I didn’t have time to explain. The creature dove at Taran’s neck, its fangs exposed. I caught it midair, piercing its toad body with my protruding claws. Its slimy, cold-leather flesh made my skin crawl. Emme came to in Shayna’s arms, just in time to join my others sisters screaming as they watched the demon child writhe beneath my grip. Its strength surprised me, especially given its small size. My hand jerked and shuddered as it tried to escape. And yet the more that I stared at it, the more the little bastard pissed me off. Not just because it bit me, or attacked my sisters, but because it lived. Something this evil didn’t belong in my world.
“Shayna. Wanna play pin the wings on a demon child?”
Shayna stood slowly and answered in a tone that clearly meant she’d prefer a round of Monopoly. “Okay, Ceel.”
I pitched the demon child against the wall. Hard enough that its little body indented into the paneling. One. Two. Shayna’s daggers found each wing. The demon child hissed, its forked tongue extending past its mouth.
The wolves charged in. Naked. My eyes widened as the full breadth of Aric’s heat licked my body in teasing strokes. I spun away, barely catching a glimpse of the perfectly cut muscles layering his broad chest, shoulders, and powerful arms.
Aric paused behind me, his voice a soft rumble. “Are you okay?”
No. I wasn’t okay. I’d fought a demon child following the discovery of four carcasses and a half-eaten woman. And now there stood Aric in all his hotter-than-hell glory making my female parts tap-dance to “Eye of the Tiger.” “Yeah. Totally.”
Large hands covered my shoulders, turning the temperature in the chilly building up to a sweltering ninety degrees. “What’s wrong?” he murmured.
My body shuddered. Of course he hadn’t believed me. He didn’t have to possess the ability to sniff lies to detect my blatant dishonesty. My heated body, speedy pulse, and all my girl parts waving hello proclaimed loud and clear that my self-assured tigress had torn from the building and left the inner, awkward, socially inept girl in charge. Thanks a ton, old faithful inner beast.
“The girls aren’t comfortable around naked beings,” Gemini offered. “In their defense, they haven’t associated much with our kind.”
Aric stiffened behind me, although not in a good way. “I’m sorry, Celia. I thought since we were together now . . .” He sighed, the warmth of his body rising. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’ll use more discretion in the future.”
Oh God. I buried my face in my palm. I’d embarrassed him. And myself. I hated not knowing how to behave, or what to say, to a male, especially now when it mattered so much. Aric caught a pair of sweats thrown to him. I wanted to turn around and watch him dress, to prove that yes, I wanted to see him. All of him. He needed to know—to understand how much I wanted his touch.
But I didn’t say or do anything. Instead I waited until I heard the elastic of his pants slip above his legs and snap onto his waist. My tigress made us strong. And yet she stood no chance against the dorky female who ruled on the other side.
The squeals of the squirming demon child beckoned Aric forward. I followed close behind him and stood on his right side as he and the other wolves snarled at the sinful creature. Aric glanced my way, appearing surprised I’d join him and dared to stand so close. Way to go, Celia. Maybe you should nut-punch him for an encore.
My sisters kept their distance. Koda winked over his shoulder at Shayna. “Good job snagging it, baby.”
“Eh,” remained Shayna’s sole response.
The little bastard continued to skeeve her out. Me, I just wanted it gone. I touched Aric’s arm lightly with my fingertips. He tensed beneath my caress. And it damn well nearly broke my heart. I cleared my throat. “Why hasn’t it returned to hell? I thought you said its time is limited.”
“Because he’s not from hell. He was created on earth through a human vessel. The human side gives him unlimited time on earth.”
I said a silent prayer thanking God Almighty these damned things were rare. “He? How do you know it’s male?”
Koda’s jaw tightened. “They’re all male. That way they can impregnate a female if given the opportunity.”
I exchanged glances with my sisters following another thank-you to the Big Man upstairs. Their slacked jaws and paling skin told me we shared the same collective thought. Eww.
Liam pointed between the demon’s legs. “This one hasn’t reached sexual maturity yet. Look. Only one of his four balls have dropped.”
My sisters’ gags announced that they, like me, had enough of Demon Child 101. “Can you please get rid of it?” I asked.