Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

As she stood under the hot spray of her shower, an exceedingly rare thought crossed Khloé’s mind. I should have listened to my mother. The feel of the water pattering on her wounds was bad enough. But the heat of said water made her burns and blisters sting like a bitch.

Keenan’s hands were gentle and almost … reverent as they soaped her down, careful not to touch any of her injuries. He seemed much calmer, but she could feel his anger—it was almost like a hum in her bones. That anger wasn’t directed at her. It was directed at the bastard he held responsible for her wounds and the infection that had taken hold of her body.

Her demon was just as infuriated, especially since Khloé wasn’t the only one infected. Khloé still couldn’t quite believe that Enoch had also poisoned her brother. Her other half. The person she was closest to in the world. She wanted to kill that cock-smoking, monkey-loving, necrokinetic motherfucker for that alone.

She was pissed with herself, too. Maybe if she’d mentioned her “after effects” to someone sooner, she’d have realized that they weren’t normal. Everyone would have been aware of Enoch’s nifty ability, and they would have been ready for it. And then maybe her brother wouldn’t be infected.

“You and Ciaran are both going to be fine,” said Keenan, no doubt sensing her tension. “All we have to do is find an angel—it’s not like they’re rare.”

She had the feeling he was reassuring himself of that just as much as he was her. “I know. And I know we’ll both be fine.” She had to believe that. “It’s just …”

“You’re mad at yourself for not speaking up about the after effects before now.”

“Good guess.”

“You had no way of knowing that Enoch had infected you with something. None of us knew for sure until Vivian confirmed it. I highly doubt Ciaran or anyone else blames you.”

“They’d have been better prepared to deal with Enoch if I’d said—”

“No, they wouldn’t have. Not unless the people you mentioned it to were Knox or Levi, because no one else knew what those black orbs really were. Even if they had known, your lair still would have gone after Enoch.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I could happily spend the rest of my days torturing that fucker.”

“We all could.”

“I wish you’d called out to me earlier. I know why you didn’t, but I wish you had.”

“It’s not like you could have teleported to my side or anything,” she pointed out.

“A member of my Force is a teleporter. He could have taken me to you.”

And then he’d have been smack-bam in the middle of a battle during which he could have been badly hurt—that wasn’t an appealing thought. “Ever think that your sudden appearance would have been a distraction we didn’t need?” she asked as they rinsed off the soap.

He tilted his head, his eyes sharpening. “You didn’t want to drag me into a dangerous situation, did you?”

Busted. “Why does that make you smile?”

He brushed his mouth over hers. “Because it’s nice to know you care.”

“Hmm, well, let me just remind you that I didn’t call on anyone. I didn’t need to. I already had several powerful demons with me.”

“Today you did.” He turned off the shower and stepped out of the stall. “But Enoch could try to get you alone next time, and it worries the shit out of me that you’d face him and his armies alone before you’d risk the safety of people you care for. It has my gut all tied up in knots.”

“God, you worry like an old woman. I already promised Jolene that I’d call for help if anything happens. I won’t break it.”

He held open a towel in invitation, so she exited the stall and let him wrap it around her. “I’d like you to adjust the conditions of that promise.”

“Adjust the conditions?”

“Yes. I’d like you to call out to me if something happens. It would be a lot easier if I could shadow you at all times, but you’ll never go for that.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard. An attractive male to perform household chores while naked? Now that I need. Interested?”

He framed her face with his hands. “Give me this, Khloé.” She frowned as she sensed something. “It hurts you that I don’t rely on you.”

“Yeah. It’s a kick to my pride too—I won’t lie about that. I might not have a gift that can wipe Enoch off the face of the Earth, but I make pretty powerful back up. I have gifts that you don’t know of.”

Her demon hummed, intrigued. “Really? Do tell.”

“I’d rather show you.”

“But you’re not going to unless we’re fighting side by side, right?”

“If that’ll help persuade you to call on me, yes.” He sobered. “You know Enoch wouldn’t simply kill you.”

“He’d resurrect me and use me as one of his minions, I know.”

“And sic you on someone you care for. All of that plays on my mind far too fucking much.”

Her demon sniffed, confident that it didn’t need such over-protection, but it was prepared to make the concession. As he’d pointed out, he’d be powerful backup—that was never a bad thing. Khloé exhaled heavily. “If you’ll cease with the moaning, I’ll agree to call out to you if I need help.”

Relief blew through Keenan. He rested his forehead on hers. “Thank you.” He wouldn’t have functioned well without knowing she’d call on him. The only person he truly trusted to protect and defend her was him. “Will your grandmother give you any shit over it?”

“Now that we’re together, no.”

“Good.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.

“And you’ll call out to me if danger comes knocking on your door, right?”

He hesitated. That hadn’t been part of his plan at all. “Well—”

“Right?” she repeated, her tone empty of negotiation.

Shit. His demon was fine with the idea, since it considered the imp to be its equal and liked that she’d want to fight at its side. Keenan … no, he wasn’t so at ease with the idea of placing her in danger. But he’d be a damn hypocrite if he tried using that excuse. He’d also be a piece of shit to not make the same concession she had.

He sighed, conceding, “Right.” But he didn’t like it.

She gave him a pointed look. “Don’t think I won’t hold you to that.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“Now can we move on from the subject of Enoch, please? I’ve had enough of him for one day.”

Yeah, so had he. “I’m all for that.” But it wouldn’t be so easy to put it out of his mind. Not when his insides were all knotted up. And not when he worried that she’d suddenly declare, feeling rightfully vengeful, that she wanted to go hunting for Enoch. If the bastard hit her with another orb, he might just kill her on the spot, given she was already infected. The thought was enough to steal the breath from his lungs.

“We should have a lazy day tomorrow,” he said.

“A lazy day?”

“It’s Sunday tomorrow, so you won’t be working. We should just hang out here—eat, binge watch TV, fuck, eat some more, maybe shower, then fuck again.” Which would keep her indoors, where she’d be safer. “After all the shit that’s gone on lately, you could use a day to wind down.”

She narrowed her eyes, and he wondered if she sensed he had an ulterior motive. But then she shrugged. “I can go with that.”

“Good.” Watching a droplet of water trickle over her collarbone and settle on the swell of her breast, he felt his gut clench. Keenan scooped up the droplet with his tongue, and a flush swept up her neck and face. His demon wanted him to lick a few other choice places.

Keenan put his mouth to her ear and nipped the lobe. “Go into the bedroom, drop the towel on the floor, lay on the bed, and spread your legs for me. Wide. I want to eat your pussy before I fuck you.”

Her eyes lit up. “Hmm, I approve of this plan.”

*

The female attendant pulled a pair of bowling shoes out of a cubby and placed them on the counter. “Here you go,” she said to Harper, who smiled and thanked her.

Slipping on her own pair of rental shoes, Devon spoke to Khloé. “I can’t believe you bought your own bowling shoes.”

“You think I’m going to wear sweaty rental shoes that are no doubt hosts to all kinds of bacteria and fungi?” Khloé snorted. “No thanks, I’ll pass.”

Behind her, Keenan slid his arms around her waist. “Now that you’ve put it like that, I’m not so sure I like wearing rental shoes either.”

Tired, Khloé leaned into him. In truth, she wasn’t in the mood to go bowling or anything else. She’d been looking forward to the original plan for her and Keenan to spend their Sunday afternoon together alone, but the girls had turned up with their mates and Levi and had proposed a group outing.

She knew why, of course. They not only wanted to take her mind off what was going on, they wanted to keep a close watch on her and figured this was a covert way to do it. Like she wouldn’t know what they were up to.

She hadn’t called them on it, though. Purely because Keenan was ten times more wound up than she was, and he hadn’t been able to relax. He’d tried, but it wasn’t working. She supposed it raked at his insides that he couldn’t do anything to heal her.

As a sentinel, he no doubt wasn’t used to feeling powerless, and the emotional state seemed to be tormenting him somehow … as if it was bringing back painful memories, maybe? She didn’t know and didn’t want to ask. If there was anything to tell, he’d confide in her when he was ready.

Khloé had asked Ciaran to come with them, but her brother was spending time with his girlfriend, who Khloé happened to like. He generally had bad taste in women. Or maybe, like Khloé, he had so many issues with relationships that he was reluctant to get involved with anyone he thought he might fall for.

When demons fell, they fell hard.

Waiting for the others to slip on their rental shoes, she glanced around the Underground’s bowling alley. There were several lanes, all of which included cushioned benches, a plastic table, and a ball-return machine. Electronic score boards hung from the ceiling, occasionally showing animated action replays of the players’ throws.

The sounds of balls rolling, pins clattering, and people cheering echoed through the large space. Music videos played on the widescreen, wall-mounted TVs. There was also a lot of dinging, bleeping, chiming, and gunshot sounds coming from the arcade area.

“Just so you all know, I’m hitting the arcade before we leave,” said Khloé.

“That machine over in the corner near the ATM is my favorite,” said Raini. “I always get a prize, every time.”

Levi frowned at the blonde. “That’s a vending machine.”

“I know,” said Raini.

“How many pins are in the lanes?” asked Tanner, leaning against the counter. “Fourteen? Sixteen?”

Devon gave him a patronizing smile. “Sweetie, there’s actually a reason they call it ten pin bowling.”

Khloé looked at the hellhound. “Wait, you’ve never bowled before?”

Tanner just shook his head.

“Want some pointers?” asked Devon.

Tanner snorted. “You just throw a ball at the pins to make them fall down—how hard can it be?”

Khloé exchanged a smile with Devon. The hellhound was so going down.

“I had to book two lanes because there are eight of us,” said Knox. Well-groomed and smartly dressed, he should have looked out of place. Somehow, though, he always seemed to “fit” into his surroundings. Probably because he was always at total ease with himself. “We’ll need to split into two groups.”

“Ooh, the girls vs. the boys,” suggested Raini.

“But that won’t be fair to you girls,” said Levi.

Raini’s spine snapped straight. “Why? Because an all-male team would win for sure?”

Levi spluttered. “No, because … Tanner, you explain.”

The hellhound scowled. “Don’t expect me to dig your way out of your hole.”

Khloé rolled her eyes. “Let’s just head to our lanes.”

Once they’d entered their names into the scoreboards, they grabbed drinks from the concession area and chose which balls to put in the ball-return machine.

Up first, Khloé lifted one of the smooth balls. The weight was just right. The soles of her shoes squeaked against the floor as she crossed to the glossy bowling lane, careful not to step over the red line. She planted her feet wide, held the ball tight between her hands, bent over and—

“Wait, you do the granny roll?” asked Keenan, who stood at the mouth of the neighboring lane. “Seriously?”

Straightening, Khloé frowned at him. “Think of how many people have stuck their fingers into the ball. I highly doubt the workers clean them after every game—hell, I’ll be surprised if they clean them more than once a year. Ergo, I am not sticking my fingers into those germ-infested holes.” Just the thought made her shudder.

“And she says she’s not OCD,” muttered Harper from the bench.

“You can’t bowl like that,” insisted Keenan. “You’ll hurt your back.”

“More importantly, you’ll lose,” said Levi.

Keenan scowled at him. “That’s more important?”

Khloé shook her head in a “whatever” gesture and turned back to the pins. “I won’t lose.” She had the granny roll down to a science.

She assumed her prior position and rolled the ball hard. It rushed down the lane fast and crashed into the white pins, knocking all ten of them to the floor. Smug, Khloé strolled back to the bench. “Now, that’s how I roll. Pun intended.”

Having also scored a strike, Keenan grinned at his little imp. “I’d high-five you, but something tells me you’re not going to touch my hands until I’ve washed them.”

“Washed them and used antibacterial gel. I have some in my purse.”

“Of course you do.” Keenan took a seat. “You’re up, Tanner.” And he did not see this going well for his friend, but he said nothing.

The hellhound mimicked Devon as she slipped her thumb and two of her fingers into the holes of a ball and carefully lifted it. Both she and Tanner then headed to the start of their respective lanes. The couple counted to three and then released their balls. Devon’s zipped along the lane and whacked the pins hard, sending all but one crashing to the floor. Tanner’s ball rolled sideways and found its home in the gutter.

Devon gave her mate a look of mock sympathy. “Bad luck, Pooch.”

Tanner threw her a glare and returned to the bench.

“You sure you don’t want any pointers, Tanner?” asked Keenan.

“Fuck off,” muttered the hellhound.

Keenan just laughed.

Both teams threw themselves into the game. A lot of trash talk went on, mostly between Keenan and his teammates. Tanner, who was gracefully losing, repeatedly reminded everyone it was just a game. Until it started to look as though he had a shot at overtaking others—then he began to take the game uber seriously. He even tried mimicking Khloé’s granny rolls to see if it brought him any luck. It didn’t—she just made it look easy.

After scoring yet another strike, Keenan crossed to Khloé, who was standing near the table between the benches, drinking her soda. “I see you’re winning.”

“Of course I’m winning,” she said. “I was taught by the best.”

“Who?”

“My Aunt Mildred.”

Devon threw back her head. “Oh my god.”

Khloé’s brow creased. “You really don’t remember her? She had a scar on her lip. A really deep dimple in her chin. Wore cloying rose perfume all the time. And she had a strawberry birthmark on her neck that was shaped a little like the UK.”

Devon burst out, “You do not have an Aunt Mildred. Keenan, there’s a high chance I’ll grab her by the throat if you don’t move her right now.”

“Can’t let you do that, Devon,” he said. “No one touches my girl.”

The hellcat just about melted. “Awwwwwww.”

Having taken her turn, Harper crossed to them. “I broke another nail.”

“You also have a little mascara goop in the corner of your eye,” Raini told her.

Harper went to wipe it with her finger, but Khloé grabbed her hand and said, “Don’t.”

The sphinx frowned. “What?”

“Touch your eye without washing your germ-covered hands first.”

Harper’s eyes twinkled. “So … I really shouldn’t lick my fingers either?”

“What? No, of course not. Wait, no. No, no, no, don’t do it. Don’t—oh my god, you’re such a freak!”

Keenan almost laughed, but his good humor fled him when a sobering sight caught his attention. Gavril was standing near the entrance of the bowling alley with two of his sentinels, and the Prime’s eyes were fixed on Keenan. Son of a bitch.

His inner demon slinked to the surface, wanting the other male far away from Khloé; detesting that he’d impinged on Keenan’s time with her.

Telepathically reaching out to Knox, Keenan said, Gavril’s here.

The Prime sidled up to him. I know. He just telepathed me. He’d like five minutes of your time. You’re free to turn down his request.

I’d rather see what he wants. Maybe the asshole would then run along and disappear from Khloé’s general vicinity.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, leaning into him, clearly sensing his change of mood.

Looking down at her, Keenan cupped her nape and brushed it with his thumb. “Nothing. I just need to speak with someone. I’ll be five minutes. Take my turn for me.” He gave Harper a look that said, “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

With that, he and Knox headed to the bowling alley’s entrance. Knox must have telepathically ordered the other sentinels to remain with the women, because they didn’t try to follow—not even Levi, who liked to guard the male Prime at all times.

As Keenan and Knox halted a few feet away from Gavril, Keenan’s inner demon curled its upper lip. All it had ever sensed when it looked at the harbinger was weakness.

Gavril straightened his shoulders. “Knox.”

“Gavril,” was all Knox said in return before exchanging nods with the other Prime’s sentinels.

Gavril briefly inclined his head at Keenan and then slid his gaze back to Knox. “I wouldn’t have thought a bowling alley was your scene.”

“I was about to say the same to you,” said Knox.

“I confess, I only came because I heard you and your sentinels were here,” said Gavril. His eyes danced from Knox to Keenan. “I was hoping to speak to you both in person.”

“Then speak,” said Knox.

Gavril pursed his lips. “Has Thea been in contact with either of you?”

“No.”

Gavril’s jaw tightened. “I have it on good authority that a female and young boy recently joined your lair.” He looked at Keenan, daring him to deny it.

Keenan shrugged. “I wouldn’t term it ‘good’ authority, since it’s untrue.” They were giving Thea and Lane sanctuary—that was different from offering them a place in their lair. Which was the only reason Keenan’s demon wasn’t sulking about it.

“Not according to my sources,” said Gavril. “Your new members’ descriptions don’t match those of Thea and Lane, but she’ll of course be using glamor.”

“You should consider finding new sources,” Knox advised.

Gavril’s nostrils flared. “I don’t know what lies she has told you. But know that Thea is dangerous and unstable. She killed her ex-mate, the father of her son. I cannot—will not—allow that to go unpunished, so do not think you can hide her from me. It is in your best interests to hand her over.”

Knox took a slow step toward him. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that was a threat. That can’t possibly be true, though, can it? Because you wouldn’t be stupid enough to believe you would get away with threatening me.”

“It was not a threat,” Gavril assured him. “When I say it is in your best interests, I mean that she is not a person who can be trusted. She would betray you as easily as she betrayed her ex-mate.”

“Then it is a good thing I haven’t welcomed her into my lair, isn’t it?”

Gavril’s gaze snapped back to Keenan. “She will come to you eventually. She will tell you lies; will claim that she is oh so innocent and desperately needs a white knight. She may even profess an undying love for you. Do not fall for her act.”

Keenan’s demon puffed up, affronted that the other male would believe it could be so easily deceived. “Thanks for the advice,” he said, his voice dry.

Gavril’s mouth tightened, but he and his sentinels then left without another word.

Keenan stared after them. He didn’t speak until they were a safe distance away. “He was convincing enough to have me wondering if there’s some truth to what he’s saying. But Thea was pretty convincing, too.”

Knox nodded. “It’s possible that both are lying; that each are mixing enough truth with fiction to make their sides of the story believable. It’s a shame I can’t read her mind.”

“Did Ella manage to successfully bind Lane’s power?”

“Yes. She also agreed to check on him weekly to be sure that no one has undone her magick.”

Keenan felt his brow pinch. “You don’t trust that Thea wouldn’t hire someone to unbind his gift?”

“I simply don’t trust her, so I intend to keep a close eye on the situation. If she is lying, we’ll find out soon enough. I just hope it won’t be in a way that leaves us dealing with a lot of blowback.”