Page 108 of Fallen Omega

“This is more for the men, Angel,” Dante says. “Because like it or not, babies are up to them and knotting.”

“The men.” I say it so quietly I don’t think anyone hears.

Dante turns to me. “If they knot and you catch, then welcome to fucking Babyland. You give off pheromones like you’re fertile enough for a hundred women. You can’t control that, Angel. No, the part you can control is if you open or close your soft thighs. That’s it. If they lose control…”

He shrugs.

“You’re talking as if you’re not included in this,” Knight says. “Shouldn’t the warning be for all of us?”

“I’m not planning on fucking her.” Dante glares.

“Your mouth says one thing,” Reaper says, “but your body says another.”

“So—” I start only to be cut off by Dante.

“And you’re not in heat, but Angel,” the scarred, earth-bound demon says, “your scent’s so potent it’s almost irresistible.”

“Like you,” says Knight. “I think you’d be that way even without your scent.”

And I melt for him.

“So, what do I do?” I ask. “If I’m staying, I’m happy to keep house, to work. And if I have to be abstinent?—”

“Says the fucking virgin,” Dante says.

“I will.”

“She’s ours,” Reaper says. “The mark links us all to her for as long as it lasts and that bite has staying power. As for abstinence?”

“You know it’s going to happen, Dante,” Knight says. “We all do.”

I look at them confused. “But I just said?—”

“We can take the risk away, Liz,” Knight says.

“Fine,” Dante mutters. “I’ll get the drugs.”

“Drugs?” I look at each of them. “Like the O-blockers?”

“Thereareother drugs. Your father couldn’t afford them or didn’t know or figured it should be your choice,” Dante says. “There are O-blockers and then there are what they call deferrals. It’s like O-blockers on steroids. You can’t get knocked up.”

“Then—”

“According to the Council, they can cause side effects, apparently. But you wouldn’t get pregnant,” Dante says.

“Anything, I’ll do anything to make sure I’m not at the mercy of men. If—If someone was to grab me like that Jake then…” I don’t finish. I don’t have to.

“Actually…” Dante exchanges a look with the other two. “Let’s remove that risk. Wear the mark on show. Enhance it—with make-up—” he says pointedly to Knight. “Make it known that, to all intents and purposes, you’re our property.”

“No one will dare touch you and since getting into the second floor means we’ve got their details, it should keep you safe,” Knight says. “It’s just an added precaution. You have us for your primary protection and it’s more than enough.”

Nodding, I take a sharp breath, hating the way the arcane sentiment zooms through me like a secret, delicious thrill.

“I’m definitely going to want that better job.”

Dante gives me a look that sends dark wanton sparks through me.

“We’ll talk.”

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