The being immortal thing was very new. My mind and body hadn't gotten a chance to catch up to the fact that nothing needed to scare me anymore.
My adrenaline tripped into overdrive as I whipped in the direction of the sound, finding a gorgeous blonde woman in black jeans and a camel-colored lightweight sweater making her way out of the woods.
She was vaguely familiar, but I was having a hard time placing her.
Sensing she wasn't alone, her gaze shot over as she slowed to a stop.
Then she pinned me with a look that made me feel stripped bare.
"What the fuck is it with you girls?" she asked, throwing a hand up. "They're evil, you know," she added, waving a frustrated hand at Drex.
"Dale, come back and..." Minos called, grinding to a stop, realizing they weren't alone.
A little too late, though.
Because his wings were still out.
And the one that was closer to Dale seemed to be stretching wider, trying to touch her, get nearer to her.
"Oh," I said with a hiss. "Oh!" I repeated, eyes going wide as I looked between the two of them.
"Ugh," Dale snapped. "There's no reasoning with any of you," she declared, yanking away from Minos, then taking off at a dead run.
She left destruction in her wake.
Minos seemed barely able to hold himself together.
His previously outstretched wings moved in close at his back, flattened against his body, dejected, rejected.
"Oh, Minos," I said, a slight ache in my heart for him.
"Fuck," Drex said, a hint of sympathy in his voice.
"Don't feel sorry for me," Minos demanded, jaw tight.
"You look heartbroken," I said, unable to stop feeling sorry for him.
"Why the fuck do you bother if she leaves?" Drex asked at almost the same time.
"Because when she's here, it's the only fucking time I know anything even resembling happiness," Minos said, shaking his head, and walking off.
"You said it hurts, right? When the one you Claim rejects you?" I asked.
"From the stories Ace tells—and that look on Minos's face—it's excruciating. Barely tolerable."
"Why would she reject him?" I asked, angry for him, even if he didn't want to be for himself.
"That's Dale," Drex explained. "She's a demonslayer."
"A...what?" I snapped, shock like a kick to the gut. "There are people out there who hunt you down?"
"Well, not us specifically. They can't kill us. But other demons like the vamps and shit.Though there are some whispers I've heard about them capturing demons like us to imprison. But, yeah, the world has scales. It likes to make sure the evil side doesn't tip too heavy. So there are demonslayers."
"Minos Claimed a demonslayer," I said, understanding the impossibility of their situation.
"Yeah."
"But... but she seems to hate all of you."
"Yep."
"Then why was she here with Minos?" I asked.
"Best guess? To fuck."
"But why?"
"In their own way, demonslayers aren't entirely human either. They are fast and strong as fuck. My best guess is she can't fuck a human without seriously hurting him. But she can't hurt Minos."
"Not physically," I clarified, feeling my lower lip pout out for him.
"This is a downer of a conversation," Drex said. "And if I recall correctly, we just did an important ceremony. We're supposed to be happy. And fucking. Happily fucking, preferably," he added, smirk devilish.
He was right.
There would be a time for Minos and Dale.
But right now, this was about Drex and me.
And the future we were building—and this was my new favorite word—forever.
Also by Jessica Gadziala
If you liked this book, check out these other series and titles in the NAVESINK BANK UNIVERSE:
The Henchmen MC
Reign
Cash
Wolf
Repo
Duke
Renny
Lazarus
Pagan
Cyrus
Edison
Reeve
Sugar
The Fall of V
Adler
Roderick
Virgin
Roan
Camden
West
Colson
Henchmen MC Next Gen
Niro
Malcolm
The Savages
Monster
Killer
Savior
Mallick Brothers
For A Good Time, Call
Shane
Ryan
Mark
Eli
Charlie & Helen: Back to the Beginning
Investigators
367 Days
14 Weeks
4 Months
Dark
Dark Mysteries
Dark Secrets
Dark Horse
Professionals
The Fixer
The Ghost
The Messenger
The General
The Babysitter
The Middle Man
The Negotiator
The Client
The Cleaner
Rivers Brothers
Lift You Up
Lock You Down
Pull You In
Grassi Family
The Woman at the Docks
The Women in the Scope
Golden Glades Henchmen MC
Huck
Che
STANDALONES WITHIN NAVESINK BANK:
Vigilante
Grudge Match
NAVESINK BANK LEGACY SERIES:
The Rise of Ferryn
Counterfeit Love
OTHER SERIES AND STANDALONES:
Stars Landing
What The Heart Needs
What The Heart Wants
What The Heart Finds
What The Heart Knows
The Stars Landing Deviant
What The Heart Learns
Surrogate
The Sex Surrogate
Dr. Chase Hudson
The Green Series
Into the Green
Escape from the Green
Seven Sins MC
The Sacrifice
The Healer
The Thrall
Costa Family
The Woman in the Trunk
The Woman in the Back Room
DEBT
Dissent
Stuffed: A Thanksgiving Romance
Unwrapped
Peace, Love, & Macarons
A Navesink Bank Christmas
Don't Come
Fix It Up
N.Y.E.
faire l'amour
Revenge
There Better Be Pie
About the Author
Jessica Gadziala is a full-time writer, parrot enthusiast, and coffee drinker who has an unhealthy obsession with acquiring houseplants. She enjoys short rides to the book store, sad songs, and cold weather. She lives in New Jersey with her parrots, dogs, bunnies, and a whole flock of chickens.
She is very active on Goodreads, Facebook, as well as her personal groups on those sites. Join in. She's friendly.