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It had been Harper’s touch, scent, and voice that pulled Knox out of that state. But even with her safe in his arms, his demon hadn’t wanted to retreat – too caught up in its rage and too drunk on the power it was using. The demon had been born to destroy, and it had continued to do exactly that. Being anchored by Harper in more ways than one had given Knox the strength to reach for supremacy and regain his control.
As the flames finally disappeared, Harper’s stomach dropped, and her heart slammed against her ribs. There was no building. No Larkin. No Tanner. Not even a single body. Only black and red ashes. No, no, no, no—
“You both look like shit.”
Harper tracked Knox’s gaze and saw that Larkin and Tanner, no longer in his hellhound form, were staggering toward them. Relieved to see them alive, Harper wanted to smile. Instead, she heard herself growling, “I thought you were fucking dead!”
“When the flames eased off, I flew us out of there,” the harpy explained.
“You’re okay?”
Tanner waved a dismissive hand at Harper’s concern. “It’s not like it’s the first time he almost killed us.”
Harper really didn’t know what to do with that comment.
“Wings, huh?” Knox whispered his fingers over them. “Soft. Hot.” His memories were blurred a little by the rage that had consumed him, but…“I remember you cracking through the shield. My power spilled through into your mind.” And gave her wings whatever push they had needed to finally surface.
“That was a really stupid but ballsy move, Harper,” berated Tanner.
Harper rubbed her nose against Knox’s. “The flames can’t hurt me – not inside, not outside. Can we go home now?”
Knox kissed her forehead. “Whatever you want.”
Lying on his side on the bed, Knox watched his mate putter around in just panties and a tank top as she spoke to Jolene on her cell. Maybe another person might have wanted a little private time to assimilate the fact that their life had been threatened and they’d just watched their mate almost destroy everything around them. Not Harper. She’d stayed close to him since they returned to the mansion; had even insisted he join her in the bath. Maybe it was her way of reassuring him that he still didn’t scare her – or, at least, not enough to make her leave.
“Grams, I’m fine, I promise. Of course I got out of the house by myself, don’t insult me. There’s nothing left standing for you to reduce to rubble. According to Levi and Keenan, Isla’s demons have left, and the mayhem in the hotel is over.” She let out a heavy, put-out sigh. “Fine, put him on.” A long pause. “Hello, Lucian. I’m fine. Knox came for me. He’s not a deranged psychopath.”
She crossed her eyes, making Knox smile.
“I will come see you tomorrow, okay? Then you can see for yourself that I’m fine. Right now, I’m tired and I need sleep – so do you, if the rumors I heard about you and Raini’s aunt are true. La, la, la, I didn’t say I wanted to know if it was true. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye.” Puffing out a long breath, she placed her cell on the drawers.
“Come here.” A growl of contentment rumbled up his chest as she slipped under the covers and fit her body snug against his. She was such a little thing, yet she’d robbed him of his infamous control. But she’d also given it back to him when he’d been bloated with power and overtaken by rage.
Harper’s eyes fell closed as his hand roamed over her, both possessive and reverent. As if he just had to touch her. “I take it Isla’s dead.”
“She ate an orb of hellfire.” His inner demon smiled at the memory. “I got to the practitioners’ house just as you stabbed ‘Kendra’ through the neck.”
Harper opened her eyes. “Her real name is Jeanna. She’s very much dead.” As something occurred to Harper, she clicked her fingers. “Oh shit, the demon that took me, I think his name is Jacques, was waiting—”
“In the woods. Tanner killed him.”
“Good.” As he traced a half-healed stab wound, she assured Knox, “I’m okay, really.” Most of her injuries had already fully healed.
“But you might not have been. The practitioners could have killed you before I even knew you were gone, if that had been their goal.”
“But they didn’t kill me. And I’m not easy to kill.”
Slipping his hand under her tank top, Knox closed it around her breast. “It would be better if you were much harder to kill.”
She arched into his proprietary grip as he cupped and shaped her breast almost idly. “It would.” When his hand slid to her back and traced the markings there, she smiled. “Even if I do say so myself…my wings are seriously cool.” They had sort of melted back into her skin about twenty minutes after they’d returned home. She’d have to get some advice from her relatives on how to control them.
“They are,” he agreed. It hadn’t escaped his notice that they were the same colors as the flames of hell. What that meant, he didn’t know. Maybe it was just a mere reflection of his power. Maybe it was nothing to be concerned about. But while his fear for her was still fresh, he couldn’t relax.
“I’m safe now,” she soothed when she heard his teeth grinding.
He touched his forehead to hers. “When I realized you were gone, I almost lost my fucking mind.” Intellectually, he’d known that he’d lose control if she was ever taken from him, but he hadn’t been prepared for the blind fear and sheer panic that tormented him. “I haven’t felt fear in a very long time.”
