Embers

by Suzanne Wright

  Tanner’s mouth twitched. “True, but I agree with Keenan—I don’t think Asher meant to bind the two of you together. He just didn’t want you to leave without him.”

  Scrubbing a hand down her face, Harper reached out to Knox again. I don’t know what to do. Tanner and Keenan think we should all go to the studio, including Asher.

  Knox didn’t respond for a long moment. My demon isn’t anxious at the idea.

  No, it wouldn’t be, she grumbled. What was it the entity had said? Pity the person who tried to harm Asher. It was confident that he could take care of himself just fine. And as Harper looked down at the cuff on her wrist, she thought that just maybe Knox’s demon had good reason not to be anxious.

  Nonetheless, she wasn’t keen on taking Asher off the estate. And she hadn’t failed to notice that Knox had said his demon wasn’t anxious at the idea, not that Knox himself was okay with it.

  “It’s your decision, Harper,” said Tanner. “But I think it won’t be such a bad thing to take him out for a few hours.”

  Have the faith in yourself that I have in you, Knox said to her.

  Biting her lip, she exhaled heavily. “I’d better carry him, since I’ve no idea how long my ‘leash’ is.”

  A little while later, Tanner pulled up outside the nightclub that led to the Underground. As it was daylight, there was no thumping music filtering outside or a long queue of people behind the red ropes. For humans, it was a normal and highly popular club. Only demons knew what was beneath it.

  Tanner walked in front while Keenan took up the rear as they all went inside the club and then ventured down the flight of stairs to the basement. Two burly, gruff demons guarded a door at the back of the large space. Both flashed huge grins at Asher, who shyly smiled back. With respectful nods for Harper and the sentinels, the doormen parted to allow them to pass. One then punched in a key code for the elevator, and the shiny metal doors opened with a ping. A short elevator ride later, Harper stepped into what was, literally, a demonic paradise.

  Casinos, bars, nightclubs, hotels, restaurants, strip clubs, a rodeo, combat circle, hellhound racing stadium, a shopping mall—you name it, it was probably there. It was hectic of an evening, but it was also quite busy during the day.

  Tanner and Keenan protected her from being jostled by pedestrians as they walked down the “strip”, passing lots of stores and venues. The bars, clubs, casinos, and restaurants didn’t have front walls, so it was easy to see people eating, drinking, chatting, laughing, and brawling.

  Many stared as they caught sight of Harper, Asher, and the sentinels. Some whispered, some smiled, and others nervously averted their gazes. All looked surprised to see her and Asher, and many shoulders relaxed slightly. Knox had been right; people needed to see them carrying on with their day-to-day activities.

  As she neared her studio, Harper smiled. Urban Ink was ideally situated in a hotspot that had top-notch security. It was near not only the best restaurants and the mall but Knox’s main office too. It was also opposite a hotel wherein she and Knox had a penthouse suite.

  Routinely, the girls all met at the coffeehouse next door to the studio each morning before work, and Harper missed their morning meetings almost as much as she missed her job. Still, as she’d told Raini, she wasn’t ready to return yet.

  “I guess you’ll need to talk ‘details’ for Khloë’s birthday party while you’re here,” said Keenan. “Does she know what she wants yet? Wait, let me guess … she wants the exclusive use of one of Knox’s Underground clubs. Or maybe even a hotel.”

  “She wants a garden party,” said Harper.

  He blinked. “She wants a what?”

  “A garden party—complete with champagne, flowers, sculptures, and other pretty things.”

  His brow furrowed. “That doesn’t sound like Khloë.”

  “She also wants us all to dress like hobos so that we look ridiculous among all the finery.”

  “Yeah, that sounds like Khloë.”

  The bell chimed as Keenan pushed open the studio’s glass door. Two clients were waiting on the sofa; one was watching the wall-mounted TV while the other was skimming through a tattoo portfolio. Both looked up as Harper and the sentinels filed inside the spacious reception area that smelled of ink, paint, coffee, and disinfectant.

  There was a rock/art/Harley Davidson feel to the studio, which Harper loved. Metal art—which also happened to be enlarged copies of tattoos—hung on the bright white walls, including tribal swirls, Chinese dragons, bright flames, a flock of ravens, and a howling wolf.

  Looking up from the obsessively neat reception desk that also doubled as a display cabinet for jewelry and other products, Khloë squealed in excitement. The noise made Raini peek around the checkered glass partition that separated the tattoo stations, and her eyes widened in delight. At the same time, Devon turned away from the lighted tracing table with a ‘What, what’s happening?’ look.

  Heels clicked on the hardwood floor as the three girls swarmed Harper. But it wasn’t her they made a fuss of—no, they didn’t even say hello to her. It was Asher they fussed over, peppering his face, hair, head, and hands with kisses.

  “Where’s my little dude?” cooed Khloë who, despite being the smallest, managed to be the one who took Asher from Harper’s arms.

  “Careful,” said Harper. She held up her wrist so they could see the cuff. “The little bugger bound me to him for a while, so you won’t be able to move far before I get yanked along with you.”

  Raini’s brows rose. “He did that?” She chuckled. “This kid cracks me up.”

  Tanner tugged on Devon’s hair. “Hey, kitty cat.”

  Devon sniffed at him. “Go cock your leg and pee on some trees, pooch.”

  With an amused smile, Tanner took position at the door. Harper knew he intended to sniff anyone who entered. If they were without a scent, he’d pounce.

  Khloë took Asher to the vending machine, bumped her fist on the side of it, and there was a whirring sound as it dropped a Hershey’s bar.

  Keenan shook his head. “I’ve tried to do that, I really have.”

  “We all have,” said Harper. But it was a thing that only Khloë and her father seemed able to do.

  Raini squeezed Harper’s shoulder. “How are you?”

  “Fine,” replied Harper. “I have news you’re not going to like, though,” she added quietly. “It’s not something we can talk about here in great detail.”

  Raini’s brow furrowed. “We’re closing for lunch in, like, twenty minutes. I’m almost finished with my client, and these guys are only here for a quick consultation. Can you hang around until then?”

  “Sure. Me, Keenan, and Asher will stay in the breakroom out of your way.”

  Raini’s gaze slid to the hellhound. “And Tanner’s gonna stay right there?”

  “I’ll explain everything soon,” Harper assured her. “Then you’ll understand why we’re being so cautious.”

  It wasn’t much longer before the girls closed the studio for lunch. Khloë had apparently nipped to the deli first, because she entered the breakroom with a bag full of sandwiches. The smells of roast beef, peppers, and mayo made Harper’s stomach rumble.

  Once they were all gathered around the table, sandwiches in hand, Raini looked at Harper. “Spill.”

  Harper stroked a hand over Asher’s hair, who was sitting on her lap and toying with her necklace. “Before Alethea died, she did something pretty stupid. She stole a jarred incorporeal demon from a private collector. She also set it free.”

  There was a shocked silence. Then the girls all muttered curses beneath their breath.

  “If she was alive, I’d kill the bitch,” spat Khloë.

  “The she-demon who went after Asher, posing as you … that was the incorporeal?” asked Devon.

  Harper nodded. “Which makes it an ‘it’, not a ‘she’. I don’t know if it will come here, but you need to be on alert just in case.” As they ate, she told them everything that Jonas ha
d told Knox. She also educated them on incorporeal demons before adding, “If you see me, don’t automatically assume that it is in fact me. Ask me something that only I would know. Devon, you’re a hellcat. Your sense of smell is strong. If someone approaches you who has no scent, it could very well be the incorporeal taking on a physical form.”

  Khloë absentmindedly tugged on her earlobe. “How do we know if we’re around people who’re hosting an incorporeal?”

  “We don’t,” said Harper. “Not unless it wants us to know. That’s why we all need to be alert and careful.”

  “Does Grams know about this yet?” asked Khloë.

  Harper lifted a brow. “You didn’t hear about the old skyscraper that freakily crumbled to tiny pieces last night?”

  “I heard,” replied Khloë. “I’d just hoped it wasn’t Grams.”

  Asher’s mind touched Harper’s, and there was a question there. He’d clearly picked up on the tension in the air and wanted to know what was wrong. She smiled at him and gave his mind a reassuring touch as she said, “Nothing, baby boy.”

  “On a lighter note, let’s talk party details,” suggested Raini. “Khloë, are you sure about this garden party/hobo fancy dress thing?”

  “Yep,” replied Khloë. “And I want a fountain there. A big one. Maybe a mermaid fountain.”

  “Are you planning to drink from it?” asked Keenan.

  Khloë’s nose wrinkled. “Unless it’s the fountain of youth, I don’t see why I would.”

  “Well, that’s good,” he said. “It’s one less thing we don’t have to worry you’ll do while smashed.”

  “I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it. I just said I don’t see why I would.”

  “Knox said he has a fake flower garden here in the Underground for swanky events,” said Harper. “You could use that.”

  Khloë grinned. “Cool.”

  “Okay, let’s cover what else you want and then we can hand the matter over to one of Knox’s event planners. They’ll take care of the rest.” It was while they were discussing the food menu—which was simple enough, since Khloë just wanted a burger van and a hot dog stand—that someone’s cell phone began to chime.

  Devon sat up straight. “That’s mine.” She dug out her phone, smiled at whatever name she saw on the screen, and answered, “Hey, Drew.” She frowned. “Really? Oh. Okay. Just give me a sec.” Ending the call, Devon said, “Drew’s outside and, apparently, the pooch won’t let him in.”

  “Tanner’s just being cautious,” said Harper.

  “Well, unless he’s not positive that it’s Drew, there’s no reason my brother can’t come in.” Devon stalked out of the room. Voices mumbled, someone growled, and another hissed. Then the doorbell chimed, and Devon welcomed Drew inside with a cheery voice.

  Moments later, he entered the room. Gaze sweeping the space, he greeted everyone. His mouth kicked up into a smile when he spotted Harper. “Hey, didn’t expect to see you here.”

  Awkwardness flooded her, but Harper managed to force a smile. “Hi, Drew.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Slipping his cell phone back into his pocket, Knox relaxed into the buttery leather seat of the Bentley as he said to Levi, “Did you find out anything about Clarke?”

  On realizing that Devon’s brother coveted Harper, Knox had asked the sentinel to do some digging on the male hellcat. Levi had been so thorough that he’d had a member of their Force, Armand, teleport him to Clarke’s home earlier while Knox was in a meeting.

  Levi briefly met Knox’s gaze via the rear-view mirror. “As you already know, he’s been living in Cuba for the past six years. He hasn’t been a permanent fixture there, though. It’s more like Cuba is his main base. He goes away for months at a time. Even went on a two-year trip to no-man’s land on one of those ‘unplugged vacations’ where there was no phone service. He got back from there a month ago. When he is in Cuba, he rents a little shack on the beach. Works as a scuba diving instructor. Spends a lot of his time engaging in extreme sports. He also likes to party and socialize, and he sleeps around more than he dates. He has a type. Tall, blonde, stick-thin.”

  “The opposite of Harper,” mused Knox. The surprise of that made his brows lower. “Find anything of interest in Clarke’s shack?”

  “The guy’s as frugal as they come. The furniture couldn’t be more basic. There are framed photos all over the house—they’re all of Clarke doing extreme sports. None were of Harper or even Devon. I found a shoebox on the top shelf of his closet. There were little mementos in there and some pictures of his lair. Harper was on a few of them, but not alone or with him. There was nothing in his home that would suggest he’s carrying a torch for her. But … ”

  Knox stilled. “But, what?”

  “I noticed on his photos that he has an interesting tattoo between his shoulder blades. Not her work. At least, I doubt it was her work. I can’t imagine Harper doing a tattoo like that without feeling damn awkward about it.”

  “Levi, tell me.”

  The sentinel sighed. “It’s a picture of a sphinx—body of a lion, woman’s head, but no wings. And there was a hellcat snuggled up to it protectively.”

  Knox swore. His rage bubbled out of him and filled the car, making the air so thick and oppressive it weighed heavy on his chest. “He marked himself for her.” His demon roared, livid. By having what was essentially a symbol of Harper tattooed on his skin, Clarke had left a brand on her demon’s behalf—as if it had claimed him. As if he had some claim to Harper.

  Fists clenching, Knox forced his back teeth to unlock. “I have to say, Levi, I don’t like that some guy’s practically wearing my mate on his skin.”

  “Neither do I.” A muscle in Levi’s jaw ticked. “I was so pissed when I saw it, I ground the photo to dust—frame and all.”

  Knox would like to smash the bastard’s fucking jaw. He drew in a breath through his nose. “I very much doubt that Harper knows about the tattoo.”

  “She’d never keep something like this from you, not even to stop you from hurting him.” Levi slowed the car as they approached a red light. “There’s something I really don’t get. If he wanted her bad enough to brand himself for her, why stay away from her?”

  “I don’t know.” Reining in his anger, Knox cricked his neck. “But I know someone who’s likely to have the answer.”

  A little while later, they were stood on Jolene Wallis’s porch. Opening the front door, she smiled. “Knox, always a pleasure.” She stepped aside, allowing him and Levi to enter. Her brow creased. “No Harper or Asher?”

  “They’re at the studio.”

  “Ah. I was just about to make coffee for me and Ciaran. He’s in the living area, watching TV.” She gestured for them to follow her down the hallway, adding, “Come tell me what brings you here.”

  Following her into the kitchen, Knox positioned himself next to the island. He politely turned down her offer of a drink. Likewise, leaning against the doorjamb, Levi gave a quick shake of the head to her offer.

  As Jolene pottered around the kitchen, Knox simply said, “Drew Clarke.”

  Jolene spared him a brief look. “What about him?”

  “He wants Harper, but he stayed away from her. Why is that?”

  With a sigh, Jolene turned to face Knox. “Because I told him to.”

  He’d suspected as much. “Why?”

  Pouring coffee into her mug, Jolene explained, “Harper needed—and deserved—someone who would put her first. Someone who would stay in one place and build a life with her. Drew is not that person. Like Lucian, he’s very self-focused, enjoys partying and—though his base is in Cuba—he also travels a lot. Harper did enjoy her years of traveling with Lucian, but what she needed was roots, not someone who she’d come second to. So I told Drew to keep his distance until he was ready to give her what she did need.”

  “You were testing him to see if he’d step up,” Knox guessed.

  “Yes.” Jolene’s lips thinned. “He failed the test, just as I’
d figured he would. He stayed in Cuba, living the regular bachelor lifestyle. I think he believed he had all the time in the world to take before offering Harper anything serious—back then, she only dated humans. Drew didn’t feel threatened by that. He hadn’t counted on her ever dating another demon, let alone mating with him.”

  “And yet, he didn’t appear when I began dating Harper.” Which made no sense, unless … “You told Devon not to tell him.”

  “Of course I did.” Jolene blew over the rim of the steaming cup. “I didn’t know how serious you were about Harper, but I knew that if Drew heard another demon was pursuing her, he’d have returned to stake his claim. He would have staked that claim for the wrong reason—not because he was ready for more, but because he didn’t want to see her with another.

  “I also knew that you, being possessive and a lover of challenges, would have fought for her. But I couldn’t be sure whether it would have been because she meant something to you or because you simply weren’t prepared to lose a challenge. You and Harper needed time without outside interference to see just whether you had anything worth keeping. So I told the lair not to mention your relationship with Harper to Drew.”

  Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Knox tilted his head. “Why keep it from him for so long? She’s been fully mine for a while now.”

  “I didn’t plan to keep it from him for so long. He went on a trip to some God-forsaken place where he wouldn’t be ‘tethered by technology’. No one heard from him for two years, and he didn’t hear from us. Which suited me fine, because I know he doesn’t have a chance of luring her away from you. What I need is for him to know that. Once upon a time, he might have stupidly fought you and inevitably died. I’m fond of the boy, I don’t want him dead. I also wouldn’t want to deal with the clusterfuck it would cause.”

  Knox understood what she meant. If he killed the brother of Harper’s close friend, it would drive a wedge between the two females. Harper would feel torn between her loyalty to Devon and her loyalty to him. Some of her lair would understand Knox’s actions; the others would hate him for it. And Jolene, a master manipulator who was madly protective of her lair, would naturally do what it took to ensure such a future didn’t come to pass—including keeping Drew blind.