Page 64 of Prince of Demons (Demon’s Mark #2)

“ T his is a terrible idea.”

“So you’ve said. Repeatedly.” She reached over to pat her mate’s arm, half to soothe him, half to aggravate him with her sweetly patronizing tone.

Kesh clenched his hands around the steering wheel and gave her a glare out the corner of his eye. “Perhaps, then, you should consider listening.”

“Nah.”

“Fuck’s sake, Georgia—!” Kesh’s growl died at the involuntary grin spread across her lips at his predictable response. Softness edged into his expression despite the annoyed sigh. “You enjoy playing with fire a little too much, mate.”

Warmth fluttered in her chest at his use of the word ‘mate’.

It had been less than two weeks since he claimed her, and it had taken her less than a day to realize how inadequate ‘wife’ sounded in comparison.

Being his mate was something far more foundational, far more eternal.

She leaned over to kiss his arm. “It’s not my fault you’re adorable when you get cranky.

Nor that it’s extremely easy to light this particular fire. ”

A flash of darkness passed through his eyes before he returned his full focus to the road. “Careful now. There are other fires you tend to stoke with your sass, and I am more than happy to arrive at your family’s home with you wearing my semen around your pretty neck, little one. Are you?”

“You’re such a brute.” She huffed with faux annoyance.

But despite the clench of well-used muscles down below, she pulled back to the safety of the passenger seat.

Seeing Larry again was going to be emotional enough without first getting pelvicly, emotionally, and spiritually wrecked by a roadside sexathon with her enthusiastic mate.

“Hmm,” he agreed, without so much as the good grace to sound remotely ashamed of this fact.

Twenty minutes later, Kesh pulled the car to a stop in front of her mother’s house.

What had been her home, too, up until very recently.

Funny, in a way. As she peered up the path to the front door from the passenger side window, the thought that she’d never really felt like it was hers in any meaningful way struck.

She just hadn’t realized until the day she’d carved herself a space to call her own among demons and darkness.

In this house, she’d always been a supporting role.

Kesh’s large, warm hand cupped her cheek and gently guided her face back to meet his gaze. His beautiful, human features were pulled into a soft frown. “Your scent tells me you are worried. I won’t let anyone hurt you, ever again, Georgia. Not demons, and certainly not these people.”

The distaste in his voice as he spat out the word ‘people’ made an involuntary smile ghost across her lips. “My family isn’t about to attempt to sell me off in exchange for world peace or anything. We’re good.”

His eyes narrowed. It was only slightly, but it was enough for her to see the anger buried deep in his black gaze. “You were harmed before you ever came to me. The people responsible live behind this door. And I need you to know, mate, that you will be safe in there. In every way.”

She hadn’t been aware of the tightness in her stomach until it eased under Kesh’s protective declaration.

“I love you,” she murmured, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his.

His free hand slid to the back of her neck, pulling her in closer. “It still takes my breath away. I don’t think I’ll ever stop marveling at hearing those words from your lips.” He bent lower, mouth seeking hers with the desperation usually following confirmation that she truly did love him.

Georgia gasped softly against his lips, the heat of him overwhelming as always, but when he flicked his tongue for entrance, she combed her fingers through his hair and pulled back.

“Okay. We both know how this tends to end, and I’m not fucking you parked outside my mom’s house. Come on. Let’s go in.”

Kesh arched an eyebrow, clearly not convinced about the need to not fuck her in the car, but when she reached for the handle to get out, he relented. He was around the car and taking her hand before she’d fully managed to climb out of the passenger side.

Together, they walked up the path to the small house.

The door opened before she could knock. Larry rushed out and, ignoring Kesh’s instinctive growl of warning—ignoring Kesh entirely—wrapped both arms around her and hugged her so tight, her feet came off the floor.

“Georgie,” he whispered into her hair, voice hoarse and deep. “Oh my God, I thought… I thought I’d never see you again.”

“I know. But I’m here now.” The past several weeks might have put her upbringing into sobering perspective, and she’d finally come to accept that how she’d been made to care for her younger brother as his second mother hadn’t been fair to her.

It didn’t change how every part of her lit up and softened at the same time as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and clung on.

“I missed you, Baby,” she cooed, in a tone so soft Larry let out a raspy laugh and pulled back enough to look at her with sparkling eyes, the same shade of blue as her own.

“You know I’ve been half a head taller than you for like… Three years, right? Baby is a bit ridiculous, sis.” His smile softened, the corners of his lips trembling before he finally looked up at Kesh. “You’ve brought her back. That means she’s free?”

Kesh’s eyes narrowed to slits, but Georgia quickly intervened before he could say something that would undoubtedly ruin the mood. “I’m free. As for being back… perhaps we better talk inside?”

“Yes. Of course. Sorry.” Larry finally released her, but reached for her hand as he stepped back to lead them into the house.

Kesh let out another disapproving rumble and claimed the other, shutting the door behind them as they entered.

The house suddenly seemed even smaller than she remembered it, with his huge frame taking up most of the hallway.

Georgia looked into the living room. Everything was as it had been before she left.

The pictures on the walls—mostly of Larry, many with her by his side.

More without. Her mother, when she was younger, in pretty makeup and posing for the camera.

Mike was an avid amateur photographer, and ever after the pictures of him had been taken down, the ones he’d shot of her through the lens of an enchanted man remained.

“I’ll… make some coffee.” Larry turned to Kesh, hesitance painted across every feature, but politeness won out. “Do you take milk or sugar…?”

Kesh just stared at him.

Georgia gave her mate a minor glare out the corner of her eye, but she supposed she should be grateful he wasn’t currently growling like some sort of overgrown terrier. “Kesh doesn’t drink coffee. But I’ll have a mug, thank you Larry.”

“Oh. Okay. Um… tea?”

“No.” Kesh more or less grunted his response but at least it was a word.

“Right. Well, we’re fresh out of blood of virgins, so…”

Kesh rumbled a laugh—a surprise to him as much as it was to Larry, judging by his raised eyebrows. “I ate before we got here. No virgins needed.”

Larry paled, no doubt imagining every gory way a creature like the big male by her side might eat. Georgia, who knew exactly how he’d fed and how there’d definitely been no virgins involved, smacked his arm. “We’ll wait in the living room.”

Her brother disappeared into the kitchen, and Georgia steered Kesh into the living room.

He took in the small room with a blank expression. “Quaint.”

“Not really. Most people don’t grow up in a palace. This is normal.” She gently nudged him toward the couch. He obediently sat down, immediately making the old piece of furniture look doll-sized and ridiculous.

Then she spotted the throw blanket on the armrest. New.

“I didn’t grow up in a palace. My dad had an estate in Idaho.” His eyes landed on her face, then followed her gaze to the throw blanket.

“It’s new,” she said softly. Then, because putting words to the hollow feeling blooming low in her gut was easier when he was near, she sat down on the sofa by his side and ran a hand over the soft blanket.

“My mom was talking about how it would spruce up the room to get a cashmere throw blanket, back before Larry got sick. I guess she celebrated his recovery by finally treating herself to one. I just… I guess a part of me expected everything to stay the same. That she’d be too distraught with my disappearance like she was with Larry’s illness to consider home decor.

Which is petty and selfish, of course. I’m glad she’s been able to find little joys. ”

“No, you’re not.” Kesh cupped her cheek and turned her face to his.

His eyes were calm and gentle. “And that’s okay.

You’re allowed to be hurt, Georgia. You’re allowed to expect a mourning period.

You’ve not been gone that long. But you know what she is.

You’ve known for a long time. You’re simply still getting used to acknowledging it out loud to yourself, and so it still hurts.

“But you’re not replaceable, Georgia. You never were. Ache for the mother you so richly deserved to have—pity her if you must. Once we leave here today, you’ll never feel second best ever again. I promise.”

Wordlessly, she pressed her head into his shoulder and let his warmth wash away the ache of what never was.

Larry found them still tightly embraced when he returned from the kitchen with two mugs of coffee. He hesitated on the doorstep, eyes flicking between them. The question mark painted across his face was nearly audible.

Georgia gave him a small smile and pulled back far enough from Kesh’s shoulder to hold a hand out for her coffee mug. “You can ask.”

Hesitantly, Larry crossed the floor and held out her mug for her to grab. His attention remained mostly on Kesh. “I thought… you made a bargain. Like Rumpelstiltskin.”

“Rum…what?”