Akri ignored his comment. “What are you doing here?”
Gallagher shrugged. “I was just passing through.”
Cocking his head, akri grimaced. “Passing through? Last time I checked Chicago was north of Baton Rouge, not south.”
“I know. But since I was so close, I just wanted to stop in at Sanctuary and wish everyone a Merry Christmas before I headed home.”
As they talked, Simi remembered that this was the Dark-Hunter who’d broked their code last summer when his wife had died of old age. Against all their rules, he’d gone to see her.
Akri had been furious. So much so that they’d gone to him immediately so that akri could have words with Gallagher.
Only once they got there and akri saw how upset the Dark-Hunter was, he’d calmed down and decided to overlook the breach.
While akri may not have ever loved a human woman, he understood how hard it was to lose what you loved. And that always softened his heart.
Just like now. She saw the anger leave akri’s eyes. “Tell you what, since you’re here, why don’t you just stay on until after the New Year?”
Gallagher scoffed at that. “I don’t need your pity.”
“It’s not pity. It’s an order. Since Kyrian retired, Talon could use an extra hand. Things get rather rowdy this time of year. Lots of Daimons head down south where it’s warmer and people are out for New Year’s.”
Gallagher’s gaze turned suspicious. “Are you full of crap or what?”
Simi came out into the hallway where they were, with the little boy, Ben, on her hip.
He was such a doll that she had one important question. “Akri, can I keep little Ben?” She patted the plump leg that was exposed from beneath his hospital gown. “See, he good eating. Lots of fat on this one.”
Ben laughed at her teasing because he knew Simi would never really feast on someone so young. Especially him because he was so sweet.
“No, Simi,” akri said sternly. “You can’t keep the baby. His mother would miss him.”
She pouted. “But he want to go home with the Simi. He said so.”
“I do! I do!”
“No, Simi,” akri repeated.
Simi huffed at him. “No Simi, no food. Nag, nag, nag. Does your daddy nag you too?” she asked the boy.
“Nope,” he said as he pulled at one of the black-and-red horns on top of her head.
Akri sighed. “Simi, take the baby back inside.”
Irritated, she moved to stand in front of her akri. It was time to pay him back for being so mean to her. “Okay, gimme a kiss and I’ll go.”
He looked extremely uncomfortable as he glanced at Gallagher, then back at her. “Not in front of the Hunter, Simi.”
Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes at the Dark-Hunter. “The Simi wants a kiss, akri. I’ll wait all century. You know I will.”
To say he looked peeved was an understatement. He leaned over and kissed her quickly on the brow.
Simi beamed proudly, then trotted off with her newfound baby to sing another round of Jingle Bells. Even so, she could plainly hear the men in the hallway.
“Who is that?” Gallagher asked. “Or should I say, what is that?”
Akri’s gaze turned angry. “In short, she’s not your concern.” He rubbed his hand over his forehead as if he were in pain. “Where were we?”
“I asked why you were giving me temporary duty in New Orleans.”
