Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
“Are you sure she’s from this lair?” Demon lairs didn’t claim territories, and their kind sometimes lived in places far from their Prime, so Harper believed it was very possible that the mother belonged to another lair.
“No, but we should look to our own first.”
“And if one of ours did leave a changeling?”
“They’ll pay the price.”
CHAPTER FOUR
As Levi pulled up outside one of Knox’s upscale clubs, Harper spotted Tanner leaning against the building. As her bodyguard and chauffeur, the broad-shouldered tower of muscle often took her to work and accompanied her to the studio before going off to do… whatever sentinels did. Since the entrance to the Underground was beneath this very club, he was obviously waiting to escort her to work.
Knox curled his hand around her jaw. “My day will be pretty hectic, but I’ll meet you in the Underground when your studio’s closing.” He kissed her softly. “Remember to —”
“Stay alert, I got it. You be safe too.”
He kissed her once more, ending it with a nip to her lower lip. “Always am.”
“See you later,” she told him. As Levi opened the rear door, she hopped out of the Bentley. “Watch over him for me, Levi.” The reaper inclined his head.
Pushing away from the wall, Tanner offered her a wan smile as she approached him. “How’re you feeling?”
“Better now that both hunters are dead. Still blaming yourself like a total idiot?”
He ran a hand over his short, dark hair. “I’m your bodyguard —”
“And it was your well-deserved night off.” Hearing a car horn beep, she gave Levi and Knox a quick wave as they drove away. Turning back to Tanner, she added, “Now accept that it wasn’t your fault instead of being a dumbass. I don’t time have for dumbasses. And I already have Knox trying to blame himself – I’m done with this shit.”
Tanner snorted a laugh, his wolf-gold eyes lighting up. “Let’s get you to work.” He accompanied her inside the club and down the flight of stairs to the basement. At the back of the large space, two demons guarded a door. Recognizing her and Tanner, they parted with a respectful greeting and opened the door. She and Tanner then walked through and, after a short elevator ride, arrived at the Underground.
The place was as busy and noisy as always. Pretty much everything could be found there. Bars, restaurants, casinos, clubs, hotels, a shopping mall – the list was endless. There were also other and much wilder things there such as the rodeo, the combat circle where demons fought for money, and the dog racing stadium for hellhounds.
Stepping out of the elevator, she and Tanner walked down the strip, passing plenty of venues and stores – some were open, some were closed until the evening arrived, at which point the entire Underground came alive.
Her studio, Urban Ink, was in an ideal spot. It was close to not only Knox’s office but the best restaurants and even the shopping mall. It was also opposite a hotel wherein she and Knox had a penthouse suite – that meant she could go there to change clothes whenever she and the girls wanted to hit the bars after work.
Ordinarily, Harper met her co-workers in the coffeehouse beside the studio before they opened up, but she was running late so she headed straight to the studio. As she pushed open the glass door, the bell above it chimed. The scents of paint, ink, coffee, and disinfectant hit her, along with the heavenly smell of fresh Danishes that was coming from the coffeehouse.
Rather than leaving, Tanner followed her inside and said, “I’m going to take a quick look around.”
Her cousin and receptionist, Khloë, came from behind the desk. “Grams is stressing about something, and you look like shit warmed up. What happened?”
With a sigh, Raini bumped the small, olive-skinned imp aside and handed Harper a caramel latte. “Jeez, Khloë, did you have to jump down her throat?” Raini was a senior tattooist as well as the co-owner of Urban Ink.
Having hung her jacket on the coat rack, Harper gratefully took the latte. “Thanks.”
Even wearing a plain white vest with plain pants that hid her wicked curves, Raini was a breathing advertisement for sex – it was a succubae thing, and Raini didn’t like it. She could hide her figure, but not her flawless skin or inherent sensuality. And if she’d thought that putting pink highlights in her blonde hair might dull its appeal somehow, it did the opposite.
“Something happened,” insisted Khloë, daring Harper to deny it.
“Yes, something did happen, but I don’t want to have to tell the story more than once so let’s wait for Devon,” said Harper, referring to their apprentice who also specialized in piercings. Harper had already told the story to Jolene on the way to work. Her grandmother had predictably lost her mind, even though she’d already known some of what happened from Knox.