Page 42 of Heir

“I’ll do some digging. What do we know about Omaera’s mother? Do we know her name?”

“We know nothing at all. Did you know that Donovar was with someone? I didn’t think his mate had come of age. That he was still waiting for her.”

“That was my understanding too. Poor man, four hundred and forty, and still without a mate.”

“Okay, I’ll put out feelers and we’ll see what we can dig up. The demon world is more elusive and suspicious than all other species combined. So I doubt my inquiries will lead anywhere, but we can try.”

“Thank you.”

“Hang in there.” I could feel his smile through the phone. “She will mate you.”

I exhaled and hung my head, the guilt of what my father did to Zandren’s mother weighing heavily on my shoulders. “I hope so.”

I disconnected my call with the King at the same time Omaera came shuffling out of her bedroom. She still wore the same thing we’d seen her in last night—black booty shorts that barely covered her buttocks, a gray, ribbed tank top and no bra. She also still had the pale purple, silk scarf on her head. She was beautiful.

I watched her for a moment, knowing she may not be able to see me right away with the glare of the rising sun coming in through the big windows and door.

The way she yawned was adorable. The way she padded barefoot into the kitchen and robotically added coffee grounds to the machine, filled up the machine with water, and turned it on—all sweet. Then she opened the fridge and brought out a carton of oat milk before reaching into the cupboard to pull down two, then three, more mugs.

Even though she didn’t want us here, she was still courteous enough to caffeinate us.

Her noise in the kitchen roused the bear and mage, and although they moved, neither got up. They both just rolled over, opened their eyes, and watched her. Just like I was watching her.

Were they as transfixed as I was?

Probably. They were her Fated Mates as well.

A quick glance at the bear showed a ridiculously big erection, creating a ten-man tent in his tight sweatpants.

Either Omaera hadn’t looked up and noticed them watching her yet, or she was deliberately not looking. She continued to putter in the kitchen, preheating the oven to reheat the pizza and putting the leftover Thai food in the microwave.

I’d barely blinked. I was so mesmerized by her that when the sliding glass door opened and Gemma emerged, I grunted and averted my gaze quickly, as if I’d been doing something wrong.

“Ignore me. You all are anyway. I’m just out here to do some morning yoga before I head to work. All three of you are stupidly obvious, and a little obsessed, you know. Watching her like that. And the fucking boner on bear-man. Jesus Christ. You do know Maer is like five-foot-nothing. How is she even going to take that schlong if she ever decides to?”

A legitimate question I had asked as well when the whole three mates thing came about. Zandren was enormous and Omaera was petite. In fact, all three of us were over a foot taller than her, and though I couldn’t speak for the mage, I didn’t have a Vienna sausage in my trousers.

Gemma set up her yoga mat and began with some head-down poses.

I took that as my cue to return inside.

Zandren was now sitting up with a pillow over his lap. The mage was gone, but the bathroom door—yes, they had a second bathroom, not part of the one that connected their two bedrooms—was closed.

“I’m assuming since you’re all sort of human that you drink coffee?” Omaera asked, fixing me with a questioning look. “Unless you drink tea because all obnoxious British aristocrats drink tea.” She pinched her thumb and forefinger together and put it to the side of her mouth while raising her pinky finger like she was sipping from a china cup.

“I drink both,” I stated. “Coffee is fine.”

“Black for me, please,” Zandren said. “Can’t make it too strong.”

The bathroom door opened and Maxar stepped out.

“Coffee?” Omaera asked him.

He nodded. “Ten sugars.”

We all stared at him with confused looks—even Omaera.

“How have all your teeth not fallen out?” she asked. “That’s disgusting.”

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