Page 48 of The Monster's Desire

I barely hold back the snicker, but again, whatever the hell that is creeps me out too. I likely would’ve had a similar reaction.

The shadowy demon from the peak forms from nothing. He’s wearing jeans with no shirt. I think. It’s hard to tell with the smoky lines appearing and shifting.

“That was uncalled for. We all have the same goals. I mean, I think we do. Would you like to explain why your soul is tethered to my witch?” he asks.

“Who the fuck are you?” I growl before my wolf feels the need to clarify. “She’s notyours.She’smine.”

“Nadia has been busy.” He chuckles. “I’m Knight, resident sin eater, at your service. Well, not yours, but Nadia’s, so I’m thinking that’s the same thing at this point.” His hair bounces as he nods.

“Make fucking sense when you speak.” Echo rolls his shoulders back, continuing in the direction of Brant and River’s cabin.

“I asked you a question.” Knight flickers into shadows and reappears in front of Echo. “Why the hell are you soul-bound to my witch?”

Echo doesn’t say a word. His head tilts, and his dark hair falls over his forehead as he glares at the sin eater.

“She’s not your witch,” I growl. Clearly, she’s mine. The fact that’s all I can seem to focus on is mildly alarming, but my claws still elongate, showing my wolf’s displeasure.

Knight’s face contorts into a frown as he twists his head, like he’s listening to something. “Right, she’s going to need you, chop chop.” He becomes more transparent, but it’s clearly his back that’s facing our direction as he heads off at a rapid pace.

“I wasn’t aware sin eaters truly exist. I thought them nothing more than lore and fanciful stories.” Echo spins to face me with wide eyes. “We might just survive the council yet.”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” I mutter, stomping to follow the unknown demon. “Just because he helped us eliminate a horde of lesser demons and a few newly turned vamps doesn’t mean he won’t stab us in the back at the first opportunity.”

“Fair enough.” Echo keeps pace at my side.

I miss a step as Knight disappears from in front of us. A warm breath fans over my neck from behind a millisecond later. “I’d never be so petty. That witch is going to be carrying my little demonic babies before you know it. I would never kill her mate. That would piss her off. I’d simply allow the next attack to be successful.”

“That’s comforting,” I snort, jogging toward the cabin. I transform in mid-air, purposely allowing my paws to dig into the sand as I pivot.

“Bloody fucking wanker,” Echo says.

“The human realm is delightfully entertaining,” Knight says, but his voice comes from in front of me, not behind.

It’s clear he’s a formidable opponent. We’d best watch him carefully.

Which won’t be troublesome at all, considering he turns to fucking shadow.

* * *

Nadia passes out while I’m too far away to reach her. Echo makes a similar grab, but he stumbles when he sees she’s cradled to the chest of a reaper.

My wolf isn’t afraid of death, nor am I. There were many years where dying felt like a respite we’d never taste.

We continue, passing Echo. “Give her to me,” I growl. I try to will away my fangs and claws, but I’m still mid-transformation from my beast to human form.

“She likely won’t wake for hours.” The reaper brushes his lips over her forehead. It’s a strangely intimate move that sends a shiver of unease down my spine.

“Don’t hurt my mate.” It comes out as more of a plea than has crossed my lips in centuries.

“How many times do I have to repeat myself?” Knight mutters. “That’s Wraith, and believe it or not, we’re all on the same team.”

“What team is that?” Echo asks quietly.

“The one where we keep Nadia safe and fill her full of our spawn.” Wraith nods, but it’s his deadpan delivery that has me taking a step back. My wolf has the opposite reaction. He wants her full of our pups, but he’s not big on sharing. “What? You want the same.” He looks at Knight, who chuckles.

“Yes, but they aren’t used to your crazy. You’re going to scare them away.” Knight crosses long, thin arms over his bare chest. He has straight blond hair to his shoulders and a slender frame similar to Echo’s. Despite the curved horns, he’s very humanoid at the moment. Whatever the fuck he turned into while we were fighting is the shit of nightmares.

“I’m not crazy. I’m protective,” the reaper says so indignantly that Echo snorts, swiping a hand over his face. “I’ve even mostly stopped stalking her over the last year. We only interact now when she knows about it.”

---