Wicked Bite (Night Rebel #2)(30)

Michael shrugged, but none of the intentness left his gaze. “I suppose we’ll find out.”

The other demons started drifting closer to Ian’s table. Worse, it sounded like more demons were now coming from the mine to gather near the room’s only exit. I began pulling power from wherever I could feel water. There wasn’t much due to the decades-long underground coal fires in this town. I stretched my senses further. My other nature roused, rattling the bars on her cage. As if I didn’t have enough to deal with.

“Playing hard to get, Ashael?” Ian said, raising his glass as if he didn’t notice the trap closing around him. “I’ll make it two bags of jewels, but only if you get your arse here now.”

Sure, keep trying to bring another powerful demon! I silently raged. Forty or fifty demons against two are suicidal odds, but forty or fifty-ONE against two is a party!

Michael leaned back, flashing Ian an arrogant look as the demons in the room now loomed around Ian’s table, while new demons formed a barrier at the exit. Even the band abandoned their instruments to join the menacing crowd.

Ian eyed them as he set his empty shot glass down. “Wouldn’t come any closer if I were you, mates.”

Michael’s brows rose. “Why is that?”

Ian smiled with luxuriant menace. “Because you won’t like what I’ll do. Moreover, from her scent, my wife is already brassed off, and you do not want to meet her when she’s angry.”

From her scent . . . Ian knew that I was here?

Michael laughed. “You, married? That’s almost as funny as you threatening us with someone who isn’t here.”

“Oh, she’s here,” Ian replied, sounding amused now. “It’s dangerous, and I told her not to come. That meant nothing could keep her away.”

I wasn’t even insulted. So you do still know me, I thought with dark appreciation.

Michael’s expression hardened. “Enough stalling. We’re going to collect that bounty on you now—”

“Not before I get my two bags of jewels,” a smooth voice interrupted.

I hadn’t seen anyone teleport in here, and I’d been watching. No, the tall man with the closely cropped hair, handsome features, dark brown skin, and a stubbled jaw had appeared as if all the room’s shadows suddenly coalesced into a person. Power rolled off him, too, the kind I normally only felt from a Master vampire. If that wasn’t enough, the demon then turned to stare right at the corner where Leah and I floated.

I didn’t move. Maybe this demon knew our general location because he could scent me the way Ian had. But since he couldn’t see me, he couldn’t truly be sure where I was . . .

“You can drop the clever camouflage,” the demon said, bowing in our direction. “I will allow no one here to harm you.”

“Ashael?” Michael looked around. “Who are you talking to?”

“The person poised to slaughter all of you, should you make another threatening move toward Ian,” Ashael replied silkily.

One of this demon’s abilities is seeing the source of every person’s magic, Ian had said. Was that how Ashael could “see” me even when I was invisible? If so, it also explained his other comment. If he sees you, he’ll spot your half-demigod nature before you can say hallo . . .

“Hello,” I said, dropping from Leah’s arms. As soon as I did, I became visible. Every demon looked stunned except for Ashael, who stared at me with an inscrutable expression.

“My lovely bride,” Ian drawled. “Good of you to join us.”





Chapter 16


I told myself it was the tenseness of the situation that made me pick the bitchiest reply. “Oh, now you remember we’re married? You didn’t seem to recall that when you were giving your waitress the visual version of a mammogram earlier!”

Ian’s chuckle rolled across my nerves as if it were coated in spikes. “Jealous? Good, I intended that. You don’t consider our marriage an ‘unfortunate technicality’ now, do you?”

I was going to beat him bloody. I’d make it too painful for even him to enjoy. But not when we were surrounded by demons, the most dangerous one sizing up our exchange with interest.

“You must have no idea what she is, to anger her on purpose,” Ashael stated.

“I know exactly what she is,” Ian answered, staring into my eyes. “More importantly, I know she’s mine.”

The statement might have been romantic if we were alone. In a room full of demons, it smacked of male possessiveness. Then again, I’d just chastised him for looking at another woman, so I supposed I didn’t have much room to complain. But I did give him a challenging arch of the brow that said, Am I? clearer than any words.

Ian’s instant, sensual grin said, Yes, you are.

Then he tossed two velvet bags at Ashael. The demon tested their weight before putting them in his pocket with an appreciative grunt. “Whatever else you are, you’re not cheap. This is enough to buy you an uninterrupted hour of my time.”

“Not here,” Ian said, with a languid glance around. “Hospitality seems to have waned.”

I came toward Ian. A single glance from Ashael had the demons parting to clear a path for me. He must be formidable indeed to garner such instant obedience without even speaking.