“Accidents happen,” she said, not needing to say Jinx’s name out loud—Davian got the message.
“I’ll assign you bodyguards, if that makes you feel safer.”
“Oh, that’ll be so much fun,” she deadpanned. “Will they follow me to the bathroom?”
He scowled. Everyone who lived in his vast mansion enjoyed the spaciousness and the opulence. It wouldn’t exactly be a hardship for her to reside there.
“Well, I can’t live here,” he insisted. “Away from the castle and on the human side of the border.”
“You’re missing my argument entirely,” she said with vexation in her tone. “This isn’t just about living arrangements. We can’t get married.”
“We can do whatever the hell we want,” he asserted. “I’m the one who makes the laws around here.”
“Ugh!” She pressed her hands to her face and shook her head. Then she dropped them and said, “Don’t get all high and mighty on me. I know you have the authority to do as you please, but this isn’t the least bit sane or rational.”
“I’ll admit it’s unorthodox. But despite us both saying we couldn’t be together, we’ve ended up together anyway, haven’t we?”
“On rare occasions. Not all the time.”
“I want all the time.”
She let out a tormented sigh, as though her heart wrenched. “I want that too. But it’s not at all plausible. You know this.”
He was quiet, debating his options. Eventually, he said, “There’s something I need to tell you. It actually lends significance to this situation and merit to the idea of us marrying.”
He got out of bed again and reached for his boxer briefs. Revealing she was a cross-breed would likely disturb her greatly. Only initially, though. Or so he hoped. But perhaps it was time she knew the truth about herself. And her father.
Striding over to where she stood, tension and uncertainty stamped across her face, he took her hands in his. “I discovered something a couple of months ago. After you left the castle. I—”
“Davian,” Morgan called out a moment before knocking on the front door of the cottage.
“Damn it.” Releasing Jade, Davian yanked on his pants. “Just…hold tight,” he told her. Then he stalked into the short hallway, unlatched the door and jerked it open. “Yes?”
“Sorry for the intrusion, my Lord.”
“It’s the middle of the night.”
“The sun will be up in an hour or so. This couldn’t wait.”
Davian stepped back and said, “Fine.”
He led Morgan to the dining table. His general unrolled a map and spread it across the wooden surface, getting right down to business.
“As you know, we brought the six demons we captured in Canada to the castle for interrogation. But while you returned with them, my men continued to search for the remainder of their party. We located them all,” he said as he pointed to Ontario. “With the exception of the fire wraith. However, I believe I know where he is. Or at least, where he’s recently been.”
“Not in Canada?” Davian ventured.
“That small colony was a decoy. While we were tracking them, the fire wraith, I suspect, has led another army of rogue demons. A larger one of a hundred to a hundred and fifty, all of varying species.”
“Fuck,” he all but growled.
“Yes. They’ve been active. According to the steward of the central region, located in South Dakota, they dispatched patrols at your request. When they reached the southern states, they learned the band of renegades had mowed down several villages along the Mississippi and Arkansas border, moving north into the Ozark Mountains.”
“Casualties?”
“Many. Two slayers and about fifty humans. There were a few survivors, who reported what they knew to the patrols.”
He heard Jade gasp as she stood in the archway to the hall. She’d changed from his shirt to a nightgown and robe, cinched at her waist. She’d removed his ring, apparently not wanting to bring its presence to Morgan’s attention.