21. Remy

21

REMY

Stella laughs at something the man facing her says, and it takes effort not to march over to the other side of the room and commit violence. Her cocktail dress is a shimmery blue, and it wouldn’t match the blood spatter if his hand gets any closer to resting on her arm like he’s twitching to do.

“You’re definitely filling the role of a possessive mate swimmingly, but try not to threaten to rip anyone’s arms off tonight,” Silas says. “This is supposed to be about the two of you showcasing that you are not Lorenzo. Ariel went to a lot of effort to organize this get-together.”

“I wouldn’t threaten to rip off someone’s arms.” I’d do it happily without warning. The warning not to touch is the wedding ring on my wife’s finger.

Silas rolls his eyes at my glower, but he’s right. Ariel Leonid did go to a lot of trouble organize the entertainment and to invite as many business owners and people in positions of power as would attend this…did she call it a soiree? Luckily, it’s not a ball. She’d wanted to plan a ball.

The purpose is to set people at ease, and it seems to be working.

Every time someone is brave enough to approach me, they inhale, and their shoulders ease at the mix of my scent with Stella’s. She’d marked me up so well the other day in the town car that even a shower hadn’t cleansed her from my skin.

It’s not like I wanted her scent gone, we sleep in the same bed for that reason, but it is distracting to desire her so much and have her be still so resistant.

The moment when she chose to touch me in the town car was pivotal. I don’t even regret the way it ended. My desire to consummate our marriage wars hard in me, but this push and pull with her is a pleasure all its own.

I will own her, and she’ll beg me for it.

The only comfort I have in being across the room from Stella is that Ben stands behind her, his eyes narrowed at whoever is flirting with our woman.

Connors is placed against the wall near them. An actual bodyguard to look after my dreamer of a wife and her methodical demon. The gods know that neither of them is skilled in combat. A fact that will be rectified. They have a standing training appointment with Fiona and Connors every morning much to my wife’s complaint that she prefers quiet and coffee to sweating before the sunrises.

Fiona reports that Ben is a quick study, but Stella’s abilities aren’t promising. I hope that she never needs the skills the cat shifter is trying to push on her, but I’m a gargoyle of contingency plans.

Silas makes a sound of acknowledgment, distracting me from watching my wife get to know the other guests.

I turn and blow a breath. “Kalos, what a surprise you could make it.”

The dragon’s lips curl into something resembling a smile. “I’d never leave an ally hanging in the wind. Especially one making eyes at my second-in-command.”

Silas blinks in surprise, but I don’t outwardly show mine.

“Is he really your second-in-command if he spends more time in my territory than yours?” I challenge and feel Silas glaring at me.

Ben has been working with Stella on the issue of crafting charms that can stand against fae magic near constantly since the revelation of how people were being taken. He even found a fae within the territory who can instruct her.

They’ve begun the preparations, but with my current investigation and tasks managing the territory, I’ve not had a moment alone with both of them since the night in the library.

When I arrived home last night to relieve Ben of his position, Stella was asleep in the chair I’d picked for her workshop. Even with her apparent drained state, I’d been tempted to demand he stay so I could take from him what I’m owed.

His breath had caught in the dim light the moment I’d contemplated it. He knows he’ll pay for allowing Stella to be vulnerable to attack in her investigation after I put my trust in him, but I spared him last night.

I’m enjoying prolonging his unease.

The grin Kalos gives me now is all fangs. “I hope you realize how valuable our allyship is to me to part with him for so long.”

I narrow my eyes. The dragon knows I’m after the demon and, for some reason, isn’t warning me off.

Kalos continues, “But I will tear you apart if you don’t have a care in your courtship.”

My insides freeze. Courtship . I don’t live in a clan as other gargoyles do. I cast aside the traditions of my upbringing when I left that life, but what I’ve done to manipulate Ben is similar to courting.

To an outsider, the ends would appear the same, but creating a clan is not my intention.

“He’d be a valuable addition anywhere he went,” I say without commitment. “Where is your mate?”

Kalos arches a brow. “I’m not bringing my pregnant mate into contentious territory, ally or not.”

I nod, my eyes on Stella again. “And she just accepted that decision?”

Stella would fight me on that front even if she were expecting. I’m not ignorant to the whispers of the territory hoping that she pops out an heir. I’ve never needed to breed someone to stabilize a territory before, and my wife is more than a brood mare for political gains.

But the idea of claiming her that way…affects me.

That and the way her scent is sweetening with the approach of her fertile time is distracting.

Kalos huffs a laugh. “Katarina cares for my peace of mind. It’s what comes from not treating your mating like a tactical game.”

My lips twitch at the targeted statement. “I wouldn’t know how that is.”

Stella gives back as much sharpness as she takes from me, and there’s something delightful about that. Surprisingly, Ben’s presence adds to the experience.

Kalos nearly rolls his eyes. We are two leaders, comparable in influence and power. We are similar in many ways, but he obviously doesn’t see the joys in courting chaos. I enjoy predictability in my scheming as much as the next strategist, but Stella does add a fire to life.

I may not be able to soften enough to be what she needs, but I can enjoy the blaze.

“I see your host invited Lobo.” Kalos changes the subject, nodding to the stiff man who Ariel is currently trying to chat with. “It’s a surprise that he came.”

Now my lips purse in annoyance. I don’t like the wolf shifter who manages the territory a city over, and the feeling is mutual.

“It’s better to keep an eye on those who were allied with Lorenzo, don’t you think?” I ask. I’m also surprised Lobo is here. His name is on the list of territory leaders who both have fae gate access and a history of not caring much about the rarer kinds of paranormal individuals. His predecessor’s bias toward wolf shifters was obvious, and Lobo has done nothing to remedy that.

“It’s his uncle on the Council who is running the current shadow campaign against me,” Kalos says with a careless gesture.

“McConnell?” I ask. There are multiple wolf shifters on the Council, but McConnell has been the most adamant that Kalos is a loose cannon who needs to be put down. I tilt my head. “They’ve kept their connection quiet.”

Kalos nods. “The better to appear impartial. I imagine that if the Council finds your ownership of the territory invalid, then McConnell would find a way to have his nephew take over.”

I try not to grit my teeth at the suggestion that such a thing would happen. The insult would be galling and would put Stella in danger.

“There are those who fear they would give the territory to Frank Leonid,” I add. My people have kept their ears open to the whispers here. I may not allow myself to be influenced by the masses, but fear bears watching. It distorts one’s morals, makes them unpredictable.

Kalos snorts. “All Lobo has to do is make sure Frank is unavailable, and he could make his petition. For the good of stability.”

I roll my eyes, my tone as wry as his. “For the good of stability.”

I’m starting to get annoyed by these buzzing insects of opponents. I’d much rather focus on entrapping my wife and demon, but the territory must be secured.

Protection is my role, and I will not fail it.

A man sidles up to where Ben is in front of the refreshments and brushes against his body as if on accident, flashing my demon a smile when Ben turns toward him with a frown.

I trap the growl in my chest but stand up straighter.

“I must bid my farewell, as I am missing my mate, and you are needed elsewhere,” Kalos says, his eyes alight with amusement. “I won’t keep you from staking your claim.”

The crafty dragon sees too much. He won’t fight for Ben’s loyalty and will deserve when the demon chooses me over him in the end.

I’m across the room before Silas can hiss for me to control myself, and Ben turns away from the man who was obviously trying to proposition him.

I glare at the man, and his smile drops before he stumbles away and back into the crowd.

My demon. My instincts crow at beating back a challenger. Stella places a hand on my arm, smiling but ending the conversation with who I recognize now as being the mayor.

He bends his head in respect. His obvious relief that Stella and I appear for all intents and purposes to be a happily newlywedded couple cools my ire at him making my wife laugh.

“I find I need some fresh air, wife. Shall we take a stroll?” I ask.