Moira’s eyes seemed to ask the question that hung in the air.
How?
“Iron,” I murmured. “The bullet they used must have been made of iron.” The Fae were as ancient as us demons, and while I had never come across one—we all knew the tales. Or at least the whispers of them. The she-demons that ran the orphanages I’ve lived in were never fond of the stories. They were banned. Written off as legends meant to scare demons and humans alike.
You don’t get through this world as a weaker demon and not listen to those whispers. You never knew what they might say; never knew what information could make a difference in your survival.
The Fae, specifically the Seelie, were rumored to be hunters of all demon-kind. Dark and unyielding in their pursuits, they fought in the name of the first Seelie—Eve.
Yes, that Eve.
As it so happened, Eve wasn’t the first woman on earth. She was one of two sisters, and there was no Adam. He came much later down the line after Lucifer fell and the worlds were cleaved in two. What was once Eden, became Hell. Her sister, Lilith, remained immortal, beautiful, and more importantly—she got Lucifer. For a time, anyway. Clearly, if I was here, he’d taken up other lovers. As one might imagine, Eve wasn’t too happy with her half of the deal. She got stuck with Adam, earth, and mortality. Eve’s mission was to bear as many children as she could whilst wiping the world of the unholy divine.
Difficult to hunt demons when you’re a mortal. Hence the babies.
“Iron bullets are not something the everyday person carries about. Not even demons.” In the back of my mind, something tugged at my memory, but the thought would not surface and make itself clear.
“Whoever saved her knew of the Fae,” Laran said gruffly, turning the man’s face side to side.
“Indeed,” Julian replied. Something unspoken went between them as they locked eyes, no longer than a moment. Maybe I was observant, but I was getting better at reading them. At seeing what was coming next. “Rysten and Allistair are coming to pick you up and take you back to our apartment. Laran is remaining with me to continue to assess the threat and clean up the damage. One way or another, you will be safe until it is time for you to take the throne.”
Take the throne.
My stomach squeezed in painful, taut knots.
Again, the question ran through my mind, unbidden, but sharp as it was true. If I am not safe here in Portland, what safety could Hell possibly grant me?
The beast in me snarled at the implications of that statement. She didn’t think we should worry for safety. The world should quiver in fear at her wrath.
“How original,” I thought dryly.
“Fear is for the weak. It will kill you faster than anything,” she hissed back at me.
“A healthy dose of fear means I’ve considered my options,” I pointed out, too pertinent for her liking.
“It means you hesitated.”
“Without it, we would not know who sent the Seelie after me.”
“With it, you could die.”
I grit my teeth, pursing my lips. My jaw was beginning to ache from the tension. Bandit clung tighter to me, letting out a pathetic mewling noise that I’m pretty sure was him complaining he was cold. Get in line, buddy.
“Ruby,” Moira said hesitantly as she approached me. “I know we didn’t want to move in with them, but today was shit. First Kendall and the shop, now this—I mean, I just had the living room window replaced. We can’t afford renovations, all our windows are broken, the heat bill is going to be insane this month. I just…” She trailed off as her lips rolled together in a tight frown. Several dark strands of hair slipped free of her ponytail and blew in the wind. “It’s not safe for you to be away from them anymore,” she whispered.
“I know,” I said. Her hands were smaller than mine, with short stubby fingers. It made it easy for me to wrap my awkwardly long hand around hers. They shook from the cold and the declining adrenaline rush.
“It’s not safe for you to be here—in Portland. Ruby, I think it’s time we…” Her voice broke off as she struggled for the first time to give words to what I’d known since the day the pentagram showed up on my chest.
“I know. That’s why I already told Julian that we’re moving in with them. We’ll need to figure out what we’re going to do about Blue Ruby and selling the house, but after today, I think we both know my time here is…limited.” I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I’m not ready to go to Hell. It would probably chew me up and spit me back out, but right now, I’m not seeing a lot of other options.”
I so wasn’t ready for this. Any of it. I don’t get that luxury since I inherited not only Lucifer’s kingdom, but a swath of enemies as well.
“We’ll figure it out,” Moira said. I shook my head sadly.
“I’m so sorry you got dragged into this mess. I’ll find a way to make it right. We can set you up somewhere nice, and I’ll come back to visit—”
Moira threw her arms around my neck, hugging me close. “I’ve invested twelve years of my life into you. You think I would let you run off to Hell alone to become queen? I want a return on my investment!” she declared. The worry that held me thawed against the course laugh that broke through my lips.
It had been a long day, and there will be many more to come. My friend could hold the cops off, but only for so long. My house was wrecked; my reputation going up in flames behind it. I branded Laran, even though I’d yet to hit the transition. The imp was still out there, hunting me, as the Horsemen hunted him.
Some days happiness is not easy; it is a choice.
Despite it all—I chose to smile.
**Julian**
The moment my brother picked her up and took her back to the apartment, I reanimated the Seelie and questioned him.
Not that I expected much of anything beyond what Ruby said.
“I asked who sent you,” I demanded for the third and final time. I wanted to push the matter and force it, but souls struggle to linger more than an hour. As it was, the Seelie was twitching uncontrollably, fighting to break free of my control.
“I told-d you-u-u,” the body rasped. “W-we were paid-d. I n-n-never sssaw the facccce.” The body started gnashing its teeth together. If I forced him to stay, I’d be dealing with a zombie. While that punishment would be fitting, I needed to conserve my strength for something else.
“And you were told to make sure she knew it was an imp that sent you?” I forced the soul to stay with us long enough to nod confirmation, at least as much as the dead could. Releasing it was akin to dropping the leash on a dog. It slipped through the body and into the air as a vague outline of the Seelie he had been. The ghost winked at me and I sent it back to the void, letting War incinerate the thing’s body.
“Seems odd that whoever hired him would want her to know the imp did it if they were sent to kill her,” Laran said over the crackling flames.
“Unless they didn’t expect her to die.”
“Maybe they just wanted to scare her,” Laran suggested.
“Perhaps. What I can’t understand is how they would take a job from a demon and not kill them instead?” Something seemed off about this attempt. It was both too poorly thought out, and too convenient for it to be what we were seeing. There was more to it, but what more was hard to tell.
“I’ll get Rysten on it. See if he can find anything,” Laran said. We stood in silence while I waited for the flames to wink out of existence before I stalked across the room and punched him in the face.
“Was that for her being attacked, or for me being claimed the first mate?” War cracked his neck back into place and spat a glob of blood.
“You’re a fucking idiot for putting her at risk,” I snapped, having to reign it back in so we didn’t accidentally level her house.
“Ahh. You’re pissed because she branded me, and you think it should have been you.” He didn’t shout. Why would he when he was claimed as the first mate? He wasn’t wrong about why I w
as angry, but I punched him because he put her in danger.
“Our duty is to protect her. She’s now even closer to the transition, and if anything triggers her before we find the imp—or whoever sent these two—all of us will be put in a vulnerable position. Think about how long most demons need for it. Now realize who we’re talking about.” His eyes flashed, but he said nothing. As he shouldn’t. He fucked up big time here.
“She could be stuck in it for weeks. That is weeks of appeasing the beast. Weeks of trading off which one of us will be with her while the others guard. And that’s if she only wants one at a time. We have no idea how large her appetite will be given that she is half-succubus.”
Oh, but I dreamed.
In the beginning, I could tell myself that she did not affect me. That I was only her guardian and that’s all I will ever be. I could blame her bedroom eyes on her succubus nature. I would tell myself her sinful curves and sultry mouth affected all of us this way.
It meant nothing.
Then the beast emerged.
It was not as easy now that she smelled like she was fucking made for me.
I wanted her with a desire so sharp it was painful.
That’s exactly why I couldn’t have her.
Chapter 14
You know that feeling when you have a million and one things to do, you’re standing in line at the grocery store, and the cashier is just blabbering away why she takes her time to ring up a gallon of milk and bag of powdered donuts? That’s a bit how today felt. Six clients called and cancelled their appointments. Another ten I had to schedule throughout the week to finish up with. What was left of my house was getting appraised in three days and put on the market—we had to have our shit out by Friday. Blue Ruby was being closed down and the lot sold off. And ever since I had branded him, Laran was strutting around like the prized stallion he thought he was.
I wasn’t handling any of this. No, I was avoiding it like the fucking plague while I focused on finishing coloring the pepperoni in my current client’s sleeve. At the time, I thought it was an amusing request, albeit odd, to have all her favorite foods tattooed on her. I should have realized then how weird this chick was. She’s been running her mouth incessantly for the last hour about macaroni and cheese—a staple food that she had requested I make the base of this design.
I was just finishing up the slice that wrapped around her forearm when the bell on the shop door jingled. I glanced over at Rysten, standing guard next to my cubicle. We’d told mac’n’cheese lady he was shadowing me, and she didn’t question further. You wouldn’t even have realized he was there if it weren’t for the occasional looks the client gave him while licking her lips.
“Can you go check on th—” My words cut off at the sound of approaching footsteps. Too heavy to be Moira, too fast to be a client. Rysten wasn’t alarmed. He did little more than let an easy smile slip onto his face as Allistair rounded the corner.
“I need a word with you,” he demanded. His eyes swept over the situation, but he didn’t seem to particularly care I was in the middle of a session. Fire burned in his eyes, a quiet rage that no doubt had something to do with me. I glanced over at my ogling client to see her mouth was just kind of hanging open.
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s break for five minutes. Feel free to get up and move around, but don’t touch your arm or brush it against anything.” Her head snapped up like she just realized she had been staring and nodded sheepishly. I turned to follow Allistair out and both men held smug grins on their faces. I cocked an eyebrow, walking past and accidentally brushing up against them both as I went.
I left the office door open behind me and crossed to the other side of my desk before Allistair entered. The door clicked shut softly and I swallowed hard. Taunting him in the hallway didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore. Funny that.
I clasped both hands behind my back so he couldn’t see me fiddling with them. Why was he here anyway? If this was about Laran…Shit.
Allistair didn’t seem like the jealous type. But neither had Rysten until Laran apparently started walking around shirtless this morning in their apartment. I got to hear all about that already. Living with them was going to be a real pain in my ass.
“When were you going to tell me?” His voice was soft as velvet, but it was woven into a noose. I shifted uneasily side to side, debating on calling Rysten in.
“It’s not like I meant to do it…” Wrong. Wrong way to start this conversation.
Allistair’s eyes hardened. “How in Satan’s name do you mean to tell me—”
“Hey!” I snapped at the tone in his voice. My own temper rose to match. “You said yourself the lot of you want me. It’s none of your damn business what goes on when I’m with the others. Hell, if I want all of you—then I’ll have you.”
Allistair’s mouth dropped open and he fell silent. A thrill of victory ran through me, making me brave. I crossed my arms over my chest, letting my smugness permeate the air. Not that it lasted long. Allistair’s shock wore off rather quickly and those sinful lips curved into a knowing smile. My own smirk slipped from my face as my lips dropped into a neutral expression.
“What are you talking about, Ruby?” His lips caressed my name. So wicked. Heat pooled inside me, making me stand straighter. Just the way he said my name made my pussy clench. I pressed my thighs together and his eyes flicked down at the movement, his smile growing into a wolfish grin as he took a step closer.
“I…” The words caught in my throat as he took another step towards me, maneuvering himself around the desk.
“You what?” he murmured and took another step, putting him inside my bubble of safety. My bubble of clarity. I couldn’t think with him, or any of them, this close. I took a step back and he pursued. Faster than I could react, he grabbed my hips and planted my ass on the desk. His hands gripped me tight, but not painful. Not yet anyways. He used one knee to knock my legs apart and push his way between them.
“I—” I broke off, snapping my mouth shut. I didn’t appreciate being manhandled into giving him what he wanted…and yet, with him, I did. I bit my lip hard and swift to clear my mind. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here. I have a client I need to get back to, and I doubt you are going to fuck me here on my desk.”
He dipped his fingers under the hem of my shirt, toying with the skin.
“Be careful with that mouth of yours. I haven’t fed in a week, and I can think of much better uses for it,” he whispered. Cool lips brushed against mine and I moaned against him.
Motherfucker.
“Now, now. Is that anyway to talk to me?” he sniggered. I froze.
Shit. I didn’t think I actually said it…
“Fuck off. Either tell me what you came here for or let me finish up this client,” I snarled back at him. Allistair took a step back at the same moment the beast lunged forward and wrapped my hand around his shirt, holding him eye level just long enough to utter, “Mine.”
Devil fuck her. She slipped back just as fast she came, leaving me to handle Allistair’s probing stare.
“She’s possessive,” he commented.
“So it appears,” I replied dryly.
“If she is, then you are, little succubus.”
“I branded Laran.” The words popped out of me and there was no taking them back. Allistair blanched, schooling his face into an unreadable expression. I didn’t need his body language to know the truth. He stood far too close to hide it, and with my own guilt already twisting inside of me, I didn’t want any part of him influencing me, too.
I pushed him to move and he stepped aside, giving me just enough room to close my legs and slide off the desk. I avoided his gaze as I stepped away from him, straightening my spine.
“What are you here for?” I repeated, crossing my arms over my chest.
“To scold you for how unbelievably stupid your stunt with Kendall was,” he replied briskly.
“There’s no proof,” I muttered like a sullen chi
ld.
“No proof? Did you really just fucking say that?” His voice rose with the cold arrogance he seemed to pride himself on. Only I knew his secret. It was all a façade.
“I took the video. Broke the recorder. There’s no proof the court can hold me to,” I said in my snootiest and most obnoxious voice possible.
“You tattooed her whole fucking face, Ruby. You left a message. What was it? ‘Now your outside matches your inside?’ The only thing saving you is my money and reputation—what are you doing?”
I bent over to unlock the safe where I kept my goodies, angling my body so Allistair couldn’t see inside. If he was going to have a conniption about Kendall, he sure as hell wasn’t going to like what I kept in there.
“One moment.” I reached down and plucked the paper I needed, locking the safe back up again before standing to face Allistair.
“What is that?” he asked suspiciously, motioning to the paper in my hand.
“A signed waiver so she can’t press charges.” I couldn’t hide the smugness from my voice.
“You forged her signature,” he deadpanned, ripping the paper from my hands to examine it.
“She ruined my reputation, tormented me about Josh for months, and you know what? I didn’t care. It was getting old. I never gave a damn for anyone’s opinion but my own and I’m not about to start.” I met his gaze with nothing but honesty. “She crossed a line when someone in that mob threw a rock at Moira. I may lose my license. I may get fined. They may even try to put me in jail, but I’ve already lost this life, and I’ll be long gone before the court acts. But Kendall”— I paused, my eyes dropping to the scattered designs across my desk—“she will never be able to forget this. She will never outrun her past. She can try to have it removed. She will be in so much pain and it will never truly be gone; I made sure of that. Every single day of her fucking life she will see the face I gave her when she looks in the mirror. I’ve killed people and come to think that it was too easy a punishment. Making that person live with the consequences…that’s justice.”
Wicked Games_A Reverse Harem Romance Page 10