Eriq approached the parlor. He’d picked up on the raised voices all the way from the Red Room. He’d teleported inside only to find Sofia gone.
She’d left to deal with Andrei on her own and it didn’t sit well with him. She was strong and independent, but there was no need to go this alone. She had Eriq now.
The sliding doors were open. Andrei was standing, arms crossed, already in a defensive position. Amelia sat on the couch beside Sofia.
Eriq closed the doors behind him and stood in front of them, blocking the exit. He knew it would appear threatening. But he would not allow Andrei in any direction other than the front door on his way out.
Eriq stared at Andrei, whose focus was solely on his daughter.
“I should have known this is the sort of place you’d run off to,” Andrei spat.
“I’ll remind you to watch your words, Andrei,” Amelia’s smooth voice whipped with her power, reminding him she could easily take control of his will.
“This is, after all, where I work, and Eriq here is partial owner.”
Andrei slowly shook his head, biting his tongue.
“Why are you here, Father? Other than to insult me?” Sofia lifted her chin defiantly.
“I came to retrieve my daughter, who does not belong here.”
Sofia gave a humorless laugh. “You kicked me out. Or did you forget? I don’t belong with you. I don’t belong here. So, tell me, where do I belong?”
“You belong with your daemon family. I will allow you to return if you agree to my rules.”
“No.”
Andrei balked at the vehemence in her tone. Never had Sofia spoken to him thus. It was unacceptable, and he would not tolerate it.
His daemon eyes bled black and he took a menacing step towards Sofia. She swiftly stood and stepped to the side, fearing for her safety.
Eriq had him pinned by the throat against the wall before Andrei could get any closer.
“Let go,” Andrei snarled.
“Not happening.”
Andrei began to struggle and Eriq lifted his opposite hand, planting it flat across his prey’s chest. Slowly, he pinched his thumb and middle finger together, gently pulling his hand away.
Sofia watched as Eriq pulled gold threads of light free from within her father. Dear gods. He was extracting his soul.
Daemons couldn’t be killed, but they would suffer greatly without a soul, becoming shells of their former selves, weak, almost powerless.
No beings other than the Original gods had such a power. It wasn’t allowed. Soul-taking was considered dangerous, and the ultimate sin committed against other immortals. Eriq was risking much by demonstrating this ability.
Horrified, Andrei’s body stilled once he realized what Eriq was doing. It shouldn’t be possible. Soul-takers were abominations, sent off-realm for their crimes.
“Until you can treat Sofia with the respect she deserves, you will not come anywhere near her. You will not contact her. You will not speak ill of her. If I believe you have caused any further suffering for that beautiful creature, I will hunt you down and tear your soul from your body. Then I’ll drop it in the underworld, someplace where you’ll never find it. Do you understand?”
Eriq’s voice was calm and even. His control was his strong suit. It was the only reason Andrei’s soul was still attached to his corporal form.
Andrei nodded and Eriq pushed the threads towards the daemon. Once his soul was secured, Eriq stepped backwards, closer to Sofia, just in case.
Andrei’s black eyes returned to their normal dark blue. With one final glare at Sofia, he disappeared.
Eriq took two strides towards Sofia and she backed away, her limbs trembling. Fuck. She was afraid of him.
No one other than Amelia and his family knew he could separate a soul from a body. It was one of the few things immortals feared.
“Amelia, would you excuse us, please?” he asked.
Amelia looked at Eriq with sympathy. She had a suspicion Sofia’s response wasn’t one of fear. They had things to work out.
Knowing her young ward would come to no harm with Eriq, she left the parlor.
“I don’t think I should stay here,” Sofia’s voice wavered, pained by her admission. She wanted to stay, she just didn’t think her heart could take it when he left her bed for another’s.
“You’re afraid of me now.”
“No.”
Ignoring her response, he said, “You have to know I’d never injure you or your soul. Tell me you know that.”
“I don’t believe you would ever physically harm me or my soul.”
Eriq cocked his head. She’d emphasized the word “physically.” Did Sofia think he would cause her emotional damage?
He stalked forward. His Kitten had nowhere to retreat, her back was up against the wall.
Eriq reached for her, intending to grasp her nape, but she slapped his hand away.
“Don’t,” she pleaded. “Please don’t touch me.”
“Why in the hell not?” he barked.
“I can smell them. On your hand, I can smell both females.”
His brain stutter-stepped. He scented his hand. Faint traces of the new hires were present—but only because they shook hands in greeting.
Eriq hadn’t laid a finger on either of them. So, what in the hell was the problem?
The answer came quickly.
Sofia was jealous. His little she-daemon thought he’d been handing out sex lessons this morning. It might be twisted, but he liked her reaction. He liked it a lot.
“You’re jealous,” he smirked, inching closer.
A blast of anger shot through her body. Was he laughing at her?
“You think this is funny?” she snapped.
“No. But I think I like it,” he breathed close, placing his hands on either side of her head, caging her in.
She shook her head, confused.
“Kitten, do you really believe I wanted to fuck someone else? That I would?”
“Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? With the submissives? I thought it was your job.”
Eriq mulled over her words. It was reasonable for her to assume he would be participating in intercourse with the two submissives.
“We can discuss the specifics later, but when I said you were mine, I meant it. Fucking someone else without you present isn’t an option anymore.”
A tiny glimmer of hope, tepid and inviting, sparked in her chest. He hadn’t cheated—if she could even call it cheating. She had, after all, willingly participated in each of yesterday’s events.
One phrase, however, stuck in her mind.
“Without me present?”
“We can discuss if it is something you want. It’s not anything you have to decide right now. But I promise to be open to feeding your desires, whatever they may be.”
Eriq really didn’t know if he could share her. And he didn’t have an answer for what to do about his job. But he damned sure wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize whatever was between them.
His words soothed and calmed her frayed nerves. She wasn’t sure if she could share him, or if she wanted to be shared, but at least he was giving her some say in what this relationship was going to be.
Sofia’s stance relaxed. Seeing her acceptance, Eriq took her in his arms and teleported them to the Red Room.
“Are we good?” he asked.
“Yeah, we’re good.”
He planted a chaste kiss on her lips and tossed her on the bed.
“Just so you know,” he told her as nonchalantly as he could as he ripped off his shirt and jeans, “this morning was normal orientation and filling out paperwork. No one would have gotten naked anyway.”
Sofia narrowed her eyes and he chuckled, climbing on the bed.
“From now on, when I purposefully place you on a bed, I expect you to undress. Immediately.”
Sofia rolled her eyes and Eriq growled at her.
“What? You thought I was going to make this easy for you? Because I’m thinking that I’m not.”
Eriq grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her towards him.
“Oh, I’m counting on it, Koshenya.”
Eriq seized her mouth and the conversation was over.