I kissed the tip of her nose before reluctantly releasing her and stepping away. Her hand caught mine, and she detoured from Bale and Corson to join Lix and Wren at the pile. To the left of the pile and card catalog was a row of tables with computers spread out across it. Dust covered the machines, and a few of the tables had been pushed aside to make room for the growing mound of weapons.
Wren lifted a throwing star into the air before releasing it. It clattered as it fell on top of the other weapons and tumbled down the side. “Obviously these weapons were useless for their past owners.”
“Or they didn’t know how to use them,” Lix said as he hefted a spear and tapped the end of it against the floor. The metal tip gleamed in the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows across the room.
“Did you ever see the minotaur?” I asked Lix.
“No. It was before my time,” he replied. “And I never went down to the seals to look at it.”
Wren lifted a set of brass knuckles before tossing them back on the pile. “We can choose any weapon we want.”
Since becoming a demon, I’d tried to rely on my natural defenses more than human weapons. Canagh demons didn’t have some of the more physical defenses other demons had, like Corson’s talons or Aisling’s fire, but I was fast and strong, and my kiss could make someone a mindless sex slave. However, I didn’t see the minotaur bending down to let me kiss it or walking under some mistletoe anytime soon.
This pile made my fingers itch for some of those weapons, and I suspected my natural defenses wouldn’t do much against this beast. Then again, these weapons were useless against it too.
“Bullets don’t work against it.” I looked up as a man walked over to stand before Aisling, who held a rifle. “They barely slow it.”
Aisling stopped inspecting the gun to study the man. “But they do slow it?”
“Most weapons are useless against it, but some have made it bleed. I can show you what works best against it.”
When the man’s gaze ran leisurely over her, I growled as I stepped closer to Aisling and rested my hand on the small of her back. I leveled the man with a look that made his eyes widen, and he took a staggering step back.
“You can showmewhat works best against it,” I told him.
The man blinked at me as he started stuttering. “I, uh… yeah… well…” He glanced at his watch. “I forgot I have guard duty. It was nice to meet you.”
The man hurried away so fast he tripped over a mattress and nearly fell on his face. He glanced back at us before righting himself and rushing down the stairs to the front doors.
“Marking your territory?” Aisling asked.
I rested my fingers against my bite on her neck. “I already have, but humans aren’t as aware of it as demons.”
“I am still my own person.”
I stiffened as my hand fell from her neck. Wren and Lix lowered their weapons to the pile and glanced around the library before wandering away to join Bale and Corson.
“Were you interested in him?” I demanded.
“Not at all, and this has nothing to do with any nonexistent interest in another.” She shoved the rifle into my chest. “I’m not a thing to be claimed.”
“You’ve claimed me too,” I reminded her.
“And if someone started flirting with you, and I got all pissy about it, what would you do?”
I smiled as I clasped her wrist and moved her arm behind her, pinning it to the small of her back. Dropping my lips to her ear, I whispered, “Anytime you want to stake your claim on me and get all pissy about it, feel free to do so. I’ll enjoy it.”
When she leaned back to look at me, I hated the uncertainty in her eyes.
“I’m yours, Aisling; I always will be.”
Her mouth parted, and her eyes fell to my lips. Her need blasted against my skin; I’d give anything to make her happy and to taste her, but I couldn’t give her this. I wouldneverlet what happened to Sarah happen to Aisling.
She sagged against me, and I kissed the top of her head before resting my cheek against her silken hair. “I wish I could give you everything you need,” I whispered, “but I can’t.”
She lifted her head and kissed my chin. “I have everything I need.” Then she glanced around. “Except freedom.”
“We’re going to get that too.”
