“Blood.” Maddox knew.
Viper gave a slow nod. “Blood. Vampires aren’t the only creatures who crave it.” He tilted his head again. “But you already know that, don’t you? Your kind inherited that same craving from its ancestors, didn’t it? I doubt the craving is as intense for descendants, because you’re not wholly angel. You all probably only need to feed once every month or so, depending on how strong you are, but the craving is still there. And that’s why you have this club, isn’t it, Maddox? It’s not really simply a business to keep your lair afloat. It’s a feeding ground.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Maddox sensed more than saw his sentinels stir, losing their deceptively lazy air in an instant.
Viper didn’t fail to notice. “You have no need to worry that I’ll share with anyone that descendants inherited this curse,” he told Maddox. “After all, we’re stuck with it, too. We don’t want it made public either.”
Maddox believed him.
“Your kind was right to keep it to yourselves. There were a few blood-drinking demonic breeds back in the old days. Feeding on blood, on life, made them too strong; it made them the strongest breeds, in fact. So other types of demon wiped them out.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. We all are.”
“And so you keep it quiet, and you’ve supplied your lair with its personal hunting ground.” Viper pointed at him. “I like that. It’s smart. You make your prey come to you. You ensure your demons are always fed. You confine the feeding to one place, lessening the chance of your secret getting out.”
“You came to me because you want to use the club to feed,” Maddox sensed.
Viper nodded. “Unlike descendants, we need weekly access to ‘food.’ I’m planning to take inspiration from you and build a nightclub, but that won’t happen overnight. We need somewhere else we can go in the meantime. This place is open almost every night. It isn’t far from my clubhouse. And I’d feel better knowing that my brothers had their backs covered by demons that we’re allied with.”
Maddox took an unhurried swig of his whiskey. He didn’t form alliances easily. But, given how powerful Maddox sensed the Black Saints were, they’d make good allies—especially if angels really would come calling soon to wipe out his lair.
“I can agree to an alliance,” said Maddox. “But I’ll have a condition. I do nothing for free.”
Viper grinned. “I knew I was going to like you.”
“If, as you anticipate, beings from upstairs do come here looking to take out my lair, I may expect backup from you. You might not find it easy to provide that, because you may well personally know the people who are sent here. You’ll be expected to fight them, even if they’re friends of yours. Can you do that?”
Viper poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue. “It’s possible I may know those who’re sent after you—I can’t be sure either way. What I do know is that you don’t have to worry that I’ll fail to back you up. My brothers are my priority now. For them, yeah, I can do it.”
“Can you guarantee that they will fight at your side?”
One of Viper’s brothers straightened and said, “That will never be in question—we go where he goes.”
Maddox inclined his head and then met Viper’s gaze again. “If I allow your brothers to use my club, I’ll also have rules. One, they don’t cause fights or draw unnecessary attention to themselves. Two, they only feed in the VIP area, they heal the bite wounds afterward, and they ensure that the humans don’t remember the incident. I’m assuming that, as angels, you can all heal minor wounds?”
“We can,” Viper confirmed. “As can your kind.”
They could. Only Maddox could heal fatal ones. “Three, they only feed from my demons if it’s consensual. And lastly, they understand my anchor is completely off-limits—they touch her, they die.”
“Ah, yes, I heard you recently discovered your psi-mate. A succubus from Jolene Wallis’ lair. The first archangel to ever fall and copulate with a demon chose none other than a succubus, you know.” He leaned forward in his seat. “I agree to your terms, and I’ll ensure my brothers understand and obey your rules while here. So, do we have an alliance?”
“We have one.” Maddox shook the hand that Viper held out.
It wasn’t long after that the Black Saints left the office.
Carmen pushed away from the wall. “Do you think they’ll keep their word and provide backup if necessary?”
Maddox drained his glass. “Yes. They need us. And I don’t just mean because I’m allowing them access to the Damned. We’ve grown up craving blood. They haven’t. It’s all new for them. I think Viper wants his brothers to look at our lair and see that they can still have a life; that they’re not going through their struggle alone.” Maddox stood. “I’ll hold a meeting tomorrow and inform the rest of the lair about our new allies.”