Page 126 of Viper

The comments were mostly disparaging remarks about the Fallen and an insistence that celestials and demons shouldn’t mix. Each one rang with outrage and something close to horror.

Sighing, Ella briefly exchanged a tired look with Mia. It had been too much to hope for that the others would give her a chance to explain, wasn’t it? Especially when Viper’s very presence would make them react more negatively, what with him unintentionally spreading wrath around—he only had so much control over it. Hence why he’d earlier said that if it looked as if things would get out of hand, he’d leave the room.

Ella raised a palm to silent the shouts. “I’d appreciate it if you could stop bashing celestials, since the child in my womb is not only part celestial but advanced enough to understand everything you say.”

A stunned silence descended.

Jocelyn shook her head, confused. “You don’t have a bump, how pregnant are you?”

“I’m not sure exactly.” Ella scratched at her arm. “Roughly three weeks. The prenatal scan wasn’t very clear.”

“You’ve already had a scan?” asked Melodie, sounding hurt that she’d only heard about it now.

Ella nodded. “I had it yesterday. I wanted to be sure all looked good before I passed on the news.”

“Was it a one-night stand?” asked Luka, his voice toneless, his expression vacant.

“No. Viper and I are together.”

A muscle in her anchor’s jaw flexed, and she saw a snake-like shape writhe beneath the skin of his throat. “How long has it been going on?”

If you counted the first time they’d had sex, which she did … “About a month.”

Mia raised a hand. “Also, I just want to throw out that Dice and I are knee-deep in a fling.”

Their mother’s eyes fell shut, and Jocelyn’s jaw dropped.

“This is just unbelievable,” muttered Melodie, lifting her eyelids. “I honestly think I might be sick.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “Stop being dramatic andlisten. Ella is sitting here telling you that she’s in a happy, solid relationship. Isn’t that what you want for her?”

“Not if her partner is a fallen angel I don’t, no.”

Luka fixed Ella with a hard stare. “I suspected you were seeing someone, because you were smiling all the fucking time. You swore I was wrong; told me you were happy being single. You lied.”

Ella scratched at her temple. “You were asking too many questions. I wanted to shut the line of conversation down fast so, yes, I told a little white lie.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s little or white, it’s still a lie,” reprimanded Melodie. “You lied to all of us by saying nothing of this until now.”

Annoyance surged through both Ella and her demon. “And you’re all entitled to know my private business, are you? Is that what we’re doing now, sharing our innermost secrets with each other? Sweet. You go first, Mom.”

Melodie briefly looked away. “This isn’t the time for smartass-ness.”

“That isn’t a word,” said Mia.

Melodie shrugged. “Who cares? You should have told us.”

“Why?” Viper challenged. “You haven’t told your daughters how you usually spend your Friday evenings. The harbinger’s name is Clarence, right?”

Ella blinked. Wait, what?

Watching her mother’s cheeks warm, Mia spoke, “You’re seeing someone?”

Viper’s attention shot to Jocelyn. “Or we could talk about how much time and money you spend at the hellhound racing stadium.”

Melodie gaped at her sister. “You promised you’d given up gambling.”

Jocelyn looked down at her lap, her jaw going tight.

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