Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“Something about you having secrets you wouldn’t be able to share with any other race.”
Son of a bitch, she’d tried manipulating Ella into walking away.
“Is that true?” Such a deceptively casual question.
Viper gave her nape a light squeeze. “No. If I trusted someone all the way, there’s nothing I’d keep from them.” One day, he’d tell her everything. It just wouldn’t be any time soon. “Which she’d know if she knew me, but she doesn’t.”
“She still seems intent on having you.”
“You have me, so she’s wasting her time. She’d be wasting it even if there was no you. I don’t want her.”
“Shame she’s not getting that.” Ella paused. “She said she wouldn’t tell others that you and I are involved with each other, but I worry she might. Not that I’m ashamed to—”
“I get it, Ella. You already explained what happened to some of your ancestors at the hands of the Fallen, so I know why your family isn’t a fan of my kind; I understand why you’d hesitate to tell them. And of course you’d rather they heard it from you, if they ever hear of it at all. I’ll talk to Neta, I’ll ensure she keeps her mouth shut.”
Ella eyed him, her face soft. “I’m not sure I’d be so nice about this if I were you. I’d feel at least a little offended that you’re intent on keeping me a secret from those around you.”
“As I told you, I get it.” And it worked to Viper’s benefit that they hadn’t made shit public, considering it was vital he keep her off the strix’s radar. It might already be too late to keep the Uppers’ attention away from her, unfortunately. “Does your whole lair have that opinion of the Fallen?”
“Most.”
“Is it hard not living near the majority of its members?”
She gave an easy shake of her head. “I wasn’t close to any of them.”
“Not even any of your relatives there?”
“Nope. And I actually prefer living a distance away from my father. He’s a complete tool.”
Viper was well-aware of that, because he’d looked into her background, but he couldn’t say as much. “In what way?”
“Turns out he had a ‘secret family’. They’re humans. We didn’t find out until he one day announced he was leaving us for them. Mom wasn’t heartbroken, she was furious. She would have left him years before; she’d only stayed with him thinking it’d be best for me and my sister. So for him to up and leave us on revealing he’d actually built another family elsewhere? Yeah, I’m surprised she let him live.”
Viper nuzzled her neck, holding her close. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“I wasn’t cut up about him leaving, I didn’t really know him. He never had much time for me or Mia. Was always ‘at the office’. Or so we thought. But I was upset to hear about his other family. Honestly, though, we’re better off without the idiot around.”
For certain. “Do you have contact with him?”
“No, I have no time for him. Neither does Mia. And he never asked to stay in touch with us anyway.”
Yet more proof that the guy was, in her words, a complete tool. “Want me to kill him for you?”
Her lips twitched. “Nah. For some people, the punishment is in letting them live.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. I think maybe … ” She trailed off, her brows drawing together as her gaze dipped to the collar of his jacket. “You have blood on you. What the hell?”
Viper silently cursed. It had to be blood spatter. “So, keeping to my word, I gotta inform you that I had another run-in with strix.”
Her eyes flared. “Tell me.”
“One of my brothers tracked a bunch of them to a carnival. The bastards had their eyes on some of the children there. We teleported them to another location and killed them.”
“So, they’re all dead?”
“Not the entire colony. There’ll be more.”
“How many more?”
“Depends. Could be thirty. Could be forty. Could be more. Strix colonies aren’t small.”
Damn. Ella knew a fair bit about some hell-born demons, but not all. With others, like strix, she merely knew of them and possessed few details.
“We’ll keep working to track them, and we’ll eat at their numbers until they’re all gone.”
“They really go after little kids?”
Viper gave her a grim look. “They prefer the blood of children.”
“Then they definitely need killing.” She took stock of him. “You aren’t hurt?”
His expression softened. “No, baby, I’m good.”
“I’d rather see that for myself.”
“Yeah?” His lips tipped up. “Feels more like you’re just trying to get me naked so you can take advantage of me.”
Busted. “You have a problem with that?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He lowered his head to hers. “Turn around. Bend over. Hold onto the arm of the sofa.”
Gladly.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Neta’s glare bounced from Viper to Dice, a hint of wariness there. “Just to note, I don’t appreciate being summoned like some minion at your beck and call.”