Chapter 5

Chapter Five

RELIC

Motherfucker.

I’d followed her out here, and now I had a real reason to haul the little demon to Hell. Demons killing demons? That shit happened all the time—of course it did. But a demon selling their own kind to a witch—I assumed for her own gain, especially a demon with sanctuary? Not fucking okay.

The last thing I wanted to do was take her to Hell. She was too small and weak, and that smart mouth of hers would get her into all kinds of trouble—the kind that would make her scream in agony. I didn’t like the thought of that. Not at all.

“Fuck,” I growled, and she startled. I didn’t like that either.

She waved her pepper spray around like that could protect her from me if I meant to cause her harm. That shit wouldn’t work on me, but I wasn’t going to tell her that if it made her feel safer to hold it. Despite the real threat I posed to her right then, I didn’t want her afraid of me.

“I went to your store earlier to apologize for scaring you. Then, you came out of your shop, and I—”

“You followed me?” She lifted her can of pepper spray higher. “You’re a fucking stalker. And you don’t know what you’re talking about. That demon had every intention of hurting me. It was absolutely self-defense.”

I didn’t doubt her. I believed one hundred percent that she’d defended herself. When it’d stopped being self-defense was when she trussed him up and delivered him to Agatheena.

I shoved my fingers through my hair and did my best to get some control over my anger. Because I was fucking pissed that not only had she put herself in this fucked situation, but me as well. The idea of taking her to Hell made me feel physically ill.

“Don’t know if you know this about hounds, Gremmy, but we’re extremely protective of females.” The urge to explain myself was impossible to choke back down. For some reason, I didn’t want this little demon thinking I was a fucking stalker. “I didn’t like what happened when I was in your store, though to tell the truth, I had no idea I’d scared you.” I flexed my fingers; my palms itched to snatch her up again. “I thought you were enjoying it until my friend corrected me.”

Her eyes widened. “You thought I was enjoying it?”

Zinnia had been right; the only one of us who’d enjoyed our sparring was me.

“Hounds aren’t the best at reading emotions.” Why was I telling her any of this? I had no idea, only that I didn’t want her to think I was some fucking creep. “I was coming to say sorry, and then I saw you walking down a dark street on your own, and my protective side kicked in.”

She was shaking. It could be anger. I hoped it was. It could also be fear. What did I know? I’d gotten it completely fucking wrong last time.

“I don’t need your protection. I’ve been looking after myself my whole damn life, and I’ve done just fine.”

“So, you clocked the two demons following you then?”

Her chin jerked back.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

Her cheeks darkened. “I didn’t see any demons.”

“Because I strongly encouraged them to fuck off.”

The pepper spray lowered a little. “Are all hellhounds egomaniacs?”

“We don’t have an ego. We know what we’re good at—it’s just a fact. We don’t need to prove shit.”

“And what exactly are you good at? Because you’re a terrible conversationalist, and you didn’t need to tell me that you’re bad at reading people because it’s obvious. Like, right now, I’m giving off a whole lot of get the fuck out of my face , and you’re missing it completely.”

No, I hadn’t missed it, not with all the attitude she was giving me. I saw that as clear as day. But then, I’d thought that was all it was last time, and I’d been fucking wrong.

“Hounds are unmatched when it comes to tracking, fighting, and fucking. You want me to demonstrate any of those things, just say the word.” I snapped my mouth shut. Fuck. I hadn’t meant to say fucking , but she had me saying all kinds of shit I shouldn’t.

Her cheeks darkened even more, and her eyes flashed from yellow-green to red. “I’ll pass on all three, thanks.” She took a step back. “Now, I’m going to walk away, and you’re going to go in the opposite direction and leave me alone.”

The wind shifted, carrying her scent right to me. There was anger, but the bitter scent of fear was fucking strong.

I slid my hands in my pockets, trying to look as unthreatening as possible, and shook my head. “You think I should just let you go? That the rules don’t apply to you?”

Her lips parted, giving me a little flash of those sharp, tiny fangs, her breathing coming faster. “You owe me—you said it yourself.”

“An apology for scaring you, not letting you off for harvesting demon organs for profit.”

“That’s not what that was. No money changed hands.”

“No? But you get something out of it, right?”

Her gaze darted around, as if she was searching for help. “I wasn’t breaking Lucifer’s rules because they don’t apply to me.”

“You’re special, are you?” I should just let her go because there was no way I was taking her to Lucifer or Hell—I couldn’t bring myself to fucking do it—but I wasn’t ready for her to leave yet either.

“I’m not just a demon. I have witch blood.”

More lies. I’d thought I scented something else on her when I was in her store, but my scent had been off with all the herbs and other shit in that place fucking with me.

“You live in Seventh Circle.”

“Are there rules that say I can’t?”

I leaned in, scenting her again.

“Stop fucking sniffing me,” she bit out.

Like last time, I thought I had caught something else, but I wasn’t getting witch. Maybe because it was so heavily diluted? I veered more toward her lying through her teeth. Everyone knew our alpha’s mate was a witch and she obviously thought saying she was as well would save her ass.

I crossed my arms. “What’s the name of your coven?”

She bristled. “I don’t have one.”

“You’re gonna need to talk, Gremmy, so I can help you.”

If she had witch blood, it was definitely fuck all. The female was demon through and through.

She crossed her arms as well. “Don’t fucking call me that, and FYI, my coven didn’t want me.” Her eyes flashed red. “For obvious reasons.”

Nah, I wasn’t buying it.

“I still need the coven’s name.”

“I’m not giving you that information.”

She was afraid—seriously afraid now; the scent of it grew stronger. She was terrified and lying through her teeth to save her ass, and I was going to let her get away with it.

“Then, give me your name.”

Her jaw tightened. “Fern.”

“Fern what?”

“Honeycutt.”

Her peridot stare held mine, silently begging me to let her go.

“Okay then, Fern Honeycutt, if you say you have witch blood, then I guess I have to believe you.” I didn’t, not at all, but I couldn’t stomach the alternative.

Her shoulders lowered, and she blew out a breath. “I-I appreciate your … understanding.”

A weird feeling curled inside me. I blew out a long breath as well, and something like pleasure moved through me, but it was … different. My muscles, which had been tight as fuck, relaxed.

“What are you feeling right now?” I asked her. I thought I knew, but I didn’t trust myself since I’d kept getting it so wrong with her. I needed her to spell it out.

She blinked over at me. “What?”

“Tell me the emotion you’re feeling.”

“You want to know what I’m feeling?”

I nodded. “You blew out a breath; your muscles relaxed.”

“You really have no fucking clue, do you?”

“Tell me,” I said, my voice so damn rough.

She released another long breath. “Fine. Relief. What I’m feeling is obviously relief. I’m not being dragged to Hell in the jaws of an arrogant hellhound.”

That was what I’d assumed, but relief wasn’t something I’d ever felt before—or maybe I had and not really thought about it—but I knew what the definition of relief was. What I didn’t know was why I cared that she wasn’t scared anymore or why I gave a shit whether this little female went to Hell or not. No, I didn’t like the idea of her being hurt, but why I reacted this strongly was fucking confusing.

“You’re still a demon, witch blood or not—those eyes give you away, Gremmy. Demon rules apply, which means I’ll be watching you.”

Her eyes flashed, her spine straightening. “Are we done?”

“We’re done,” I said. “For now.”

“So fucking arrogant,” she muttered.

“You’re welcome.”

Fern spun around and stormed off, and I followed.

She looked over her shoulder, and those pretty eyes flashed again. “Stop following me.”

“Not following you, Fern, just going the same way you are.” I was definitely following her. If I left her now, the demons would be all over her in fucking minutes.

She growled.

I chuckled. The sound was cute. I was very much going to enjoy keeping an eye on Fern Honeycutt.

* * *

I wiped grease off my hands, and the human female smiled up at me when I handed over the keys to her car that I’d just serviced.

“All yours.”

My brothers and I all took turns doing shifts here at the garage and at the bar next to it. To stay above ground, we needed the humans to see us as legit.

Her gaze slid down my front and lingered on my dick. She quickly looked up, cheeks pink. I could smell her pussy. She was wet.

“So, um, I was wondering if you were free tonight.”

The female was nice to look at. Not enough meat on her bones for my liking, but that had never stopped me before. Usually, I’d take her up on her offer, but I wasn’t feeling it. I hadn’t been feeling it all week. Instead of partying at the clubhouse, I’d been hanging around Seventh like the stalker Fern had accused me of being.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m busy.”

She moved closer, licking her lips. “What about tomorrow? I promise, I’ll make it worth your while.”

The only thing she’d be able to do was give me a hand job or maybe suck my dick if she was really committed. Not many humans could handle a male my size. Yes, there were some who could manage it. But hounds were hung—we were just made that way—and not just anyone could take us, no matter how determined they were. We were used to it, and yeah, sometimes, I just wanted to fuck, but unless we took another shifter to our beds, since they were built a little differently, more times than not, my brothers and I were shit out of luck.

An image of Fern’s ass in those tight jeans filled my head, and a growl slipped out. The human took a step back, and I quickly grinned and winked as if I’d done it on purpose. She giggled nervously.

“Sorry, but I gotta work. Thanks for the offer though, yeah? Drive safe,” I said, dismissing her, and walked out of the garage.

“Are you coming down with something?” Warrick said, just outside the roller doors.

I hadn’t even seen him walk over. “Nope. Why?” Brick was with him, carrying Vi’s unicorn baby bag. He’d obviously done something to piss War off.

Baby Violet was against War’s shoulder, and he was gently patting his tiny daughter’s back while she fussed. My alpha shrugged. “She seemed like your type, brother.”

“What can I say, War? I’m six hundred years old. Random pussy doesn’t hold the same appeal as it used to.”

He gave me a look that felt like he was trying to invade my brain.

“Shit, I’ll take her number,” Brick said, a shit-eating grin on his face.

War gave Brick a hard stare, and the pup snapped his mouth shut and quickly looked down. Oh yeah, he’d definitely pissed off our alpha.

Violet gave me a toothless grin, and I brushed my hand over her soft, peach-colored hair. She made a gurgling sound, and protectiveness filled my chest. “That’s right; tell your favorite uncle all about it.”

War snorted. “I think you might be, you know. Whatever you do, don’t tell Rome. He thinks it’s him.”

Roman was a brutal fighter, a skilled tattoo artist, and like the rest of us, the hound would lay down his life for Vi and Willow, in a heartbeat. My lips curled up. “I knew it.” I didn’t see the need to fill War in on the little demon currently driving me crazy, but he still might be able to help me another way. “So I need to talk to someone at the witches council. Any suggestions?” I asked him.

“Nathan Trotman. He’s a good man. Definitely your best bet. Why? What’s going on?”

“Just a demon I’ve been keeping an eye on. Told me her mother was a witch, not sure I’m buying it.”

“She causing trouble?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

Warrick trusted our judgment, but I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about me protecting this female after what she’d done, so that was as much information as I was willing to share right then.

“So if she has witch blood, whose responsibility is she?” Brick asked. “The hounds or the witches council?”

“That’s where the lines can get blurred. If she’s telling the truth, and she’s causing serious trouble, it could involve a meet with a council member,” War said.

I was the one who’d let the demon go, which meant she was my responsibility as far as I was concerned.

“Let me know if you need anything else,” War said, then he motioned to the clubhouse. “It’s Vi’s nap time.” He strode off, then barked Brick’s name when the pup didn’t follow immediately.

Cursing under his breath, he rushed after Warrick.

I chuckled. The pup had a lot to learn; luckily, he had brothers to set him on the right path, whether he liked it or not.

Pulling out my phone, I called the witches council and spoke to Trotman.

There was no record of a Fern Honeycutt, not in any of the coven records.

Of course she’d lied. I’d hoped like fuck she was telling the truth. If the little demon pulled that shit again, she might not be so lucky. One of my brothers might not be as forgiving as me.

What the fuck was Fern up to? She was reckless and fucking fearless, except when it came to me. I seemed to scare her, no matter what I did or said. She acted tough and threw attitude, and that confused me when the unmistakable scent of fear was there underneath it all.

Getting on my bike, I started it up and took off. Why I was going back to Seventh Circle, I didn’t fucking know, only that there was this pull, and I just I had to.

Whatever she was doing, she was afraid and vulnerable and desperate enough to seek out Agatheena for help and take down a demon twice her size in that forest to get it.

I hit Seventh a short time later. The street Fern’s store was on was busy during the day, but a fucking ghost town at night. She lived above her store—I knew that because after she closed up, the light would come on upstairs, and last night, I’d seen her from my spot across the street through the window when she shut her curtains.

I stood in the same spot now, under the eave of an empty store, and shoved my hands in my pockets. I’d just wait until she was asleep, and then I’d go over there and guard her door. With the shit she’d pulled, she was a sitting target, and I still felt guilty for scaring her. That was why I was doing this. That was why my protective instincts were off the fucking charts.

I could see her now through the window, moving around the store, serving customers, and doing whatever else it was she did in there during the day.

It eventually grew dark, and I stepped back into the shadows when she locked the door and flicked the Open sign to Closed. A short time later, the light came on upstairs, and I could see her moving about up there. She’d pulled the curtains, but they weren’t very thick, and her shadow drifted by every now and then. It grew later, and finally, her light went off … then it came back on. It flicked on and off three more times. What the fuck?

Then the room went dark, and it stayed dark. I waited a few minutes. I was about to cross the street and stand in front of her door—just so anyone thinking of coming for her saw that she was protected—when it opened, and she walked out, gave the door four hard tugs, then headed off down the street at a fast clip.

She had on spiked boots, and instead of tight blue jeans, these ones were black, and she wore a short black leather jacket, zipped up.

Where the fuck are you going, Tinker Bell?

Pushing away from the wall, I trailed after her. If she was going back to that forest, if she was thinking about taking out another demon for Agatheena, she was fucking mistaken.

Fern darted down the same alleyway she had the last time I followed her, and I growled under my breath as I rushed after her through the alleyway and out the other side.

I didn’t spot her right away, and then I saw her, somehow sprinting at full speed in those fucking boots. She’d made me.

Fuck .

If I didn’t set her straight now about what I was doing, she’d think I was stalking her again. I took off after her. It wasn’t hard to catch her. Not only was I fast, but her strides were tiny compared to mine. The sound of my boots echoed off the storefronts as I closed in on her.

She spun on me suddenly, her hand flying up. She was holding a blowgun, and she lifted it to her lips and fired. I dodged the dart, forced to veer around her, so I didn’t run the fuck right over the top of her.

“You cannot be serious,” she said through gritted teeth as she reloaded the blowgun. “What the hell is your problem?”

I lifted my hands and took a step back. “You’re not in danger from me.” I curled my lips in an attempt to defuse the situation. I’d never felt more fucking confused and out of my depth than I did with this female.

Her eyes widened. “You followed me—again—and then chased me down the fucking street,” she said, panting. “What else am I going to think?”

“It’s not like that.”

“You’re a fucking stalker ,” she fired at me.

I bit back my growl. “There’s nothing about you in the records at the witches council, Fern.”

She froze, blinking those wide, peridot eyes at me. “You had someone look into me?”

“That’s my job, and so is keeping an eye on bad, murderous little demons who lie about what they are.”

She backed up, and I stepped forward, like there was a tether connecting us, and I had no other choice but to follow.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I didn’t know. All I knew was I had to go with this feeling—there was no other choice. “No, Fern, what the hell are you doing?”

The attitude dropped, just for a moment, and she looked up at me with an expression I had no hope of reading.

“I promise you don’t need to do this. I-I’ll stay away from demons with sanctuary. The other night in the forest, that asshole, he scared me. I needed an offering for Agatheena. I was running out of time, and I-I panicked, okay? That’s the truth.”

“Running out of time for what?”

She shook her head. “I’m not telling you that.”

“Why?” I wanted to know everything there was to know about this female. Everything.

“Because it’s none of your business. I’m none of your business.” She chewed her lip. “Unless, of course, you plan on sentencing me to Hell. But you’re not going to do that, are you?”

There was no use in lying. I shook my head. “I told you I wouldn’t if you behaved.”

She blew out a breath, and her shoulders slumped, like they had in the forest. She was feeling relief again. “All right, good. And you’ll stop following me?”

“I’m not demon, and I’m not human. I am beast. The beast’s instincts are second to none, and that part of me insists I go where you do. I don’t know why, but I listen to my instincts. I also don’t like that I scared you. To tell you the truth, I fucking hate it.”

Her eyes flashed red, and she gritted her teeth. “You’re being unreasonable. You’re just looking for an excuse to punish me. You’re getting off on this shit.”

I shook my head. That smart mouth—she couldn’t fucking help herself. What she’d done was wrong, yes, and I could tell myself I was only here because I wanted to make sure she wasn’t breaking any more rules, but the truth was something else.

“You keep doing dangerous shit, Fern. So, I’m going to make sure you don’t do anything else you’re not supposed to, and I’m also going to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”

She huffed out a breath. “You’re not only arrogant, but you’re insane too. I don’t need a minder. I can take care of myself.”

I shrugged. “You don’t have to like it; that’s just how it is.”

Her hands trembled at her sides. She was scared now. I didn’t want that. What could I do to ease her fears? All I could do was show her how strong I was, how I could keep her safe. Eventually, she’d realize I would never hurt her, that the idea of it—of anyone hurting her—made the beast snarl and hunger for blood.

“Fine, whatever,” she snapped. “Trail after me like a sad fucking lapdog all night if you want, but stay out of my damn way.” Then, she spun on a pointed heel and strutted off down the street.

I growled in approval; the sound vibrating in my chest.

No, I wasn’t letting her out of my sight.