Looking out of the floor-to-ceiling window of the penthouse that gave her an incredible view of the Underground, Harper bit her lip. “They really didn’t have to do all this.”
Knox came up behind her and rested his hands on her stomach as he nuzzled her neck. “The lair’s excited for us. They want to show their support.”
“Well, they’ve certainly showed it.” There were balloons, streamers, and congratulations banners everywhere. The Underground was packed. The sidewalks were crowded with pedestrians that stood shoulder to shoulder behind the ropes. Some balanced children on their shoulders while others encouraged their kids to sit on the curb. A few groups of juveniles had climbed onto the rooftops of the stores, where they could get a better view.
Harper could easily see Raini, Devon, Khloë, and Jolene standing at the front of the line not far from the studio, eating burgers. Martina, Beck, and Ciaran stood behind them, munching on hotdogs. In fact, most of the crowd was eating vender food. The street sweepers were gonna be busy later.
Knox gently turned Harper to face him. “You look beautiful. Raini chose well.” He thought the silky, ice-blue dress suited Harper perfectly. “I like that you have your hair down.” He loved her hair; loved sifting his fingers through it and feeling it brush over his skin. “And I like that you’re wearing the new earrings I bought you.” He tapped one of the dangly diamonds.
“They’re pretty. Thank you.” Harper skimmed her fingers along his smooth jaw, breathing him in. Beneath the scent of his heavenly cologne were the smells of wood wax, fragrant oils, and clean linen. “It’s not fair that you can look so mouth-wateringly hot so effortlessly.” No hair gel, no fake tan, no cosmetic products of any kind other than cologne – he’d basically just put on one of his tailored suits, briefly combed his hair, slipped on his gleaming shoes, and – bam – he was ready and edible.
Knox’s lips curled. “Mouth-wateringly hot? I like that.”
“Yeah? I only speak the truth.” Really, he was out of her league, but Harper wasn’t going to dwell on that. If he said that she was what he wanted, who was she to argue? Still, it would take time for her to get used to his way of life – to all the attention, luxuries, and social power.
Before Knox, she’d never experienced the kind of decadence that he surrounded himself with. The penthouse they stood in was a perfect example. Like the mansion, it was the height of luxury with high ceilings, a marble floor, beautiful paintings, and custom furniture that fit Knox’s elegant, masculine style. It didn’t just have the usual amenities. No, it also had an office, a gym, and a sauna.
Feeling a particularly sharp kick to the hand he’d rested on the side of her stomach, Knox said, “I can’t work out whether that was a greeting or the baby just doesn’t like the pressure of my hand.” In any case, his demon found it amusing.
“Nah, I think the kid is just trying to kick its way out.”
Knox gently massaged her stomach. “It’s amazing to think that in just five weeks, we’ll be able to hold it.” It was a scary yet exhilarating thought, and he was looking forward to it. He was also anxious. He’d heard so many stories of demon births going wrong and he hated the thought of her in pain. Still, he’d never let her see that anxiety – that wasn’t what she needed from him. “The time has flown by so fast.”
“It has, which is surprising because I expected to feel as if the whole time dragged. You know, I’m also kind of surprised that a being who’s as old and sexually active as you are doesn’t already have at least one kid.”
“I’ve always been extremely careful to use protection. I don’t think I could have trusted anyone other than you to carry and care for my child.” His demon certainly couldn’t have.
“Don’t be sweet. You’ll make me cry.”
He curled a hand around her chin. “Don’t cry. I hate seeing you cry, even when I know it’s just hormones at work.”
“Then get back to the current matter and distract me.”
“Okay. The parade itself won’t take long. We’ll do a quick lap of the Underground —”
“Tell me we’re not riding in a sparkly float,” she begged.
He chuckled. “Not a sparkly float. After we’ve finished the lap, we’ll go to the Ice Lounge and relax there for the rest of the celebration. I’ve no doubt that people will come talk to you, but at least you’ll be sitting comfortably and be well-guarded when they do.”
“Can Jolene, my family, and the girls meet us there?”
“Yes, I’ve already put them on the VIP guest list. They should already be in the VIP section by the time we get there.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. You’re mine. I’ll always give you what you need.” He felt the baby move again. This time, it was as if it rolled beneath his hand. “This little one sure is active tonight.”
“Like I said, it wants out.”
“In five weeks, it will get its wish.” He kissed her and spoke against her mouth, “Love you, baby.”
“And I love you.” Hearing a ping, Harper twisted to look at the private elevator that was a direct entrance into the suite. The doors slid open, revealing all four sentinels looking smart and alert.
“Everything’s in place,” Levi told them. “Time to go.”
“We’re ready.” Knox threaded his fingers through hers and led her through the spacious entryway and into the elevator. The sentinels backed against the four walls to make room, all giving them brief nods.
As the shiny metal doors closed behind them, Harper let out a breath. “Looking good, guys.” The sentinels each shot her an impatient glance. “Sorry, sorry, you’re concentrating on looking scary and unapproachable. Don’t worry; you’ve got that down.”
The elevator hummed as they descended. It came to a very smooth halt with a chime, and the doors then slid open once again. Without a word, two sentinels took the lead while the others took up the rear as they all walked through the reception area and out of the automatic doors.
Harper gave a low whistle at the sight she found. Many people were waiting, all dressed up in glitzy costumes. There were acrobats, cheerleaders, stilt walkers, dance troops, and baton and flag twirlers. Even better, there were a bunch of demons on Harley Davidsons. Harper was totally jealous that she couldn’t ride one of those… right up until she realized that Knox was leading her to a beautiful carriage that was pulled by two white, fine-boned horses.
“Wow,” she breathed. Harper inhaled. She loved the smell of horses – hay, wood chips, sunshine, dust, and a hint of leather.
Tanner opened the carriage door and held out his hand. “I’ll give you a boost, since you’re size-challenged.”
“Hey,” she playfully whined, allowing him to help her into the carriage. She wasn’t at all surprised by the lavish cream-leather interior; Knox always traveled in style.
Knox slid in beside her and arched a brow. “Well?”
“This is pretty awesome,” she told him. “I’ve never been in a horse-drawn carriage before.”
“Really? Good. I like to introduce you to new things.”
“Well, you massively succeeded.” She noticed that the four sentinels flanked the carriage; Levi and Larkin stood on the right while Tanner and Keenan stood on the left. “I’m guessing they’ll be guarding us the entire time.”
“You guessed correctly. I won’t ever take chances with your safety, Harper. The performers are part of our lair, but that doesn’t mean I trust them so close to you. Throughout the parade, some of the performers will precede us; the others will follow. That means that, essentially, we’re boxed in if there’s a threat, which is why the sentinels are here and members of the Force are on patrol.”
She wasn’t the least bit surprised by how tight his security measures were. “Then you’ve done all you can do. Let’s get this done.”
Knox nodded to someone, and then a voice came over the loudspeaker, announcing the beginning of the parade. A big applause rang through the Underground. Then everyone around them began to move.
Harper almost jumped as the marching band roared to life. The drumbeat seemed to vibrate in her chest as the carriage smoothly pulled onto the strip. There was hooting, whistling, shouting, and laughing. Some threw confetti while others threw candy, snapping pictures with their cell phones.
When the carriage neared the studio, Harper beamed as she caught sight of the girls and her family. Hooting and jumping, they waved like crazy people. Jolene did a very regal wave that made Harper’s demon smile.
As the performers and carriage continued down the strip, the members of the Force worked to keep the spectators behind the ropes and ensure that all the performers moved in a timely fashion. All the while, their eyes searched for potential threats.
She leaned into Knox. “Considering I’m nervous, the smells of popcorn, frying onions, and grilled meat shouldn’t be making me feel hungry.” Her words were almost drowned out by the shouting, the marching band, the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves, and the rumble of the Harley engines.
Knox brushed confetti out of her hair. “We’ll eat once this is over.”
Satisfied by that, Harper carried on waving as the parade went on. Her face actually hurt from fixing a smile on it as they passed what seemed like a never-ending row of bars, restaurants, stores, coffeehouses, hotels, and casinos. People waved from their hotel balconies, and some even dangled cotton “congratulations” banners. Harper waved back, which felt totally weird but it would have been rude not to.
With all the noise, the sparkly costumes, and the delicious scents of vender food, it was a sensory overload – her demon was impatient to get it over and done with. Harper suspected that she might collapse in relief when it was over.
She tried to make eye contact with the kids, amused by how excited they looked. One particular child caught her attention, because he wasn’t jumping or waving. Taking a closer look, she realized it was McCauley. He stared right at her, his eyes as blank as always. It gave her the chills, and she shivered.
Knox put his mouth to her ear. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just saw McCauley.”
“Elena must have brought him.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Shaking off her discomfort, Harper went back to waving and smiling at the crowd. It was a further half an hour before the parade was finally over, and she was so happy to be able to lower her aching hand and drop that Barbie smile.
At Knox’s request, the demon steering the horses dropped them off at the Ice Lounge. It was an upscale bar that Harper hadn’t actually been to before. When she entered, she could only gasp. It was like walking into a giant Alaskan cave, only the ice was completely synthetic and the temperature was warm.
The curved-back chairs were the same white leather as the swivel stools lining the bar, but it seemed that they were the only, well, normal furnishings. The dome bar, the tables, the glasses, the sculptures, and even the walls themselves were all made of artificial ice.
The ceiling shimmered with the colors of the Alaskan Northern Lights – it was seriously beautiful to watch. The colors reflected off the walls, making the ice seem tinted at times. Also, there was some kind of light inside each of the tables, making the fake-frosted cubes glow.
In sum… “This place is fucking awesome.” Even her demon was impressed.
“Glad you like it,” said Knox as he led her past the crowded tables to the VIP area, where leather sofas lined the walls. As he’d anticipated, Jolene, Beck, and Harper’s co-workers were already there, drinks in hand. They all rose, grinning.
Jolene pulled Harper into a one-armed hug. “Hello, sweetheart. Relieved it’s over?”
“So relieved I could cry with joy,” said Harper honestly.
Jolene cackled. “Knox, always a pleasure.”
He nodded. “Jolene, good to see you.” After everyone exchanged greetings, Knox guided Harper to the corner of the eternally long sofa, where she’d be surrounded and out of reach. The sentinels joined them in lounging around the VIP area, but they also watched the crowd closely with shrewd eyes.
Harper glanced around. “Where’s Martina and Ciaran?”
“Martina’s working the crowd,” replied Jolene. Translation: she was pickpocketing. “And Ciaran’s chatting up some girl at the bar.”
At that moment, the server appeared, took Knox and Harper’s orders, and then left.
Raini stirred her cocktail as she spoke to Harper. “God, it’s been super weird not seeing you every day.”
Devon nodded. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I genuinely didn’t expect to miss you this much.”
Harper snorted. “Thanks, I guess.”
Tanner grinned at Devon. “You’ve missed me too. Admit it.”
The hellcat sneered. “Or I could just punch you in the dick instead.”
“So you’ve been thinking about my dick, huh. Don’t worry; it thinks about you all the time.”
Devon turned to Harper, her hand gripping her highball glass tightly. “If you don’t end him, I will.”
Harper sighed tiredly. “Tanner, stop risking your life.” He ignored her, of course, and proceeded to sniff Devon’s hair.
“Come on, we need a picture,” Khloë announced. Keenan literally dashed out of the way, and the imp rolled her eyes. “Chill, Keenan, I just want one of us girls. Larkin, that includes you.”
The she-demons all grouped together and smiled while Khloë snapped a few photos. Raini and Devon then also did the same with their phones.
“I heard about the baby shower,” Larkin said to Khloë. “If Harper were talking about anyone but you, I’d have thought she was kidding when she said that you strapped diapers to your feet and tried skiing down Jolene’s hallway.”
Keenan shook his head in judgement. “She wasn’t kidding. I was there.” He’d been on bodyguard duty with Tanner.
Khloë glared at the incubus. “Don’t look at me like that. As you can see, I have a smartphone with a camera and I ain’t afraid to use it.”
The server neared them, holding the tray high as he weaved through the crowd. Finally reaching their table, he put two square coasters on the artificial ice table and then carefully placed down Harper’s water and Knox’s gin and tonic. Leaving the area, he almost bumped into Mila, who had a group of people with her that Harper didn’t recognize.
Levi only allowed Mila to pass, but the others didn’t appear to take offence.
“Knox, Harper, I just wanted to say congratulations in person.” Mila gave Harper a genuine but reserved smile. “It’s good to see that you’re well. And your hair looks so shiny and healthy.”
See, said Knox. Not everyone will have harsh things to say.
“My breasts went a lot bigger than yours when I was pregnant,” Mila continued. “There’s still time for yours to grow, though. But your backside does seem a little bigger, so at least there’s that.”
“Yeah, at least there’s that,” Harper said.
Told you this would happen.
Knox tactfully changed the subject and, before long, Mila and her guests were gone. Harper gave him a grateful smile. Over the next half hour, he had to do it several more times. It didn’t always work, however. Some people were totally undeterred, such as Raul’s girlfriend who rambled on and on about her friend’s pregnancy and then asked, “Can I touch your belly?”
“Depends if you’re willing to pay the fee,” said Harper, deadpan.
Her brow furrowed. “What?”
“Nothing.”
Raul covered his laugh with a cough. “It was great talking with you both. Hopefully we’ll do so again soon.”
Harper couldn’t bring herself to return the sentiment, which only seemed to amuse Raul more.
Devon shook her head in wonder once they’d left. “Some people can be so rude.”
Khloë snorted. “Says the person who keeps reaching out to stroke her baby bump.”
“Well, at least I pull my hand back.”
It was a good thing that she did, thought Harper, because her demon wouldn’t react well despite the fact that it trusted Devon to an extent. It was currently on edge and wanted to get out of the place, away from all the strangers around it. Soon, Harper assured it.
As the hours went on, more and more people approached to pass on their congratulations and ask after Harper’s welfare. Of course, they were also filled with questions – did she know the sex of the baby? Had they chosen any names? Wouldn’t it be funny if it turned out that Harper was carrying twins? No, actually, it wouldn’t be funny. Not at all.
Her demon tensed when Polly approached – it remembered her from the announcement, and it didn’t like how nosy she was.
Polly’s eyes widened. “Wow, your belly is big.”
Harper blinked. “This somehow surprises you?” Hello, pregnant.
“It’s just that you’re bigger each time I see you.”
Um, wasn’t that how it was supposed to work?
“You look as though you’re gonna burst any second now.”
What a stroke to the ego that was. “Well, don’t worry; the baby’s not quite ready to make its debut yet.”
“I’ll bet your sex drive has gone through the roof. My sister’s did.”
“Really?” Please stop talking, Harper barely refrained from adding. She sensed Knox’s amusement and wanted to smack him.
“Oh yes. You know, my Raymond said he’d always fantasized about having sex with a pregnant woman. We all have our fantasies, but some of Raymond’s do surprise me. Personally, I don’t understand what the attraction could possibly be in having sex with a pregnant woman, but…” She cut off, as if just realizing she could be offending Harper.
At this point, Khloë, Raini, and Devon – who were all absolutely shitfaced after hours of drinking shots – were practically folded over with silent laughter.
Taking a deep breath, Harper said, “Right, well, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve officially arrived at the end of this conversation.”
“Yes,” said Polly with a shaky laugh. “Before I go, let me give you a little advice…”
Oh God, please don’t, Harper wanted to say. Instead, she chugged down her water like it was tequila. As she listened to Polly talk about her son’s wide shoulders, the use of forceps, and a consequential cone head, she gripped Knox’s arm. As much as I love unsolicited advice, you need to make her to stop.
Knox massaged Harper’s nape as he expertly redirected the conversation by involving Jolene, who soon managed to guide Polly away. Okay, you were right, he relented. People do see baby bumps as a green light to say inappropriate things.
Harper nodded, taking a calming breath. It worked, but that calm quickly left her when she saw none other than Thatcher, Jonas, and Alethea approaching. The dolphin was smiling, but her eyes were hard. That wasn’t what caught Harper’s attention, though; it was how close she was to Thatcher – they invaded each other’s space in a very intimate way. I think Thatcher’s banging the dolphin.
Knox blinked. That sounded wrong on several levels.
Levi reluctantly allowed the three demons to pass, giving each of them a warning glare that they didn’t fail to miss. Apparently, though, Alethea chose to ignore hers, because she pointed at Harper’s stomach and said, “So, that’s what happened to my beach ball!” The others all sucked in a shocked breath.
Total. Fucking. Bitch. Harper just stared at her blankly. She wants me to hit her, doesn’t she? I totally get that now. Her demon snarled, wanting to rise and deliver a warning of its own. Harper barely managed to keep it from surfacing.
Knox rubbed her thigh soothingly, but he didn’t say a word to Alethea. He didn’t need to – his icy glare was enough to make her pale.
The girls slid forward on their seats, looking ready to pounce. Khloë even shoved up imaginary sleeves, as if readying herself to deliver a solid punch.
“Alethea,” Jonas reprimanded under his breath. He then shot both Knox and Harper a wide yet awkward smile. “I apologize for my sister’s behavior.”
“I’ve noticed you do that a lot,” clipped Jolene.
Jonas’ mouth tightened. “We’re here in peace. I came to see how Harper was doing.”
“I’m good, thanks,” said Harper.
“I’d imagine that you’re eager to see the end of the pregnancy,” hedged Thatcher, the shadow of a smile on his face. He seemed to be genuinely trying to make conversation.
Harper nodded. “It’s hard to cart the beach ball everywhere,” she said dryly, taking Alethea’s joke and making it her own. The others laughed and, as Harper had hoped, Alethea flushed in anger. Awesome.
“I don’t think your stomach’s actually that big,” said Raini. “Not for someone who only has five weeks left before the baby comes.”
Devon nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Knox lay his arm across Harper, resting a possessive hand on her thigh. The baby’s annoyed. Just a brief touch of its mind was enough for Knox to pick up a vibe of irritation.
I know, said Harper. I don’t know whether my emotions rub off on it or it just gets annoyed by me being annoyed.
Thatcher looked at Knox, his expression nostalgic. “Watching your child be born is an amazing thing. Becoming a father… it changes you. For some people, that’s a good thing. For others, it’s not. But I have a feeling it will affect you in a good way. You’re a man who has his priorities straight and takes care of what’s his.” He slid a meaningful look at Alethea and said to her, “There’s really only so many times your brother can save you. One day, you’ll push them too far. There’ll be no one who can help you.” He walked away.
Cheeks reddening, Jonas gave a courteous nod. “Enjoy your evening. Time to go, Alethea.”
“Thatcher’s right,” Knox told her before she had the chance to leave. “Your petty comments are designed to make Harper feel bad about herself. They don’t work, which is the only reason you breathe.” His eyes bled to black and his demon said, “If there ever comes a time when you do hurt her, there will be no one who can keep you safe from me.”
To Harper’s shock, Alethea’s own demon rose, but before it could say a single word, Jonas swiftly propelled it away. It was a few moments before Knox’s demon finally retreated.
“You okay?” Harper asked him.
“I should be asking you that. It was you who she tried to hurt.”
Jolene made a dismissive sound. “Ignore her. And ignore all this ‘advice’ you’ve been given – it’s just verbal junk mail. And to think that they’d risk upsetting a pregnant she-demon… there are lot of people who are simply, well, stupid. Don’t listen to any of the others either, sweetheart. Pregnancy is a personal, subjective experience. What people can forget is that everyone experiences it a little differently. It’s challenging and it can be scary, but it’s a gift and a privilege. Enjoy it.”
Harper smiled. “I will. Thanks, Grams.” Scooting to the edge of the sofa, she said, “Larkin, I gotta pee.” And the tension was broken.
The harpy chuckled. “Come on.”
Harper gave Knox a quick kiss and then allowed Larkin to help her stand.
“Ooh, I’ll come too.” Khloë rose. Swayed. Double-blinked. Larkin put a hand on the imp’s shoulder and sat her back down. Khloë didn’t even seem to notice.
“I’ll stay here,” slurred Raini. “You know I don’t like it when the room spins.”
Devon tossed back the rest of her Cosmo and stood. “I’ll go with you. I got your back.”
Harper didn’t bother pointing out that the hellcat could barely walk. It was an unspoken rule that none of them ever went to the restrooms alone. It wouldn’t matter to Devon that Larkin was coming along; Devon would feel the need to come too.
Larkin remained in front of Harper as they headed to the restrooms. There was no need to weave their way through the throngs of people – they easily moved aside at the “don’t fucking test me” expression on the sentinel’s pretty face.
Mere feet away from the door, Larkin came to a halt. “Motherfucker.”
“What is it?” Harper tracked her gaze. And winced. “Oh.”
“What?” asked Devon from behind.
“Carla’s heading to the restrooms, with one eye on Harper,” said Larkin. “Why this bitch seems to like waylaying you in restrooms, Harper, I don’t know.” Larkin pushed open the door for the ladies’ room and peeked inside. “Coast is clear. Go.”
Harper walked in, but Devon remained with Larkin.
“Go, Harper,” said the hellcat. “We got this.”
Larkin frowned at Devon. “I’m a sentinel, I will deal —”
“We got this.”
Harper sighed. “Whatever. Just keep Carla away from me.” Her demon would go ape-shit if the woman confronted Harper again.
Alone in the restrooms, Harper quickly did her business – all the while, Larkin and Devon argued with Carla outside. Their voices were muffled, thanks to the closed door and the loud music, so Harper couldn’t make out what was being said.
After washing her hands in the sink, she turned to grab some paper towels… and there was McCauley. She almost jumped out of her freaking skin. “Jesus, kid, what’s with the sneaking around?” Her demon stirred, anxious and ready to defend.
He blinked. “You need to run.”
Harper’s body went rigid. “Run?” It didn’t sound like a threat, but…
“She’s going to hurt you.”
All right, that was unexpected. And damn creepy when spoken in that toneless voice. She licked her lips. “Who?” But the boy just stared at her with those chillingly blank eyes. “I don’t understand, McCauley.”
“I didn’t kill them.”
Harper didn’t have to ask who he meant. “Was it your demon?”
He shook his head.
She frowned. “Do you know who did it?”
He nodded slowly.
God, trying to get info out of the kid was like trying to get blood out of a stone. “Who was it?”
“Linda.”
“Linda?” Harper found that she wasn’t quite so surprised by that answer. A part of her had always thought something was… off about the woman. Still, a whole lot of things were off about the kid laying accusations at Linda’s door, so Harper wasn’t totally convinced. “Why?”
“She wanted me to stay with her. And she hated Talia.”
The latter didn’t made sense. “Why did she hate Talia?”
“I don’t know.” He paused. “She kept calling me Sam. I told her that’s not my name, and she yelled at me.”
Wyatt’s voice came to Harper… Our son was stillborn. We called him Sam. But Harper also remembered the warning that Nora had delivered via Dario – when the time comes to kill the child, don’t hesitate.
Was the kid fucking with her head, gearing up to hurt her? Her gut said no, but Harper didn’t know what to think or believe. Her demon was too wound up to think straight and help her work it out.
“I didn’t like it in her house,” he told her. “My demon said we weren’t safe there.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“I don’t know you.”
It was a simple yet very adult answer, Harper thought, as she inclined her head. Nobody with trust issues asked for help from perfect strangers. And a child who’d found out his whole life had been a lie and whose human mother tried to kill him would definitely have trust issues.
“Linda says you’re bad,” McCauley added. “But my demon thinks you’ll protect me from her if I warn you.”
“Why would Linda think I was bad?”
“She said you killed someone she loved.”
All right, that made no sense to Harper. Unless, of course, Linda had some affection for Roan, which didn’t seem likely. “Where’s Linda now?”
“I don’t know, but she wants to hurt you.”
Harper opened her mouth to ask just why he wanted protection from Linda, but then a new voice joined the others outside the door. It was familiar, yet too muffled for Harper to place it. “Hide,” she hissed.
McCauley dashed into one of the stalls and closed the door behind him. His little feet disappeared, and she figured he was standing on the toilet. She wondered if he’d been there when she’d first entered the restrooms.
The door creaked open, but it wasn’t Linda who walked in. It was Nora.
Harper relaxed. “Hey, Nora. How are you?”
“Good, good.” She gestured to the door with a huff. “Carla’s up to her old tricks again. The sentinel and your friend are taking care of it. Look at you. You’re glowing.”
Harper grabbed some paper towels and dried off her hands. “Aw, thanks.”
Nora came close. “Pregnancy’s an exciting yet frightening time, isn’t it?”
“Definitely.”
“But you look happy.”
Harper nodded, a smile spreading across her face. “I am. I really —” She flinched as a zap of energy shuddered up her arm.
Nora raised her hand in apology. “Good ole static electricity.”
Oddly uneasy, Harper said, “Well, it was good speaking to you, but I have to go.” She also needed for Nora to go inside one of the stalls so that McCauley could sneak out with Harper.
“Give the sentinel and your friend a chance to scare Carla away first,” Nora advised.
“Doesn’t sound as if they’re having much luck with that.”
“They’re toying with her – mocking her and giving her a lecture on her failure as a mother and as a person in general.”
Harper chuckled, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t find that funny.” She figured she also shouldn’t feel so tired all of a sudden, but a wave of fatigue hit her hard. “Damn, I should have headed home earlier.”
“Yes, you should have. But I’m glad that you didn’t. That would have made things much harder.”
Harper frowned. Nora’s voice sounded tinny and far away. Her sight began to blur and everything seemed hazy, but she felt calm. Totally serene. Her demon felt just as peaceful.
A breeze built behind her, and Harper turned, morbidly fascinated by the swirling circle of red and black smoke that had come out of absolutely fucking nowhere. A portal, she realized. “What the —”
A hand grabbed her arm and shoved her into the smoke.