Stay strong. Quution straightened as much as he dared around Xera. Xan faced him, hands on her hips, eyes flashing. She was gorgeous, and vexed with him.

“How do you think you’re going to keep me from staying with my own sister?” she demanded.

“Hear me out,” he pleaded.

“I’ve heard enough.”

“Either I stay here with you, or you stay with me next door.” Though he was afraid Xera would leave, claiming to look for Xoda.

“Then sit your ass down. I’m not leaving my sister.” She turned her back to go to her sister.

Xera sat on a boulder in the middle of the room. They hadn’t gone back to his place, or to the library, but found an empty chamber that smelled only of brimstone and dirt. Other beings had left this area alone. He often speculated on the boundaries of the realm. None of his kind had cared to map it, not that they lived long enough to do so. It seemed endless, yet if demons overpopulated it, he had no doubt they would run into each other until fighting and murders culled the herd.

Xan squatted by Xera, who sat more like the Queen of the Nile than a battered abductee. He adjusted his shoulders, that ever-present fidgetiness growing worse. It was Xera. Had to be.

“Are you hungry?” Xan asked her. “When was the last time you ate?”

If she could scare underworld bugs straight to her, she couldn’t be that famished. But Xan acted as if she was skin and bones instead of hale and glowing.

Xera looked away in a move that should’ve come off as fragile, but to Quution it was all artifice. “Spaeth scared off all the food, or by the time they got to me, they were mutated from his radiation.”

Xan’s energy pulsed over him. Since they’d slept together, he’d become more attuned to her. He could even tell when she was using her ability.

Xera, though… She was outwardly steady, but her energy was not. Was it from suppressed emotion, or was she using her power?

He chose a rock lining the wall and settled on it. Over the next few hours, Xera sent him a glowering look every once in a while, usually when Xan wasn’t looking.

Night was approaching, but he could do one full night without sleep. The lack of shut-eye wouldn’t diminish his strength too terribly.

His decision was made. He’d watch over Xan and Xera, and depending on what tomorrow brought, he’d have to call in Stryke for help. And for food. He could go longer without food than sleep, and he’d gladly suffer from lack of shut-eye than eat a stinky bug.

Scratches began behind the walls. The females’ dinner. He did his own version of meditating while the sisters conversed over their shared meal. Xera eyed him furtively but didn’t ask Xan for more dirt on him.

Flaring his energy out, he passed the time like he’d learned to alone in his cell after his mother had died, when he’d read all the books and run out of surface area for his own chicken scratch.

He’d practiced tuning in to the human realm, sifting through energy patterns of vulnerable humans. When he’d come across a source so solid it was uncompromising, he’d studied it. A marvel, a puzzle he’d never been able to work out, but he’d set to weaving his own patterns like theirs. His own armor.

Xan would probably walk right through. Why was that? Demons mated, but they didn’t have fated mates. The matings only lasted as long as they were both alive. If one died, the other could mate again. Their rules were much more flexible than those of the vampires, and yet still longer term than human couplings.

He couldn’t deny that Xan was no longer the pest of a demon he’d first thought her to be. She’d taken root in the middle of his thoughts. Her upset over warding the underworld made his resolve waver, but it’d keep her safe too—whether she ever forgave him for it or not.

Xera finally drifted off to sleep in the coziest corner of the chamber. Xan could curl up next to her but Xera had never been the touchy-feely type of female. Xoda loved to cuddle.

Memories of her niece had returned in full force. The girl’s laughter rang through her head almost every minute, only diminishing when Xera succumbed to sleep.

Poor Xera. Her ribs poked through her skin, her face gaunt. She’d been starved and abused, and she’d lived in constant terror. At least Xan had been able to give her a solid meal.

Xan slipped away, but when she turned around, the only place that would make a decent bed was next to Quution.

She eyed him warily. His presence made it hard for Xera to trust her. She was the only demon Xera could rely on and he was coming between them.

Choosing the rock in the middle of the room that Xera had first sat on, Xan lifted her brow at Quution.

“What do you think?” he asked softly, but his voice still boomed through the room.

She pursed her lips and abandoned her seat. Xera needed safe, uninterrupted rest. Crossing toward Quution, she sank on the floor next to him, but a few feet away.

“I think she’s traumatized.”

He stared at her, his face unreadable. “Indeed.”

The slight patronizing lilt to the word irked her. “Do you think Spaeth was nice? I mean, look at her.”

Quution did, then brought his gaze back. “What do you see?”

Xan thrust her hand out and pulled back her shout at the last minute. “Skin and bones. Xera used to be so healthy she glowed.”

“She does not have the light purple lines you do.”

Xan scowled at him. “We have different sires. I’m so scared for Xoda.”

“Mm.”

That sound! “You stole that from me.”

“It’s rather functional. Xan—” He closed his mouth like he’d changed his mind, but then determination filled his eyes. “Do you think it’s possible Xera is lying?”

Xan jumped up. “What?”

Xera shifted but remained asleep. Xan pressed her lips together and sat back down.

“I don’t see skin and bones.” Quution spoke only loud enough for her to hear. “I see a healthy, pampered female.”

“We heal quickly.”

“Yes, but it’s more than her appearance. She doesn’t hunch her shoulders. There’s no cowering. She can’t stand me and she’s rude to you. I don’t feel that we saved her, but interrupted her.”

Xan was shaking her head before she could even process what Quution was saying.

No, no, no. Her sister was not a liar.

“And Xoda—”

Xan went still, her narrowed gaze on Quution. What line of bullshit would come out of his mouth next?

“—how old is she again?”

“What does it matter? She’s a kid.”

“I can’t sense her energy patterns.”

“Can you sense Spaeth’s?”

Quution tipped his head. “And I could find him if I needed to.”

“Well, you’ve never met Xoda.”

“I’d never met Xera but I found her.” He twisted to sit facing her. “Xan, demons hide their young well to keep them safe, but there’s no hiding from my ability. Xoda’s energy should stand out. I don’t feel an energy pattern consistent with a child of your kind. I’d expect her energy to be similar to yours and your sister’s, but I only sense…you and your sister.”

She leaned forward. They were still a few feet apart but close enough to see the earnestness in his features. “Then she’s probably farther away. Spaeth might’ve actually thought outside the box.”

“Xan!” Xera cried out.

Xan clambered to Xera’s side.

“Lie with me,” her sister mumbled.

No doubt Quution would point out how Xera’s timing was impeccable if given the chance, but it was probably the discussion with Quution that had woken her. And Quution’s male voice that had scared her.

“Of course.” Xan stretched out beside her to form a barrier against the male behind her. He was trying to get between them, trying to turn her against her only living family member.

She’d have to make sure Quution didn’t succeed.