“Oh fuck,” Kirkyn muttered.
Baylee moved, just avoiding the algae. It would burn his skin, but the burn would heal. Still, it would hurt like freaking hell.
She was on him before he could blink, punching him with a fist that felt like glass and metal.
He screamed, the scent of his own blood on the air.
“Baylee!”
“Save him,” Clarity ordered. “Don’t think about yourself.”
“Stay back, Kirkyn,” Baylee said as he shoved the woman off him. The algae and salt water would kill him.
Baylee didn’t like hitting girls and ended up taking another punch to the gut. He groaned.
“He won’t hurt a woman,” Clarity muttered. “Turn me around if you can’t kill her.”
“I might hit him,” Kirkyn snapped and turned Clarity around.
“You’re such a wimp,” the woman said and shoved Baylee into the nearest wall.
Kirkyn let loose a stream of electricity. At the same time, Baylee hit her with a stream of water. She screamed as the two strikes hit simultaneously.
* * * *
It was an hour later, and Clarity was still being treated, and so was Baylee. Kirkyn stood inside the room watching the fires finish their job.
A call from Trinity and Wayfaire told him their demon guests were being purged from the realm. The healing of that land would take a little longer, but it would happen. What worried him was that Bancoo hadn’t come to the dinner. Lenno had told him he was dead, but Kirkyn hadn’t believed that.
The Bancoo he’d come to know was clever enough to have escaped any death trap his buddies had planned for him. He just wished he knew where the man had gone. However, Kirkyn wasn’t going to hunt him.
His new life was more important to him than any hunt.
When the morning light broke over the horizon, the fires were out, leaving behind burned patches of grass and crystal-clear lake waters. Kirkyn took Baylee a cup of coffee and his grandmother tea.
Both would be resting most of the day to continue healing, but they were now in separate rooms, to his happiness.
“Thank you,” Clarity said. “How is Baylee?”
“He’s healing nicely. The algae cut him up pretty badly,” Kirkyn told her. She’d been even worse off.
“I guess I won’t be leaving for a few days,” she said. “What did you do to Blade and Alisa?”
“They’ve left the safehouse and will arrive in New Orleans in an hour,” he said. “I’ve asked her to stay out of public for now. One of the demons might still be out there.”
She nodded and took a sip of tea. “They would have killed the baby. Your foresight is interesting.”
He snorted. “I would never harm a pregnant woman or a child unless I had no choice.”
“I don’t wish to approve of this union, but I know I can’t undo it,” she said tartly. “I would if I could. Baylee deserves better, my bloodline deserves better.”
“I assure you that I’ll make every effort to find the right sprite surrogate to have our children.”
“Is that so?” Clarity asked with a hint of interest in her tone.
“I think Alisa will do the honors at least once. I’d love a child with her and Baylee’s looks.”
Clarity studied him for a long time. “Very wise for a demon.” She set the cup on the nightstand. “I’m tired. Please leave me to rest. We’ll talk more of this when I’m recovered.”
Kirkyn left her alone, going to Baylee, who was drowsily awaiting him.
“How is my Gram?” he asked, shaking his head when Kirkyn offered him the coffee.
He set it aside and sat on the bed. “She’s healing.”
“Lay with me,” Baylee said. “I want to fall asleep with you.”
Kirkyn removed his shoes and climbed into bed.
“Have you heard from Trinity?”
“Yes. He sent me some pictures. They have a lot of clean-up ahead. Wayfaire is taking it over, and the waters there are healing.”
“How is mine?”
“Clean,” Kirkyn told him as he lay next to him.
Baylee curled into his arms. “Are they going to blame Payten’s death on you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll deal with that later, but I doubt it,” Kirkyn said. “Sleep.” He groaned as his cell phone chimed, alerting him of a message.
“Check it and then turn it off. I want you all to myself for a little while,” Baylee said.
Kirkyn kissed the top of his head and pulled the phone from his pocket to check it. He grunted.
“What?”
“They’re offering me this area,” Kirkyn said. “I’m declining and suggesting Cord.” He put the phone on the nightstand. He didn’t want the trouble with politics. He just wanted to live in peace and love hard.
“Good idea,” Baylee said and kissed him softly before closing his eyes. “Life is going to be a little more interesting around here.”
Kirkyn grinned. “Sleep well, my love,” he said, closing his own eyes.
“You too.” Baylee smiled, and Kirkyn stroked his hair and just held him as they both drifted off to sleep.
THE END
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