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Roarke just held up both hands, making it clear he wasn't trying to pick a fight. "I asked because Dahlia warned them. She made it very clear that you can do what you want, but they can't devour you. To me, it sounds like Isabella crossed a line. No consent from the man means his valkyrie is gonna make sure someone dies, huh?"
Thane just started chuckling, and it was like he couldn't stop. The rumble began to grow into true laughter, and he reached up to wipe at his eyes, shaking his head at whatever had just amused him so much.
"I really am her fucking pet!" he finally managed to get out.
"No," Roarke promised. "You're her husband, and when Dahlia's from, the women were just as deadly as the men. Tell me, Thane. What exactly would you do to someone who tried to hurt her?"
"I'd fucking kill them," he snapped.
Roarke just nodded. "Yeah. Goes both ways now. So, how do you really feel about that whole modern man thing you were bragging about the other day?"
This time, Thane only laughed once. "Kinda feeling like I put my balls in her purse and forgot to get them back."
"Mm, guess you'd better get over that, huh?" Roarke asked, gesturing to the soda. "Finish that, then lean back and close your eyes. Just be glad that fucking ward on your arm still makes me itch like mad."
"It's just a funny-looking plus sign," Thane said. "Mind over matter, Roarke. If I can be my wife's bitch, then you can stop believing that the tattoo on my arm means a damned thing, right?"
"Right," Roarke agreed.
Sadly, it wasn't that easy, but at least Thane was looking a lot better. His color had returned and he was sitting easier, not like he was trying to melt into the chair. Unfortunately, Roarke had a feeling this would happen again. Someone would try to kill him for what he was, not understanding how brave this man had to be to do this. He was risking his life to change things, and it sounded like he was the first inquisitor to ever have the balls to even try.
There was nothing weak about that. Nothing at all. Sadly, that didn't mean it was going to be easy.
ChapterTwenty-Four
DAHLIA
It took a few hours to put Cain in a situation where he could safely get a snack. No, it wasn't his safety they were worried about. It was the community's, because murders and missing people had a tendency to get noticed. Never mind that Cain didn't enjoy sex as a way to get vitality. He never had.
Surprisingly, finding someone cruel enough to deserve to die wasn't that easy anymore. It was the middle of the day, and most crimes tended to happen under the cover of darkness. Eventually, they'd managed. Dahlia and Nikki were happy to drink a little of the man's blood, and Cain finished off his flesh. Together, they didn't leave a lot to worry about disposing of.
But as she made her way upstairs to her apartment, Dahlia wondered how Thane would take her feeding methods. Oh, he knew she fucked for food. Surprisingly, he even seemed to accept it. She could hear that he was putting just a little too much emphasis into his enthusiasm, but it was kinda sweet. It was his way of making an effort.
Killing random strangers to devour them, however, probably wouldn't go over as well. Thane had spent his entire life fighting things like her because they were horrible, evil monsters. She didn't really think of herself as evil, but surviving wasn't always pretty. Then again, he hadn't shied away from the fact that she'd killed multiple priests in front of him. He'dseenher rip them apart - and been impressed by it.
Which meant that she needed to talk to him about this. They'd gotten married. She'd taken his last name. Sure, maybe it was easy to say this was all for an alliance and self-preservation, but the reality was that she honestly hoped they could become something more. No, she didn't love him. Yes, this was happening much too fast. Still, if she wanted this confusing thing she had with Thane to end up as anything more than a catastrophic mess, she was going to have to face a few hard conversations.
When she reached her place, Dahlia turned the knob, expecting it to open. It didn't. The door was still locked, and she'd given Thane her keys. Realizing she needed to get him a set of his own made if he was going to be staying, Dahlia thumped her fist on the wood. On the other side, nothing happened. She knocked again, a little louder this time, and still there was no movement inside.
So she pulled out her phone and sent him a text. For all she knew, he'd fallen asleep. After all, Thane's morning had started with a shocking amount of light, which probably wasn't the best way to wake up. After a few seconds, she got a reply.
Thane:Downstairs at Roarke's.
Okay, that was a little surprising, but Dahlia turned around and jogged down all three flights of stairs that she'd just walked up. Back on the first floor, she headed to Roarke's apartment and knocked - softer this time. Almost immediately, the door opened and Roarke waved her in.
She was barely inside his apartment before her eyes landed on Thane, sleeping in the only chair in the room. Directly across from him, some sports game was playing on the impressively large television. In other words, it didn't look like Thane had been the one to reply to her message. Confused, she turned back to Roarke.
"What's going on?" she demanded.
He lifted a finger to his lips. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm honestly glad he has that ward. My skin started itching, and I realized it had to be him right by my apartment. I opened the door to tell you two to either come in or fuck off, but it wasn't you trying to make out with him."
Dahlia's heart clenched in her chest, but she made sure the shock didn't show on her face. "Thane was making out with someone?"
"Isabella, the succubus, decided she was going to take a little of his vitality. Thane said he was trying to head up the stairs when she grabbed him, threw him against the wall, and started draining him. I made it outside in time to keep her from killing him."
There was no way she'd heard that right. Dahlia had made itveryclear to everyone that Thane was off-limits. If they wanted to get a taste of him, they had to ask him for permission, and leave him walking when they were done. That? Nothing about it sounded like he'd been asked to consent or was left walking.
"Is he okay?" she asked.
