Embers

  Dario’s lips thinned. “No, I do not.”

  “Nor do I,” said Thatcher.

  Before the conversation could become more heated, Knox cut in, “Jonas did manage to uncover one of the secrets that his sister was keeping.” Again, all eyes went to Knox. “She stole something from a private collector of rare objects.”

  Raul’s eyes sharpened. “What exactly did she take?”

  Knox didn’t answer for a long moment, studying each of the faces looking at him. “She stole a contained incorporeal demon.”

  People gasped and muttered.

  “Stole it?” asked Raul. “From who?”

  “That I don’t yet know, but I intend to find out.” Knox drummed his fingers on the table. “I believe she freed it.”

  The Prime opposite Jolene scoffed. “Alethea was strong, but not that strong.”

  “I believe she had help,” said Knox. “The person who helped her may be the same person who killed her.”

  Frowning, Raul said, “You think he used her, just as the other Horsemen used Lawrence and Linda?” He pursed his lips. “It would make sense.”

  “Perhaps she got in his way by trying to prevent him from freeing the incorporeal,” Malden suggested. “But can we be absolutely certain that it was freed?”

  “Recently, a demon physically imitated Harper in order to get near our son,” said Knox. “Asher wasn’t fooled. He threw up his shield. Harper fought and overpowered it. She’d just stabbed it in the heart when it faded before her eyes and disappeared, leaving no scent or blood behind. Yesterday, I also had an encounter with it. I even watched as it left the body of a female human.”

  Thatcher sighed, looking genuinely weary. “Then it’s true. The incorporeal was freed. My guess would be that the Horseman is using it to get to you, Knox. He said on the footage that you were next.”

  Knox draped his arm over the back of Harper’s chair. “And that tells us another thing about the Horseman—he’s not quite as powerful as he’d like us to believe or he wouldn’t need a minion. Just the same, he wasn’t powerful enough to free an incorporeal on his own; he needed Alethea’s help.”

  “He must have promised her something good to get her to agree to be part of his plan,” said Jolene. “Not just because it was risky, but because she wasn’t a person who was interested in aiding others. Maybe she wanted you to be destroyed, Knox, just as the Horseman does. On the other hand, maybe she didn’t want you dead and that was what he meant by her being in his way.”

  “He says the Primes must fall, but what does he expect to happen if such an event occurred?” asked Malden. “He can’t truly believe it would somehow lead to something good. There would be anarchy. Demons mind their behavior because they will answer to their Primes if they don’t. If they could act as they wished without consequences, the US would be in absolute chaos.”

  “Maybe that’s what he wants,” suggested Harper with a shrug.

  “But why?” Malden pressed. “What could he possibly gain from that?”

  “At this point, I’m not sure he expects to gain anything.” Harper leaned back in her chair. “The Horsemen wanted domination of the US, but none of their games to make it happen worked. Each attempt failed. With each failure, one of the group lost their life. On the clip, he just said the Primes needed to fall—not that he intended to take over. Maybe all he has on his mind is revenge. After all, demons always get even.”

  There was a short silence. People then nodded, murmuring that it was possible.

  Harper continued, “On the other hand—because it’s important to consider both sides of the coin—maybe he wants chaos so that he can then step in and take over. I mean, if he succeeded in killing the demon who’s rumored to be the most powerful in existence, who wouldn’t fear him enough to heed whatever he said?”

  Raul pointed at her. “I’m leaning toward your latter theory.”

  “So am I,” Knox said to her. “Ending my life would be a massive show of strength on the Horseman’s part. However, we’ve already established that he doesn’t believe he can kill me himself or that he’s even powerful enough to free an incorporeal demon alone. As such, he doesn’t deserve to be as feared as he hopes to be.”

  “You’re quite friendly with Lucifer,” Raul told Knox. “Maybe you can ask him to banish the incorporeal back to hell for you. I’ve heard that only the flames of hell can kill their kind. Unless you truly can call on the flames, you have yourself a major problem.”

  Knox said nothing to that and kept his expression blank, not willing to even hint at whether the rumor was true or false.

  “We’ll deal with it somehow, just as we’ll find out who the Horseman is,” said Harper, eyes hard. “Nobody gets to go after my son without paying in blood. And he’ll pay for a very, very long time.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  With Harper at his side, Knox made a public announcement the next evening while sat in his main Underground office. It went live on every screen throughout the subterranean ‘strip’—including in the bars, restaurants, casinos, and hotel rooms. He revealed his suspicions about Alethea’s killer, the matter of the incorporeal, and even the recent attempts by the incorporeal to get near Asher and to kill Knox. Just as he’d told the Primes, he also expressed his opinion that the last of the Horsemen obviously wasn’t as powerful as he’d like people to believe if he needed a minion to do his dirty work for him.

  Yes, the latter would enrage the Horseman and might even prompt him into making another attack on Knox, but that would happen at some point anyway.

  Afterwards, he settled Harper on his lap in his office chair and massaged her nape as he made some calls. It was just as he was ending one of said calls that there was a knock at the door. Recognizing the rhythmic rap of knuckles, Knox invited, “Come in.”

  As he’d expected, Levi stalked inside. “I talked to Armand and others within the Force,” the sentinel said. “They made rounds of the strip, as ordered. Hearing you point out that the Horseman needed a minion seems to have lessened people’s fear. They’re naturally nervous that there’s a powerful incorporeal on the loose, but your lack of nerves appears to be keeping them from stressing over it—especially since you and Harper went strolling along the strip earlier and then had a meal like all was well.”

  Knox gave a satisfied nod. “That was my intent, so good.”

  Levi flung himself in the seat opposite his. “Our lair is pissed that the incorporeal went after Asher. I’m telling you, your kid has them all head over heels in love with him.”

  Harper smiled. “Who wouldn’t love Asher? He’s too adorable for words.”

  “True,” said Levi, mouth quirking. “He didn’t cuff you again when you tried to leave?”

  “No. But he might have done if I hadn’t snuck out just to be on the safe side.” She’d touched Asher’s mind several times since she left the house and felt nothing but contentment and amusement. Larkin and Keenan were with him, and what better babysitters to have for your child than two badass, tough-as-fuck sentinels?

  “How long do you think it will be before the Horseman strikes again?” asked Levi.

  Knox twisted his mouth. “He’ll be livid that I practically dismissed him and branded him weak. Whether he retaliates quickly or slowly will depend on just how impulsive he is.”

  Levi’s gaze slid to Harper. “I know you both said you wanted to resume your day-to-day activities. Does this mean you’re returning to work soon?”

  Just the thought made Harper’s stomach go rock hard. “Not yet. Especially while all this shit is up in the air.”

  Levi nodded. “Figured as much, but I wanted to check. Heard anything from Dion yet?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes,” replied Knox. “His letter came earlier today. He’s invited us to visit him tomorrow.”

  Hiding her annoyance that he hadn’t told her of the letter sooner, Harper asked, “What time will we be leaving?”

  “Not you, baby. Levi and I will go.”

&nbsp
; Harper hiked up a brow. “Is that a fact?” So much for working together, she thought. Glaring at her mate, Harper said, “Levi, could you give Knox and me a minute alone, please?”

  “I’m done here anyway.” The smile was clear in his voice.

  Good luck, Levi said to Knox, pushing out of his seat.

  Fuck off, Knox retorted. The second the door shut behind the sentinel, Knox put a finger to Harper’s mouth. “Before you light into me, hear me out. I’m not pushing you out of this fight—I said we’ll work together on dealing with the Horseman and the incorporeal, and we will. But I don’t want you coming with me to visit Dion. If I have my way, you’ll never be in the vicinity of him.”

  “Why?”

  “He collects the unique, and you are very much that. Your eyes alone would fascinate him. I want his focus on me and the matter of Alethea when I speak to him, not on you.”

  She snorted. “I seriously doubt I’d fascinate him that much. Also, if he is the Horseman, his attention will definitely be on the matter of Alethea because he’ll worry he’s a suspect.”

  “I know, but I don’t want him to worry he’s a suspect. I’ll make out like I’m there purely because I mean to speak with each of the people who Alethea spent time with before she disappeared. Of course, I’ll be taking a stab in the dark by implying that Dion was one of those people, but he doesn’t need to know that. He won’t buy that he’s not a suspect if you and I—two Primes—go there together. It will seem something much more formal. Threatening, even. And then he’ll likely shut down, and we won’t get the answers we need.”

  Harper swore under her breath and then snapped her mouth shut. She wanted to poke holes in his case, but he made sense. Uncovering the identity of the Horseman was far more important than whether she got to accompany him to his meeting with Dion. Still, her demon was gonna sulk for sure. “I hate that I can’t argue with that.”

  Knox kissed her forehead. “I know you do. And I’m sorry if it makes you feel left out, but we have to be smart.” Wanting to move off the topic before his very astute mate thought of a reason why it would be a good idea for her to accompany him, Knox curved his hand around her chin and said, “I saw your face when Levi asked if you intend to return to work soon. You don’t like the idea of going back to work, even though you miss it. Why?”

  “I’m just not ready yet.” Harper had told herself that she’d begin working part-time once Asher reached nine months old. Maybe she’d be ready by then. Maybe not.

  “It doesn’t make you a bad parent that you eventually want to return to work.”

  “I know that. I really do.”

  “But you stupidly feel guilty about it.”

  She sighed, admitting, “But I stupidly feel guilty about it. You think I should go back?”

  Releasing her chin, Knox glided his fingers down the column of her throat. “I don’t care whether you choose to return to work or be a stay-at-home-mom as long as you’re happy.” Knox doubted she’d find contentment in the latter, though. He knew how much she loved her job. He enjoyed watching her work. She had raw talent, a steady hand, immense focus, and a flair for design. “In any case, there’s no rush to decide.” He dipped his head, letting his mouth follow the path of his fingers as he brushed kisses down her throat. Latching onto her pulse, he sucked hard the way she liked it.

  Harper tensed at the sound of her phone chiming. It had been like a hotline all day, and the main caller had been Drew. She’d canceled each call, believing it best not to speak to him. It would only piss Knox off and, well, there was nothing to say anyway. Plus, it was making things hard for Devon. Recalling the female hellcat’s phone call the previous night, Harper remembered how strained her voice had sounded …

  “Hey, how are you?” Harper asked on answering the call.

  “Fine,” said Devon, her tone friendly but awkward. She cleared her throat. “I wanted you to know that I spoke to Drew. He’s … upset that you found out about the tattoo. He wants to talk to you. I told him that it wouldn’t be possible and he should just get rid of the tat and go home.”

  Harper swallowed. “Thanks, Devon. I hate that you must feel in the middle here.”

  “I’m just grateful for the restraint Knox has shown so far. He’s so incredibly possessive of you that I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t kicked Drew’s ass.”

  “If Drew wasn’t your brother and killing him wouldn’t cause a massive clusterfuck, I think he’d be nothing but ashes by now,” Harper admitted.

  There was an awkward silence. “I have to go. Take care. And give Asher a kiss for me.”

  Heart squeezing at the almost tortured note in her voice, Harper said, “Will do.”

  The feel of Knox’s fingers doodling on her nape snapped her out of the memory. She noticed then that her phone had stopped ringing, thank God.

  “Was that Drew again?” Knox asked, voice deceptively casual.

  Harper gave a nonchalant shrug. “I don’t know.”

  “Check.”

  She flexed her fingers. “I’d rather not talk about him or—”

  “Check.”

  Knowing by the determined set to his jaw that he wouldn’t let this go, Harper pulled out her cell and saw that she had nine missed calls from Drew. The guy was nothing if not persistent. She almost jumped as it began to ring again, screen flashing. And, unsurprisingly, the caller was Drew.

  Knox held out his hand. “Give it to me.”

  She shot him a pained look. “Knox, just leave it. Answering the phone would only give him attention—”

  “Baby, give me the phone,” Knox said, voice soft but insistent.

  With a resigned sigh, she reluctantly handed it over to him for one reason only—if the situation had been reversed and another female was constantly calling him, Harper would have insisted on speaking with the bitch.

  Knox swiped his thumb across the screen and answered, “Hello, Drew.”

  Harper was close enough to hear Drew’s response: “I want to talk to Harper.”

  “I guessed that much, since you’ve been calling her all day. I don’t know how you got my mate’s number, but this stops now. No calling her. No texting her. Don’t even think about her.”

  “I’m leaving, just like you want. But I want to talk to her first.”

  “I couldn’t give two fucks what you want, Clarke.”

  “I wonder what she’d say if she knew you were taking her calls for her.”

  Knox’s eyes met hers. “She’s sitting right here. On my lap. Wearing my brands. About to get fucked by me on my office desk.”

  There was a loud hiss.

  Eyes narrowing, Harper mouthed, “That was mean.”

  “She can do better than you, Thorne.”

  “And you think you would be better for her? Someone who put his need for a high before the needs of her?” Knox sounded mildly curious, toying with Drew.

  “So maybe she can do better than both of us,” Drew allowed.

  “She can. She’s singular. Extraordinary. No one in the world could compare to her. And she’s mine. I can’t stress enough just how important it is that you accept that. I’ve killed people for lesser reasons, and I would rather enjoy killing you. Don’t tempt me any more than you already have done.” Knox ended the call and slipped the phone back into her jacket pocket.

  Face hard, Harper clipped, “Was that whole ‘she’s about to get fucked on my office desk’ really necessary?” She was annoyed with Drew, but she didn’t want to aggravate the situation.

  “Yes, it was. For three reasons. One, I want him to have that image in his head just I have his memories of you in my head. Two, he needs to get the message that you’re mine and only mine.” Knox smoothed his hand up her thigh and dropped his voice an octave. “Three, you are about to get fucked on my desk.” He’d been imagining it since she first walked into his office, and he wasn’t going to let Clarke’s call mess with his plans.

  “Oh, is that a fact?” Harper thought she did a good job of
sounding disinterested, even as her body reacted to his dominant tone—heating, flushing, and practically humming with anticipation. It knew what that tone meant and was trained to respond to it.

  “Yes, it’s very much a fact.”

  “Well, maybe I don’t want to. Maybe I—” She gasped as he cupped her pussy hard above her jeans and pushed up with his palm.

  “What have I told you, baby? Never keep what’s mine from me.”

  Harper swallowed. His words were soft and gentle, but they carried a wealth of steel. He stroked her pussy, rubbing her clit with the heel of his hand and, God, that felt good. He’d been rough and demanding with her lately because Drew’s behavior was grating on his possessive streak. It was understandable. It also got her fucked a lot.

  Knox’s mouth grazed her ear. “Countless times I’ve imagined spreading you out on my desk. Just as I’ve imagined you kneeling between my legs, sucking me off, right here in my office.” Sinking his hands into her hair, he plundered her mouth. Greedily feasted and savored until he was sure his head would spin. “Love this mouth. My mouth.” He angled her head and kissed her deeper. Hungrier. Claimed and possessed her lips just as he intended to possess her body. “Stand up, Harper.”

  She should say no, Harper thought. She should tell him he didn’t need to constantly remind her that she was his. She should—

  “Baby.” Again, his voice was soft, but there was steel there.

  Standing, she sighed. “Look, Knox. You don’t have to keep … ” She sort of lost her train of thought as he unzipped his fly and pulled out his cock. It was thick and long, and looked almost aggressively hard. She felt herself go damp.

  “Don’t have to keep what?” Fisting his cock, Knox pumped it once. Twice.

  “Nothing.”

  Knox spread his legs wider. “Come here, baby. I want that pretty mouth of yours wrapped around my cock.” He watched her reflexively stiffen. Watched her fight down the urge to defy him. “That’s my good girl.” To reward her, he thrust a psychic finger into her pussy and swirled it around, wrenching a soft moan out of her. Then he let it dissipate, giving her a look that said if she wanted more, she’d have to work for it. “Now do what I told you to do.” Placing her hands on his thighs, she slowly got to her knees. He swept her hair away from her face and said, “Very good.”