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ADAN

C alliope Ash was an unexpected twist. One in a petite, radiant, strawberry-blonde package that I couldn’t tear my gaze away from.

My demon rumbled, pressing up against my skin with a hungry sort of curiosity that I had never experienced before. Even just thinking her name seemed to have the power to rile him up. Follow her.

He’d have to settle for watching those delicate curves of hers as she walked away from the bar. Unfortunately, I needed to go slowly with the sweet beauty that fate had paired me with.

There had only been the slightest flare of recognition in her pretty green eyes when her gaze locked with mine. And her shoulders were still tight with tension despite the finger of honey-infused whiskey she had gulped down.

I didn’t need time to understand what Calliope was to me. When demon mates met, it was a deep and elemental instinct. Something ancient that predated language or logic. A pull forged in hellfire itself.

And she had no idea.

Calliope looked human, but there was something just beneath her surface. An otherworldly flicker that didn’t belong to mortals.

I didn’t think she was aware of it, though. Not with how her eyes widened as she took in all that was The Abyss. I’d bet the fortune I had accumulated over my long life on the fact that my hotel was her first encounter with the supernatural world.

Which made her appearance at my doorstep all the more intriguing. Humans did not stumble across The Abyss. My land was too skilled at keeping them away.

After Calliope was safely out of earshot, I turned toward Thomas. He was busy wiping down the polished bar with more care than usual, avoiding eye contact. I let him stew in the tension of not knowing how close he’d come to losing his job—and possibly his life—for calling my mate gorgeous in front of me.

It didn’t matter that he didn’t know that she was fated to belong to me. All that counted was that he’d dared to flirt with her.

“She’s not to be touched.” My voice was calm, cold, and final. There was no mistaking the weight behind my words. “By anyone.”

Thomas nodded. “Understood.”

I studied him for a beat longer. He was a good bartender and was great at reading a room filled with supernatural beings. That was why I had employed him at The Abyss for so long. But right now, he was walking a razor’s edge, and I was holding the blade.

“Go check the stockroom,” I muttered.

Thomas didn’t argue. He just nodded once and disappeared into the back, proving he was smart enough to live another day.

Satisfied he wouldn’t make the mistake of flirting with my fated mate again, my gaze drifted back to Calliope, who stood at the elevator now, lifting her drink to her lips with both hands. She tilted her head slightly to examine the symbols beside the door. The key Lyra had given her glinted in the light as she waved it across the etched brass panel.

Normally, the elevator opened instantly. But tonight, The Abyss responded to my deep-seated need and delayed it. Just for a few more seconds, giving me that extra time with Calliope, even if it was from across the lobby.

She tapped her foot, unaware that she was under observation. Her shoulders rose and fell with a quiet sigh before she glanced back over her shoulder. Toward me.

Our eyes met again—and just like before, something pulled taut between us. Invisible, but undeniable.

The elevator dinged at last, and she stepped inside. But she didn’t look away. Not until the doors had almost fully closed.

I waited a beat longer before I tore my gaze away, my inner demon roaring inside my head over losing sight of Calliope. He didn’t understand the need to wait. As far as he was concerned, claiming her was inevitable. Fate had given us a beautiful mate, and his instincts pushed hard to mark her so that every supernatural being at The Abyss knew who she belonged to.

I understood his frustration. Putting her on a floor that could only be accessed by those I trusted was the only thing stopping me from heading straight to her room. She was safe for now with The Abyss watching over her.

And I had no doubt that Thomas would quickly spread the word that Calliope was under my protection, even if he didn’t fully understand why I’d given the order. Only someone willing to risk certain death would dare to touch her now.

With that settled, I stood and walked across the lobby toward the front desk. Lyra straightened the moment she saw me coming.

She tilted her head to the side, lips pressed together. “You put her in your guest suite.”

I’d given the telepathic instruction while Calliope had been checking in, but I understood why Lyra was confused. That didn’t mean I owed her an explanation, though. “Yes.”

“On the tenth floor.”

The clarification wasn’t needed since I was aware that I had installed my fated mate in a suite next door to my private domain. Crossing my arms over my chest, I didn’t bother to reply and just waited for her to fill the silence.

“In all the years since you gave me that key, you’ve never let a guest use it.”

Cocking my head to the side, I murmured, “You know better than most that I don’t have family that I’d invite to The Abyss.”

My lineage was a topic I avoided like the plague, so her wince at my reply wasn’t surprising. Her tone was careful as she explained, “It’s just that…she’s human. They don’t usually make it past the threshold of The Abyss, let alone get a room, and you had me put her in a guest suite that you never let anyone stay in. I get that I might be overstepping here, but I’m hoping you’ll understand that I’m only asking because I care.”

I quirked a brow, irritated that she dared to question the order I’d given her, even if it was coming from a place of concern. But I wasn’t ready to explain to anyone who Calliope was to me except for the woman herself. “Don’t worry about who or what she is except for a VIP guest.”

She gave me a sharp nod. “Got it. I’ll make sure she receives our highest level of service.”

“Start by sending up a dinner cart. Include a bottle of the new honey-infused whiskey from the bar. She seemed to enjoy the sample Thomas gave her. And a few different meal choices since I don’t know her preferences.”

“I’ll make sure the kitchen makes it their top priority.” She tapped on her tablet before adding, “Looks as though they should be able to have a cart up to her suite within the half hour.”

The part of me that had been forged in fire and fed on war snarled inside my head like a caged beast. “Have them send it in the elevator. I’ll bring it to Calliope myself.”

Questions swirled in her eyes, but Lyra kept them to herself. “I’ll let them know.”

“Thank you.”

I walked away, forcing myself not to head straight to the elevator. Instead, I prowled outside and walked the perimeter of the stone building, laying down several new wards. The magical security surrounding The Abyss was extensive, but I wouldn’t take any risks where my fated mate’s safety was concerned.

Once I was satisfied that nobody would encroach while I was with Calliope, I stalked inside the back entrance and took my express elevator to the tenth floor. It had been my private space since the day I’d built this place. A sanctuary within a sanctuary.

Then I strode down the hallway that traversed the width of the entire building, arriving just in time to retrieve the rolling cart sent by the kitchen.

Lifting the lids covering each dish, my demon half pressed forward to scent the food for anything that might harm Calliope. He was a paranoid bastard, even more so now that we’d found her. Nobody on my staff had any reason to tamper with food sent to my floor, but I still checked the entire cart for anything amiss.

Once I confirmed all was in order, I rolled it toward the guest suite. I pressed my palm against the door. The wood was warm. Breathing, almost. The power in the walls hummed like a sleeping creature, soothed by her presence.

I closed my eyes and whispered an extra ward over her room. Silent. Invisible. Nothing would touch her here. Not unless they went through me first.

As I lifted my fist to knock on the hard surface, I reminded myself to be patient. Calliope had no idea what was coming next. But I did.

Because nothing in this realm—or the next—was ever going to take her from me.