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“Oh, kitten,” Malice growls, wrapping his shadows around us. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
“Don’t fucking touch my wife,” Hex snarls.
“I wouldn’t intervene if I were you,” Atlas says from somewhere. The door to my office closes quietly, but all I can focus on is Malice’s eyes. “I don’t think you come out of that situation looking like the hero, no matter how hard you try.”
“I told you the orc and I had an understanding,” Malice says as his shadows lift me. My arms wrap under his, and I hug him in solid form for the first time. It’s unreal how sturdy he feels. My back hits the wall as he nuzzles his cheek to mine. “I fed from you last night. What the hell have they done to you since then?”
My head shakes as my eyes meet Atlas’s, but he doesn’t look upset. He’s got a hand on Hex’s shoulder, like he’s holding him back.
“Allow me to give you some respite.” Malice pushes his mouth to mine. The kiss isn’t tentative or playful. His tongue dances against mine while still sucking out all my pain and hurt.
“What the fuck is going on?” Hex hisses. There’s some commotion behind Malice, but his frame presses deliciously into mine, and it’s all I can seem to focus on. “You’re fine with this? Who the fuck is that? And who the hell does that body belong to?”
“I have no idea. Yeah, I am, because I don’t control her. I’m pretty sure that’s the nightmare who watches over her while she sleeps, and that’s Kashius. He’s a warlock with the council.” Atlas shrugs. “Or he was.”
“Four for four.” Malice chuckles. “He’s good. No wonder you’re so fond of him.”
“We have a problem,” Silence says, making his way into my office before quietly closing the door.
“That fucking figures,” Atlas mutters.
I sigh. It really does.
ChapterFourteen
Malice
“There’s a dead body on the floor,” the soothsayer mutters.
I laugh, wiping a hand over my face. The human realm is more entertaining than I would have guessed.
“Would you like to explain that?” Ali asks me as she sidesteps Kash’s shell, moving until the orc can wrap her up in his arms.
I’m not sure I want to get into all of that with her husbands around. I know all about them.
I’ve seen them in her nightmares for the better part of five years.
My tendrils dance out, following my command. Both fae princes take a step back, but I have all I need to. If I focus my intent, I can make the smoke nearly invisible.
My head cocks as I process what I’m reading.
The soothsayer is afraid he won’t be able to protect Ali from the truth of her family. The details are sparse, because he’s excellent at shielding his mind. Most demons aren’t so skilled, but many fae have telepathic gifts. He fears what will happen if the fae catch up to her and she refuses to protect herself.
That’s a senseless fear.
She wouldn’t need to lift a finger.
The orc and I would slaughter our way through anyone necessary without a second thought.
My head tilts the other direction.
Color me intrigued.
The kraken is even more complicated than the soothsayer. He loves and resents his wife in equal measure. His greatest fears are deeply intertwined with his most severe regrets, which isn’t unusual.
My shadows tease at the skin of his forearm, probing for more. His beast passed feral long ago. He’s on the edge of being rabid.
The kraken can’t comprehend why his mate doesn’t want him. It’s a longing so fierce that I glance away. I don’t revel in the misery of others like so many of my kind do. There’s also the fact his beast has no ulterior motives. He wants to claim his mate and protect her for all of eternity.
