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His inner demon slinked to the surface, wanting the other male far away from Khloé; detesting that he’d impinged on Keenan’s time with her.
Telepathically reaching out to Knox, Keenan said, Gavril’s here.
The Prime sidled up to him. I know. He just telepathed me. He’d like five minutes of your time. You’re free to turn down his request.
I’d rather see what he wants. Maybe the asshole would then run along and disappear from Khloé’s general vicinity.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, leaning into him, clearly sensing his change of mood.
Looking down at her, Keenan cupped her nape and brushed it with his thumb. “Nothing. I just need to speak with someone. I’ll be five minutes. Take my turn for me.” He gave Harper a look that said, “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
With that, he and Knox headed to the bowling alley’s entrance. Knox must have telepathically ordered the other sentinels to remain with the women, because they didn’t try to follow—not even Levi, who liked to guard the male Prime at all times.
As Keenan and Knox halted a few feet away from Gavril, Keenan’s inner demon curled its upper lip. All it had ever sensed when it looked at the harbinger was weakness.
Gavril straightened his shoulders. “Knox.”
“Gavril,” was all Knox said in return before exchanging nods with the other Prime’s sentinels.
Gavril briefly inclined his head at Keenan and then slid his gaze back to Knox. “I wouldn’t have thought a bowling alley was your scene.”
“I was about to say the same to you,” said Knox.
“I confess, I only came because I heard you and your sentinels were here,” said Gavril. His eyes danced from Knox to Keenan. “I was hoping to speak to you both in person.”
“Then speak,” said Knox.
Gavril pursed his lips. “Has Thea been in contact with either of you?”
“No.”
Gavril’s jaw tightened. “I have it on good authority that a female and young boy recently joined your lair.” He looked at Keenan, daring him to deny it.
Keenan shrugged. “I wouldn’t term it ‘good’ authority, since it’s untrue.” They were giving Thea and Lane sanctuary—that was different from offering them a place in their lair. Which was the only reason Keenan’s demon wasn’t sulking about it.
“Not according to my sources,” said Gavril. “Your new members’ descriptions don’t match those of Thea and Lane, but she’ll of course be using glamor.”
“You should consider finding new sources,” Knox advised.
Gavril’s nostrils flared. “I don’t know what lies she has told you. But know that Thea is dangerous and unstable. She killed her ex-mate, the father of her son. I cannot—will not—allow that to go unpunished, so do not think you can hide her from me. It is in your best interests to hand her over.”
Knox took a slow step toward him. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that was a threat. That can’t possibly be true, though, can it? Because you wouldn’t be stupid enough to believe you would get away with threatening me.”
“It was not a threat,” Gavril assured him. “When I say it is in your best interests, I mean that she is not a person who can be trusted. She would betray you as easily as she betrayed her ex-mate.”
“Then it is a good thing I haven’t welcomed her into my lair, isn’t it?”
Gavril’s gaze snapped back to Keenan. “She will come to you eventually. She will tell you lies; will claim that she is oh so innocent and desperately needs a white knight. She may even profess an undying love for you. Do not fall for her act.”
Keenan’s demon puffed up, affronted that the other male would believe it could be so easily deceived. “Thanks for the advice,” he said, his voice dry.
Gavril’s mouth tightened, but he and his sentinels then left without another word.
Keenan stared after them. He didn’t speak until they were a safe distance away. “He was convincing enough to have me wondering if there’s some truth to what he’s saying. But Thea was pretty convincing, too.”
Knox nodded. “It’s possible that both are lying; that each are mixing enough truth with fiction to make their sides of the story believable. It’s a shame I can’t read her mind.”
“Did Ella manage to successfully bind Lane’s power?”
“Yes. She also agreed to check on him weekly to be sure that no one has undone her magick.”
Keenan felt his brow pinch. “You don’t trust that Thea wouldn’t hire someone to unbind his gift?”
“I simply don’t trust her, so I intend to keep a close eye on the situation. If she is lying, we’ll find out soon enough. I just hope it won’t be in a way that leaves us dealing with a lot of blowback.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Sitting on the chair in the studio’s break room, Khloé watched Teague pace up and down, a mass of restless energy. She’d called him yesterday when she’d returned from the bowling alley and asked him to meet her at her house today after work. She had a few things to share with him, and she didn’t want to tell him about her damn infection over the phone.
