“How did Harper do?” asked Larkin.

“Better than I did on my first real lesson,” Knox replied truthfully. “Any sign of Crow?”

Tanner shook his head, legs crossed at the ankles. “But he has to be close. It’s safe to say he’ll come for you.”

“What did Jonas and Alethea want?” Levi asked.

Knox slipped his hands in the pockets of his pants. “They know about Crow. It would seem that Roan is strolling around the Underground with pictures of Carla, asking if anyone has seen her. He’s also falsely claiming that Crow is rogue, which could very well have the demon killed on sight by someone who isn’t aware of the truth. I need you to pay him a visit for me, Keenan. Express my displeasure and make him see reason.”

The incubus nodded. “He and I will have a little chat.”

Levi spoke then. “Jonas just wanted to ask you about Crow?”

“He came to my office to offer his help in tracking Crow,” said Knox.

“So it wasn’t a business meeting,” began Keenan, “but he didn’t invite Harper?”

Knox relaxed on one of the two half-moon sofas. “Harper has a theory that our mating isn’t being taken seriously.”

“I’d have to agree with her,” said Tanner. “Don’t get me wrong, the lair is happy for you and they want Harper as co-Prime. Not even Roan’s little rumors changed that. I think they believe you want the mating to be a permanent thing; I think they just also have trouble believing it will be.”

Levi nodded. “You’ve been a solitary creature for a very, very long time, Knox. They’re not used to seeing someone so deeply enmeshed in your life. The longer you’re with Harper, the more real it will seem to them.”

“The shindig will go a long way to proving this is serious to you,” said Tanner.

Knox gave him a put-out look. “Now you’re calling it a shindig too?” And why did his demon find it so amusing?

“Sorry,” said Tanner, though he didn’t look it. “I’m used to hearing Harper call it that.”

Leaning forward, Levi loosely clasped his hands. “There’s something you need to consider, Knox. Our lair wants this mating to be real, but I don’t think the other Primes will.”

“Neither do I,” said Knox. “They feared me enough when I ruled alone. Having someone at my side will make me seem more of a threat.”

Larkin toyed with her long braid. “It will shock them that you’re prepared to share what power you have.”

“But that’s not a bad thing,” said Levi. “Part of the reason people fear you is that they don’t understand you or what motivates you. You’re strong enough to rule our kind, but you have no wish to. That alone baffles them. People fear what they don’t understand.”

“I don’t think they’ll have any success understanding Harper, either.” Keenan took a long swig from his flask. “I mean, she’s not at all impressed at the benefits she has from being your mate.”

Knox draped his arms over the back of the sofa. “Harper likes to earn what she has. Things that have been given to her – even the gifts she was born with – don’t have as much value to her. She’ll keep, use, and appreciate these things. But she gains more satisfaction in owning something if she somehow earned it.”

“Ah,” said Keenan. “I can respect that.”

“You might want to know that Bray and Roan have told the rest of the lair about the vision Crow claimed to have,” said Larkin. “Most are blowing it off – they’ve been around demons in Crow’s state of mind before; they know that ‘the end of the world’ claims are pretty typical. Others are uneasy about it, but I don’t think any of them truly believe there’ll be an evil baby born to destroy us. Oh, and Bray and Roan are also calling for Crow to be shot down while he’s shattering rather than given medical help.”

That pissed Knox off. “Unless it’s necessary to save the life of another, I have no wish to kill someone who’s so ill they don’t know what they’re doing.” Regardless of what some believed, Knox didn’t like to kill for the mere sake of it. His demon… well, that was another matter.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Knox released a bored sigh. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes, and then the meeting would be over. Still, he didn’t want to spend another ten minutes of his life listening to a heated debate between two human business associates. He had better and more important things to do. His demon was becoming more and more restless by the minute.

He was thinking about reaching out to Harper, knowing the sound of her voice would settle his demon, when he felt Levi’s mind slide against his.

Knox, you need to get out here, said the sentinel. We have an emergency situation.

Knox and his demon instantly went on high alert and a surge of adrenalin spiked through them. He quickly excused himself and left the conference room of the hotel to find Levi waiting outside. “Harper?” he asked, heart pounding.

Levi shook his head, lips tight. “Crow’s in the building.”

Son of a bitch. It had been merely five days since Crow disappeared with Carla. They had all been waiting impatiently for him to act. “Where exactly in the building?”

“Probably still in the lobby,” replied Levi.

Knox turned toward the lobby, intent on tracking Crow down, but Levi grabbed his arm.