“I’ll take the blue one and the pale one,” Driftwood says, making my jaw grind.
What the fuck is happening right now?
Ginger spreads her orange wings behind her, her body in a warrior stance as she stares at Jerif. “Good. I like the fiery ones.”
I throw up my free hand. “Wait a fucking second,” I snap, my head dizzy. “They’re mine,” I growl. I didn’t even know I could sound as furious as I do.
The female who grabbed Crux and started to walk him away looks back at me over her exposed shoulder. “Oh?”
“Yeah. Oh,” I counter. “You can’t take them.”
Beside me, Echo slips closer, placing a hand on my hip. At the same time, I feel shadows slip onto the exposed tips of my toes below my dress and slowly spiral up my ankles and legs, before swirling around my ass, caressing it possessively. “Hmm, I didn’t think you had it in you to claim us like this, Delta,” he says in my ear. “I like it.”
I immediately regret embarrassing myself in front of everyone andclaimingthem without their permission, but it was just a knee-jerk reaction. The thought of my demons going with those Abdicated hussies sets my teeth on edge. And even though this is probably going to lead to a very awkward conversation later, I won’t take it back. I won’t let them walk away with anyone else other than me. I can’t. Not when I just got them back.
“This night is getting better and better. You should host more often, Taz,” Jewelry male says with a chuckle as he picks up someone’s glass from the table and gulps the contents down. “Let’s go to the party, shall we?”
“I thought this was the party,” I say with confusion.
He laughs again. “This? No. This is the private dinner party just for us. The ones in Luce’s circle. The rest of the Abdicated are at the real party. I’m sure they’re dying to see who Tazreel’s progeny is,” he says before walking off, gathering members of his menagerie with his hands slung around feminine shoulders.
“Away from them, daughter,” Tazreel orders, a displeased look falling where my hand is still gripping Jerif’s. “It’s time to introduce you.”
Away from them? Why the hell would I get away from them?
Tazreel’s eyes narrow when I don’t immediately obey his command.
“I have to announce you to the rest of the Abdicated, Delta. It’s the law,” he growls, like that explains everything.
“Don’t worry, dear, we’ll bring your pets along to witness the fun,” Jewelry declares, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
“They arenotpets,” I snarl at him, my rage rising with every breath I take, but my statement seems to entertain him even more, judging by the growing smile on his face.
“Delta, come here right this minute,” Tazreel commands, fuming.
“I don’t answer to you!” I yell at him, fed up with all this bossy bullshit.
My real dadnevertreated me as shitty as Tazreel has in the last… I try to recall how long I’ve been here, but I can’t. Well, it hasn’t been longer than the nineteen years I spent with my human parents, who never snapped at me like this, and they had to deal with me during my hormonal teenage years.
“Delta...” Iceman admonishes quietly.
I shoot my blue demon a look over my shoulder that tells him to stay out of it. This is between me and the sperm donor.
“Delta, you are my progeny and therefore under my command. You will do as you’re told, or you will face consequences,” Tazreel threatens. “I will dismiss them and bring you to heel.”
“Just go with him, Jeter. We’ll be right behind you,” Crux encourages, and I stare into his pleading green eyes for a moment as I try to figure out what to do.
I don’t want to be separated, but I also don’t know what will happen if I keep pushing back against Tazreel. I just can’t help feeling like if I walk away from my demons, he’ll snap them away, and who knows how I’ll get back to them? Right now, I can’t even figure out how to get out of his fucking house. I let out an exasperated huff, frustrated that I have to behave as if I have a master. Show me the contract I signed saying this douchebag with wings should have any control over me.
I freeze, that thought sparking an idea in my mind.
“Fine, I’ll come with you to fulfill your progeny announcement obligation, but after that, I need to leave, because like it or not, you don’t own me like you think you do.”
Tazreel and the other Abdicated chuckle and shoot looks at me that say,awww isn’t she cute? Dumb, but cute.He chuckles. “I am your Sire, Delta. The only demon who trumps my word when it comes to you is Lucifer.”
I hold up a hand, and he pauses. “I signed a contract with the Perdition Estate to guard the Hellgate. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that a factor here? I gave my word as a demon to be tied to the Gate until the owners dismissed me.” I look at the Gate Guardians standing protectively around me. “According to that contract, I don’t belong to you. I belong to them.”
The humor in Tazreel’s eyes blinks out, and his mouth slightly parts with shock. His eyes flit from me to the other Abdicated, like,can she do that?I work to fight the smile that wants to break out on my face, because I can tell I’ve got him. I might not have known that I was a demon when I signed the contract to guard the Gate, but the contract didn’t know that. I’m throwing the dice on the rumors being true about Hell taking contracts seriously. I mean, everything I’ve ever watched in the movies about selling your soul to a demon seemed pretty legit.
