Demon and the Mage (Jeongcheol)

Seungcheol

That plan was curtailed by my phone buzzing in my pocket. Ducking out of the room so as not to wake Jeonghan, I glanced at Toby's name on the screen before answering the call.

"What's up?"

"Hey, boss. I know you've got a lot going on, but..."

Toby's voice trailed off, and I sighed. "I do but tell me anyway."

"Myungho was late. By a few hours. He's got a split lip, two black eyes, and marks around his throat again. He's refusing to go to the hospital or home. What do you want me to do?"

"For fuck's sake." I tugged on my beard in frustration. With everything else going on, we'd had to stop monitoring Myungho. And now this had happened. It was all my fault. "Keep him there. I'm coming. I'll compel the little fucker into telling us the truth if I need to. I'm not having my employees treated like this when I have the skills to do something about it."

"Gotcha. Does that mean Jeonghan is going to come and hang?"

I rolled my eyes. Despite their rocky start, Toby and Jeonghan now got on like a house on fire. Unsurprising, really, given their favourite hobby was winding me up. I'd come clean about my and Toby's former fuck-buddy status straight away. Fortunately, Jeonghan had laughed it off, telling me I was allowed to have a past so long as he was the only one in my future. "Nah, he's shattered. I'll leave him sleeping, then come back when I've dealt with Myungho."

After a few more words, I hung up with Toby and pocketed my phone. Sneaking back into the bedroom, I smiled tenderly at my mate. He'd kicked off the duvet and was now shivering slightly. Grabbing it from the floor, I draped it over him gently and tucked him in. He sighed, a twinge of sleep-shrouded contentment echoing from his side of the bond.

I knew how he felt. Even with the storm heading our way, this was still the happiest I'd ever been.

He was my rock, and I could weather any storm with him anchoring me.

I headed straight out, wanting to get back to Jeonghan as fast as possible. Myungho was busy behind the bar when I arrived. I noted the various injuries Toby had detailed with a scowl. Not wanting to cause a scene in front of the customers, I headed back for Toby's office. Hopefully, he'd be there, and we could devise a plan of action together.

I'd just opened the door and was about to greet Toby when the hairs on my arms stood on end. I frowned down at them, confused. What was going on? Then my instincts roared to the surface. For a second, it was like I was taken out of the room as my powers searched frantically for something. There was nothing though. Just a sense that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Nausea rolled through me as my muscles bunched, preparing to fight off a threat. But where was it coming from?

I took a breath, trying to calm myself. Jeonghan was okay. The bond told me he was still sleeping peacefully. There was no doubt that danger was coming—but from where?"

A heartbeat later, my phone rang. I put it to my ear without checking the screen or offering a greeting.

"Something has tripped the wards at Jeonghan's." Joshua's voice was grim, the sound of his wings booming through the phone. "I'm on my way."

Dread sat like ice in my stomach. I fell against the wall in a daze, the phone crushed to my ear. Toby crossed the room and grabbed my arm, trying to read the panic on my face. "Who can cross your wards without breaking them?"

Silence filled the line. I knew the answer as well as Joshua did. Ghasts. They could cross mage's wards, so it made sense they could cross ours too. "I'll meet you there."