Heart's Redemption (MxM)

Chapter 4 ~ Sam

Ian is sulking.

He's barely said a word to me all morning. Not since I told him what I'd done to him last night and why. Afterward, he'd threatened to leave me by the side of the road.

I know he didn't mean it.

Well, actually, maybe he did mean it; but that doesn't matter now.

He can't leave me behind any more than his truck can drive off without its engine.

What matters now is that I'm sitting across from him in a crappy little diner in some nowhere town, happily enjoying a passable breakfast of toast and eggs, while he works his way through a massive plate of pancakes, sausages, and bacon.

What matters now is that I'm free of Karin's grasp.

Of course, now I'm bound in a whole new way to a man who can turn into a bear.

But whatever.

I'll take bear-man any day.

He's kind of sweet, actually, and I find myself wanting him to like me. We might just make a good team—if he doesn't eat himself to death first, that is.

"So...you didn't, like, eat a rabbit, or some berries earlier?" I ask, squinting at him.

He glares at me over his plate, a bit of jam stuck in the short red hairs near his mouth. Without thinking, I reach over and snag it, and he jerks away from my touch.

"Ouch," I say, sucking the jam from my finger. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

"I don't know," he says angrily. "I don't remember it."

I wave my hand at him. "Sure you do. The important bits anyway." When his expression doesn't lighten at all, I fidget in my seat.

Turns out I don't like being on the wrong side of his mood. It might be an effect of the bond, or it might not. It's hard to tell this soon.

"You're mad," I state, pouting a little.

He sighs, wipes his mouth on his napkin, and leans back in his chair.

"Yeah, I'm mad," he agrees. "But I don't even understand what I'm mad about. I mean, 'Demonic pact?' 'Human-demon hybrid?'" He shakes his head. "Maybe you've noticed, but I'm kind of a basic guy. I don't have a lot of book-learning and, I don't know—maybe I haven't been hitting the right clubs or something—but I don't know what the fuck that means."

I take a sip of weak, tepid coffee. It's not so bad when it's hot, but once it cools off it sucks ass, and I need a refill. "So...What do you want to know?"

"Like...is Sam even your real name?" he asks, massaging his forehead. "It seems a little mundane for a demon—no offense."

"Human-demon hybrid," I remind him. "And yeah, it's my real name."

He blows out a breath and runs his hands through his hair. "So, how does that even work? Did your mom have the tail, or your dad?"

I roll my eyes at him. "Neither."

Then I sigh. The memories aren't really mine anymore, but they still hurt. I don't like to dredge them up if I can avoid it, but it seems like if I want Ian on my side, there's no avoiding it right now.

"My human side was born as Sam Asato," I begin. "My parents met in Japan when my mom was over there teaching English. They fell in love, and my dad took her on this big tour of all these temples and shrines and things. By the end of it, she was pregnant. They got married and moved back here. He split when I was about six—right when my problems started to get bad."