Page 131 of The Monsters We Are

She made an exasperated sound in the back of her throat.

“I’d make sure they weren’t made of iron. You wouldn’t have to worry that they’d weaken you.”

“Oh, well that changes things.”

“Does it?”

“Honestly? Honestly, no.” She held up her hand. “Chains areout. And don’t think I don’t know you’re enjoying how huffy and frowny this topic makes me.”

He smiled. “Of course I enjoy it. Why else would I keep bringing up the subject?” Releasing her breast, he slipped his hand further down to palm her ass. “It’s as if youstillsometimes forget that fucking with your head makes me hard.”

She exhaled a long breath. “I guess there are worse kinks.”

Epilogue

Khloë Wallis jerked back from the toddler in her arms, evading the little hands that struggled to grip her throat. “Dammit, kid, what is your problem?” Demons didn’t need to morally contend with the concept of killing, not even as children. But this young, they generally didn’t attempt to mindlessly murder whoever they came across. “If you really want to kill someone, there are quicker ways than strangling them. For instance—”

“No,” Devon cut in on the park bench beside her.

Khloë blinked at her friend. “What?”

“Do not corrupt my daughter with your messed-up imp ways.”

“Imps are not messed up.”

Devon took Anaïs into her arms, her green gaze still on Khloë. “So you’d call them sane? Really?”

“And you’d call a hellcat mating a hellhound sane?” Khloë shot back. “See, this here is what happens when you go mixing breeds that aren’t supposed to produce offspring together. Shit goes wrong. Psychopaths are born. Deaths soon after follow.”

“Anaïs is not a psychopath. And she doesn’t try to kill people, she just plays rough. She . . . what’s the matter, baby?” Devon asked the hellpup as she melted into her mom’s chest with a scared whimper.

Khloë tracked the path of Anaïs’ gaze to see a couple stood a few feet away. A very pretty dark-haired woman sighed up at a hot-as-fuck dude who looked the epitome of bored.

“You don’t like the place, do you?” the woman asked him.

He spared her a quick look. “It’s . . . not unbearable.”

A snort. “That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said about anywhere we’ve been. I kind of thought that Vegas would be a hit with you.” Exhaling heavily, she lifted her hands. “I’m just gonna take a wild guess here and assume that you aren’t all too enamored with the wider world so far.”

“You assume correctly.”

She leaned into him. “Why don’t we just head back home, then? I miss the place. Miss the Keep.”

“And your coven,” he pressed.

“Them, too.”

“And you want to ensure they haven’t set the cottage on fire or gotten themselves killed,” he hedged.

“Either is a very real possibility. Honestly, I can’t even say that potential threats to them will only come from outside sources. It’s highly possible that they’ve tried to murder the shit out of one another. But we can keep traveling for a little while longer if you’re open to it, or just go on another trip at a later point. You can come and go anytime you please now, remember?”

Satisfaction blotted his dark eyes. “I can.” Those eyes skittered over to the bench, as if he sensed their scrutiny. He honed in on Anaïs, his expression unmoved.

His woman nudged him. “Don’t eventhinkabout trying to scare children because you’re bored. It’s beneath you.”

He frowned at her. “Sadist, remember?”

The two then walked away.

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