“That doesn’t tell me who you are,” Danny demanded, coming into the kitchen. He eyed the pan on the stove, and his lip curled. “What are you doing?”
“Making breakfast.” Alcy drew in a deep, cleansing breath. “You’re welcome to join us, if you’d like.” Except that was the last thing he wanted.
Danny narrowed his beady eyes. “Sit down with a heathen like Carter? I think not. I care for my immortal soul, and won’t have you...people corrupting it.”
There was such disdain in Danny’s voice, and his entire face was twisted in a mask of rage. Anger surged within Alcy at the thought that this kid believed he was better than Carter.
“Carter is hardly a heathen,” Alcy barked. “He’s twice the Christian you’ll ever be.”
Crap. The anger he’d been trying to keep in check erupted through the cracks that had been developing in Alcy’s façade. Ever since he’d found Beez snuggled up to him, Alcy hadn’t been the same. He’d noticed there were too many times he’d had to drag his gaze away from Beez and Carter, especially when Beez was naked which, admittedly, happened far more often than Alcy cared to admit.
Danny barked a laugh. “Carter? A good Christian? Please, tell me another, because I haven’t heard anything so funny in a long time. He’s everything wrong with people like him. He’s not willing to stand up for his beliefs. For God. He’s an affront to—”
A loud cough cut Danny off mid-flow. Beez swaggered into the room, his anger palpable. “You know, Alcy might be too good to punch you, but I’m not. You open your mouth again about Carter, and you can think seriously about walking out of here minus a few teeth.”
Alcy had never been so glad to see him, because he was moments away from... no, he couldn’t hit anyone—Could he? Yeah, for Carter, he definitely could. Howdarethis jerk walk in and start talking crap about someone Alcy cared about.
“Who the heck are you?” Danny snarled.
“I’m Carter’s friend,” Beez answered as he stalked toward Alcy. “We both are.”
It was only a moment, but Alcy noticed the look as realization dawned on Danny. “You’re.... No! You’ll not be doing this undermyroof. Perversions like you—”
If anyone had told Alcy that Beez could have his fingers locked around Danny’s throat and shoved up against the wall in the blink of an eye, Alcy would have scoffed. Beez was always so slothful when it didn’t have to do with sex or chocolate. Yet he had Danny pinned there, his nostrils flaring.
“Don’t youeverspeak about Carter or Alcy like that,” Beez growled, his voice darker than Alcy had ever heard it. If he didn’t know better, he would swear Beez was every bit the demon the human bible made him out to be.
“Let him go, Beez,” Carter shouted, rushing from the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his hips.
With great reluctance, Beez did as Carter insisted. When he got to where Beez and Danny stood, each glaring daggers, Alcy smirked when Beez slid a protective arm around Carter’s waist, his thumb dipping into the towel.
Carter looked Danny in the eye. “Why are you here? You said you were moving out.”
“I also said I would be back for my other stuff,” Danny snapped. “Now? I sure as hell don’t want any of it. You probably spread your… sickness all over it.”
Carter locked his grip around Beez who was straining at the leash, clearly ready to go after Danny again.
“Get what you want and leave,” Beez threatened. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a wad of cash that he threw at Danny. It bounced off his chest and fell to the floor. “This isn’t your place anymore. That should be more than enough to cover what you paid for rent.”
Carter opened his mouth, but Danny spat his venom before he could say anything. “I wouldn’t touch your filthy money!” His gaze snapped to Carter’s. “How long has this been going on? Were you committing these...abominations when I still lived here?”
Beez gave Carter a push in Alcy’s direction, and he wrapped an arm around Carter’s shoulder, not surprised when he tucked his face into Alcy’s neck. He could feel the trickle of hot tears on his skin as Carter cried. Alcy was grateful for Beez right now, because his anger threatened to bubble over and he knew he’d lash out at Danny.
“Carter is hardly an abomination!” Beez shouted, jabbing a finger in Danny’s chest. “He understands what being a Christian means. He’s good and kind and not some judgmental little fuck like you. People like you anger Supreme so much. Always pretending to be holier than thou, and then slipping into a backroom somewhere to get your dick sucked.” Danny’s widened eyes let Alcy know Beez had fired a direct hit. “And then on Sunday you’ll run to church and drop to your knees in a different way, and, hypocritical little son of a bitch that you are, you’ll stride out of the place having convinced yourself your god will forgive you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Danny snarled. “I would never do something so vile and disgusting.”
Beez peered deep into Danny’s slate gray eyes. “Tell me another, loser. I can tell when someone sucks cock. I also know what cum on the breath smells like, andyou, little man, reek of it. How many dicks did you suck?” Beez smirked. “Want me to get you a toothbrush so you can hide your dirty little secret?”
Danny’s face reddened as he grabbed Beez’s arm and tried to push him away. He had no clue. A host was far stronger than a human could ever be. “Goddamn it! You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” Danny spat again.
Beez grinned. “Ooh, aren’tyoua good little Christian? You just took your god’s name in vain. Added to the dicks you’ve sucked, that guarantees you a one-way shot to the hot place down below.” He leaned in close. “And believe me, I know Hell.”
“Get the fuck off me,” Danny screamed, slamming his hands against Beez’s chest.
“I notice you’re not denying it now,” Beez crooned. “Bet thinking about all that dick has addled your brain.”
Danny slumped, his head bowed. The look of defeat was obvious. “Carter, make him let me go,” he said, his voice listless.