again.”
“Yeah, you too…uhm…”
“Salax,” he says with a smirk.
“Yeah, I knew that,” I state and turn with a small smile. Salad, Salax. Same thing. Curious thing is, he reeks of my brother. Seems that the box under my twin’s bed has been replaced by the real thing. Good for him.
I tune them out as Hael gives me a frustrated look.
“Here,” I say and snap my fingers.
“Let me,” Shax says, going to them after Elijah has quickly filled him in. He takes the baby from Hael, who gives him a relieved look, and takes the bottle of milk I’d summoned up from my hand. He coos to the baby and then, like a fucking pro, starts to feed her. I shouldn’t be surprised. Shax is a pro at just about everything. All my life, he was better. I was just stronger, quicker and had the big destiny.
“Thanks,” I mutter and then clear my throat. “You stay here with the baby; we’re going up to speak to the Demons.”
Shax glances up at me. “Be careful, Sis. It’s anarchy.”
I nod and take hold of Drescal’s hand. He is hovering and something is drawing me to him. I frown at him, directly in my eyeline, which is the top of his chest, a small glow shines through his shirt.
“Your brand okay?” I ask him.
He looks down. “Perfect,” he says, giving my hand a kiss.
“Brand?” Devlin growls, having been remarkably silent throughout this whole ordeal.
“Mm-hmm,” I mutter and avoid his eyes as I turn towards Sid. “You stay here with Shax. You’ll be safe.”
“No,” he croaks. “I’m coming with.”
I nod, letting him make his own decision about this.
“Let’s go then,” I say and flame out, still clinging to Drescal.
5
Shax
I’m completely besotted with this tiny bundle in my arms. She is sucking away at the bottle for all she is worth. When she is done, I hand the empty bottle to Shadow and then lift my niece gently to my shoulder and pat her back softly.
“You’re a natural,” Salax says, hoisting himself up onto the altar.
I chuckle. “Nah, I asked my mom to show me. I knew that Belle would need some help.”
He snorts. “Yeah, maternal is not the word I’d use. She didn’t even look at her.”
I give him a sharp glare.
He holds his hands up. “Not dissing, just observing,” he says quietly.
“Yeah, well…” I huff and hearing the baby let out a soft belch, I return to cradling her. On impulse, I hold her out to Shadow.
Her eyes go wide, but she hesitantly holds her arms out. I love her for it. I’d figured she’d back away terrified.
She cuddles the baby in a remarkable show of comfort and paces away from us, murmuring to her.
I lean back against the altar in between Salax’s legs. I fold my arms and cross my legs at the ankle as I watch Shadow for a moment.
“You want that with her?” Salax asks, leaning his arms across my shoulders.
“Maybe, one day. It’s not time,” I mutter. Truth is, it’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about this last week. I’m ready. Shadow isn’t. I won’t pressure her. We have all the time in the world.
“She’s something else, you know. You’re one lucky bastard,” Salax says casually.
I grimace. Somehow, I’d known it was coming. Nothing overt. No, even at X-tasy, the Vampire BDSM club that we were just at on Earth before I felt Hell burn, he was careful to stay away. But I’ve seen the little glances that he shoots her when he thinks I’m not looking. I don’t blame him. She is spectacular. Not to mention, the situations we have found ourselves in over the last couple of weeks, it was bound to happen.
“Yeah, I know,” I mutter and then turn around to face him. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
He regards me closely, probably trying to see if I’m pissed off. “Depends if you’d accept it or not.”
“That’s not up to me,” I say. “What do you want from her?”
“Everything,” he says instantly. “I want the three of us to have everything.”
I nod slowly. I’d figured. In spite of the short period of time we’ve been together, I know that he is taking this seriously. Apart from him not having the time to see anyone else as we’ve spent every waking moment together, I just know that he doesn’t want it.
“Angel?” he asks as I’ve gone quiet and contemplative. “If you don’t want that, it’s cool. I’m here for you. I just thought…”
“Ask her,” I say, making