Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“Yes, but he doesn’t know that.”
Luka squinted. “You’re sure?”
“Positive. His client doesn’t suspect it either. He barely even looked at me the time he showed up at my mom’s store to talk to Tobe. It’s only the clerics and their puppeteer who are a real issue.”
His face hardened. “They won’t be an issue for much longer. Fact is, they’re already dead. No one gets to fuck with what’s mine and live, especially when it comes to you.”
Her demon shivered at that, and then rushed to the surface to take the wheel. “You will be good to her,” it ordered. Literally ordered.
“Of course I will,” Luka told it. “I want her to be safe, happy, and well, just as you do.”
The entity sniffed. “I still plan to kill you if you hurt her.”
“You seem very sure that you could.”
“Because I am. And so should you be.”
At a knock on the front door, Naomi’s demon retreated. “That’ll probably be Tobe and the others coming to check on me,” she hedged. “He will have filled them all in.” She pyroported both her and Luka to the hallway, and opened the front door.
Jolene entered first. “Everything all right here?” she asked, her gaze darting from Naomi to Luka.
“Everything is fine,” Naomi assured her.
Tia, Alfie, and Tobe filed in behind their Prime. Naomi found herself on the receiving end of hugs, how-are-yous, and I’m-so-glad-you’re-okays.
As they all poured into the living area, Tia slid Luka a quick look before refocusing on Naomi. “I’m guessing he’s now fully informed where you’re concerned?”
“I told him everything,” she confirmed.
“Her secrets are safe with me, just as Naomi is,” Luka swore. “I’d never betray my mate.”
“Mate?” Jolene echoed, her voice overriding Tobe’s muffled curse. “I had the feeling that things were heading in this direction. It’s always nice to be right.”
“I too suspected it.” Tia eyed him closely. “After all, you’d be a fool not to have claimed my baby. And you don’t strike me as a fool.”
“I trust that you’ll take care of her,” Alfie said to him. “She’d allow nothing less anyway.”
“Am I the only one who has reservations here?” Tobe pinned a hard look on Luka. “You may not mean to ever hurt her, but let’s face it, you have a lot of enemies.”
“No harm will come to her,” Luka vowed, his expression solemn.
“Just because you say so?” Tobe snorted. “That isn’t how it works. And I swear to you on all that’s unholy that if anything happens to her—”
“You promised that you wouldn’t threaten him,” Naomi reminded Tobe, jabbing her elbow into his ribs.
Tobe’s shoulders lifted and fell. “I’m an imp—my promises mean shit.”
Lord above. “Let this be an exception.”
“It’s better if he and I come to an understanding from the start,” Tobe insisted, all reasonable.
She flapped her arms. “What understanding?”
“That if you’re harmed, I kill him. Simple.”
“Kill a legion? Really?” Her demon snorted at the idea. He’d have more chance of baptizing a cat.
Luka slid closer to her. “Naomi, it’s fine. I threatened Ella’s mate many times. Most demons make such threats when it comes to their anchors. I wouldn’t expect any different.”
Tobe arched a brow at him. “So we have an understanding?”
“No,” Luka replied. “Warnings are one thing. Come at me, and you will suffer for it. Being Naomi’s anchor won’t save you.”
Tobe stared at him for an agonizingly long moment. “Good.”
She frowned, at a loss. “Why is that good?”
“Ruthlessness in a mate is a positive thing,” said Tobe. “It means there’s a better chance he’ll do whatever’s necessary to keep you safe. That works for me.”
Her entity rolled its eyes. “Well, so long as you’re happy,” Naomi deadpanned.
Her mother smiled, amused, and then turned back to Luka. “I didn’t formally introduce myself, did I? I’m Tia, Naomi’s mom. This is Alfie, my mate.”
Luka’s gaze danced from Tia to Alfie as he inclined his head.
“You have exceptionally strong mental shields,” Tia commented.
In other words, she couldn’t read his thoughts. That was a relief.
“I take it you all want the full story of what happened with the clerics tonight.”
“We do,” said Jolene, sinking into the armchair. “Tell us.”
So Naomi did. Naturally, her account was met with lots of cursing, angry outbursts, and promises that the clerics and Kushiel would meet a very painful death.
“That they would use bombs is far from holy,” Alfie commented. “They’re apparently prepared to step away from ‘the righteous path’ if it means protecting their monkhood.”
“It won’t matter what methods they use, they won’t be successful,” Luka swore. “And they will die for harming Naomi.”
“Thus fulfilling the prophecy that the child of the devil, with the help of a legion, will take down the order and its puppeteer,” mused Tia. “But had they just ignored the foretelling, it would likely never have come about. Ironic.”
“I’d say we need to step up our attempts to find their location,” began Jolene, “but we’ve poured everything we have into uncovering it. Even with the small clues we possess, our searches have been fruitless. It shouldn’t be so damn hard to locate a monastery.”