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Wincing at the high-pitched noise that came down the line, Luka moved his cell away from his ear. He gave a quick nod of gratitude to Daniil, who’d moments ago returned him to his living area. Once the teleporter disappeared, Luka spoke into his phone again. “Was the girly squeal really necessary?”

“I’m excited for you—go sue me,” said Ella. “While I’d thought that you might build something with Naomi, I wasn’t sure you’d ever take her or anyone else as your mate.”

“I still don’t see how it necessitated squealing.”

She huffed. “Forgive me for not wanting you to grow old alone.”

“I’m a legion. I’ve never been anything close to alone.”

“Having three inner entities isn’t the same as sharing your life with someone. Now, tell me all about how you came to stake your official claim last night. I want to know how, when, what, why.”

“That’s a shame,” he said, walking through the house as he made his way to the foyer, intending to track down his siren, “because I have absolutely no intention of going into specifics.”

Ella let out a prim sniff. “Fine. I’ll just ask Naomi when we meet up at the pool hall on Thursday.”

“She won’t tell you either.” There was too much they needed to hold back.

“I know,” Ella grumbled. “She’s as evasive as you are. You guys suck. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.”

“There’s no real way that telling someone they suck can be nice.”

“Don’t be so literal.”

Reaching the foyer, he heard music playing low upstairs. Naomi had been running a bath when he was called away to deal with a lair matter. He’d hoped to be back in time to join her but, given she didn’t play music while bathing, he was thinking he’d missed that boat.

Disappointing.

But there’d be other opportunities. Many others. Because she was his now—fully and forever. The knowledge fed something in him that he hadn’t known was there.

As did the brand on his nape.

“I take it your demons are on board with your decision,” Ella went on.

“On every level,” Luka confirmed, climbing the winding staircase. They were also exceptionally pleased that Naomi’s entity had finally branded Luka and staked its own claim.

“You feel certain none of them will later get bored and withdraw?”

“Positive. Naomi will never be free of them now that they consider her their mate.” Luka’s entities were hoarders; they did not let go of what belonged to them. “How’s Lilibeth?”

“Perfectly fine. Don’t try to change the subject. You have to give me more deets.”

He sighed. “I don’t recall questioning you so much about you taking what’s-his-name as your mate.”

“You totally questioned me over it. You said you couldn’t understand why I’d want anything to do with Viper. You even contemplated killing him just to get him out of my life.”

True. “I have to go,” he said, arriving on the top stair.

“No you don’t, you just want to go.”

He shrugged, heading for his bedroom. “Same thing.”

“Wait, before you ring off, we need to arrange a couples’ evening. You, Naomi, me, and Viper—it’ll be awesome .”

Luka frowned. “No it wouldn’t. So no, it isn’t happening.”

“Don’t act like you hate spending time with Viper.”

“It really isn’t an act. And the couples’ evening really won’t happen.”

“God, you’re such a bore.”

“I can live with that.” He ended the call just as he entered the master bedroom. He paused in the doorway, finding Naomi standing near the futon, rummaging through the duffle she’d set on top of it and mouthing the lyrics of the song playing on her cell phone.

She was wearing a toweling robe, and her smooth, lightly tanned skin gleamed with a fine sheen of damp. Little droplets lingered here and there, inviting him to lap them up.

Glossy tendrils trickled down from where she’d gathered her hair into a high, messy bun. He wanted to sink his hands into it, to free her hair and wrap it around his fists.

Or his cock.

As if she felt his attention settle over her, she lifted her head and whipped it round to face the doorway. Their gazes clashed. Locked. Held.

Her pupils dilated as a hint of a smile pulled at her mouth. “You’re back.” She tapped the screen of her cell, and the music cut off. “All good now?”

“All good.” Luka crossed to her. “I just spoke to Ella. I wanted her to hear our news from me. The demonic grapevine works at top speed.”

“How did she take it?”

“Very, very well. Though she’s not pleased that I won’t give her all the finer details.

” He clasped her hips and tugged her closer.

“She’ll no doubt quiz you during your evening at the pool hall.

She’ll also probably push you to convince me to agree to a couples’ evening involving us, Ella, and her mate, but trying to persuade me would be fruitless, so don’t bother. ”

Naomi’s brow pinched slightly. “Why would you be so against it?”

“Viper will never be my choice of company.”

Her lips hitched up. “I don’t think you dislike him as much as you claim. And if you want my opinion, it’d be better for you to just agree to her request. She’ll only pester you until you do. And I’d like to meet her daughter.”

Luka cocked his head as something occurred to him. “Given that Viper’s a fallen celestial like Lou, it strikes me that you and Lilibeth may be similar in some ways. What kind of angel is Lou?”

“A seraphim. But with upgrades, shall we say. He was given far too much power as rewards for this or that, being God’s favorite. I think it eventually corrupted him to the point that it twisted him. Or something. I don’t really know, so I can only guess.”

The seraphim were high-ranking, though they were a peg down from archangels.

As such, Lilibeth would naturally be more powerful than Naomi.

Still similar, though. Especially if Lou’s curse applied to all the fallen.

Luka couldn’t ask Ella without giving some bullshit reason why he’d ever have such a question.

He trusted his anchor, but Naomi’s secrets weren’t his to share. And, honestly, he felt better knowing that not many were aware of them. It was less risky that way.

Breeds of blood-drinking demons had once existed. Feeding on the essence of life had made them so incredibly strong that they were the most powerful of all. Not liking that, other breeds had slowly and steadily wiped them out.

If people were to learn that Naomi fed on blood, they would come for her. And that wasn’t the only danger—many angels downright loathed even the thought of demons possessing holy blood. They, too, could come for her—especially if they learned that Lou was her father.

Luka slid a hand up her back. “You know that one of Viper’s brothers is Lou’s biological half-brother, right?”

“The one they call Jester, you mean? Yes, I know. Lou talks about him sometimes.”

“Does Jester know that you’re his niece?”

“Nope.” Naomi planted her hands on Luka’s chest. “Lou is super secretive about our familial connection, paranoid over my safety.”

“I like that he’s so protective of you.” It also surprised Luka, because he hadn’t heard many positives things about Lou. “You’re not curious about Jester? I mean, he’s your uncle.”

“And he may therefore know about Lou’s curse,” she pointed out. “If he learns who I am, he might guess that I share in that curse.”

“All the fallen might share in it.”

“True. But they also might not.”

“Haven’t you asked Lou?”

“Yes. He said he didn’t know, but that might have been a lie to keep me from wanting to hang with any of the fallen. He wouldn’t risk any figuring out he’s my dad for fear that they used the info to earn their way back to heaven or something. As I said before, he’s paranoid over my safety.”

“And with good reason.” Luka stroked his fingers down her neck, tracing over the brand there. “How often do you need to feed?”

“Weekly, but I don’t need much of it each time. Lou was worried that I’d go through short periods where I’d be in the grip of a kind of bloodlust, but that’s never happened. Now that I have an anchor, it’s all but guaranteed that it never will.”

Which was yet another reason to be glad that she’d found her psi-mate, even if a part of Luka didn’t like that she was so closely bonded to another man.

“Tobe was right in claiming that you being mine could endanger you. Those who are entrenched in the criminal underworld will consider you off limits—anchors and mates always are. But demons outside of this life won’t necessarily respect that, so precautions will be necessary.

I take your safety very seriously. Something that can’t have escaped your attention. ”

She squinted. “What you’re saying is that Konstantin will be my guard on a permanent basis.”

“Yes, and he won’t be following behind you anymore; he’ll be at your side. I have bodyguards as well,” Luka reminded her. “It’s par for the course when you’re a Prime, just as it is for those who are deeply involved with one.”

“But the clerics might try to hurt him again.”

“He’ll know to look out for them now. Though it’s sweet that you’d worry for him, it’s his risk to take—and he will willingly take it. He’s your bodyguard, not the other way around.”

Naomi let out a humph. “While I can’t deny that it’s better to take such precautions, I do worry that Konstantin will notice things he shouldn’t if he’s constantly around.”

“He’ll only be with you when you’re out and about. You’ll have privacy indoors, so he won’t pick up on things you’d prefer he didn’t.” On that subject . . . Luka offered her his hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

Curiosity glimmering in her eyes, she placed her palm in his. “Ooh, what exactly?”

He didn’t respond. He led her out of the room, down the hall, and into a spare bedroom that he’d recently emptied. It was spacious, with big windows that provided plenty of natural light. As she glanced around, he said, “I thought it would make a good art studio.”

Her gaze shot back to his, surprised. “I . . . An art studio?”

“You had to know that I’d want you to move in here.”

“I didn’t think you’d want me to do it right away.”