“Devon!” Liv now snaps at him and he looks slightly less nonchalant.
“What?” he says innocently. “I haven’t done anything that she didn’t agree to.”
Xane makes a strangled noise and advances on Devon again with his hands outstretched. “So, you admit it? You defiled her?”
“Defiled her?” Devon asks in disbelief. “No, no way. She wasn’t a virgin when we started hooking up. Trust me.”
Xane clenches his hands into fists as Liv steps in front of him.
“Look, I don’t know what you think you know, but you’ve got it all wrong,” Devon says now, taking it more seriously now that his sire has taken it upon herself to help him out. Jess shakes her head. Ex-sire. Ex-sire. Ex! Oh, the gods do have mercy! Jess has been so wrapped up in everything else, it hadn’t even occurred to her that Devon’s link to that bitch-whore has also been severed. How could that not have been her first thought?
“What I know is that Xyla is meant for another. Her union is in a matter of weeks,” Xane grates out. “Her dowry is to be paid on the assumption that she is a virgin on her wedding night, goddammit!” He turns and kicks the dresser, knocking it over onto its side, the contents splaying out all over the floor. Xane strides around this side of the bed.
“Not my fault,” Devon says. “Like I said, she wasn’t a virgin. Maybe you should speak to her about this? She clearly doesn’t want to get married. She has never mentioned it.”
“Oh, so you talk as well as fuck?” Xane yells at him.
“Actually, yes. Xyla has been teaching me how to use my Demon powers,” Devon says candidly. “She is a great girl. I like her a lot.”
“Devon,” Liv warns him quietly.
“Don’t ‘Devon’ me,” he sulks. “I have done nothing wrong here.”
“If she is to be married then you need to leave her alone,” Liv says before Xane can start yelling again.
“She deserves better than to be forced into an arranged marriage!” Devon declares heatedly. “She told me she loves me, so she clearly does not love her husband-to-be.”
“She said what?” Xane roars again.
Jess sits back down and crosses her legs. She hasn’t had entertainment and drama like this since she died. She is grateful to Rosalina for bringing her back, but Minerva is all about peace and beauty and nature and love. It is kind of boring.
“You heard me,” Devon says cockily.
“I will rip your fucking tongue out if you speak to me that way again,” Xane threatens.
“Devon, end it with her,” Liv orders him and he scowls at her.
“What’s the point?” Devon asks. “She isn’t a virgin.”
Xane growls at him and then sighs. “He’s right. This is a fucking disaster. Hoyt will never accept her in her condition.”
Jess looks from Xane, to Devon, to Liv, and then back to Xane. She knows exactly what is coming and she is on her feet, ready to use all of her fledgling power to strike out.
“But you will,” Xane declares. “You will pay the dowry and marry her.”
Jess goes for Xane, but he is too quick for her and he is on the opposite side of the room before she could attack him for his awful suggestion. She is relieved when Devon goes pale and says, “No fucking way! Not a chance.”
“Oh yes you will,” Xane says, getting in Devon’s face.
Liv pulls Xane back and shakes her head. “No, Xane. He will do no such thing. We will figure something else out.”
“Xerxei,” Xane snaps at her. “Stay out of this.”
“No,” she says. “You will not force him into doing something that he doesn’t want to do. I will not allow him to be railroaded. Do I make myself clear?”
Jess glares at her, wishing she could tear her eyes out. She turns her gaze back to Devon and he looks relieved that Liv defended him. “You can go and fuck yourself if you think it will ever happen in any lifetime.”
They glower at each other for a time when Devon breaks the silence. “Isn’t it a bit antiquated anyway? I mean who does arranged marriages anymore?”