Page 19 of Grabbed By the Guard

If any demon in Sombra knows what it’s like to make mistakes because he learned his mate was a human of legend, it’s Duke Haures. That is the only reason why I concoct my plan. Not because I would betray his grace, but because I know that he would almost expect it of me.

As the head of the guard, I’ve handpicked and trained nearly every single soldier who serves Duke Haures. Of course, he has their complete loyalty, but so do I. He is their monarch; I am their captain. Duke Haures must be obeyed, but after decades of training before they’re given their own posts or commands, it is ingrained into every green-eyed soldier to do as they’re told by their superior soldier.

In Mavro, there is no guard that has a higher rank than I do. For centuries, I’ve led Duke Haures’s personal guard, and there isn’t a demon who serves in the palace who doesn’t owe that fact to my training them.

Still, I must choose carefully. I know that, whatever guard is given the task to check on their former commander in the cells, it will be one who shares some loyalty to me. Again, I know my reputation. I am a hard taskmaster. I’ve been called cocky. Arrogant. Heartless. After Lilith, that was true.

But I have Billie now. And, for her sake, I hope that the next guard that comes to stroll by the cell is one that I can put the trust of her mortal existence into.

The dungeons are impenetrable. Even if they weren’t, the enchanted chains steal much of my power. I cannot shift to my shadows or slip through the bars while wearing them. With Billie chained to me, I’m even more hampered. The guards have no reason to patrol down here unless they’re curious, or they’re bringing our next meal. There is nothing for me to do except wait.

Hours pass. I don’t mind them so much because keeping watch over Billie… I’m more at peace than I have been in the last few centuries. I am eager to prove myself, yes, but also determined to let her rest.

And then, just when I begin to wonder if Duke Haures will skip our next meal, I hear heavy steps on the stairs leading down into the dungeon. I hold my breath, rising up from my crouch so that I can greet the other guard as a proud male would, while still protecting my mate.

The younger male has corkscrew horns, dark green eyes, and is carrying a tray between his claws. I recognize his flatter nose, his shorter hair, and his hesitancy to approach a superior guard—and I grin.

As though I needed the push to put my plan into motion. Seeing Harth be the guard that Duke Haures sent down to the dungeon… my most recent recruit, and the demon who looks up to me as a father figure… knowing that he is too inexperienced to be a match to a wily, older demon… I thank you, your grace. Duke Haures has sent me my freedom without giving me the key.

But that is alright.

Harth has one on his belt.

Moving toward the bars, I give the younger demon a welcoming grin. “Ah. Harth. Just the demon I was hoping to see…”

CHAPTER 7

JAILBREAK

BILLIE

As I slowly respond to the gentle shake on my shoulder, my half-asleep and still exhausted brain tells me that I’m waking up. Good thing, too.

I just had the weirdest nightmare.

I don’t know what part of it was worse: how Trevor sat me down and told me that he was secretly in love with Sierra, or how I left his sorry behind back in Connecticut, drove home to Manhattan in a pair of three-inch stiletto heels, only to let myself into our quiet apartment and get kidnapped by a shadow demon.

To make matters worse, the giant demon broke his race’s biggest rule by bringing me here and revealing the existence of demons and alternate dimensions when humans aren’t allowed to know about them. Of course, if I was his fated mate—the one female destined to, like, marry him and have his half-human, half-demon babies—then it would be okay. I’d be expected to keep my demon hubby’s secrets. But since I’m just regular old Billie Bickles and I’m not a demon’s one true mate, then I’m kinda screwed.

Luckily, it’s just one hell of a vivid dream. I mean, I always had a bit of an imagination, and if I was a writer instead of Sierra’s manager, it would make a pretty good idea for a book, but it’s not real. It can’t be.

Tell that to the male with the fangs, ridges over his nose, and gleaming black horns who has no concept of personal space.

My eyes blink open, expecting to find Sierra right there, ready to convince me that she’s moved on from worrying about Patrick Ridgefield, her throat feels fine, and I can put an end to the vocal rest her doctor put her on. It wouldn’t work, especially since she’s been attempting something similar for the last week, but I’ll give my friend credit for her persistence—and for only throwing a small tantrum when I give her a look and she knows better to drop it.

But that’s not Sierra. The ends of his thick black hair tickle my nose as I subconsciously turn toward him, but the second my brain wakes up fully and I see Glaine staring down at me, the rest of me jolts back into consciousness.

Right. Because it wasn’t a dream. I really am in the bowels of a palace, locked in the dungeon because I was too proud to act like I might possibly be Glaine’s mate. To make matters worse, we’ve been chained together, and while I warned him not to sneak his way onto the cot with me—as if his big, muscular body could fit—he’s so tall that, kneeling on the floor, he can still loom over me.

I jolt, and his reflexes have him backing away before I can accidentally bash my forehead into the killer points on his horns. My heart’s thundering in my chest. Scowling at the demon, I rub my boobs, the scowl only deepening when his gaze drops, eying up my cleavage.

“Stop that,” I tell him, and there’s less heat in my voice than there was earlier tonight. Spitfire Billie is taking a backseat for the moment. Professional Billie is still looking for a loophole to get me out of this mess, while Billie herself is too tired for this bullshit.

I’m stuck here. The clanking of the chains as I move my hand is a reminder of that. I’m stuck with Glaine. I have to make the best of a bad situation, and on the plus side, at least I know what it is that he wants: me. Meanwhile, I just want to go home.

Let’s see which one of us gets what they want first.

I glare at Glaine. His glowing eyes dim a little, but his gaze lifts so that he’s meeting mine. “Did you sleep enough?”

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