“Don’t be selfish, Anxo. I want little demons too!”
“We have baby-hungry men in this group.” Grace shakes her head and continues to work on her tablet, trying to smother hersmile. I know she’s more than happy to oblige with Harvey’s request, but she’s holding back on letting him know just yet.
“Tell me about it.” Hazel’s nose scrunches up. “And half of them are still children themselves,” she snickers.
The only person of the male species who is spared from her disdain for the gender is August. No matter how much Hazel tries to keep her emotions under wraps for us, her icy exterior thaws when August stares at her with those big, world-melting blue eyes.
Pushing his chair back roughly, Seiji stomps to her, “You give me a side look one more time, and I’m tornadoing your ass to hell!”
“Away from you? I’ll go pack a bag.”
Chuckling at the start of yet another bickering fest, my attention shifts to Khatri when he stands from his chair with a smile, ready to leave us alone. “Anything you need from me before I leave Princess Nevaeh?”
“How many times have I told you not to call me Horsewoman or Princess? Just say Nevaeh?Nuh-vay-ya.”
When I don’t back down he turns to Angel, hoping for help. Angel drops his chin to hide his amusement, making Khatri sigh in defeat.
“Your father already makes me call him by his name. Why do you insist on being just as stubborn, young lady?”
“Cause I’m his daughter, duh.” His eyes turn soft with the same adoring look I’ve noticed on Papa Nakaya many times. Maybe that’s a dad look. Maybe one day Papa would look at me the same way. Maybe.Hopefully.
“Okay, Pri—Nevaeh.”
“That’s what I’m talking about!”
Before he can disappear, I stop him for a long-awaited chat. I don’t know anything about the man who has been the right-handman for my father all these years, and it’s high time I change that.
We talk about his training days and how it took him months to believe Papa chose him as his second in command instead of the man with blood-right to the position. Khatri comes from a family of dungeon guards, and when Papa picked him solely based on his exceptional skills, it was a proud moment for his entire family.
Angel and I exchange amused looks when I ask about his mate and watch Khatri turn into a lovesick puppy with heart-eyes. He talks about his mate for fifteen minutes straight—about how she is a werewolf, likes sweet over spicy, tomato soup over vegetable—before realising he might’ve gone a bit overboard.
Not that I stopped him. Seeing a man so dedicated to his mate and family is endearing.
“What about kids?”
“Lucifer blessed me with two wonderful daughters. Unlike me, they take after their mother with her beauty, but their battle skills are all me.”
“Have I met them before?”
“I’m not sure Pri—Nevaeh. My older one is only fifteen, but she does weekend warrior training, so it’s possible.”
South Asian demon girl with epic combat skills? Whodoesn’tknow her?
“Wait—is she the one with blue hair who carries that insanely cool sword like it’s a part of her?”
“That’s the one, that’s my Skye.”
“No way,I love her!You will never believe what she did the first time we met. She didn’t recognize who I was, so when I asked for a combat partner, none of the seasoned warriors came forward due to fear, but that girl? She didn’t just step up; she made me work for that win.”
I can’t believe I didn’t know she was his daughter before. Of course, that level of competence comes from a warrior like Khatri. That girl is my favorite teenager in the entire kingdom. I would kill for that sassy little lady.
“Her fire is what I most love and fear about her,” Khatri says fondly before falling into thought for a minute. Turning to me, he looks in the middle of trying to solve a puzzle, “You know she could use a trainer. I could ask someone else, but—”
“I’ll do it!” Hazel volunteers before I can jump at the chance.What a warrior-stealing bitch!
“Sit your ass back down before I drown you in the same ocean you crawled out of.”
“Lucifer, you’re testy today. Fine, have her, but know I’ll always be here to teach her theright wayswhen you screw up.”
