his shaggy blond hair. “We went to our Rings to heal faster, and we had a plan set in motion to go search for her in the Outer Rings. We were just meeting in the Vestibule, shoring up our Hellgate when you brought us here.”
The Abdicated share a look.
“Hmm.” That’s all Tazreel says, not giving away anything he’s thinking. “Alright, that will be all.”
He raises his hand to snap them away. “NO!” My scream ricochets throughout the room, stopping him. “I need them here with me,” I pant, terrified he’s going to make them disappear. My hand is squeezing Jerif’s so tightly that I’m surprised I’m not breaking any bones.
“Ooh,” Elle purrs, looking at us as she flashes teeth and juts out her lace-covered breasts. “Your daughter is fraternizing with those below her. How scandalous.”
Taz scowls at me, but he drops his hand. “Are they your menagerie?”
“What? No,” I stutter as my cheeks fill with a blush.
“No? Wonderful,” Elle says with a sultry smile, her red wings fluffing out behind her. “One can come with me to the party then.”
“Wha—”
My question gets cut off as Elle saunters forward, grabbing Crux by the arm. “Come along.”
“I’ll take the blue one and the pale one,” Driftwood says, making my jaw grind.
What the fuck is happening right now?
Ginger spreads her orange wings behind her, her body in a warrior stance as she stares at Jerif. “Good. I like the fiery ones.”
I throw up my free hand. “Wait a fucking second,” I snap, my head dizzy. “They’re mine,” I growl. I didn’t even know I could sound as furious as I do.
The female who grabbed Crux and started to walk him away looks back at me over her exposed shoulder. “Oh?”
“Yeah. Oh,” I counter. “You can’t take them.”
Beside me, Echo slips closer, placing a hand on my hip. At the same time, I feel shadows slip onto the exposed tips of my toes below my dress and slowly spiral up my ankles and legs, before swirling around my ass, caressing it possessively. “Hmm, I didn’t think you had it in you to claim us like this, Delta,” he says in my ear. “I like it.”
I immediately regret embarrassing myself in front of everyone and claiming them without their permission, but it was just a knee-jerk reaction. The thought of my demons going with those Abdicated hussies sets my teeth on edge. And even though this is probably going to lead to a very awkward conversation later, I won’t take it back. I won’t let them walk away with anyone else other than me. I can’t. Not when I just got them back.
“This night is getting better and better. You should host more often, Taz,” Jewelry male says with a chuckle as he picks up someone’s glass from the table and gulps the contents down. “Let’s go to the party, shall we?”
“I thought this was the party,” I say with confusion.
He laughs again. “This? No. This is the private dinner party just for us. The ones in Luce’s circle. The rest of the Abdicated are at the real party. I’m sure they’re dying to see who Tazreel’s progeny is,” he says before walking off, gathering members of his menagerie with his hands slung around feminine shoulders.
“Away from them, daughter,” Tazreel orders, a displeased look falling where my hand is still gripping Jerif’s. “It’s time to introduce you.”
Away from them? Why the hell would I get away from them?
Tazreel’s eyes narrow when I don’t immediately obey his command.
“I have to announce you to the rest of the Abdicated, Delta. It’s the law,” he growls, like that explains everything.
“Don’t worry, dear, we’ll bring your pets along to witness the fun,” Jewelry declares, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
“They are not pets,” I snarl at him, my rage rising with every breath I take, but my statement seems to entertain him even more, judging by the growing smile on his face.
“Delta, come here right this minute,” Tazreel commands, fuming.
“I don’t answer to you!” I yell at him, fed up with all this bossy bullshit.
My real dad never treated me as shitty as Tazreel has in the last… I try to recall how long I’ve been here, but I can’t. Well, it hasn’t been longer than the nineteen years I spent with my human parents, who never snapped at me like this, and they had to deal with me during my hormonal teenage years.
“Delta...” Iceman admonishes quietly.
I shoot my blue demon a look over my shoulder that tells him