Page 117 of Bad Demon

RELIC

THREE MONTHS LATER

Gerald Gannon was a fuckingcoward and today he would die screaming.

I watched the male who had thrown Fern away, who had given her to pure evil, move around inside his house. It hadn’t taken long for word to reach him, for him to learn that Fern was alive, and that she was mated to a hellhound. He’d packed up and run before I could get to him—but not fucking far enough.

It hadn’t been easy to find him, not with the piece of shit doing everything in his power to conceal himself. I could feel the ward around his new place vibrating with magic.

I grinned. That wouldn’t fucking save him.

Fern didn’t know I was here. She had no idea where this fucker had gone, and she never would. I didn’t keep things from my mate, but right now, she was happy. She didn’t need to be burdened with this. My precious Tinker Bell didn’t need to carry the weight of this fucker’s death on her shoulders.

Pulling out my phone, I stared down at it. My hand shook with rage, I was seeing fucking red. And as much as I wanted to be the one to end this motherfucker’s life, there was someone who deserved that honor more than me.

Lukan deserved this, he deserved to relish Gannon’s screams. The witch was the reason his daughter had been imprisoned and tortured. He’d had Lukan captured and starved, and because of that, the male had hurt his own child—something that had seriously fucked him up. All that was bad enough, but Gannon was also the reason Lukan had lost his beloved mate.

If anyone should get to kill the witch, it was him.

I took a picture of Gannon through the window and sent it to Lukan. A moment later, the powerful demon appeared beside me.

Physically, he’d recovered. He was dressed in jeans and a faded T-shirt. His inked arms were no longer skin stretched over bone. He looked like the male he once was, young, fit, powerful—except for his eyes. There was a disturbed, crazed look in his eyes that never seemed to go away. His eyes narrowed on the witch, and he grinned, the expression on his face one of pure evil. “But I didn’t get you anything.”

“All I ask is that it’s not quick.”

He dragged the back of his hand across his mouth. “Oh, no. It won’t be quick. I have ways to make sure old Gerry boy is suffering for years.”

Good. That’s what he deserved. I turned to leave.

“How is she?” he said, stopping me. His voice had changed, a pained note making it rougher.

I turned back. “She's good, Lukan. Really fucking good. She’s got lots of good friends, a new coven, and she’s got me.”

He nodded. “I’m really fucking glad to hear that, and for what it’s worth, Relic, I’m glad she has you. I know I’ve never been a father to her, but if I’d gotten that chance, after some fucking with you and making you sweat…” he grinned. “I would’ve given you my blessing. I’m glad she has a male who loves her the way she deserves, someone who can protect her the way I never could.”

I nodded. “She doesn’t hate you, you know, and she doesn’t blame you.”

“My daughter is terrified of me,” he said, his gaze sliding back to Gerald.

“It won’t always be that way. It’ll take time, but we have plenty of it,” I said because I felt bad for the male. I got to be with Fern and he didn’t, and my mate was fucking amazing.

“I hope you’re right.” He glanced back at me and flashed me a grin. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a house call to make.”

He strode to the front door, and as I walked away and swung onto my bike, the sound of wood splintering echoed through the night.

* * *

FERN

Phoebe laughed at Sutton’s imitation of her super-surly new boss, and it was so incredibly good to hear.

My friends were still recovering after what had happened to them. Sutton had gone back to work a few weeks ago, and she said she was fine, but I knew she was just trying to make me feel better. She had a ways to go, but I wasn’t going to push. She knew I was here for her if she needed me and she still called me at night sometimes when she couldn’t sleep.

“More wine?” Sutton asked, topping off her glass.

I went from having no one to having a mate, the hounds, a coven, and Willow and her family had become good friends as well. Even Agatheena and I had grown closer—well, as much as a female like her would allow.

“I’m good.” I curled my feet up under me on the couch.

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