Page 83 of Higher Demon

I sigh.“Give me two minutes to kill my brother, and then I’m all yours.”

Marc smiles, kisses me again, then turns me to face Connor. “Before we go, allow me to inform you that there’s been a change of leadership in Crmærdinesgh. Things are once again stable, and our plans to move toward better integration with Earth continue. When we get back to California, I’ll make a full report to the council. Thank you for looking after Ian while I was away.”

Connor’s jaw clenches at the last part, but he nods curtly. “The new leader is human-friendly?”

The grim set to Marc’s face would be terrifying if I didn’t find it hot. I think there might be something broken in my brain, but I don’t care.

“The new leader is a longtime friend of mine who was directly involved in the plans to get rid of Cato. They have agreed to step into this role because they don’t want to risk anything like that happening again. I’ve also discovered that there’s a network of lesser demons and other species that had formed their own underground resistance during that time, and the leaders have agreed to act as my eyes and ears when I’m on Earth.” He kisses the side of my head. “Which will be most of the time, unless I can find solid evidence that Ian would be able to survive on Crmærdinesgh.”

From the way Connor’s eye starts to twitch, he doesn’t like the sound of that. But he doesn’t immediately try to kill Marc, so that’s progress.

“Did you find out Vestia’s story?” I ask, twisting to look at him. “Or wasn’t there a good opportunity?” I plan to get the full story with all the bad details later, but this is probably relevant for Con to know.

“I found out. It was stupidly simple—she actually told me months ago, in the guise of having concerns.”

“What?” It clicks a second later. “Oh my god—you mean the whole part about playing a long game? Lulling us into thinking demons were friends, waiting a few generations until our defenses were basically gone, then attacking in force?”

“What?” Con yells, but Marc ignores him and nods.

“Yes. Her assistant, Dyp—an adiut spirit—is one of the resistance leaders I mentioned. They’d been able to discover quite a few of the details, and when they realized I’d bonded a human, they decided I could be trusted.”

Gabe appears in the doorway behind Marc. “You bellow— Oh. Marc’s back.”

“Get the liquor,” Connor demands. “You’re going to need it when I fill you in.” He gets up from his desk and comes toward us, his gaze locked on Marc. The intensity there makes me grateful I’m standing between them. Connor wouldn’t hurtme.

“Swear that you’re on our side,” my brother says. “That you won’t hurt Ian or Earth.”

“I swear, I will never hurt Ian,” Marc declares immediately. The words echo through my being, the power of the oath a visceral thing. “I will never allow him to come to harm. And I will continue to act as an advocate for a safe truce between Earth and Crmærdinesgh. I don’t want beings dying on either side.”

A muscle ticks in Connor’s jaw, but finally he nods. “Fine.” The single word sounds like it’s forced from him, but I relax.

“That doesn’t mean you and I will ever be friends, though,” Marc adds. “I find you altogether tiresome and rather distasteful.”

“Marc!” I slam my elbow back into his stomach. “He was being nice for once!”

“Agreed,” Con says to Marc.

Then a gaping hunter I don’t know stares back at me, shock all over his face. “What the fuck?” he yells, reaching for his sword. We’re in Marc’s barracks room… which has been allocated to someone else.

“Sorry! Wrong room,” I apologize, then tell Marc, “We’re staying with Con and Kieran.”

In the next heartbeat, I’m looking at the familiar guestroom bed. “When did this happen?” Marc asks, letting me go and toeing off his shoes.

“I forgot to mention it—Kieran kind of insisted.” I’m a lot less delicate about kicking my shoes off, shedding my T-shirt at the same time. “Get naked.”

“I am.” He hangs his suit jacket over the back of a chair, then begins leisurely unbuttoning his shirt. “Before I forget, did you deal with the Highetts?”

Down to my boxers, I stop. “I didn’t have to. We found out the day after you killed Vestia that her death undid whatever the thing was that made them seem like hunters. As soon as people realized they were suddenly normies, they got detained and questioned. Shit like that just doesn’t happen. They cracked right away—said they knew something had happened to Vestia, but that was all. Uncle Norval went to the council and said you’d asked him to report the death of a higher demon called Vestia, and that among her possessions evidence had been found that she was spying on the Collective. A full report is pending more information.” My eyes roam over his naked torso. It’s perfect, unmarked by scars. I guess he really meant it when he said he was okay. “So, uh, you’re going to need to follow that up.”

“Easily done.” He strips off his pants and underwear with neat efficiency. “Ian, you seem to be wearing too many clothes.”

I shove my boxers off my hips and step out of them. “Easily fixed. Now fuck me until the only thing I can think of is you.”

And he does.

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