Ashes (Dark in You 3)

Knox laid a hand on her stomach. “Our child isn’t bad.”

“I know that, but McCauley’s demon seems determined to make him believe that everyone around him is a threat.”

“Except you,” Knox pointed out. “It told him that you wouldn’t hurt him. Why?”

“I don’t know.”

As Levi began to drive, Knox’s phone chimed. His conversation was short and sweet – one he felt like he’d had a dozen times over the past few days. “That was Mila,” he told Harper as he ended the call and tucked his phone back in his pocket. “Many of the Primes have called to pass on their congratulations. In most cases, they’re just courtesy calls really. But some sounded genuinely pleased for us.”

That surprised her. “Like who?”

“Dario, Raul, Malden, even Thatcher. But, like all the others, they also sounded a little rattled by the news.”

That didn’t surprise her. “We knew they wouldn’t like the idea that there might soon be another being that’s as powerful as you. There’s nothing to say that our baby will be, but I doubt they’ll take comfort in that.” She rolled back her shoulders. “I’m nervous now that I know how widespread the news is. Have you heard from Jonas?”

“Yes. He also congratulated us, but his message was stiff and formal.”

“I doubt Alethea will be pleased.” Ha.

“She may not care. She’s had a long time to adjust to the idea of you and I together. She may be impulsive and petty, but she’s not stupid. She knows that I see you as mine and that I have no intention of letting you go – the fact that I gave you a black diamond spells it out loud and clear for her. Personally, I think the only reason she still flirts with me is just to upset you.”

“I’d agree with that,” said Levi.

Harper frowned at the reaper. “Eavesdropping, are we?”

Levi ignored that. “One thing Alethea was never good at was letting go of an insult. I don’t mean the sarcastic insults you like to shower her with. I’m talking slights to her character or ego.” He paused to take a sharp turn. “You already know that Knox’s demon quickly got bored with females in the past. He warned them it would happen, but most still caused a fuss over it. Alethea didn’t get upset that he didn’t commit to her. She accepted it. But that was because Knox didn’t commit to others either.

“Then you came along and he claimed you in a matter of months. Alethea had known him for centuries. To her, you’re an imp, a Wallis, someone completely beneath her. She can’t understand why he could possibly want you when he could have her. Knox giving you something he’d never given to her – especially the ultimate commitment – is something she feels insulted by. She’s tried to intimidate and manipulate you into leaving him, but nothing ever worked. That only makes it worse for her.”

“So you don’t think she wants Knox?” Harper wasn’t so sure she agreed with that.

“I think she wants him,” said Tanner. “But I think she also knows it’s not going to happen. Still, that doesn’t mean she’ll ever accept you as his mate. She’ll hurt you however she can just because it makes her feel better.”

Harper thought about it a minute. “It’s like she entered us into some kind of imaginary competition. Knox wasn’t really the prize, though, was he?”

Knox sighed. “I’m right here, you know.”

Levi’s mouth quirked, but he responded to Harper’s question. “No. She might have ‘won’ Knox, but the real prize was that she’d then feel like the goddess she believes herself to be. Alethea’s kind can enchant and seduce any human. That’s why she spends so much time around them – it makes her feel powerful to be the object of so many fantasies, to be able to manipulate and control people that way. For her, the ability to make any man want her equates to power.”

Tanner nodded and threw Harper a brief look over his shoulder. “She’s not used to being turned down. It makes her feel like she’s without that power that she’s become so used to. But Knox chose you, not her. You took away her power, you made her feel weak – just as it would make you feel weak if she took away your ability to fly or strike out at people with soul-deep pain. She’ll never let that go.”

Harper tossed Knox a look of irritation. “Did you really have to shake the sheets with such a fucking egotistical nut job?”

Knox chuckled. “I sincerely regret it, and I’m sorry that she tries so hard to hurt you. I’d offer to kill her, but you’d just tell me that you would rather deal with the matter yourself.” He pressed a soft, apologetic kiss to her mouth. “Forget about her. She’s not important. Never was.”

Tanner grinned. “Aw, that was cute.”

Knox shot him a scowl. “It’s really no wonder that Devon wants to kill you.”

Tanner’s grin widened. “The little hellcat wouldn’t do that.”

Harper snorted. “You persist in believing she’s some cute little kitty that you could easily handle. One day, that attitude’s going to come back and claw you on the ass – literally.”

That didn’t seem to bother Tanner at all. In fact, he looked like he’d enjoy it.

Twisted.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Leaning against the doorjamb of Knox’s home office a week later, Harper waited as he finished his call. He’d begun to spend more and more time at the mansion, doing meetings via teleconference whenever he could. She knew it was because his protective instincts were becoming harder to deal with, and she was guessing that his demon was also more at ease when she was around. Her own demon certainly preferred being at home and having Knox nearby.

As he finally ended the call, she arched a brow. “You busy?” He didn’t just stand; he sort of… gracefully uncoiled from his seat, and she had no idea why she liked that so much.

“Never too busy for you. You know that,” said Knox. The baby’s mind lightly touched his – it often responded to his voice that way, and it got to him every time. Rounding his desk, Knox tilted his head, tension mounting inside him as he took in her nervous expression. “Something wrong?”

“No. I just have something to show you.”

He smiled as realization dawned on him, and the tension in his muscles fell away. “You’re finally letting me see it?”

She pushed away from the doorjamb. “Yes. It’s ready.”

Knox draped his arm over her shoulders. “Lead the way.” She hadn’t let him in the nursery even once since she’d began painting it, wanting it to be a surprise. She’d let him do a few things, such as assemble the pretty dragonfly mobile – and he suspected that was because she wanted to be sure he felt involved to some extent – but that was pretty much it.

He hadn’t complained. He’d sensed that she’d made it her project and that designing it meant something to her. Since he wanted her happy, and since Meg had explained that it was a “nesting” instinct that was perfectly natural, he’d given Harper that.

Once they reached the closed door of the nursery, she said, “Don’t forget; if there’s anything you don’t like, we can change it.”

“I’m sure I’ll like it just fine.” Twisting the knob, Knox pushed open the door… and his mouth almost fell open. Damn, the woman had been busy, and her hard work had paid off.

He walked silently along the plush, cream carpet and skimmed his hand over the side of the crib. Like the dresser, changing table, and rocking chair, it was a light, smooth pine. Woodland murals decorated the lemon walls and closet doors, matching the woodland-themed quilt. The most striking artwork was the large, white, tree mural that spanned from floor to ceiling.

The pine shelves were lined with the gifts she’d been given at the baby shower – stuffed animals, baby monitors, and a photo frame that held the baby’s first ultrasound picture. A diaper pail and baby chair, both of which were also gifts from the baby shower, sat in the corner.

The breeze coming through the open window fluttered the white curtains and jingled the dragonfly mobile that hung over the crib. The room felt bright and airy, especially with so much natural light. When the sun shone on the lemon walls, they turned into a deeper, sunbeam shade. She’d created a warm, serene space that was as inviting as it was cozy. He was now extremely glad he’d accepted her request to leave the whole thing to her.