Ashes (Dark in You 3)

“What else did he say?”

“He said a lot of things – not all of them made sense. Like I told you, we were drunk. He talked about how tired he was of conspiracies and bullies and people always hungry for power. He said he could understand why some might be prepared to make a deal with Lucifer; said that he himself was tempted. I was shocked.”

Impatient, Knox asked bluntly, “What does he want from Lucifer?”

“An archdemon.”

Everything inside Knox stilled, but he didn’t betray his shock. He and his demon studied Malden closely. Had the Prime guessed what he was? Had he come here with a bullshit story to test Knox’s response to the mention of his kind? Knox didn’t believe so, but he wasn’t ready to dismiss the idea. “An archdemon?” he echoed flatly.

“You can understand why, can’t you? Archdemons are cruel, brutal, pitiless. They can’t be harmed by the flames of hell because they are the flames of hell. But I remember how the rogue archdemon nearly destroyed the world. I believe in the old adage that what’s born in hell should stay in hell. I told him that. He said that I was right. Said that it would take a deal with Lucifer to have possession of an archdemon anyway, and that he had nothing that the devil could possibly want. But what if he has thought of something that Lucifer could want? After all, why else would he request a meeting with him?”

Knox folded his arms. “Have you talked to Jonas about it?”

“Yes. After the boardroom meeting, I went to his house. I asked him if he had something to do with what happened to Harper and her cousin. He denied any involvement in it. But he admitted that, yes, he was prepared to make a deal with the devil. However, he wouldn’t tell me what it is that he’s prepared to give Lucifer. He said that it would never happen anyway, so what did it matter?”

Knox narrowed his eyes. “Why didn’t you come to me with this straight away?”

“You went on vacation.” Malden sighed, admitting, “And I struggled with the idea of betraying someone who’s been a friend to me all my life. I shall be honest with you, this is not me showing my loyalty to you. This is me being concerned that my friend is going to do something very stupid that leads to his own death. You talk to Lucifer. I am hoping you will ask him to turn down whatever offer Jonas makes him.”

“I won’t need to,” said Knox. “Lucifer has no interest in Jonas or any other Prime.”

Malden’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. “That is good to hear. I hope it will remain that way, for all our sakes. Whatever you are, Knox, I doubt even you would be a match for an archdemon.” With that comment, he signaled for his sentinel to follow him out of the room.

Once they were gone, Levi raised his brows. “For a minute there, I thought he suspected what you were and he was here to test his theory.”

“So did I,” said Knox. “But I think he’s telling the truth. For some reason, Jonas wants an archdemon. I’d like to know what that reason is, and if it’s at all related to what’s been happening to and around Harper.”

Knox, said Tanner, voice brisk. I went to check on Harper in the restrooms, since she was taking a while. It turns out that she’s having a verbal standoff with Carla.

He swore, and his demon went ape-shit. I’ll be right there. “Carla’s here.”

Levi’s face hardened. “Tell me the bitch is nowhere near Harper.”

Knox wished he could. Storming out of the room, he locked it with a swipe of his key card and headed for the ballroom. He reached out to Larkin. Why am I hearing from Tanner that Carla’s confronting Harper?

Harper’s co-Prime, Knox, replied Larkin. She has every right to put one of her lair in their place. It was a gentle, respectful reminder. If I thought she needed my protection, I’d jump in.

“She’ll be all right, Knox,” said Levi, hot on his heels.

“She’d better be.” Knox pushed open the ballroom door and went straight to the women’s restrooms. He shoved open the door in time to hear Harper say, “Isn’t that right, Mother?”

Unwilling to give Carla the satisfaction of seeing just how infuriated she’d managed to make him, Knox hid his rage behind a blank mask as he stalked inside. No one said a word. Tanner and Larkin, who were stood slightly behind Harper, gave him a respectful nod as they moved aside to let him pass. Carla’s gaze skipped to his, and he was surprised by just how much anger blazed there.

Harper didn’t react at all to his presence. She hadn’t moved an inch, and her stare remained fixed on Carla. His demon respected that. But it also wanted Harper to move very far away from the threat in front of her.

Knox sidled up to Harper, glaring down at the she-demon who’d birthed her yet was nothing at all like her. “And just why are you here?” Even he heard the lethal note in his tone.

Carla’s mouth tightened. “I have every right to be here.”

“Do you?” he drawled.

“I have three more weeks —”

“No, you don’t. As of this moment, you are no longer part of this lair.”

Shock flashed across her face. “What?”

“I’m unsure why you’re so surprised. This is the second time you’ve confronted one of your Primes. That level of disrespect isn’t tolerated by this lair. As Harper’s mate, I’ll never tolerate it. Consider yourself lucky that you’re not being punished before being cast out. Not that I’m taking pity on you. No, I just refuse to waste any of my time or attention on you.” His demon surfaced, delighting in the way she paled and cowered. “Leave,” it ordered. “Never bother what’s mine again.”

Fists clenched, Carla hurried out of the room with her head held high.

Knox’s demon signaled for both sentinels to leave, but they lingered, clearly worried for Harper.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured them. When the door closed behind the sentinels, she turned to the demon and held up her hand. “Don’t tell me I should have called for you and Knox. I wasn’t in physical danger, and I had Larkin with me.”

“Not in physical danger,” it allowed. “But the child needs you relaxed, not stressed. Luckily, it is sleeping.”

Harper tilted her head. “How do you know that?” Demons could touch each other’s minds, sure, and they could even pick up surface vibes of emotion, but that was all. Even anchor bonds weren’t invasive – it wasn’t possible to sense emotions, pick up private thoughts, or know if the other was sleeping… yet the demon before her claimed to know something it not only shouldn’t, but that she didn’t know.

“I know plenty,” it told her. “Be more alert and cautious, little sphinx. The child will not respond well to you hurting.”

Harper’s stomach dropped. “What does that mean?” Because it sounded like a warning.

“It is best that you have no cause to find out.” It skimmed its thumb along her jaw. “I don’t like the smell of your fear.”

“I don’t fear you.” But his words… yeah, they were freaking her out.

Its black eyes softened ever so slightly. “No, you don’t.” It kissed her hard and long, hand clasping her nape possessively. Finally, it retreated. She swallowed as she looked up at Knox. “What did it mean, Knox?”

Hearing the tremble in her voice, he pulled her close and kissed her hair. “Ssh.”

She grabbed his arms. “What did it mean?”

Knox’s jaw clenched. “It’s not sharing the answer with me.”

Confused, she shook her head. “Why would it keep things from you?”

“It thinks that we’re not ready to know.”

Harper’s breath caught in her throat, and her demon felt the urge to slap his demon seriously hard. She put a hand to her chest. “I really don’t like the sound of that.”

Knox couldn’t say he much liked the sound of it either. “The demon might simply have been trying to scare you into being more careful.”

Maybe, Harper thought. But the demon claimed not to like the smell of her fear, and she couldn’t imagine it deliberately frightening her. Still, it was the answer that made the most sense, because there was literally no fucking way that the demon should have an invasive bond with the baby. “Can we go home now?”