CHAPTER FOUR

Arriving at Luka's illegal gambling den later that day, Ella left her car with the valet and then crossed to the entrance. An overly broad, dark-skinned male wearing an earpiece manned the door. She smiled at him. "Hey."

"Ella," the security guard greeted simply, pushing open the door. "Luka's is expecting you. He said you'll know where to find him."

She did know, having been to Infernal plenty of times since forming the anchor bond with Luka six years ago.

Stepping inside, she was assaulted by the scents of alcohol, perfume, cologne, hot machinery, and a floral air freshener. Her demon wrinkled its nose, not a fan of the abundance of smells.

There was nothing dingy about the illegal gambling den. It was modern, classy, and fashionable with purple and blue LED uplighting, soft leather sofas, an uber-long chrome bar, and strobe lights that slashed through the air. Domed security cameras were mounted on the high ceilings, catching every little thing.

The den also had fighting cages in the basement, but no one talked much about that.

The soft patterned carpet muffled her footsteps as she wandered through the place. People were perched on stools at the backlit slot machines. Others were gathered around card tables, roulette wheels, or the trendy bar. Servers walked back and forth, taking orders and passing out drinks. Suited-up security guards prowled around the space, their eyes sharp.

Sounds were plentiful. Gamblers chattered, dealers called out for bids, alarms dinged to announce winners, dice tumbled over felt. Despite the noise, the place wasn't rowdy. The atmosphere was fairly calm until someone won. Then a round of cheers would go up.

The den was exclusive to members, most of whom were demons. Some were from Luka's lair, which had relocated here from Russia long ago. Others were outsiders.

A girl didn't exactly dream that her anchor would be firmly entrenched in the dark underbelly of the preternatural criminal underworld. But crime boss Luka Belinsky had a code of honor. It was skewed and fluid and sometimes ignored, but it was there.

Typically, though demons could be found in just about any walk of life, they tended to aim for positions of authority. It answered their inborn hunger for power, respect, and control. Therefore, it was easy to see why being the boss of an underground crime syndicate might appeal to some.

It was a fitting position for Luka's breed of demon. A breed that was relatively rare and often avoided. He was what was known as a legion, a demon who shared his soul with not one malevolent entity but three. As such, his yearning for power and authority far exceeded that of an average demon.

Ella couldn't imagine what it would be like to have three inner entities. She found having only one to contend with quite a trial. She'd once told him as much, asking how he was able to handle it. He had shrugged and said that he had nothing to compare it to; that it was all he'd ever known.

She personally didn't see how it being his norm would ever have made his struggle to remain dominant over multiple entities any easier. Managing to maintain supremacy over just one could be tricky enough. It was why legions were always so determined to find and bond with their anchor—it relieved them of the pressure of having to always be on their guard to avoid one of their entities attempting to take over.

Since legions were quite literally a one-man army, people smartly avoided getting on their bad side—or bad sides ( plural) , to be more precise. As such, you never saw patrons at Infernal causing scenes, verbally abusing staff, or counting cards. People wouldn't dare.

Well … unless they were imps. They were both immoral and reckless, which had led to quite a few being executed by Luka. Something he never made quick or painless.

Of course, the Primes of those imps hadn't at all liked the situation. They also hadn't wanted to take him on, though. So they'd formed an agreement with Luka—they would keep their lair members away from his businesses, and he would stop sending their severed heads to their families. It worked out for everyone.

Reaching a roped-off set of stairs, Ella exchanged a nod with the familiar burly guy there. He unclipped said rope, allowing her to pass. She clambered up the steps and into the massive VIP area. It certainly screamed ‘luxury' with the chandeliers, backlit tables, and the lilac and blue velvet sofas on which many people lounged.

Luka stood near the bar with his shoulders back and his feet planted, clothed in a dark-gray tailored suit. No amount of smart clothing would hide the apex predator in him. There was just something too uncivilized about him. Too precarious. Like he could burst into violence at any given moment.

He was a sight for sore hormones. Long. Lean. Dark. His eyes were velvety black, just like the light layer of scruff on his strong jaw.

Ella did a double-take as she noticed two of the Black Saints hanging near a slot machine not far from the VIP area. Huh. She hadn't known that Luka had granted the fallen angels memberships to Infernal. The Black Saints sure had a talent for squirming their way into the good books of powerful demons.

Continuing toward the bar, she refocused on Luka. His two bodyguards, Nikandr and Mikhail, stood relatively close. The identical twin brothers were never far from Luka. It seemed ridiculous that he'd have such protection, given how powerful he was. But someone with his position in life would always attract danger and cultivate enemies. Bodyguards came with the package.

It wasn't only the twins who were with him. He was deep in conversation with a tall, dark, so very fine male who was none other than Knox Thorne. At Knox's back was his broad and equally tall personal guard and sentinel, Levi—a reaper who was also a good friend of Ella's.

For a crime boss, Luka had a surprising amount of allies who you might expect to avoid someone with so little respect for law and order. But she supposed it wasn't too shocking that he'd be friendly with Knox—they had the whole ‘merciless' thing in common.

Her attention went to her left, where Thorne's mate and anchor stood alongside another of their lair's sentinels. Rather than interrupt whatever conversation was taking place between Knox and Luka, she headed over to Harper and her guard.

Harper smiled. "Hey, Ella." No one would question how the petite sphinx had snared the attention of her supremely hot mate. She was beautiful, though not in a classical way. Harper made an impact with all that dark hair tipped with a gold that matched the color of her eyes—eyes that were reflective and glassy, like those of a cat. At any time the color of her irises could swirl like liquid and become a completely different color.

Honestly, Ella's demon was a little jealous of the latter.

Ella felt her lips curve as she looked from the sphinx to Tanner. "Hi, guys, good to see you. How're things?"

"Fine, thanks," replied Harper brightly.

Tanner merely grunted, though it wasn't an expression of rudeness. He was just busy keeping an eye out, protective of his female co-Prime. The hellhound's wolf-gold gaze repeatedly scanned their surroundings, slow and thorough.

Harper tilted her head. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look kind of tired."

Ella shrugged. "Story of my life lately. How's little Asher?"

A glowing smile split Harper's mouth at the mention of her son. "Still the embodiment of trouble."

Ella could believe it, given that his personality was very imp-like. An unsurprising fact, since most of his maternal relatives were imps.

It was claimed that, like his mother, Asher was a sphinx. But Ella had been near him a few times, and he didn't feel like a sphinx. He was something else. Something powerful. She just didn't know what. Her inner demon very much agreed with Ella's suspicion.

"I'm hoping you're not here to ask Luka to have mercy on some of your imp-relatives or something," said Ella. "He didn't hurt any, did he?"

"No, nothing like that," Harper assured her with a flick of a hand.

Well, that was good. Because the majority of those imp relatives belonged to a lair that was run by Harper's grandmother, Jolene Wallis—a shrewd, batshit, unpredictable she-demon who made a bad enemy.

"He and Knox are having a quick meeting," Harper explained. "I don't actually know what it's about, only that it's nothing bad. I came with him because I've heard so much about Infernal and wanted to check it out."

"Your mate sure has a lot of contacts." Ella angled her body ever so slightly as she subtly slid a look at the Black Saints. "Case in point."

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting Knox to consent to them having access to the Underground. But he seems to like Viper. So does Maddox, and he generally isn't a fan of people outside his lair."

Maddox Quentin's breed of demon generally kept to themselves. He was a descendant, part of a race who came into being after some of the first fallen angels mated with demons. Those offspring then mated with demons as well, and so on and so on until descendants became a species in their own right. Still, they were often thought of as mutts.

Maddox did mingle a little outside his lair now that he was mated to Harper's friend and business partner, Raini. He was also, if the rumors were true, allied with Viper.

"Ah, it appears the meeting is finished," said Harper, pulling Ella from her thoughts.

She glanced over her shoulder to see both Knox and Levi approaching.

"Ella," Knox politely greeted with an incline of his head.

His aura of power unnerved her demon slightly, so it watched him warily. "Your mate was just kindly keeping me company while I waited for you and Luka to round up your conversation." She looked at her friend. "Hi, Levi, how are you?"

Gunmetal gray eyes landed on her, and his lips tipped up. "Good, what about you?" His brows dipped. "You look tired."

She was getting a little fed up of hearing that. "I'm fine. How's Piper?"

His smile widened and took on a proud tilt, just as it always did when he spoke of his mate. He was so gone for her it was cute. "She's fine, she—"

"Why are you all hogging my anchor?" complained Luka as he came up behind them.

Mirth lighting his gaze, Knox said, "I wouldn't call it hogging, but be assured we're leaving now so you can have her all to yourself." He gave her a quick nod, amusement still dancing in his eyes, and then ushered his mate away.

Ella said her goodbyes to the group and then turned to face Luka, who crossed to her with a small but genuine smile. "Hey." She kissed his cheek. "Kill anyone today?" she joked … though, yes, he might have done.

"He's not yet dead, but he'll have bled out before the night is over."

What a cheerful prospect.

"Drink?" he offered with an arch of his brow.

"Just water, thanks. I'm driving."

He gave her order to a passing waiter as she said quick hellos to Nikandr and Mikhail, both of whom responded with respectful nods.

Luka shepherded her to the L-shaped sofa he typically claimed. "Sit," he invited. "You look tired again. I don't like it."

She slumped onto the sofa. "Me neither. It would be understandable if I was sleep-deprived, but I'm not. I just don't wake up feeling refreshed these days."

"As if your sleep is restless," he mused, angling his body on the seat to better face her.

"Yes. That. I guess the effects of it are catching up to me now, since I tend to look drained a lot."

"I would have thought the psychic punch was responsible, but you were having this problem before the mugging." A hardness slid into his eyes. "I've spoken to many people about the incident. If anyone knows who he is, they're not talking. And it's rare that people don't talk to me."

Probably because he tortured them until they did.

"It definitely won't be anyone from the other criminal. We consider mates, children, and anchors off-limits."

"All I know is that he's a burly guy with enough power to pummel me with a severe psychic punch." It still galled her that he'd been able to disable her that way.

Something very dark seemed to move behind Luka's eyes. "I've made no secret of who you are to me. The criminal element of the demonic population would recognize you in an instant. Yet, this person dared harm you."

The protective anger in his voice brushed over her skin like a cold breeze. All demons were incredibly protective of their psi-mate. Luka took it to a whole other level. It was just in his nature to keep those in his inner circle safe.

"He didn't set out to target me. He was in the process of mugging another woman. I just happened upon them. It all happened pretty fast, so he probably didn't recognize me until it was too late."

Luka shook his head. "Such predators always have to be sure they're not going to anger another and more dangerous predator. Their survival depends on their ability to make snap decisions that aren't going to bite them on the ass. Even if he didn't know who you are to me, it would not matter. He will still pay for what he did to you."

"Yes, he will indeed." She'd make sure of it.

His eyes went slitted. "He's mine to kill."

Ella felt her lips curve. "Only if you find him first."

"Oh, I will," he swore, his expression hard. There was no missing the thread of menace in his voice.

Right then, a waiter materialized and handed her a glass of iced water.

"Thank you." She took a sip of her drink, letting her gaze idly roam the den. When it again landed on two familiar fallen angels, she said, "I didn't know the Black Saints were members here."

"It's a recent development."

"They seem to be everywhere lately."

"And they're buying a lot of property," he noted. "I have a strong feeling that their club's president is most definitely an archangel."

She cocked her head. "You've met him?"

"Once. I intervened when the local MC club chapter talked of going to war with them."

"War?" she echoed, more than a little shocked. Demons were brutal but generally avoided full-on wars.

"They're humans and completely oblivious to what they're dealing with."

Ah.

"Uninterested in sharing their territory, they'd suggested that the Black Saints join them. They hadn't taken too kindly to Viper neither accepting their offer nor heeding their subsequent warning to relocate. They also hadn't liked that he refused to traffic drugs for them. He wants to keep his club clean."

"I see." It was a little surprising, really. Viper hadn't struck her as the moral type. It was strange for a celestial being maybe, but there was just something very dark and ruthless in his manner.

"I advised the national president of the club—who, unbeknownst to the human chapter, happens to be a demon—that they should leave the Black Saints be. He took my advice, not wanting to tangle with a fallen angel who was not only rumored to be a fallen archangel but who'd secured alliances with powerful demons like Knox Thorne and Maddox Quentin."

It had been smart of Viper to do so. "It's good that you stepped in. Archangels are dangerous. Fallen archangels? His danger factor will be off the charts."

Luka caught her gaze with his. "Which is why I want you to stay away from Viper."

She blinked. "You say that as if I follow him home."

"You have nothing to do with him, I know. But in purchasing certain properties, he's on the edge of your life. That's too close for my liking. I have nothing against their kind, but I don't want them near you."

Ella rolled her eyes. "You think all guys are too close to me for your liking. You can't tell me who I can and can't talk to."

"I just did."

"And you think I'll heed and obey?"

He exhaled heavily, put-out. "No. You don't fear me like other people do."

Because she had nothing to fear from him. He'd never hurt her.

"Just give Viper a wide berth, Ella. That's all I ask. Now, tell me all I've missed since I last saw you."

"Well … "