I reminded myself that I couldn’t kill my fathers. Not my first, or second, or fifth… Definitely not the fifth since that’d mean having to take his spot as North American Alpha and I just did not have the patience for all the whiny bitches.

And then there was my mother who sat and stared at Papa Finn as if he were a steak.

“It is great fun to dirty up the pure ones, Caith-dear. You have seen this with your angel, non?” For some reason, my mom decided she preferred a French accent above all others.

I rubbed the bar, scrubbing the smooth surface even though it was already clean. My other choice was stomping to the corner booth and kicking my family to the curb. All of them. Good and bad alike, they could take a hike and head to a human bar for all I cared.

“Calm down,” the low murmur was followed by the musky scent of my mate and I breathed deeply, drawing it into my lungs. His flavors calmed my beast and the anger that curdled in my veins slowly released and drifted away. “They care about you.”

“I know.”

Sam wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me back against him, while he slid a hand along my arm and snagged the rag. “They just wanna keep you safe.”

“I know.”

He tugged it from my fingers and tossed it aside. “They love you and don’t want to lose you.”

“I…” I flicked my attention to the gathered men and single woman. Okay, five of the seven—my fathers—but I wasn’t sure about the rest. “Um…”

“You know Uncle Luc and Mom care for you.” He nuzzled my neck.

I furrowed my brow. “Uncle Luc? Mom?” I carefully turned in his arms, our fronts now flush. “Since when did you start calling them…”

His wicked grin had my confusion sliding away to be replaced with arousal and desire. I always wanted him. One look, one smile, one hint of wickedness in his gaze, and I was ready to be claimed once again. The wound on my shoulder still throbbed in pain and I reveled in poking and prodding the slowly healing injury. The wolf howled with each stab, thrilled Sam found a way to permanently mark me. It’d mean a slower healing time, but if it ended with a bite mark that said I belonged to him, I’d deal with it.

I got a deep bite with blunted teeth and then he’d drawn on his remaining angelic nature, sending a jolt of goodness through my flesh. I was demon enough that my body recoiled against the purity and it branded my skin.

“I began calling them Uncle Luc, Mom, and Papa Etcetera the moment they raked me over the coals and made me promise to treat you right.” Sam lowered his head and opened his jaws wide, closing his mouth over my mark. He bit down, not hard enough to break skin, but enough to remind my wolf who I belonged to.

“That’s uh…” I whimpered and rose to my tiptoes, pushing into his painful caress. “That’s uh…” He slowly released me and I whined. “That’s uh…” He licked a path along my neck and he really needed to stop seducing me in the middle of the bar. But I wasn’t about to tell him to stop. “That’s…”

Sam chuckled and then murmured against my skin. “That’s what?”

“They shouldn’t have done that.” I shuddered. “My wolf chose you. If no one else recognizes that, at least Papa Alrick should have—”

“You give Papa Al too much credit. Even if I wasn’t the mate your wolf picked, I’m still the man who will spend every night in your bed, making love to you.” He scraped his teeth below my ear. “Fucking you.”

My clit twitched and I trembled in his arms, his words bringing me to the edge of release without a single touch to my pussy. “You really need to not say that.”

“What?” He chuckled.

“All of it, any of it.” I shook my head.

“Why? You don’t want me filling you?”

Another shudder and my knees nearly folded beneath me. “Not here. Not now.” I eased back, putting a small distance between us. “Tonight. Tonight we can talk about lovemaking and fucking.” I swallowed hard, silencing my misgivings. The connection I’d been expecting when Sam and I mated still hadn’t fallen into place, and my wolf whimpered with its absence. “If you keep talking now, I’ll come in the middle of my bar and that is not something I wanna do with the ’rents fifty feet away.”

“I’ll drink to that!” Papa Al’s voice rang through the bar and I winced.

“Sorry, Papa Al!” I didn’t turn toward my family, my face burning too much to look at them. Another naughty chuckle from Sam and I punched him in the gut. “I can’t believe you did that,” I hissed.

“Believe it.” A single finger beneath my chin had me tilting my head back to meet his gaze. “You needed something to distract you.”

“I need something to kill.”

He smirked. “That too, but since we don’t have anyone handy, I figured arousing and annoying you would work.”

“Asshole,” I grumbled.

“But at least I’m your asshole.” He dropped a kiss on the tip of my nose and I thought I saw something else lurking in his gaze. Sorrow? No, I was seeing things. “Now, what else needs to be done before we open?”

“We?” I raised a single brow.

“What’s mine is yours, what’s yours is—”

“Mine.”

“We’re mated, we’re supposed to share everything.”

Papa Eron snorted. “Her nannies could never teach her to share.”

My heart clenched. Papa Eron. It hurt to have him near, to know it was his blade that ended Georges’ life. He was justified and I understood his actions, but just because I understood didn’t mean I accepted and forgave.

I would. In time. That time wasn’t here quite yet. Fake it ’til you make it.

“He’s,” I cleared my throat. “He’s right. I never was good at sharing. And I always ran with scissors.” Typically because I was trying to murder another child. I’d really been my mother’s daughter then. “It’s how we discovered I could heal anything.”

“Except the touch of a gel.” His gaze drifted to my mating bite.

“Except the touch of a gel,” I parroted.

“Back to what needs to be done. Since I can’t convince you to go home, what can I do?”

I turned my attention to the rest of the bar. The tables gleamed—I so loved those brownies—the sealed concrete floors shined—more brownie love—and the place was stocked with enough liquor to get half the town drunk.

I shook my head. “Between the brownies, Jezze, and Edzard getting everything prepped, we’re done.”

“Jezze and Edzard?” He quirked a single brow.

I entwined our fingers. “C’mon.”

“Where—”

I glanced over my shoulder, finger pressed to my lips. When he didn’t say another word, I continued to tug. In seconds were ducking behind the curtain. The muffled sounds reached my ears seconds before the writhing bodies came into view.

Jezebeth and Edzard were going at it, a pile of blankets lining the concrete floor and my best friend and the thelac demon writhing on the fabric. Jezze rode the male, her skirt covering their respective pink bits, as they both moaned and groaned.

I extended my arm toward the couple. “Yup, Jezze and Edzard.”

My words overlaid Sam’s “Oh! I didn’t need to see that!” Which was followed by Jezebeth’s scream and Edzard’s growl.

That had me smiling widely. “And there we go. If I don’t get to come, neither does anyone else.”

I ignored the glares shot my way and turned back toward the main bar, still tugging Sam with me. “C’mon. Let’s have a drink before the masses descend.”

And they would descend. Each time something bad happened in my life, all the tween residents in Orlando scurried by to assure me it wasn’t them that’d caused my problems.

Apparently I was a scary bitch. Who knew?

Of course, by the time made it back to the main area, the first customer had arrived. And then another. And yet another. I groaned. Everyone who could teleport decided popping in early was okay.

I took a deep breath. I couldn’t scorch them all, it’d leave burn marks on the floor. I repeated those words over and over again as I shook one hand after another.

The leader of the local seethe approached, steps silent and he looked as if he glided over the floor, hovering above the smooth concrete. He didn’t extend his hand in welcome and I didn’t bother reaching for him, either. One night of blood sucking fun was the beginning and ending of my relationship with Imre.

“Princess,” he tilted his head in acknowledgement.

I groaned. That was another holdover from our one-night stand. went from “fuck me harder, Imre” to “princess” come morning. “Caith or mistress, Imre. You know I’m not a fan of princess.”

Even if I was the Princess of Hell.

He merely hummed. “You know why I am here?”

I sighed. “Yes. Just as I accepted your assurances weeks ago, I accept them now. Also, I appreciate you letting me borrow Manon.”

He smirked. “It was her pleasure. Entirely.”

“I bet,” I drawled.

“I do, however, have news.”

I raised my eyebrows in question, but he shook his head.

“No, do you have somewhere more private we can talk?”

I glared at him. “Really? It’s been a few hundred years and my decision is still the same. My vagina is closed. Besides,” I stood straighter and brushed my hair aside, happily exposing my wound. “I’m mated now.”

“Really? I was not aware you could,” he gestured at my shoulder, “do this.”

“Well, I can and I have.” My tone dared him to say another word.

“Obviously.” He tore his attention from me and scanned the bar.

There were only a few more groups waiting. As soon as I got rid of the lingering crowd, I could get the night going.

“I truly do need a private moment of your time.”

Then a seductive heat surrounded me, Sam’s scent sinking into my skin, and I leaned back against him. His arms immediately wrapped around my waist and tightened, holding me close.

“A moment of our time, you say?” Sam’s muscles were tense, body draped over me, but prepared to launch at Imre without hesitation.

I mentally rolled my eyes. It’d be easier if Sam just peed in a circle around me. Then everyone would know I was off limits.

Imre stiffened. “I wish to speak with Caith—”

“Princess,” Sam corrected. “Or Mrs. Kiel.”

That was news to me. I tilted my head back to meet his gaze. “Mrs. Kiel?”

He shrugged. “I’m going by Sam Kiel in the tween.”

Imre twitched, drawing my attention, and the vampire paled more than normal. “Samkiel? On High’s angel of…”

“Yup.” A cocky, haughty tone filled Sam’s single word.

“I see. Then, perhaps, a simple warning of ‘your friends are not as they seem and your enemies are surely not their friends.’” With that, Imre vanished in a cloud of sulfuric smoke.

“I hate when he gets all cryptic,” I growled.

“I hate when he gets near you, so we’re even,” Sam growled in return.

“As if you have anything to worry about.” I turned in his embrace, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I’m a wolf, you know I want no one but you.”

“That is a benefit.” He grinned and lowered his head, drawing nearer with every breath.

His lips hovered over mine and I whimpered, anticipating his masculine flavors coating my tongue. I loved kissing him. Oh, I enjoyed being possessed by the strong angel, but kisses… I sighed into his mouth, sharing his oxygen.

Then a loud commotion, raised voices, cracking furniture and the thud of bodies striking the floor, cut into our impending kiss.

What. The. Fuck.

Snarling, I tore away from Sam, sought the source of the noises, and zeroed in on the stranger near the doorway. Well, the stranger and my tween bouncers that writhed on the ground. The stranger went so far as to nudge one with the tip of her boot before pulling her leg back and kicking him again.

I followed the line of that curved leg and jealousy over the sexy boots the chick sported flared to life. The Christian Louboutin—signature red sole, a stark contrast to the black leather—shoes covered her leg from toes to above the knee, held in place by hooked buckles that ran from ankle to top edge. Almost like a corset for her leg.

I needed those shoes. Desperately. I wondered if I should bother ordering them online or just kill the chick and take them. Both options were very tempting.

Another tween approached and I mentally groaned. This was so not gonna go well. Then again, if the chimera managed to take out the woman, I got those banging shoes.

Except the woman spun and…

“Ouch.” I winced when the chimera—Bob and that was such an unsexy name—got one of those expensive boots to the balls.

“You’d think your chimera would handle himself better,” my mate murmured.

Yeah, normally Bob would have been the victor since chimeras had the strength of lions, agility of goats, and had the whole deadly snake bite thing going on. Mythology might state chimeras were butt fuggly creatures but really they were bad ass men.

Except when pitted against Hot Shoe Chick. The shoes being the hot part of her, not the woman herself. Then again, I would have totally gone after her in my more experimental days…

The ground shook when Bob’s tense form slammed to the concrete and I figured enough was enough.

“Okay,” I raised my voice. “Let’s stop getting our asses kicked and walk away. Discretion is the better part of valor and all that.” Bob regained his feet and took a step toward the stranger, the need for retribution glowing in his eyes. “For Bob here, it’s more like, ‘sit your ass down before she hands it to you again.’”

Bob glared at me and I ignored the male. I was sure someone would soothe his pride, kiss it, and make it better before the night was through.

Unless I spread the story all over the tween. Which… was pretty damned tempting. I added that to my to-do list.

For now, I’d keep Xena the Chick in Awesome Boots from embarrassing him further.

“Who are you and why are you littering my bar with bodies?”

The woman frowned at the downed men and then met my gaze with a shrug. “They’re not dead. It’s not their time. Yet. If I’d killed them then Laney would be here busting my balls for screwing up the natural order of things.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I have to wait for the lifeline to go active.”

I narrowed my eyes, really looking at her now. The hair was so bottle blonde, it was ridiculous and then there were the extensions. So. Fake. But the rest… the eyes, nose, and mouth were familiar. I lowered my gaze, taking in the chick’s chest—it really was too bad I was mated now—and then scanned the rest of her body. I had my suspicions, but her grim reaper shaped shadow revealed the rest of the story and I sighed.

That sigh turned into a groan when Bob—he really wasn’t the smartest of my bouncers—pushed to his feet once more. He bared his fangs, snake’s venom dripping from their tips, and hissed.

I kept my tone bland and monotone when I spoke again. “Bob, stop. Please.”

Later, when I visited him in the hospital—or the morgue if Laney was nearby—I could at least claim I tried to keep him from killing himself.

Did he stop? No, no he did not. Instead he got a whip-fast jab to the jaw that sent him falling like a log.

“Timber!” I couldn’t help myself. Sue me.

Now everyone stared at me instead of the tableau at the front door. Well, at least the men had a chance to crawl away to lick their wounds while everyone was distracted. Except Bob. Poor Bob was still out cold.

The woman raised her eyebrows and then her lips parted in a wide smile. She carefully stepped over the bouncers, nearly losing her balance when her heel caught on Bob’s jeans, but managed to stay upright. Barely.

If she’d fallen, I would have claimed those shoes. As the President of SPS—Shoe Protection Services—it was my responsibility to shoes everywhere. Yes, I’d just made that up. No, I didn’t care.

“Hi.” The woman wiggled her fingers in a small wave.

I would have returned the wave if the bitch hadn’t shifted that wide smile to Sam. I took one step forward and another to the right, placing her curvy ass right in front of my mate.

I crossed my arms over my chest, making sure the girls were pressed together and shown off. Top these tatas, beyotch.

Childish? Totes.

The stranger stuttered to a stop, nearly toppling once more. Yes, SPS was about to be in effect.

“You are?”

“Me?” The woman pointed at herself. “Oh, Roxy—”

“Larson. Grim Reaper.” Yup, my instincts were right.

Roxy’s smile blinded me. “Yes! No! I mean, yes, I’m a reaper but no, I’m not the Grim Reaper. That’s my cuz, Laney. And you’ve been a naughty girl here,” she almost singsonged the words. “Laney sent me to clean up all those souls since you can’t seem to stop killing things, and I decided it was time for a vacay anyway. Of course, now I have to do the whole promise thing and—”

“Nice to meet you,” Sam murmured, reaching past me and shaking the chick’s hand.

Roxy was gonna lose an arm and my inner wolf agreed. Nom, nom, nom...

“No, it is not nice to meet her,” I growled and grabbed Sam’s wrist, tugging my mate’s hand from Buffy the Dick Slayer.

She really was too pretty for my comfort.

“Okay, make your promise and move along little doggie.”

Roxy sniffed and stared down her nose at me. And she was actually able to stare down at me. Between my short height and the woman’s amazeballs shoes, I was at a disadvantage.

“You really are not very nice.” Roxy huffed, and pouted.

“I’m the devil’s niece. I don’t have to be nice.”

“Well, you’re not,” she muttered and then the frown turned into a smile when those blue eyes of mine settled on Sam. “Did I mention it was wonderful meeting you?” she purred.

“I’ll show you nice,” I growled, wolf all for eliminating the flirty competition. I jolted forward, arms outstretched and nails already transformed to sharp tips so I could scratch the chick’s eyes out.

Unfortunately, Sam was a total buzzkill and grabbed me around the waist, halting my leap. He held me tightly even as I struggled, grip firming with each jerk and twist.

“Tou. Chy.” Roxy propped her hands on her hips. “Does your momma know her daughter is a total bi—”

“Yes,” my mother’s shout came from the back of the room. “But she hasn’t killed you yet. That’s disappointing.”

Ah, my mother had such high, deadly expectations. I was all about rising to the challenge at the moment.

Roxy wrinkled her nose. “I forgot. Evil devil’s niece and all that.” Then she brightened up. “But on the plus side, you can’t kill me. I’d just come back ‘cause it’s totally not my time yet. But it hurts like a bitch if you get killed when it’s not time. But anyhoo…” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Well then, I super promise it’s not me or Laney doing all the bad killing things. I can’t even stand blood! And green? It’s not really my color so... toodles.”

Roxy really did it then. She rocked that whole, cocked hip with one hand propped on it combined with the cute bent opposite knee that crossed in front of her standing leg thing. Ugh. Hard to describe, but that’s what she did and it was cute and sexy and… The woman had to die for two reasons: being so cute and those shoes.

Unfortunately, Sam’s hold remained and Roxy spun on one of those four inch heels. She teetered and tottered toward the front door.

I slumped in Sam’s arms, lulling him into a false sense of security. The moment he released me, I dove for the door again, intent on burning Roxy and everyone surrounding her to the ground.

The world wouldn’t miss a half-dozen people, I was sure of it. Besides, hadn’t Bob had his ass handed to him by Roxy? He wouldn’t mind dying for the cause, right? It sounded logical.

Except Sam caught me again, chuckling as he dragged me backward. “C’mon, sweetheart. You have other people to see.”

“But she…”

Sam cuddled me close. “I know, but remember our thing about compromise?” I whimpered and nodded. “Well, I’m claiming one of my freebies. No killing the Reaper.”

“Are you sure?” I hoped he wasn’t sure. “She’s not really the Reaper. She’s the Reaper’s cousin.”

“Yes.”

I whined and leaned against him. “I hate you a little bit.”

He pressed a kiss to my temple. “As long as you love me eventually, I’m okay with that.”

With those parting words, he released me and left me standing near the door, torn between hunting and destroying the too pretty, awesome shoe-wearing woman, and hunting and fucking Sam senseless.

Because if Satan’s niece could love anyone, it was gonna be Sam. I just had to figure out the whole love thing first. Which… could take a while. At least both lived forever.

I followed my mate, ignoring the remaining tween reps and waving off the few persistent ones. “Go talk to Uncle Luc. Promise him you’re not the magic wielding, green-eyed, asshole-creating dickwad.” I paused for a moment to let my gaze linger on the half-dozen males. “And know if you lie to him, you’re not lying just to my uncle, you’re lying to the High Lord of Hell himself. So I will gladly kill you and he will gladly keep you. Period.”

“And I won’t stop her!” Sam’s shout blew past me.

The urge to stick out my tongue was strong. Strong.

Instead, I surveyed the destruction, several tables were broken from Roxy’s fight with the bouncers, but I was more concerned with the massive door. I sighed and then frowned.

“I gotta call Dead Nettle.” I hated it, but I had to.

“Why?”

“Because he’s the one who built the door in the first place. It’s got his magic all over it. If a brownie outside his batch tries to do anything but clean it,” I shook my head. “It’s not pretty.”

“But he’s not taking your calls,” Sam reminded me. As if I needed reminding.

“Yeah, I know. But he’s not gonna have a choice.” I lifted my gaze to my mate. “I gotta go see him and you have to come along so I don’t kill him. At least, not until he’s done fixing the door and weaves Jezebeth’s magic into the wood. Or even Momma R. Someone other than him.”

He pressed his lips together in a deep frown. “I don’t like the way he’s treated you.”

“Aww…” I fisted his shirt and tugged him close. “Look at you being all sweet.” My wolf chuffed, happy our mate was protective, even though I was more than capable of taking care of myself. “Looking to get laid?”

Sam glared at me and then lowered his head. He settled his teeth over the mark and bit down gently, sending a raging bolt of arousal through me. When he finally released me, I trembled in his arms and his whisper made my need even worse. “I don’t need sweet words to get you in bed, do I, little wolf?”

No, he really, really didn’t.

I shook my head, fighting to banish my desire for the gel. I had to do… something. Wait. Call Dead Nettle. Get him on the phone and then drag his brownie ass to Hell’s Chapel. Right. I had a plan.

But then Sam had lips and they were making their way up my neck and… maybe I’d call Dead Nettle in a minute.