“But I’m hungry now.”

At Lily’s whine, Alek stifled a grin and ushered her to the front door. “It’s just a few minutes. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

Halfway across the living room, she made an attempt to lunge toward the kitchen, so he caught her around the waist and dragged her farther.

She flailed in the direction of the fridge. “But there’s actual, real food in there right now. I can’t wait a few minutes.”

“Yes, you can.” He patted her butt and kept hauling her outside.

“Grant!” she cried with an air of overdramatization which caused carefree amusement to bubble up inside him. “You need to get a message to my people. I’m being kidnapped and denied food. Be a good boy and run for help!”

Alek threw a glance over his shoulder to see Grant curled up on his blanket, eyes closed, his tail lifting and flagging down once in response to Lily’s plea.

“Traitor,” muttered Lily.

His heart light with laughter, Alek pulled her outside, locked the door, and led her down the sidewalk. “It’s just two blocks.”

The horizon was ablaze with the last brushes of the fiery sunset under the already darkened sky as they walked the short distance through his neighborhood. When he ascended the steps to a small two-story home, Lily followed him with a huge frown on her face.

“I thought you said we were going to eat at the place with the best food in town.”

He shot her a grin and opened the front door. “This has the best food in town.”

“But it’s not a restaurant.”

He saluted her as he held the door open. “Captain Obvious.”

Her narrowed eyes promised retribution as she walked past him into a lovely but cluttered living room.

He had barely closed the door behind him when loud shrieks filled the room.

“Uncle Sasha!”

Two little demon missiles hit him straight on, one half his size, the other even smaller. Uttering an oomph at the impact for the benefit of his nephews, he doubled over and hugged both boys.

“Hey there, buddies.” He ruffled first Jordan’s, then Lucas’s blond hair. “How are you doing?”

Jordan, the ten-year-old, his eyes the rich, dark brown of his mother’s, started telling him in rapid-fire speed about everything he’d done since Alek saw him last week, while five-year-old Lucas kept tugging on Alek’s pants leg. When Jordan paused his machine-gun account for a moment to inhale, Alek hunched down to Lucas’s level and nodded at him.

“What about you?”

The kid’s eyes—silver striated with gold—lit up. “I ate a worm.”

“Is that right? How’d it taste?”

“Yucky.” Lucas’s face scrunched up in the most adorable way.

“But you ate another one right after,” Jordan pointed out.

“To check if it’s yucky, too.” Lucas threw up his hands in a gesture that made Alek want to hug the little guy and never let go.

“Ever so inquisitive, that one.” Dima came down the stairs into the living room, his 1.5-year old daughter Chloe on his hip and an indulgent look on his face. A face that was the mirror image of Alek’s, his eyes the exact same shade of gold-rimmed silver.

“Did you give them sugar again?” Alek asked by way of greeting his twin, both Lucas and Jordan now dangling from Alek’s arms, babbling about worms and bugs and tastes.

“If I had,” Dima said, “you’d know it.”

“They’d be hanging from the ceiling speaking in tongues?”

“Exactly.”

“And it’s a pain in the butt getting them down again.” Coming from Tori, Dima’s mate, who shuffled in from the kitchen at that moment, wiping her hands on a dish towel, heat from the cooking brushing color over her fair skin.

“Hey, Tori.” Alek bent to give her a kiss on the cheek.

The female pranagraha, currently six months pregnant, her blond hair done up in a haphazard ponytail, smiled and turned to Lily with a curious glint in her dark eyes. “You must be Lily. I’m Tori, and this is my mate, Dima.”

Lily accepted Tori’s hug with shocked stiffness, looking just a little overrun by the whole situation. Alek cringed. Maybe he should have warned her after all.

When Lily turned to Dima and held out her hand to him, he pulled her into a one-armed hug as well, still holding Chloe on his other arm. “No need to be formal here,” he said as he patted her on the back. “After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time here, bringing your kids over so they can play with their cousins—”

“Tikho.” Alek smacked his twin on the back of his head, careful not to touch Chloe in the process, whom he then plucked away from Dima.

Dima stepped back and held his palms up. “What? I’m just making conversation.”

“Lily’s a friend,” Alek said through gritted teeth, glaring daggers at his brother, willing him to remember their earlier phone conversation when he told Dima about Lily. Not just about her transformation, but also how skittish she was, and his plan to court her without her noticing he was courting her. The last thing he needed was for Dima to drag up the mating issue in front of Lily. And right off the bat, to boot.

He’d figured it was a good idea to bring Lily along to meet his twin and family, drawing her in further by showing her the example of a happy pranagraha mating. He’d hoped it might help erode some of her commitment issues, give her a glimpse of what she and Alek could have together.

Seeing the glint of mischief in his brother’s eyes, he was beginning to doubt the soundness of that decision.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Lily,” Tori said, breaking Alek’s silent communication with his twin.

“Likewise.”

“How are you feeling?” Alek asked Tori, while bouncing a giggling Chloe.

“Starting to get the beached-whale feeling.” Tori patted the proud swell of her belly. “But other than that, I’m doing okay.”

“I think you look just fine, baby,” Dima said, curling his free arm around Tori’s waist, regarding her with unadulterated affection.

“You’re just saying that because we’ve got company.” Tori’s teasing smile belied her words.

“Yep.” Dima’s grin was wicked. “If we didn’t, I’d show you just how fine I think you look.”

“Ew, no kissing!” Jordan made retching sounds and ran off.

Lucas doubled the volume of his brother’s fake puking and took off after him. On Alek’s arm, Chloe made a noise mimicking the boys’ sounds, though it was little more than an adorable cough.

Alek smiled at his niece. “And how are you tonight, princess?”

As always in the first few minutes she saw him, Chloe looked at him with wide gold eyes full of wonder. She poked his nose and said, “Daddy.”

Inside his chest, his sturdy male heart didn’t stand a chance, and melted in the blink of an eye. “Close, solnishko, but not quite. I’m Uncle Sasha. I just look exactly like your daddy.”

They had this conversation every time he came over, and every time, Chloe would study him for a long moment, tilt her head, and then nod as if granting approval. “Sasa.”

A pang of longing echoed through him, growing stronger with each visit. He wanted this. Kids, a family, a home. And there was only one female he could imagine sharing it with. He glanced at Lily, who stood next to him, staring at Chloe with what could only be described as a transfixed expression.

“Would you like to hold her?”

Lily startled. “What? Me?” A spark of panic lit up her aura. “I’m not really sure that’s a good idea. I’m not the best at handling tiny people. You see, they’re so tiny. And breakable.”

“You’ll do fine,” he said, and held Chloe out to her.

Indigo eyes widening, Lily accepted the bundle of cute with stiff arms. Chloe immediately touched the parts of Lily’s tvaglakshana visible above the cut of her shirt’s neckline, brushing her little pudgy fingers over the swirling lines.

“Pwetty,” she cooed.

Lily’s aura flared with warmth.

Chloe looked up at Lily’s face then, mouth open and gaze filled with the kind of honest admiration unique to toddlers. She reached up and almost touched Lily’s eyes, if not for Lily’s last-second flinching back. “Pwetty,” she repeated.

A beautiful blush darkened the white of Lily’s cheeks, before she caught herself. “You’re quite the little charmer, missy.”

“Yeah, she gets that from her dad,” Tori said. “I need to get back to the stove, but I can take her off your hands if she bothers you.”

“O-okay.” Lily handed the toddler over to her mom with just a hint of hesitation.

“I’m gonna go check on the boys.” Dima glanced upstairs, a decidedly worried expression on his face. “It’s way too quiet up there.”

He sprinted up the stairs while Tori waddled back into the kitchen, leaving Alek and Lily alone in the living room.

The blush still rosy on her cheeks, she turned to him. “You brought me here, to your family.”

“Sure did.”

A shadow passed through the radiant blue of her eyes. “Aren’t you worried I’ll betray them to the other witches?”

* * *

“No.” Alek shook his head, the lines of his face relaxed. “I know you wouldn’t.”

She sucked in air, her hands trembling as much as her insides. “Such trust.”

Enough to bring her to the very heart of his life, to the one thing that meant everything to him. Even if he hadn’t explained to her the sigils of his demon tattoo that stood for his commitment to family, she’d have known the depth of his love for Dima, his mate, and their kids by the look in his eyes when he interacted with them, the strength of affection in his aura.

He’d brought her here, showed her this private, treasured part of his life, placing such implicit trust in her that she’d keep the knowledge of them safe.

And right there and then she vowed that she would.

She’d once betrayed information under duress, when Aunt Isabel interrogated her in the wake of Merle’s unsanctioned unleashing of Rhun. Never again would she surrender that way. The conviction of her commitment was an unflinching truth in her heart, that she’d rather suffer pain, have her body and mind broken, than break Alek’s trust.

She marveled at this new feeling that unfurled inside her, the desire to honor this male’s faith in her, to prove she was deserving of it. At the same time, she purposely ignored the small but growing part of her that craved that trust, that affection—wanted it always. A core of primal possessiveness, the deep-seated longing to have Alek continue looking at her with the kind of warmth that made cracks appear in the walls around her heart.

Right now, that warmth turned to heat as fire sparked in the silver-gold of his eyes, demon red and black taking over. The searing burn of his regard mirrored in the flare of his aura, he closed the distance between them until her breasts brushed his front, her nipples hardening at the promise of touch. His hands settled on her hips, pulled her to him as he lowered his head, bringing his lips so close to hers she wasn’t sure where her breath ended and his began.

A breeze of chilly night air blew in as the front door opened.

Alek sighed and turned, and Lily peeked around him to look at the visitor. A younger version of the male who ignited wickedly addictive desire in her stepped inside, shrugging out of his jacket. When his eyes—more gold than silver, as far as she could tell from the distance—met hers, he gasped, his energy pattern betraying his excitement.

“Hi,” the younger demon male said as he sidled closer, scooting around Alek and holding out his hand to her. “My name’s Yuri. And you are?”

“Mine,” Alek growled.

Lily snapped her head up to glare at Alek, the cave demon. She cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes.

To his credit, he recovered quickly. “My friend,” he corrected, though she’d never heard anyone say that word with quite such a proprietary undertone.

“Lily,” she said, shaking the hand of the very eager-looking young male.

“So you’re unmated?” He beamed at her, still holding onto her hand.

“Umm…” She furtively tried to tug her hand back, but he held fast, rubbing the sensitive patch between her thumb and forefinger.

“You’ve got the softest skin,” he said with a sigh.

It was so adorably cute, Lily didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d feel like a cradle-robber if she even considered dating someone his age.

She didn’t have to say anything, though, because the next moment Yuri was tucked into a headlock by a nicely muscled arm, which effectively broke the young male’s hold on Lily’s hand.

“As you might have guessed,” Alek said, flexing his arm to increase the pressure when Yuri struggled, “this is my youngest brother. Good kid, but going a bit overboard in his pursuit of females.” He waved his free hand. “He’s newly transitioned, you know.”

“I think he’s trying to say something.”

Alek peered down at his flailing brother and loosened his hold just enough for him to speak.

Yuri’s eyes met hers as he hauled in a coughing breath. “Mate…with…me?”

Alek sighed and reinforced his chokehold. “Quit that.” Smiling at Lily, he said, “Let’s go see if Tori needs our help.” And with that he walked toward the kitchen, dragging a thrashing Yuri along with him.

“Alek.” Lily tried hard not to laugh.

He stopped and turned, a picture of innocence, if it wasn’t for the cursing young male still choking under his arm. “What?”

“Will you let him go?” She grinned. “Please?”

He heaved a long-suffering sigh. “You’re too soft, you know that?”

Shaking his head, he released Yuri, but not without tripping him so the young male landed sprawled on his back. “No trying to mate with her,” he told him matter-of-factly, while he ushered Lily toward the kitchen.

She glanced behind her to make sure Yuri wasn’t comatose. He was very much awake and glaring at Alek’s back as if he wanted to tackle him, but when he caught Lily’s eye, his face lit up like a struck match and he mouthed, I love you.

What was it with these males and their eagerness to mate?

* * *

Lily hadn’t had this much fun at a family dinner in years.

Between the boys running around and winning tiny pieces of her heart…little Lucas bringing her pictures he’d drawn for her, his face showing a shy pride, and Jordan involving her in an ongoing discussion about all the things that made Harry Potter the best series ever…and the banter pinging back and forth between Alek and his brothers, she had the feeling the grin on her face could end up being permanent.

When Chloe, whose highchair sat next to Lily, kept handing her peas from her plate, her expression so earnest and stately as if she were granting Lily a royal honor, Lily’s heart simply melted into a puddle at her feet.

“All right,” she said to the tiny toddler, her voice quiet so she wouldn’t disturb the conversation of the others, “you’ve done it. I’m completely convinced of your irresistible charm and superior state of adorableness. You can lay off the cute now, okay?”

Chloe blinked and held out a pea.

“Oh, you,” she whispered, and graciously accepted the majestic offering.

“Lily,” Dima said, and she sat up straight, hoping no one had witnessed her abject submission to the Toddler Powers of Charm, “has Sasha told you yet how he came to be scared spitless of spiders?”

“Spitless!” Lucas shouted and made noises to demonstrate what having no saliva would sound like.

“Shh, sweetie.” Tori handed him another piece of cornbread. “Eat something.”

“He hasn’t,” Lily drawled, pivoting slowly in her seat to face a disturbed-looking Alek.

“Oh, you’re in for a treat.” Dima clapped his hands, silver-gold eyes glittering with mischief. “Sasha, why don’t you enlighten your future mate—uh, I mean friend. You tell the story so well.”

“I don’t know you,” Alek growled, pointing his fork at his twin. “Why are you talking to me?”

“Fork fight!” Jordan launched himself half over the table, brandishing his own fork and clinking it against his uncle’s.

“I wanna hear about the spiders,” Lucas piped up.

“Sorry, can’t,” Alek shot back, parrying Jordan’s fork attacks. “Busy fighting over here.”

Lily couldn’t keep her giggle in, and it spilled over, tumbled out, just like a feeling she’d been content to ignore slipped out of the cage she’d tried to cram it in. Her heart both soared and ached while she watched Alek chase his nephew around the table with a fork. This feeling…so bittersweet, so furtively consuming—so dangerous in its implication.

For if she allowed herself to follow it, would she lose herself on the way? This happy scene, this example of a loving family—it contrasted too starkly with memories of her own childhood, of how twisted love could become.

If she fell for Alek, if she gave in to the budding promise of a sweeping devotion, how could she know that it wouldn’t someday turn her eyes as dull as her mom’s, stifle her spirit like hers had been?

When you love someone, you make concessions. Her mom had said that to her, years and years ago, when Lily found her crying after another argument with her dad. He’s not bad, Hazel would say. He doesn’t mean it. Lily sat with her then, as she had so often before, and stroked her hair, feeling so helpless at her mom’s pain.

She’d only ever seen her mom like this, had never known she could be any different until her father died. The woman who raised her—meek, pleading, cowering—was a stranger compared to her mother now, the suffocation of years of abuse lifted to allow her spirit to reemerge.

Love, Aunt Isabel spat when they talked about her parents one spring day, the sunny afternoon a stark relief to the darkness of the past. She could have stopped him a thousand times over if she hadn’t been so stupid for him. That’s what love does to you, it makes a mockery of who you are. If you want to be smart, don’t ever get married, don’t ever depend on a man. Isabel yanked a weed out of the earth. You’ll be happier, I promise.

She’d never realized how much her aunt’s words had steered her course in life—well, she’d never before stumbled upon a male who challenged those deeply ingrained beliefs. Considering how Aunt Isabel had ended up butchering the sanctity of the witch community’s laws, had kidnapped Maeve and tortured her to gain access to her powers for the insane vision of wiping out all demons, maybe those lessons Lily had soaked up from her aunt didn’t represent the truth Lily had believed them to be all those years?

“Are you okay?”

The soft question pulled her out of her swirling thoughts, and she blinked at Tori. The female pranagraha leaned closer to her from her seat next to Chloe’s highchair, concern in her brown eyes.

“Uh, yeah.” She cleared her throat, accepted another pea from Chloe. “Thanks. So, um, you and Dima, you’ve been mated for ten years?”

A radiant smile broke across Tori’s face, and Lily could have sworn the room lit up as well. “Yes. Can’t believe it’s a decade already. Time flies by so fast.”

And hasn’t dulled your shine, Lily thought. While she watched Tori interact with her mate, with their kids, her aunt’s words rang in her mind, only they had lost a little of their edge, and a lot of their glamor.

Love, as she’d witnessed tonight, didn’t always rob a person of all will to fend for themselves. Sometimes, it turned up a person’s light until it became a beacon of hope.