Shit. He shrugged. “She doesn’t know.”
“Feeding off demon souls for energy could only mean—”
“I don’t care what it means or what blood was given,” Nik said, his tone like steel and non-negotiable to whatever the Arc would say. “She is my mate,mine. If this is against your protocol of not having demons here, I will move out and live with her elsewhere.”
Michael lifted his head and glared at the ceiling. As if asking,why me? “She’s your mate, regardless of what keeps her alive. On the other hand, with a soul joining, wouldn’t it neutralize the need for the symbionts to feed?”
“I don’t know. It’s not a chance I’m willing to take, not with her life on the line.” Nik cut the Arc a steady stare. “I sense them now and know when they need nourishing.”
No one asked how she would feed. Thank fuck for some mercy.
“Okay, that’s it for now. But keep an eye out for those Narakas,” Michael said. “They’re usually controlled by higher level demons. It means trouble for us if they’re after mortals. Be aware their saliva will immobilize at skin contact. We have to find the damn demon behind this before pandemonium breaks out.”
As they filed out of the study, Ely murmured, “So we’re fighting wendigo-like demons now, huh?”
“The Narakas aren’t wendigos, just overblown shitheads with dodgy spit. You watch too many horror movies,” Týr drawled, removing his M&M’s from his pants pocket.
“I know.” She slanted him a grin. “Kira introduced me to them, says you don’t like her choice of films.”
He snorted. “Why would I when I live that shit?”
Nik passed them, scanning for Shadow, and found her still in their quarters. Frowning, he flashed up to the second floor.
* * *
Shadow paced along the length of the padded bench at the foot of Nik’s bed and dragged her fingers through her unbound hair. Since they’d left Romania, she’d been on tenterhooks, trepidation twisting her tummy. She’d tried to tell Nik about Tolvi back at the monastery but had chickened out at the last minute.
Ugh, she flopped next to her shopping bags on the bench and hoped he wouldn’t be too mad.
Ah! Nik was going to blow a fuse that she’d kept this from him.
Man, she flipped back her hair, lifting her gaze to the vaulted ceiling. Then she blinked, her gaze darting about, finally taking in the enormous interior of Nik’s living quarters.
It was gorgeous, the total opposite of the monastery’s worn décor. His massive bed with navy covers and a dark headboard abutted the stone wall. Drapes the same shade as the duvet framed a series of tall windows on the wall leading to a cozy turret living space, the latter decked with comfortable armchairs, a couch, and a coffee table with a lone paperback. Aba had car magazines on his table—
Aba! She scrambled for her backpack on the floor, got out her cell, and still kneeling, she made her call. Yes, she’d already alerted him to what had occurred with Tolvi, but she had to see if he and Nate were okay. Thank goodness Nik had topped up the credit on her cell.
“Shadow?” Aba’s warm voice coasted to her ear. “No, Nate’s not back from wherever he’s gone,” he said, before she asked, “but I will notify him of the threat.”
Darn. “Okay. But please stay safe.”
“Do not worry about me, child. You know I always adhere to the side of caution. And you?” She heard the worry in his soft voice. “I’m well and very, very safe, believe me,” she reassured him. “I’m—”
“No-no, don’t tell me anything. Just in case. I don’t want that demon digging in my head and finding out where you are. But you take care.”
“I will. Talk soon.” She dropped her cell in her backpack. At least Aba was safe. God, she hoped Nate was, too.
Restless, she jumped up and made her way to the window, staring out at the darkening view, at the miles of trimmed lawns and flower beds, and the forest in the distance—
Arms slipped around her waist.
Her heart pounded. In reflex, from living underground for so many years, Shadow slammed her elbow back, connecting with a wall of muscles behind her.
A grunt stirred her hair as a familiar, tantalizing male smell of stormy nights and cedar enclosed her. “Darn it, Nik,” she groaned, clutching the arms cradling her waist. “I hurt you.”
“Hardly a tap,” he murmured, caressing the side of her neck with his mouth. “I thought you’d be downstairs with the other females?” He sucked on her skin, doing some serious, blood heating things to her.
She bit back a moan. “I’ll go down in a while. Wanted to put those things away.” She waved at the bench covered in the shopping bags and her backpack.
