Once I came to a stop within arm’s reach, he scooted his chair away from the desk and leaned back. His posture seemed relaxed, but I realized he’d pushed his chair back so he would be able to get to his feet faster if he needed.
Shit, I should have stayed up in the bedchamber after all.
“Leda, these four daemons have requested the opportunity to court you.”
I blinked repeatedly, unsure what to make of his words.
“I’ve explained to them that they are in no position for a mate, considering they are still living in one room in my barracks, but they claim they are happy to purchase a small home if you so wish.”
“They?”
Bokkan didn’t look at me as he answered my question. His stare was locked on the daemons. “Yes, it seems the four of them want you, but they are also brothers in arms and have no wish to fight to the death for the right to court you. Therefore, they have decided they would share you.”
I wanted to gape at the four daemons across the desk, but forced myself to study them carefully. Unlike Talus and the other soldiers from yesterday, they weren’t leering at me. No, it was much worse. Their black eyes were almost… puppy-like.
I had no idea how to respond.
I leaned toward Bokkan and whispered, “Is this a, um… typical arrangement?”
His head gave a very small shake, but he voiced the denial as well. “No, it’s not. And it would be consideredextremelydisrespectful if proposed to a female daemon. Actually, it would be a fucking insult.”
“I see,” I murmured.
I straightened and fixed a hard stare on the four daemons. They shifted on their feet, but their hands remained their back.
“While your offer is… interesting,” I said. “I think I’ll pass.”
All four of them frowned at me in confusion.
Bokkan chose that moment to get to his feet and plant his hands on his desk. Every muscle in his arms stood out in stark relief as he leaned forward.
“Her answer is no,” he growled out. “And even if it wasn’t,Iwould be telling you no. You four know that your offer is distasteful. Especially considering Leda is my guest.”
“But she’s hu?—”
The daemons and I all jumped when Bokkan’s huge fist crashed down on his desk. I swore the wood cracked, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the ferocity of his profile. His lips were pulled back into a vicious snarl, and I thought I saw red lights dancing along the edges of his black eyes.
“I explained myself last night in the barracks. I should not be having to do it again. This will be the final time. Leda may be human, but I have no doubt she was brought here against her will, without a daemon bargain. Even if she was, I would not condone the treatment you soldiers were intending to give her.Therefore, she is my guest. She is under my protection. Which means any insult to her is aninsult to me!”Bokkan’s final words were a roar.
I gasped as he leaped on top of his desk and dropped to the floor on the other side. His tail sliced through the air behind him, the movement as agitated as his words.
“Any harm done to her is harm to me!” he bellowed.
They didn’t back up, but they all flinched as he closed in on them.
“Am I clear?”
Almost simultaneously, the four daemons jerked their heads in a single nod.
“Good. Now, I’m going to tell you what will happen. Leda will be treated with respect and honor while she is here. She will be treated no differently than Masu. I will cut off any finger that touches her. If you bed her, forcibly or willingly, I will castrate you. Do you fucking understand me?”
Once again, all four daemons nodded.
“Since I dislike repeating myself, you will leave my office, and you four will go tell the rest of the soldiers. That everything I said to all of you last night still holds true. And that the next male who tries to convince me to let them have Leda will suffer. You will also find Commander Guldan and tell him I want to see him right fucking now.” He gave them a split second to nod again, before continuing. “Good. Get out of my godsdamned sight before I lose my temper.”
The four daemons filed out in silence, shutting the door behind them. Bokkan stood still, his entire body tense, as he stared at the door. After a long, tense moment, his shoulders heaved as he took a deep breath and sighed.
When he faced me, he still looked exceptionally pissed, but no longer on the verge of committing murder. “If any of them approaches you, tell me immediately,” he said. “And ifthey touch you, don’t hesitate to kill them. You won’t face any repercussions from my men or me.”
