He pauses, stands, and walks around on the marble countertop.
“Xera only trusts two people; Sydni and you, Kairhyse. So, I’d not have risked telling Tyson anything. I waited for you both to return to me, but once you had set out, you never came back—not until you had her. Plus, I’m not entirely sure what I could have helped with, but I would have.”
“That day Tali took her.” I want to ask why she never fully trusted Tyson, but that feels like a very Xera thing. Still, the fact that she trusted me completely at the time—it makes my heart beat again.
“I need to be very clear. I had no idea what her mother was, nor did I know anything about a prophecy.”I wonder if Ismael gave him that little bit of knowledge on the drive up here.“If I had, I would have made sure she knew. I’d have risked her pushing me aside to give her every advantage in this life.”There is no doubt in my mind he’s telling the truth.“I felt her at the door. Another demon. I’d tried to warn Xera the same way I did about the bomb. She searched for her phone, likely to call you, when her mother commanded her to open the door.”
A full-body chill runs down my spine. I know my little demon must have been petrified—stripped of control when she was usually the one pulling the strings.
“Tali tried to attack me, but Xeraphine put herself between us. It was the first show of love her Demon ever gave to me, then to watch her mother take her head off… It was the first time my heart broke. It fueled my hatred and anger, and kept me chasing for longer than my legs were meant to carry me.”He plops to a seated position, his paw tapping onto the counter.“My master and I are very similar, it’s why we will, for our eternity, be inseparable. I hate to be touched, do not like to be coddled, and would rather be run over by a bus than be held. As with her, Sydni… and you, are the exception to those feelings.”
Is he asking me to pet him?
“No, Kairhyse.”My eyes widen, shocked because, did he just read my mind?“Sort of. Now that you two are bonded, I’m capable of connecting with you, too. Now, do me a favor, summon one of your shadows for me.”
“Noctis Duplicatus,” I barely say above a whisper.
A shadow of myself forms, and Mister walks on all fours toward it.“Now, have your shadow form hold me. I would like to become accustom with it.”
I think I maybe dreaming, honestly. It wouldn’t shock me because all of this seems so… unreal.
“I still don’t like that you didn’t tell Phiny-bear,” Sydni says, and it feels like forever since I’ve heard her voice.
As my shadow reaches out and grabs hold of Mister, he growls low.“I did everything right by her, and I’m not here for your approval.”He rubs his head against its neck, and I sigh.
“Do you see what is happening to Xera right now?” I honestly don’t blame Syd for feeling that way, but I’m going to side with the feline on this one. My girl is complicated, not a many thing is black and white in her life.
After a moment of pause and snuggling up against my shadow, Mister’s gaze turns to me.“I promise, you don’t want to know.”
Chapter 44
Xeraphine
The grip on my throat tightens and I release a breath, spit flying across Belial’s arm.
“You really are her incarnate.” He drags me closer to him, our faces mere inches apart. “Just as defiant, hard-headed…” A low, feral growl rolls from his throat. “You have her better traits at least. Which means you are tamable.”
“I—” I rasp. My lungs are beginning to fight for oxygen, my hands grabbing his wrist while my feet kick at his solid mass. One of my nails chips as I attempt to dig them into his crimson-toned skin.
He drags his tongue across his top teeth, loosening his grip on my neck just enough for me to suck in a desperate breath. I swallow it quickly as if it might be my last.
“I’m listening.” He prompts me to speak.
My lip twitches at the edge. “It…” I clear my throat. “It would seem… Proserpina has your balls tied in a knot. A bitch to his handler.”
I do love pissing people off.
His eyes, like an eclipsing sun, widen, and I hear Tyson click his tongue in disappointment behind me.
“Why do you say that?”
Just as his grip tightens again, my hands fly up, fingers lacing between his. His strength is fucking unreal—one of my digits snaps almost instantly.
“S-Shit—” My feet kick forward, pressing against his stomach, and I begin an attempt to yank myself free. “Because…” I grit through my teeth. “You…” My words strain against the pressure I’m putting forth. Through a scream to release any tension in my body, I finish, “Can’t do shit without her permission!”
To be honest, my fight feels like an ant trying to lift a boot on its own. I’m not delusional, but he’s insane if he thinks I’ll just let him disrespect me because of his oversized ego.
“Xeraphine,” Tyson says. “You need to learn?—”
