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Taeden liked having an audience.

“Is that the guy we’re here to talk to?” Mason asked. His unease around supernatural beings hadn’t gone away overnight—not that I’d expected it to. But he kept his composure and hadn’t threatened anyone yet. Not even Nick when we’d passed him at the front entrance. Progress.

“Yes,” Alastair said. “He’s a regular and might have valuable intel.”

Mason placed his hand at the small of my back, his gaze roaming across the club. “How do you know he’s not one of the reapers working for Asa?”

It was Bellamy who answered. “Taeden might be a total sadist, but he does have some standards. He’s not a follower. He’d sooner cut off his own dick than bow down to Asa.”

“A sadist?” Mason asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “Taeden kinda gets a sick satisfaction when he has to transport souls to the underworld. Hereallyenjoys his job.”

“That doesn’t throw up any red flags?” Mason looked at Alastair.

My eldest brother shrugged. “It’s my responsibility to protect human lives. What happens to them once they die isn’t my problem. He doesn’t mistreat the souls. He only takes them to their final destination. Bellamy’s right. I can’t see Taeden following anyone.”

“So, uh.” Raiden readjusted his hat, putting it on backward. “Are we gonna let him blow his load first, or are we gonna go in now?”

“He’s almost done,” Bellamy said, stepping forward. “Twenty more seconds tops.” As Lust, he could sense that sort of thing. It helped make him a damn good lover because he knew exactly how to please someone.

By the time we reached Taeden, the Fae was wiping his mouth and standing from the floor. The reaper tucked his softening cock back into his pants and zipped them, lids heavy as his yellow eyes lifted to us.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” He cocked his head at Mason. “You’re new.”

“He’s mine,” I said, holding on to my human tighter.

“Oh, I can see that.” Taeden sat forward and swiped his drink off the table. He took a sip and studied the two of us. “I can smell it too. The mark you placed on him is so strong I think everyone in here can sense it. Mates, eh? Congrats. Or not. I, for one, would hate to have something like that forced upon me.”

“We’re not here to discuss mates.” Alastair sat in the chair beside him. “Do you know anything about reapers allying with the son of Lucifer?”

Taeden took another drink, dragging it out. When Alastair deeply inhaled, he grinned. “What’s in it for me if I tell you?”

Bellamy crossed his arms. “I’ll let you keep your head. That work for you?”

“What happened to my blond bombshell with a sweet mouth and an even sweeter tongue? I expect this type of attitude from Galen, not from you.”

“I’m not your anything,” Bellamy said. “We fucked once, and then I got bored and moved on.”

“Ouch.” Taeden rubbed his chest. “You and Daman are so mean to me. I love it. How’s my moody angel boy doing anyway? Still married to that Russian dragon?”

Daman and Taeden had frequently hooked up before Daman married Warrin. My brother had viewed the reaper as his boy toy, nothing serious.

“Anything you know will be greatly appreciated,” Alastair said in a cool tone, trying to get the discussion back on track.

Taeden finished off his drink and sighed. “Get me another drink, and I’ll talk.” He moved his glass in a circle, a smile in his eyes. “What do you say, Pride? Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours?”

Alastair hated being taunted. I felt the anger swirling in his veins as he grabbed the glass from the reaper and walked over to the bar.

“Speaking of that big brute Galen, where is he?” Taeden looked around. “Brooding in the shadows somewhere?”

Galen was with Simon. They were on a date to celebrate their one-year anniversary. They had first met exactly one year from today. Alastair had told them we had everything handled at the club, and then he’d all but shoved them out the door. He’d set up reservations at the nicest restaurant in town too.

Despite his frosty attitude at times, Alastair was a true romantic at heart. A heart that had been broken when his human lover, Joseph, died, a loss my brother was still recovering from.

“Galen’s whereabouts is none of your concern,” Alastair said, handing Taeden a glass of whiskey laced with ambrosia. “You have your drink now. So talk. I’m running out of patience.”

“Fine.” Taeden took a drink and reclined more on the leather couch. “I might’ve heard rumors of reapers joining the dark side.”