Page 67 of Legacy of Temptation

“I don’t hate you, Logan.”

“Really? Because the last time I saw you, you were pretty clear about how you felt. I loved you. I trusted you with my secrets. And you let demon hunters set a trap for me.”

She hadn’t even gone to The Aegis. Nope, after her attempt to stab him in the gut failed, she’d given up his location to a bunch of local yahoo Guardian wannabes who made it their mission to rid neighborhoods and schools of anyone who wasn’t one hundred percent human.

She stiffened, her posture taut and defensive, and he braced for her hot temper. But a few heartbeats later, she bowed her head in contrition. “I did. But that’s because you betrayed me. You betrayed me hard, Logan.”

“Betrayed you? By not telling you the truth of who I was?”

“You took away my choice. I should have had the right to choose if I wanted to sleep with a supernatural being. I thought you were human. You kept the truth from me.”

“And you went and proved why I was right to do it.”

But he did understand her anger. He was far enough removed now that he could see why she’d been angry. But she’d gone far beyond merelyangry.

All he’d wanted back then was to feel normal. To have a college experience that included study groups and frat parties and sporting events. He hadn’t expected to fall for Maja, and by the time he did, it was too late to reveal the truth. Then she started hanging with increasingly anti-demon friends, and telling her became even harder. When she expressed interest in joining The Aegis, he’d come clean, desperate to dissuade her and prove that she was wrong about his people. About him.

She huffed. “What did you expect? I’d just told you I was thinking about joining an anti-demon organization. Springing that your father is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on me was an asshole move. You should have just broken up with me.”

“Yeah, stupid me, wanting to fight for a relationship with the woman I loved and who I wanted to understand me.” The past slid into his mind, and with it, so much anger. Pointless anger. He wasn’t here to rehash shit. He shook his head to clear it. “None of that matters anymore. All I want is to find Draven and prevent more deaths. I’m hoping you can help.”

Maja took her time considering what he’d said, no doubt to make him squirm.

“First,” she began, “you can assure me that Eva is okay.”

“She’s fine. I’m sure we can arrange for you to talk to her when you and I are done.”

“And what is it you want? We’ve already told Kynan we’re not giving up your people until your pet vengeance demon is dead.”

“Draven isn’t a pet,” he snapped, as angry at himself as he was disgusted by her cavalier attitude. What had he ever seen in her? “He’s a decent male who lost the love of his life. He’s angry and in pain. Wouldn’t you be?”

“I wouldn’t go on a killing rampage,” she said. “I’mnot a demon.”

He wished he could reach through the holoscreen and strangle her. “Maja, we need time. A day isn’t enough. If you get your people to safety, it won’t be a problem.”

Maybe.

She thought about that, took a sip of whatever was in the mug on her desk. Nodded.

“Tell you what. We’ll give you one of your people and four days. One day for every Guardian who’s alive. And for every Guardian we lose, we strike a day.”

“Oh, come on—”

“That’s the deal. And I don’t want Eva locked up in some DART dungeon.”

“We don’t have dungeons.”

She ignored that. “One more thing. I wantyouto be responsible for her. You’ll be her bodyguard twenty-four-seven.” Maja held up her finger to shut him up when he started to protest. “If you want more time, that isn’t negotiable. You know Draven better than anyone, and if anyone can keep Eva safe from him, it’s you and your godforsaken mutt.”

Godforsaken mutt? Sure, Cujo had phased into Logan’s room when Maja tried to stab him, and the canine had nearly eaten her, but still.

“Fine,” he ground out. “Now, tell me about the weapon that killed our people.”

She smiled. “Respectfully, fuck off. You already know more than you should. Let me speak with Eva now.”

“Respectfully, fuck off.”

“It’s part of the deal. Take it or leave it.”

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