good enough reason."
    My mood rose to a simmering anger and I was about to shout at him when I remembered a very basic fact. Tyler was a demon in a human body. True, he might perform selfless acts at times, but that didn't change the fundamental difference between him and humans. He simply didn't process emotion the same way we did.
    "I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to be absolutely honest with me." I looked him directly in the eyes.
    He braced his elbows on the table and rested his chin on a fist. "Go for it."
    "Why did you really fight that crawler this morning?"
    Tyler's smile faded.
    I waited several seconds before prompting him for an answer. "Well? Why did you?"
    He cleared his throat and looked down. "It seemed like an exciting challenge. Plus, I figured I could save some souls in the process." Tyler met my stony gaze. "I mean, it's the end result that matters, right?"
    This time I did throw the mustard at him. "You bastard! You did it for the excitement?"
    He caught the mustard bottle before it hit him and stood, holding his hands in front of him. "Emily, please. I also wanted to keep you safe."
    I pressed my lips tight and took deep breaths