Page 83 of Their Lethal Pet

He’s often lost to his land of dreams, too deep in his mind to care what his worshippers are doing in his kingdom. He leaves all the political management to theKings, just like Hades does.

And those Kings report to Lucifer, the King of the Hell Fae Realm.

But the Gods are the ones who bestow gifts upon the kingdoms, basically functioning as an entity for everyone to pray to.

It’s a different kind of governance.

One Cage and Sabre should probably fear, considering they’ve just earned their almighty’s judgment.

Not my problem, I tell myself again as I step around Alina to go find my clothes by the tree.

When I return to her, she still hasn’t moved. But she’s staring at the Strigoi with interest. They are obediently not looking back at her, something that appeases both me and my beast.

Except I don’t like the way our little panther isadmiring them. “They won’t be joining our mate-circle, Alina,” I tell her.

She blinks away from them to look at me. “What?”

“I know they’re beautiful, but you’re going to be too busy with me, Orcus, and Reaper to even think about them.” I palm her cheek. “I promise the three of us will do everything in our power to be enough. To make youours, not theirs or anyone else’s.”

She licks her lips, her gaze darting down my body in a brief glance before flicking back up to my face. “Okay,” she says, not bothering to fight my claim.

I’m very aware that I’m being possessive.

Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to mind.

Pleased, I kiss her other cheek, then thread our fingers together again. “Good girl,” I whisper against her ear. “Thank you for exploring with me.”

She gives me a small smile. “I enjoyed it.”

“I did, too,” I tell her, giving her hand a squeeze. Then I face the two Strigoi. “Follow us.” It’s not a request but a demand. “Orcus is going to want to talk to you.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ALINA

Dreamwalkers,I think, shivering.

That’s what the two men in our suite last night were.

Strigoiis the formal name for their kind.

They were intimidating, handsome, and almost regal in nature. Quite different from Reaper and Flame, but somewhat similar to Orcus. Only, I could tell Orcus was the dominant one in the room, and not just because of his impressive size.

The Strigoi had bowed to him the moment they laid eyes on him in the suite, clearly recognizing him as the superior being.

But then the three of them had spoken as though they existed on a similar level of status.

It was fascinating to observe, at least while I remained to hear their conversation. But when discussions turned to something aboutHell Fae Bride Trials, I excused myself to rest.

From what little I gathered, the two Strigoi were being forced to compete for brides they had no interest in taking. Thus, it seems they didn’t venture into this realm to selectmates during Monsters Night either. They only came here to escape their fates at home.

I could understand that to an extent.

They felt they had no other choice.

I also felt that way about coming to Monster City, only for very different reasons.

And things here have not turned out the way I expected them to. Not in any way, shape, or form.