ake her up and take her again before he let her fall back into slumber in his arms. He has had an oddly satisfying evening and he wanted to enjoy it with the woman he loves.
He sighs and places the glass down quietly on the nightstand. He tucks the blanket tighter around her and her daughter. They look like two angels sleeping side by side, their faces turned to each other on the shared, silk pillow. He cannot deny that the girl has bewitched him. She is an enchanting little creature and he doesn’t think he will have trouble accepting her into his family. Her father is dead so he can assume the role when they leave here, never to return. Over his dead body will he allow the charade of Sebastian taking up the mantel to continue much past the next few days. He has a plan to get rid of the threat of Tiamat, he just needs a bit of time to think it through properly. And Remiel? Well, if he comes after his family, he will have the undeniable pleasure of tearing his head from his shoulders. He takes off his jacket and places it carefully back on the hanger. He loosens his tie and takes his shoes off. He climbs onto the bed, next to Delinda, and picks up his Scotch again. He has much to process and little time in which to accomplish his tasks.
He had better get to work.
Chapter 7
The Dark Fae Kingdom, September 2014 – Aefre
I wake up slowly. I am reluctant to open my eyes because that means it is tomorrow and I am dreading tomorrow. My eyes flutter open almost of their own accord and I sit up with a soft smile on my face. Delinda is curled up next to CK, and he has his arm protectively around her while they both sleep. It is the sweetest thing I have ever seen, and I thank the gods for my photographic memory so that I can keep this moment forever etched into my brain. I wince as there is a soft knock on the door and I hastily go to answer it, pulling on the belt of my robe to tighten it. I had pulled it on when I went in to see to Delinda last night. She was crying in her sleep and it tore at my heart. Today is going to throw everything she thought she knew into turmoil.
“Dev,” I say when I see who it is. “Come.” I push him outside and close the door quietly behind me.
“Lizzie,” he starts, but I shush him.
“I know you are requiring an answer from me, but...”
“But what?” he interrupts he briskly. “Is it him?”
“No,” I say. “I haven’t spoken to him yet. This is about you. You hesitated,” I pout at him.
“I know,” he says and sighs. “But know this. I am manning up, Lizzie,” he adds with a twinkle in his bright, blue eyes. “You need a strong man by your side, and I can be that man if you would give me a chance. My power is growing exponentially and with it, so am I. I can be the man you and your children need, Lizzie. I love you and I will accept them as my own. Delinda has already captured my heart, but then, it’s not surprising really, is it?” He gives me a look filled with such love and adoration, I choke up.
“Oh, the gods,” I say with tears in my eyes, and take him in my arms. “You have a way with words, my darling boy,” I whisper to him.
“Then marry me,” he whispers back, right as CK opens the door and hears his three words.
“You are just looking for an ass kicking, aren’t you?” CK says as he stands in the doorway, looking all nonchalant.
“Not really,” Devon replies smoothly, “but if you are offering, I’d like to put my new powers to the test.”
I hastily step in between my two men as CK steps forward fully intending to hand out his arse kicking.
“Not today,” I wail. “I have enough to deal with without you two going at it.”
Both of them remember what today holds for me and my daughter and they both stand down with looks of equal dislike on their faces. It’s a pity, for a moment there I thought that they might actually be starting to accept each other.
‘But CK, I’m sorry, my love. I want what he is offering.” I wait for the gaskets to start blowing, but he just looks at me.
“No,” he says eventually. “I refuse to share you with him, especially now that Cole is out of the picture.”
“CK, don’t,” I implore him. “We want what we never got to do five hundred years ago. Surely, you of all people can understand that.”
“Oh, I understand it,” he says. “But I am not allowing you to marry him.”
“Who says you have a choice in the matter?” Devon pipes up from behind me.
CK steps menacingly forward, his face thunderous. “She is my wife. She may be…” He looks at me with fury, “borrowed to all these other fuckers. But she will inevitably end up with just me. We are having a child together, for fuck’s sake. Stay out it.”
I glare back at him. But he, honest to the gods, looks beaten. My heart wells with love for him, but it doesn’t change the inevitable for me and Devon.
I sigh. “We’ll talk about this later,” I mutter to him, but turn back to Devon with a bright smile. “My answer is yes, my darling,” I say to him and let him sweep me up in his arms to kiss me forcefully.
“Aefre!” Constantine barks at me viciously.
I pull away from an ecstatic Devon to say, “We will do this. I just need…”
“Time,” he says with a huff. “I know. But you are wearing the ring I got you and that is final.”