“God.” She groaned and rubbed her temples. “You’re like a darn mountain.”
“Strong and majestic?”
“Unmovable. Inflexible. And so darn stubborn—gah!” She flopped down onto the mattress next to him, exhaling deeply and giving him her back. “Button me up so I can at least be decent to defend you.”
“Stop panicking.” His warm hands coasted across her skin as if to soothe her. “I know they’re demons, and together, probably quite powerful. But I’m not exactly defenseless if shit does fly.” He started fastening her dress. “What precisely is your sire’s position in this place?”
“He’s a high lord, I think. When Nicor mentioned Wrath’s name, those demons who thought to claim me fled in fear.”
His fingers on her back stilled. “Wrath?”
“Yes. Týr, hurry, please. I don’t want either of them meeting you while you’re gloriously naked.”
“Your wish, my command,” he said drily and continued working the buttons. “You have a brother?”
“Yes.” Kira sighed deeply in exasperation. “I’ve already said so. Riley.”
Silence followed. “There. Done.”
“Thanks.” She hurried back to the closet and found strappy sandals.
At Týr’s heavy exhale, she wheeled around. “What?”
“You’re not gonna like this.” He scrubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw, his expression rueful. Her heart dipped. Had something happened with them? Riley had warned her about Týr earlier… And between Týr and Riley, her brother appeared calmer. Quieter…
Sandals in hand, she narrowed her eyes at her man. “What did you do?”
A shrug. “I tried to kill him.”
Oh. God.“Why?”
“Bad place, bad time, and all that crap.”
“Don’t give me that BS,” she groaned. “I know you—”
“What do you want me to say, Kira?” he rasped. “That I’m so fucked in the head, every time I see a demon, I want them eviscerated? That I’ve been in a hellish damn place for so fuckin’ long that I longed for death?”
He wanted to die? Gone was her tough, arrogant immortal. In his place was a man filled with immense pain and anger.
“Then I met you, and it wasn’t so bad anymore. And I could function again.”
Dropping her shoes, she ran to him and kneeled between his parted thighs. His throat moved as if he found it hard to swallow. Kira simply put her arms around him and held him tight, so he’d know she’d always be there for him, no matter what.
Several long seconds later, she felt him brush a kiss on her head. He cupped her face in his big palms. “Nothing would keep me from you,elska. Not this place, not who your family is, nothing. I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me, but I’m hoping for as long as we both live—”
She reached up and peppered his face with kisses, feeling the smile on his lips as he slid his tongue into her mouth. Then, he suddenly pulled back and cursed. “Kira, we have—”
“Daughter?”
She went dead-still at the cool and now familiar tone. Oh, shit! Guess a locked door wouldn’t keep her father out. She scrambled to her feet, her heart careening in her ribcage like a trapped bird. “I’ll go speak to him,” she said on a rushed breath, only one thought churning in her mind; the death fight. No way would she let her father insist that Týr battle some demon for her, which would likely be Nicor.
“Kira, wait—”
She shook her head and wheeled away, sprinting out the door in her bare feet and skidding to a halt in the living room.Oh, no!Her heart took a dive. Not only was her father, Riley, and Nicor there, but several guards in black and gray uniforms stood behind them, more spilling out into the corridor.
Did they think she harbored a dangerous criminal?
“You look rested, Kira,” Wrath greeted her.
