“Okay, I’ll admit it is a little weird and I’m not sure what to do.”

“I’ll tell you how I think you should deal with it. I think you shouldn’t panic about it. This brand means my demon respects, wants, and is incredibly possessive of you and your demon – that’s not something we didn’t already know.”

As she considered that, she nodded once. “You’re right. We knew this. I could just think of it as a temporary tattoo.”

“You could.” He traced it with his tongue, liking it more and more.

“This is part of why I fight the anchor bond too, isn’t it?” She hadn’t seen it before, but he was right. Having an anchor was having someone who’d laid a claim to you, and she was just…fucked up.

“Yes, I think so. But we’re not going to talk about the bond tonight.”

She frowned. “We’re not?” It was usually her who avoided the subject.

“No, because if we come to an understanding on this here and now, you’ll always wonder if I fucked you to make you give into me. When you agree to form the bond, it won’t be when we’re in bed.”

While she was confident that sex couldn’t muddle her thoughts and decisions, she knew he made some sense.

“But we will talk about it soon, Harper. I’m not going to walk away from you. And I think you’re coming to believe that now.” Satisfaction slid down his spine when she nodded in admission. “Good. Now relax and spread your legs. I want in you again.”

Like she’d argue with that.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Your bodyguard’s pretty intense, isn’t he?” commented Khloë as she, Harper, Devon, and Raini joined the long queue for the nightclub that led to the Underground. To the humans, it was simply a VIP queue. In truth, it was a line exclusive to demons that intended to head to the Underground.

“He’s also an asshole,” hissed Devon, adjusting her little red dress. Tanner did seem to enjoy taunting her by calling her ‘kitty.’ He’d also ogled her impressive cleavage when the hellcat wasn’t looking.

“I’m surprised he isn’t following us inside,” said Raini, looking as alluring as always. Despite that most of her body was covered by her black, chiffon catsuit that made her look like a jewel chief, the males stared more at her than the indecently dressed humans.

“He has to meet one of the other sentinels for something,” explained Harper. “I don’t know what, I don’t ask about sentinel business.” And they probably wouldn’t tell Harper anything without Knox’s permission anyway.

As memories of the previous night flickered through her mind, Harper’s body began to heat. He’d fucked her so hard and so many times that she’d fallen asleep. Then he just woke her up and took her from behind. She’d left his home early that morning with her inner demon curled up in a ball of satisfaction.

“Why isn’t Ciaran coming?” Devon asked Khloë, who looked quirky and cute in her neon pink dress. Harper was wearing a sleeveless dress that was so sleek it looked like liquid silver. Raini had picked it out.

“He’s spending time with his new girlfriend,” Khloë replied. She was close to her twin brother. “She doesn’t like me much. Says I’m too hyper. Personally, I don’t think that’s a fair assessment.”

Raini snorted. “I do.”

“It’s good then that I just don’t give a—”

“Harper Wallis?” interrupted a new, gruff voice.

She turned to see a dark guy built like a linebacker. One of the doormen. “Uh, yeah?”

He unclipped part of the red rope acting as a barrier and tipped his chin toward the entrance of the club. “Go on through.”

Harper blinked. “You mean skip the queue?”

Khloë elbowed her hard. “Obviously, Harper, jeez.”

“Don’t make me hit you, Khloë.” Giving the doorman a grateful smile, Harper led the three she-demons inside the club, ignoring the scowls of the other people waiting behind the ropes.

“He must have recognized you as Knox’s anchor,” Raini said.

“Well, Knox has been sure to parade me in front of as many demons as possible.” Descending the stairs on her right, Harper led the girls into the basement. At the rear of the dark room was a door that was manned by two burly demons. Each gave her a respectful nod.

“Miss Wallis,” one greeted as he led them through the door and over to an elevator. He punched in a code, and the elevator doors opened. “Enjoy your evening.”

“Okay, this getting-recognizing-by-everyone thing could get weird fast,” said Harper as the doors closed and the elevator descended.

Khloë snorted. “Who cares?”

Finally the elevator stopped and they entered what was essentially a demonic playground. The strip of bars, nightclubs, casinos, restaurants, shows, strip clubs, hotels, and many other things always heaved with people. Each building had no front wall, so that it was easy to see just by walking down the ‘road’ exactly what was going on inside each place.

As the girls headed to their favorite bar, people either greeted Harper like they knew her or nervously gave her a wide berth. It wasn’t all that unexpected when the bartender told her that their drinks were on the house.

“From now on, you come here with me at all times,” Khloë told her, delighted as they claimed their usual table.