His expression blanked, the muscle feathering in his jaw the only physical proof of his displeasure. “Now, now, son. I believe you came here to ask me for a favor. But before we talk business, pay your respects to your mother.”
The altar stretched from the floor to the ceiling, resting in a specially built alcove on the side wall. Made of shiny, black lacquered wood and trimmed with gold, a framed picture of my late mother rested before a statue of Ravaric alongside a bowl of her favorite food, fresh cherries.
I took a stick of incense out and lit it with my finger, placing it in a bowl of dense sand and ash from past offerings before bowing my hand and clasping my hands together, giving her a silent greeting.
Sorry it’s been so long, I said in my head.But you know how dad is.
Smoke curled affectionately around my horns, my heart aching for the maternal love I’d been robbed of due to this cursed family’s “business.”
My mom had died in a car bomb meant for my father when I was only ten years old, and he’d used the incident to launch a war against the Kelraths, destroying them completely and taking over all of their territory in Ignareth in retaliation.
Part of me always wondered if my dad had some hand in it. He’d had his eye on the casinos run by the rival family since before I’d been born.
I rose, then walked back to the desk, waiting for him to tell me to sit. He was right about one thing—it wouldn’t do me any favors to antagonize him.
He waited a bit before nodding, and we both took our seats. The leather of his chair squeaked as he leaned forward, the look in his eye not unlike a cat’s when it finally has a mouse rightwhere it wants it. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he licked his lips.
“So,” he started. “Tell me what you’ve been up to.”
Like he didn’t already know. I had no doubt in my mind that he’d been keeping careful tabs of me over the years, but I bit back the sarcastic retort that waited on my tongue. “Bounty hunting.”
He scoffed, sitting back. “Bounty hunting? That’s beneath you.”
I gave a little shrug. “It’s a tough world out there for demons. Plus, it turns out I’m really good at it.”
“Of course you’re good at it,” he spat, a piece of his hair falling out of place across his forehead as he pointed his finger at me. “I trained you myself. But if you think that means I’d be proud of what little you’ve accomplished in the past ten years, you’d be dead wrong. What, some tiny, fixer-upper in Cindralis of all places, a car only douchebags drive, and no family to show for your disobedience? For your stupid little rebellion?”
The anger inside me simmered again. He must have been trying to goad me into a fight, and I wasn’t going to take the bait. I needed to steer this conversation back to the point. “Well, that’s kind of why I’m here, right? My mate?”
He closed his eyes, his own frustration with me building as he sighed. I may have been his son, the one he’d molded to follow in his footsteps, but we couldn’t have been more different, and we’d spent the better part of my life—before I’d left, anyway—constantly at each other’s throats.
I’d taken after my mom’s gentler personality, much to his huge disappointment. We’d been like two peas in a pod, reading books together, tending her garden, and just enjoying the quiet pleasures in life.
Until she’d died.
“Yes,” he responded coolly, fixing his hair. “Your mate. You said Corvane has her. Please elaborate.”
“He said he didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“I don’t count as a disturbance, ass hat.”
My dad sighed again at the sound of the muffled argument outside, rubbing his forehead and pressing the button on his desk to unlock the doors. They slid open, and an omega demon woman walked in, her long, black hair streaked with red to match her lipstick and the stripes on her horns. Her golden eyes narrowed on me in anger. “You!” she hissed.
I rose just as she stomped over, punching me in the gut and then pulling me into a hug as I doubled over.
“You Ravaric-damned jerk,” she said, her voice wobbly. “Where the fuck have you been?”
“Not here, obviously,” I wheezed, and she sniffled a laugh.
“Maia, do you mind? We’re in the middle of an important discussion.”
My younger sister stilled, then backed up. “Yeah, one that concerns the family, right? And I just happen to be…”
She twirled her hand, her eyes wide as she waited for him to break.
“… Family,” he finally replied.
“Exactly. So it stands to reason that I should be here, too. Please continue.”
