BURN (3 page)

“If you’re a Wallis, you must be from the North Las Vegas lair.” At her nod, Knox added, “How closely related are you to Jolene?”

As he took a small yet prowling step closer, Harper’s demon tensed even further. “She’s my grandmother.” In addition to being the Prime of her lair, Jolene Wallis was a hard-assed bitch. She was also thirty levels of batshit crazy and had been known to reduce entire buildings to rubble when in a foul mood…though Jolene preferred the term ‘demolition expert.’

“I have a loose alliance with Jolene.” Knox had always liked imps. Why? Because you knew where you stood with an imp. You knew that they would rob you blind if you were dumb enough to not pay attention. You knew you would only get the right answers if you asked the right questions. And you knew that expecting obedience from them would be an exercise in frustration. But having Harper so close, filling every one of his senses, he realized…“You’re not an imp.” He wasn’t sure what she was. The Wallis family was pretty notorious, and he’d assumed they were all imps.

“No, I’m not,” Harper confirmed, impressed that he’d sensed it.

Knox felt an unexpected tingle of amusement at her typical imp response – vague and evasive. Apparently she was, for all intents and purposes, an imp. “Sit,” he invited, gesturing to the chair opposite his. Before taking it, her unusual eyes did a quick sweep of the room. And he knew that, in that small moment, she had assessed what was of value, the most likely places for a safe to be positioned, and every possible exit. It would be instinctive for a Wallis.

He noticed that she didn’t make a sound as she moved – another imp trait she had mastered, despite not being one of them. “What are you?”

Watching as he melted into his chair, she parried, “What are
you
?”

Oh, that little bit of fire made his demon chuckle. Like Knox, it didn’t have much time or respect for weak, frightened little lambs. This female clearly wasn’t easily intimidated. He could have pushed the matter, but he found that he liked the idea of watching her, studying her, and solving the mystery for himself.

Harper was surprised to see his mouth twitch in amusement, since she’d expected anger. Knox Thorne made her think of a jungle cat that was choosing to behave
for now
but whose mood could change at any given moment. Regardless of that, she was stupidly wondering if his short, ebony hair was as silky as it looked. Yeah, well, she’d never been all that smart.

Seeing that the huge window offered a perfect view of the combat circle, Harper guessed he’d watched her duel with his she-demon. “Look, if this is about Mona, she got what she deserved.”

“And what is it exactly that she ‘got’?” No answer. “Your touch can cause soul-deep pain,” Knox guessed. A rare ability.

“Very good.” It had always been effortless for Harper to do it. Whenever she felt angry, threatened, or frightened, a dark protective power instinctively built inside her and rushed to her fingertips, making them prickle. As a child, it hadn’t been easy to control. Now that she was an adult, she was able to push the power back down if necessary.

He drummed his fingers on the desk. “If you believe she deserved soul-deep pain, I’m assuming Mona did something I need to know about. Tell me.”

Be a tattletale who whined to people’s Primes? “No.”

“No?” Knox echoed with disbelief.

Evidently, he wasn’t denied things often. Well, Harper did like to introduce people to new experiences. It was more of a calling, really. The air chilled as his eyes very briefly bled to black, communicating his inner demon’s displeasure at being refused; hell reigned in those dark pools. A frisson of apprehension tingled down her spine.

“If one of my demons has done something they shouldn’t have, I need to deal with it.”

She shrugged. “It’s been dealt with.”

“That fight was personal. Tell me why.”

The guy was seriously tenacious. “Ask Mona.”

“I’m asking you.”

“Shame for you that I won’t answer, huh.”

His demon was impressed by her. It liked that she pushed back, and believed she would be delicious prey to hunt. Not a weak, defenseless prey – no, she would be entertaining. “So very stubborn.”

“Yes.” It was indeed one of her best qualities.

It was right then that his instincts told Knox…“You’re a sphinx.” He knew it as sure as he knew that this greedy ache to possess her wasn’t going anywhere.

Oh, points to the Prime
. “I am.”

No wonder she was so obstinate, Knox mused. Like a bird, sphinxes were winged, swift, graceful, and could be challenging to pin down. Like a lion, they were strong, fierce, brave, and would single-mindedly trail, stalk, and run down their prey. In short, there wasn’t a more elusive, daring, persistent demon than a sphinx.

Rising to his feet, Knox rounded the table and came to stand in front of her. She quickly stood, meeting his stare boldly. At that moment, her eyes changed again as the misty gray swirled and became a silvery violet. It was fascinating to watch the transformation. “If you’re not going to answer my questions about Mona, you can answer another. Are you involved with the male demon that’s with you?” Knox didn’t share, and he intended to have Harper Wallis.

She frowned. The guy sure liked to throw out random questions. “Why do you want to know?” Both she and her inner demon stilled as his eyes again bled to black. The demon living inside Knox was staring back at her, and it was fucking chilling. Those eyes…they were so cold, menacing, and
old
. The temperature of the room seemed to drop five degrees.

The demon covered the remaining distance between them and spoke in a flat, disembodied voice as it lightly tapped her cheek with one finger. “Answer the question, little sphinx.” So much silken menace in those words. “No more evasiveness.”

The entity was admittedly a scary fucker, but Harper would be damned if she’d let it intimidate her. Nobody,
nobody
, got to play with her like she was prey. “My private life is exactly that – private. But I’ll share with you if you share with me. What are you?”

After a long, tense moment, that erotic mouth curved on one side. The obsidian eyes weren’t so cold now. They glinted with challenge and amusement. Then suddenly the demon retreated, and she was once again looking at Knox.

“Your demon’s not prepared to answer that one then, huh,” said Harper. “Now who’s evasive?”

Her fire made his demon smile. “You’re free to take a guess at what I am,” said Knox.

“If I got it right, would you admit it?” Her stomach clenched at the crooked smile that curved his amazing mouth. He was so achingly hot it simply wasn’t fair.

“No.”

“Something tells me I’m best not knowing what you are.” Because whatever lived inside him was too dangerous for words.

This she-demon seemed to have a talent for surprising him. “You’re absolutely right.” At the sound of his cell phone ringing, Knox dug it out of his pocket.

Some of Harper’s tension left her as he moved away to take the call, leaving her personal space. Oddly enough, her demon had started to relax around him. It was intrigued by his supreme confidence, his dark sensuality, the power that cloaked him, and the air of the forbidden that surrounded him. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

The tension returned to Harper’s muscles as he stalked toward her, his eyes on hers as he spoke into the phone, promising the caller he’d be there quickly. Good. Because she wanted to get out of there quickly.

“I have to go,” Knox told her as he opened the office door. “It was interesting meeting you, Harper Wallis.” His demon snarled at the idea of leaving her. It wanted the pretty sphinx; wanted that hot little body beneath it – or above it, or against it as it backed her into the wall and fucked her senseless. The demon wasn’t fussed.

“Likewise.” To her shock, he held out his hand. It was an invitation to touch him, permission to break the skin-to-skin barrier. But if she touched him even once, she would be returning that invitation. He’d have the same permission to touch her as and when he wished – and not just physically, but psychically. It was no little thing. But Harper had never been a coward.

Meeting his dark eyes, Harper shook his hand, unprepared for the flare of heat that assaulted her when his touch met her skin. Her heart jumped when he brushed his thumb over her inner wrist, and he no doubt felt her pulse briefly spike. But she wasn’t going to give herself a hard time about that moment of weakness. As he released her hand, his mind stroked hers, a farewell that could have come from Knox, his demon, or both of them.

And then something totally fucking weird happened.

A pressure built in her head as some kind of magnetic energy pulled at her mind…like something was tugging at her psyche, trying to fuse with hers. She was sure she stumbled, and not just from her sudden disorientation, but by the realization of just what this meant. Meeting Knox’s gaze, she saw the same recognition in his.

Ah, hell.

“Anchor,” said Knox, knowing he looked as shocked as she did. The word came out more like an accusation, a dare for her to deny it.

“Anchor,” Harper quietly conceded. Maybe a lot of demons would be jumping for joy right now. After all, having a psi-mate was good, right? Not necessarily. There were plenty of hiccups that came with having an anchor. Her inner demon, however, wasn’t concerned with those issues. It saw this male as belonging to it, and it wanted nothing more than to connect their minds.

It was strange to watch Knox’s composure crack slightly as he seemed torn between staying to discuss their little predicament and leaving to attend to whatever problem had been discussed during his phone call.

After a long moment of silence, he sighed. “I have to leave. We’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll find you.”

He was gone before she could respond to what was a half-promise, half-threat. And Harper knew that everything in her life was about to change.

Shit
.

CHAPTER TWO

Locking the door of her apartment behind her, Harper puffed out a long breath as she leaned against it. Anchor, she’d found her anchor.
She still wasn’t having warm, fuzzy feelings about that discovery. Oh, she knew that was odd. Just as a shifter needed their fated mate to complete their soul, a demon needed their predestined psychic mate, or ‘anchor,’ to complete their psyche. An anchor did exactly what it said on the tin – it anchored a demon and made them stronger, so that they no longer struggled to maintain dominance over their inner demon, meaning they could never turn rogue.

It was easy for a demon to lose their way, since it wasn’t possible to fully control the entity that lived within them. The entity could take over if a demon didn’t have the mental strength to be the dominant figure. It was a constant fight. Demons that didn’t turn rogue often went insane or even committed suicide due to their struggle.

Once a person was anchored, however, they no longer had to fight as they had the stability, power, and strength to maintain the dominant position. It didn’t mean their inner demon wouldn’t still surface from time to time, but it did mean that it couldn’t permanently hold the reins unless permitted to do so.

There were other good things about having an anchor. For instance, it meant having someone you could rely on, someone whose loyalty would be absolute. In most cases, anchors became tight friends and confidants. They would protect, support, and defend their anchor if necessary. It was instinctual.

However, there were downsides. Anchors could be possessive and overprotective, which often also caused them to be annoyingly meddlesome. Additionally, demons could find it mentally uncomfortable to be away from their anchors for long periods of time. There was also the fact that if a demon died, it was very psychically painful and draining for their anchor if the bond had been formed. That psychic pain could be bad and long lasting, in some cases.

When Harper had been a little girl, the idea of having an anchor – someone who would protect her and always be there for her, no matter what – had been thrilling. Of course, that could have been a lot to do with the fact that neither of her parents were anyone’s definition of ‘dependable.’ Not once in those girly daydreams had she envisioned an anchor who was
anything
at all like Knox Thorne.

But then, would anyone imagine their anchor being who was potentially the most powerful of their kind? Doubtful.

Despite knowing that about him, Harper didn’t fear him. She couldn’t deny that he unbalanced her. And she had to admit that she found him a little overwhelming. But even before she’d known he was her anchor, there had been none of what would be considered very rational, plausible fear. So either she’d sensed who he was to her on a subconscious level, or this was just part of her not being smart. 

Still, she couldn’t say she was eager to bond with him. Not just because of all she’d heard about him, but because there was no doubting that Knox Thorne would be hard to have as an anchor. Just fifteen minutes in his company was enough to tell her that he was controlling, authoritative, and wanted what he wanted exactly when he wanted it. He’d interfere in her life and dictate to her. Being that she was stubborn, willful, and contrary – traits she was proud of – she’d drive him insane.

Having spent most of her life traveling with an emotionally immature nomad for a father, she’d taken most of her leaps in life all on her own. She had become so independent that she found it both difficult and uncomfortable to have people do things for her. Being alone was her comfort zone, it was what she knew. That kind of thing didn’t go hand-in-hand with having an anchor like Knox Thorne.

There was also a little complication she would bet that Knox wasn’t aware of; something that could mean he would decide not to accept her as his anchor anyway. She supposed she’d find out soon enough.

In the meantime, she needed to know more about him. Settling on the sofa, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a familiar number. “Hey, Grams.”

“Hello, sweetheart.” Jolene Wallis might be a bossy, meddling, master manipulator that even Lucifer found hard to deal with, but she loved and protected her family ferociously. She had also trained and prepared Harper to take over as Prime one day, but it was a position that held no appeal for Harper.

“How are you doing?”

“Fine,” replied Jolene. “You sound tired.”

“It’s been a long, busy day at work.” And an even busier night.

There was a heavy, frustrated sigh. “I teach you to lie, steal, extort, embezzle, commit identify theft, and hack into bank accounts. And what do you do? Get a job.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Anyway…I called to tell you that, um…I found my anchor.”

“Really? Who is the lucky bastard?”

“You’ve actually met him.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. You know I don’t like that.”

“It’s Knox Thorne.” Total silence greeted that announcement. “Grams, you there?”

Another heavy sigh. “I suppose I should have anticipated that your anchor would be someone strong-minded and powerful. They would be no match for you if they weren’t.”

“You don’t disapprove?”

“Knox Thorne is a powerful demon who will do whatever he has to do for those under his protection – and that now includes you. How can I disapprove of that? Quick warning: he won’t accept any of your ‘I don’t want an anchor’ shit if he wants the bond bad enough.”

“Yeah, I know. But there’s a lot I don’t know. I’ve heard rumors about him, but that’s all. I need some facts.”

“Well, he has one of the largest lairs and, from all accounts, is a very protective Prime who polices his demons well. He runs a pretty tight ship. I’ve heard many tales of his versions of ‘punishment.’ Not so long ago, one of his demons was kidnapped by vampires. Knox hunted the vampire responsible, subjected her to gruesome torture, placed her in a solid brass coffin and then set a fire beneath it.”

“I heard a little about that.”

“He can be merciless and brutal. And if you ask me, he’s even more powerful than we believe. But he’s never caused our family any problems. He doesn’t war with other lairs. He could have abused his power by trying to rule at least the U.S., if not the world. But he hasn’t. Not like this Isla-bitch who’s been making plenty of noise lately – she’s cold and greedy for everything that represents power. Knox isn’t like that, which says a lot about him.”

“What do you think he is?”

“I don’t know. Some think he’s simply an extremely powerful incubus, given his incredible allure.”

Harper didn’t believe that. He was something…more. Something she instinctively knew she’d never encountered before.

“In any case, don’t let Knox or his demon bully you. Any weakness you show will be pounced on. I’m not saying provoke him or lose your wariness of him – anything that dangerous should be watched carefully. But don’t be afraid to stand your ground.”

“It’s likely that I’ll piss him off.”

Jolene cackled. “Of course you will. You’re a Wallis. That’s what we do.” A pause. “It’s safe to say that Carla isn’t going to like you being Knox’s anchor, whether you form the bond or not.”

“Don’t think I don’t know that you’re smiling right now.”

“Anything that causes that bitch upset is worth smiling about. If she gives you any trouble, you call me.”

So that Jolene could turn the woman’s house into rubble? It was tempting, but it would only cause problems. “She’s not worth it, Grams.”

“Oh come on, allow an old woman her fun.”

“Your ideas of ‘fun’ tend to attract the attention of humans.”

A huff. “I don’t know why you have to be so judgmental.”

Harper shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Thank you.” She sounded genuinely pleased with the comment.

Amused despite herself, Harper chuckled. “I gotta go, I’ll see you soon.”

“I’ll hold you to that, sweetheart. Remember, stand your ground with Knox.”

She would. Because Harper never folded. Not even to a guy who could scramble her brain and play her body without even touching her.

“Either you’ve got your tampon in too far or something’s bugging you. Which is it?”

Looking up from where she was cleaning her tattoo station, Harper sighed at her fellow lair-member. “Like I already told you a hundred times, I’m fine.”

Devon gave her a reassuring smile. “Of course you’re fine.” There was no sarcasm there, only total faith in Harper. “But that doesn’t mean something isn’t playing on your mind. Share it. You’ve been like this all day, and I can’t take the suspense anymore.” That was the thing about hellcats, they were unbelievably and annoyingly curious. “I even waited for Khloë to leave in case it was something you didn’t want to discuss with your family. I know they’re meddlers.”

It was true that there were no worse meddlers than Wallis imps.

“Your sour mood isn’t because of Royce, is it?” asked Devon, her cat-green eyes wary. “I mean, honestly, you can do a lot better.”

“No, it’s not Royce. Although it’s definitely not fun working across the street from my ex.” Particularly since said ex was being an asshole, despite that
he
was the one who did the cheating.

Raini, another member of Harper’s lair, appeared. “What are we talking about?” Both she and Harper were not only senior tattooists but owned the business together. Devon was an apprentice and also specialized in piercings while Khloë worked as their receptionist.

The place had a rock/art/Harley Davidson vibe. The she-demons had treated the white walls that ran throughout the office and work area as one big canvas. The metal wall art on display were actually enlarged copies of tattoos – flames, swirls, animals, and Chinese dragons to name a few. Framed photographs of tattoos also decorated the walls.

The reception area had a large L-shaped sofa and coffee table on either side. There were also some glass display cabinets of various types of jewelry here and there. The chrome reception desk was almost a full circle, leaving plenty of workspace and was kept obsessively tidy by Khloë, who guarded her territory like a bulldog. Khloë was a total contradiction. She was obsessively tidy – everything had a place, and everything had to be kept in that place or she would totally lose her shit. And yet, Harper had never met anyone who dressed
less
neatly than her cousin.

“Harper was just about to tell me what crawled up her ass and died.”

“Ooh, spill, spill, spill,” encouraged Raini before taking a sip of her coffee. Somehow, she was able to make it look like a sensual experience. Like all succubae, she exuded sex. She was also celibate at the moment.

“Did I tell you I love this new look?” Harper asked Raini, admiring the soft pink highlights she had added to her white-blonde hair. It made Harper think of strawberries and cream.

Raini held up a hand. “I will not be distracted.”

With a resigned sigh, Harper told them, “I found my anchor.”

Devon’s face lit up with excitement, but then she frowned in confusion. “Why is this bad?” Raini seemed just as puzzled.

“Because even if I did want an anchor, this guy is the last person I would choose.”

The intrigue that flashed in Devon’s eyes was expected. “Ooh, why?”

“It’s Knox Thorne.”

Raini’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously? Huh. I sure didn’t see that coming. But I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want him as your anchor.”

“He’s a control freak. I’d make him crazy.”

Raini snorted. “You’d make any guy crazy. It’s a gift you have, and I envy you for it.” Probably because it would never matter how hard Raini tried to repel a male, they would be drawn in by her sinful curves, flawless skin, innate sensuality, and piercing amber eyes – all succubae had a body that screamed ‘sex’, it was part of the package. A package that Raini always covered with casual, non-revealing clothes, since she didn’t like attention much.

“This is a
good
thing,” insisted Devon. “Knox is incredibly powerful. Having him as your anchor would be like the ultimate form of protection. Given that the demon world can be brutal, protection is nothing to sniff at. And I seriously doubt anyone would even consider harming you if they know they’d have Knox to deal with.”

Raini’s brows drew together. “I have to say, it would be a heavy weight to carry the responsibility of keeping who’s potentially the most powerful demon alive mentally stable.”

“Thanks for pointing that out,” said Harper dryly.

The succubus smiled sweetly. “You’re welcome.”

Harper wanted to strangle both she-demons. “There’s one thing that you guys aren’t considering. Being his anchor would make most people hesitant to harm me. I stress
most
. He has a lot of enemies. I’ll bet some of them would be either stupid enough or angry enough to hurt me just to strike out at him.”

Devon tilted her head, conceding that. “Consider this, though: our lair is small and mostly contains imps. Imps live for pissing people off. If your grandmother wasn’t so damn crazy that she almost destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge when a lair in San Francisco decided to challenge ours, we would have had
way
more trouble. In other words, we’re always in danger. Knox would bring you less problems than more. And just think, you might learn the mystery of what breed he is.”