Page 39 of Cuddly Demon

Onyx guides me into a cluster of palm trees, his firm hand locking on mine. His enormous blue body keeps me safe from the potential dangers ahead, acting as a shield.

The smells of sizzling pancetta and garlic bread fill the air as a male voice hums to itself.

Onyx tears back two giant palm leaves in front us, the scene giving way to a blue-skinned demon making dinner over a crackling fire.

The demon whips around.

SIXTEEN

ONYX

It's Azazel.

My brother.

"Bro," I shout, rushing toward Azazel and burying him in a hug.

My brother laughs, slamming my back. "Well, well, well. I didn't expect you to turn up after all these years."

I take a good look at Azazel. He's still a few inches shorter than me, but he's grown more powerful since I last saw him – his skin is a deep shade of blue, and he wears an ornate robe with intricate gold stitching. His eyes are a startling shade of azure, and his hair is long and dark. His physique is muscular, indicating that he's been hard at work honing his magic skills.

What intrigues me most are the intricate tattoos that cover his blue skin. Each one clearly represents a different type of magic he must've mastered over the centuries, because I recognize a few of the ancient signs.

"Whatever you're cooking smells delicious." I sniff the air, my stomach rumbling.

Azazel looks me up and down. "It's good to see you," he snorts, pulling away from me. "It's obvious that you haven't changed a bit. Once a foodie, always a foodie."

I place my hand on Saint's back, pushing him toward Azazel. "This is Saint, my new master."

Saint blushes as he extends his hand, "Nice to meet you, Azazel."

Azazel eyes Saint up and down before grinning. "Well, aren't you a delicious little snack? I can tell you're going to be a handful for my brother."

I shoot Azazel a warning look, not wanting him to make any advances on Saint. "Cool your jets – he's my master, not yours."

Azazel laughs, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, come on. I'm teasing." He turns to Saint and winks. "Don't worry about him. He's always been a bit of a stick in the mud when it comes to fun."

Saint smiles back at Azazel, clearly enjoying the banter between us two brothers.

"You look so much like Onyx, I can't believe it," Saint gushes.

Azazel smirks, flexing his muscled arms. "I'm the smarter, better looking one."

I scoff, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, right. You wish."

Azazel grins, his face lighting up with joy. "Ahh come on, you know it's true. Besides, I have twin magic on my side and you don't." He turns to Saint again and winks. "You should stick with me if you want to get ahead in life."

Saint laughs, shaking his head in disbelief. "I think I'll pass – no offense, Azazel."

Azazel shrugs good-naturedly before turning back to the fire and stirring the bubbling pot of sauce he was making. "Suit yourself. Twin magic is a powerful thing."

"What's twin magic?" Saint wonders.

Azazel smiles. "It's a special kind of magic that only twins can possess. It gives us the ability to perform spells twice as powerful as any other demon."

I huff in disbelief, crossing my arms over my chest. "Yeah right, like you'd ever be able to cast a spell twice as powerful as mine."

Azazel grins mischievously, raising an eyebrow at me. "Oh really? Why don't we put it to the test then? I bet I could cast a spell with five times the power of yours!"