Xedrix stood with his hands on his hips. "Why you here, Bear?"
"The Daimons want Sam. I don't know why--"
"Duh." Xedrix gestured at her. "She's their mortal enemy. Of course they want her. In pieces, I'm sure."
Dev shook his head. "That's just it. They don't want her dead. They've tried twice now to kidnap--"
"You both realize that I'm right here and I don't need either of you talking about me like I'm mentally defective, right? I can speak for myself."
At least Dev had the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry, Sam. We know. I'm just trying to get Xedrix on our side." He looked back at the demon. "They want her alive. Do you have any idea why?"
"'Cause she'd be tastier that way?"
Sam ignored the demon and scowled at Dev. "Why are you asking him that? He's not a Daimon."
Dev gave her a droll stare. "He used to live with Stryker and serve Stryker's mistress in hell so he might have some indication why they're after you."
Xedrix made a rude sound. "They're not exactly my favorite people and I have no idea why they'd be after her. Bad luck?"
"Xed..."
"Don't growl at me, Bear. It's early and I haven't eaten yet." He passed a pointed look at both of them as if sizing them for his pot.
Dev let out a deep sigh. "What ever they want her for, you have to figure it's not good. For any of us. I need someplace safe to keep her until night."
Xedrix pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "The door's that way."
"Show her to a guest room."
Xedrix flashed his fangs at the soft, gentle voice.
Sam looked past him to see a tiny, ethereal woman. Her features were pale and absolutely stunning. Her blond hair seemed to glow and her eyes...white and vibrant, they were truly eerie.
Xedrix didn't appear all that happy to see her either. "Kerryna...you should still be asleep."
She approached him slowly and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before she rose on her tiptoes to lovingly kiss his cheek. "My fierce protector. Don't worry. I'm fine." She held her hand out to Sam. "I'm Xedrix's mate, Kerryna."
"Sam." She looked down at Kerryna's peace offering and cringed. Even though her powers were down, she still didn't want to chance pulling something out of the demon's past. "Sorry I can't touch you. Not to be offensive. My powers won't allow that."
Kerryna dropped her arm. "Understood and no offense taken."
Xedrix pulled Kerryna's hand in his and held it against his heart as he glared at Sam and Dev. "You bring war to my family and I will eat both your hearts...without sauce."
The way he said that, Sam had a feeling it meant something.
Dev inclined his head to Xedrix. "Got it."
Sam hesitated as she had a memory flash in her mind from the night Dev's parents had died. It was brief, gone in an instant, but clear. She frowned at Xedrix. "You fought with us when the wolves attacked Sanctuary. But you were human then." Which was why she hadn't recognized him. His features had been similar, but the differences without the marbled blue skin were marked.
In one heartbeat, Xedrix turned from a demon into a handsome human with black hair and no wings that she remembered from the battle. "Not human. I just looked like one. Kind of hard to walk around the streets in my real form. Halloween notwithstanding. It tends to freak out the humans and I don't want to deal with their crap."
"Unless you barbecue them," Ceres called down from the ceiling. "Then humans are quite tasty."
Xedrix looked up at him. "So are Charontes who don't mind their own business."
Ceres covered himself completely with his wings.
Xedrix returned his attention to Sam and Dev. "And if I kill the humans, I violate the treaty that allows us to stay here and we all get sent back to Daimon hell to serve the biggest bitch-goddess you ever met." He started for the stairs that were set off in the far corner of the bar. "Now follow me."