Page 18 of Charming Her Monsters

“It’s a bit strange to have a badass demon be so careful with my things,” I confess, hoping he doesn’t take offense.

“It’s a misnomer that we are misbehaving terrors. That’s only during sex and in battle. Well, okay, it’s true, we are a menace. But I wouldneverdamage a woman’s clothing that wasn’t on her body. Then your delicate panties are fair game as I tear them from your luscious body.”

A shiver goes up my spine as his obsidian gaze devours me. He must actually like me if he still thinks I look good after the harrowing night I had.

Since Arran is able to go near technology in short, controlled ways, he packs up my laptop and tablet, and places them in a special lead-lined case they brought along for that purpose.

Then he rummages through my kitchen, probably looking for snacks. He better be grabbing snacks.

“Snacks?” Maxum asks as he zips up my suitcase. Then he shouts to the open bedroom door. “Arran, pack up Jade’s junk food!” He winks at me. “Got to take care of you.”

I catch his hand in mine, use it to stand up, and look him in the eye. “Are you sure you should take me?” I whisper. “I already got Calder hurt.”

“Calder got himself hurt.” Maxum wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his firm chest. “He ran off without telling us where he was going or why. And Osen forced you to leave the house. This is on them.”

“But I—”

“Nope.” Maxum places his huge finger over my lips. “Even the stuff Rob did isn’t your fault. Or your grandmother. You were innocent, and they took advantage of that.” He leans down, kisses, and nips my bottom lip. “But you won’t be innocent inanyway, shape, or form after I get some time alone with you.”

My heart beats wildly with his suggestive talk. “Yeah?”

Arran clears his throat as he walks into my bedroom. “Did you get all the toiletries?”

“I can take care of our woman,” Maxum says, his eyes never leaving mine. “Let’s get you safe, sweetness.”

6

HOME

MAXUM

Iopen the portal to the fae realm, Elfhame, so that we can shake any tails we might have acquired at Jade’s house. I don’t want supernatural trackers following us to my home and endangering my people.

My woman.

Correction…Our woman.

Arran has a stronger claim on her than I do.

But I don’t plan to let Jade slip away, no matter what comes of Amira’s warning that there is something odd about Jade’s magic.

We’ll unravel what’s going on, solving the mystery of Osen’s murder and Rob’s involvement. After that, we’ll tackle the mystery of Jade’s unknown past and her powers. Then we will live out the rest of her days making love and sharing myself in ways I’ve never contemplated before.

If I’ve learned anything in my many years of experience it’s that nothing is what it appears at first. Also, I can handle whatever comes at me.

I’m sure the same is true for Jade. She’s already proven she can handle what life throws her way—maybe even more than the rest of my pack.

Case in point, Flint and Calder still haven’t gotten over their respective traumas. Even Osen was a mental mess before he died.

I’m sure his death has fucked him up even more. Damn, that even sounds weird to me.

My mind drifts to thoughts of Osen. I loved the motherfucker, but he was a pain in the ass too, not always in a good way. Now that he’s dead, he’s still causing a bloody mess. Leave it to that bastard to piss me off from the afterlife.

Jade gasps, and my attention is brought back to my mate.

Fated mate? Yes, she is mine.

“Is this really…?” Her mouth hangs open in awe. “Faerieland?”

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