Page 59 of Nanny for the Demon's Twins

The floor beneath us trembles as my power surges. I bare my fangs, feeling the demon side of me rise to the surface. "Take your hands off her before I remove them permanently."

The guard releases Mira like she's burning hot. Smart man.

"This is outrageous!" The auctioneer sputters. "She was found without papers, clearly a runaway-"

"She's mine." The words come out in a growl. I reach the stage in three long strides, stepping on it without even breaking the rhythm. The crowd gasps as I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close. The familiar scent of her - herbs and honey - helps calm the rage coursing through me.

"You can't just-" the auctioneer starts.

I turn my head slowly, letting him see the full demon fury in my eyes. "Try to stop me. Please." The threat hangs heavy in the air as silence falls over the room.

A slow clapping echoes through the auction house. The crowd parts like water as a tall figure emerges from the shadows, his gold-threaded braids chiming with each deliberate step.

"How touching." Valek's golden eyes fix on Mira. She tenses against me, her fingers digging into my arm. "But I'm afraid you're mistaken about ownership, northerner."

My jaw clenches at his accent, at the way he looks at her like she's a prized painting. "She belongs to no one."

"Oh?" He pulls a scroll from his elaborate purple robes. "These documents say otherwise. As do the marks on her skin." His gaze slides to Mira's wrist where his brand mars her flesh.

"Paper burns." I shift Mira behind me. "And brands can be removed."

Valek's perfect composure cracks for a moment, his eyes flashing blood-red. "You dare steal from me? Do you know who I am?"

"I know exactly what you are." The metal fixtures in the room start to vibrate with my anger. Many people here are my customers. "A collector who treats people like trinkets."

"Such barbaric accusations." He gestures to his guards. "Return my property, and I may let you leave with all your limbs attached."

I bare my fangs in what could almost pass for a smile. "Touch her and I'll show you how barbaric a northern demon can be."

"Karn." Mira's voice is soft but steady. "He won't stop."

"No, he won't." I meet Valek's gaze. "But neither will I. She leaves with me, free and clear. Or we find out if southern blood runs as red as northern."

The air crackles with tension and barely contained magic. Valek's perfect mask slips again, showing the cruelty beneath. "You're making a grave mistake."

"The only mistake was ever letting someone own her in the first place." I back toward the door, keeping Mira safely behind me. "Come for her again, and I'll remind you why even southern demons used to fear the north."

The metal fixtures rattle and groan as my power builds. I keep Mira close while spreading my other hand, drawing the raw energy up through the floorboards. The nails and wiring hidden in the walls sing to me, resonating with my magic.

"Last chance to walk away." My voice comes out deeper, rougher as the demon side rises.

Valek's lips curl. "Take her."

His guards surge forward. I don't move, don't flinch. Instead, I release the power I've been gathering in a controlled wave. Metal screeches as I rip it from the walls - nails, pipes, decorative fixtures transforming into a deadly storm around us. The guards stumble back as razor-sharp shards hover at throat level.

"Impressive parlor trick." Valek's voice stays steady but his eyes betray his unease. "But mere metalwork can't-"

I clench my fist. The beams above him collapse on top of him as I reshape it into a cage of twisted metal around him. His guards draw weapons but freeze as I tighten the metal bands.

"I could crush you." The words rumble from my chest. "Turn that pretty cage into a coffin with a thought." To demonstrate, I flex my fingers. The metal constricts just enough to make Valek's breath catch.

My control over the metal stays precise even as more power floods my system. The floating shards dance and weave, forming a protective barrier between us and them. This is what my craft master taught me - not just strength, but finesse. The power to shape, not just destroy.

"Your reputation doesn't do you justice, northerner." Valek's silky voice holds a note of calculation now. "Perhaps we could-"

"No deals." I guide Mira toward the door, the metal barrier moving with us. "No negotiations. Just a warning - come near her again, and I won't be so restrained."

"Surely we can-" Mira's pained gasp ignites something primal in my blood and I turn to see that Valek has motioned a guard forward. Metal spears through him, his body falling to the ground before he can so much as bruise her.

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