Fallen (Dark in You 7)

“She’s fine,” Maddox confirmed. “She’s in the attic of the cathedral with Raini. They’re keeping watch on Euan.”

“We couldn’t properly hear what he was yelling,” said Hector. “What was all that about?”

“I’ll tell you everything once we’ve both collected our mates.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Placing the fresh cup of coffee on the nightstand, Maddox looked down at his sleeping mate. The amount of psychic energy she’d expended had taken its toll on her. She’d stayed awake long enough for him to collect her from the cathedral so that she could see for herself that he was fine, but then she’d gone out like a light. It was only during the past minute that she’d begun making slight fussing noises that said her sleep was no longer so deep.

She had no idea, but the bedroom had been jampacked with people up until half an hour ago. It was shortly after he’d cleaned the blood from her skin and put fresh clothes on her that members of his lair had trickled into the room to ask how she was doing. Sometime after that, several of Raini’s circle had arrived.

They’d somehow learned of the attack before he had the chance to contact Jolene. Unsurprising, really. Imps had “ways” of finding things out.

A bunch of people—including Raini’s parents, uncles, Harper, Devon, Khloë, Knox, and Knox’s sentinels—came to get a good look at Raini. Despite the amount of noise in the room, she hadn’t stirred—not even when Khloë gently poked her forehead while weirdly threatening to draw a baby hippo on her face.

They eventually left, content that Raini was fine, but not before inviting themselves to dine with his lair. Maddox was quite certain that everyone was surprised by how easily they gelled with his demons. Lachlan and Hector got along like a house on fire, and Evangeline had quickly befriended Celia.

After learning of Euan’s guilt, Jolene and her group had requested access to him. Courtesy of Raini’s compulsion, Euan was still sleeping deeply. Maddox had known that by “access,” Jolene meant she wanted to introduce his cousin to brand-new levels of pain.

Maddox had promised that the imps could have their fun with Euan once Raini woke him, providing Jolene didn’t object to Maddox having “access” to Demi. Raini’s sister might not have worked alongside Dwain, but she’d done nothing to stop him. She’d essentially given him the green light to continue hurting Raini. She’d enjoyed knowing that her sister was suffering. Demi had betrayed his mate on several levels.

If they had known of Dwain’s guilt sooner, they would also have learned that he wasn’t responsible for all that was happening. As such, they would have known that another person was targeting Raini; that they needed to take a closer look at the other suspects. And Maddox could have stopped Euan before his cousin went so far as to capture and shoot her.

In sum, Demi did have a part to play in the mess. She wasn’t responsible for the actions of others, but she herself could have acted in ways that saved Raini further pain. But Demi simply hadn’t wanted to.

Jolene had balked at Maddox getting near Demi, though. The Prime didn’t trust that he wouldn’t trap Demi in a permanent psychic time loop. Which was perceptive of Jolene, really. She’d proposed that he punish Euan and that she punish Demi. Maddox had agreed after Carmen telepathically pointed out that Raini wouldn’t like him hurting her sister. Such a thing could come between him and Raini in the long run, no matter how upset his mate presently was with Demi. Plus, Maddox would also have made enemies of her parents, which would have pained Raini—he didn’t want that.

Perching himself on the edge of the bed, Maddox skimmed his fingertips down Raini’s bare arm. A little line formed between her brows, and his demon smiled. He’d never known anyone to be so difficult to wake. It took over a minute of him idly stroking her skin and talking quietly to her before he was able to fully rouse her.

As her eyes fluttered open, Maddox’s mouth curved. “You’re finally back with me.”

Groaning, she probed her temple. “My head feels all cottony. How long was I out?”

“A few hours.” He helped her sit upright and then handed her the drink he’d set on the nightstand. “Your family and your girls came. They stayed for a while, but when it became clear you weren’t going to wake any time soon, they left.”

Cradling her cup with both hands, she took a swig of her coffee. “My dad didn’t threaten you again or anything, did he?”

“No, but he did make me promise to perform certain methods of torture on Euan. Want to tell me what happened with the little bastard? I’d have questioned him already if I could wake him. You didn’t tell me you could enchant with a kiss. Not even when Hector asked if there were succubae who could.”