My hands drop to my lap. “But he’s a demon. We don’t welp.”
At least, not in the way humans do through sex.
“Tac was born of human legend. He can welp as much as he wants.” Tobias lifts my other foot to expect it for injury. “At least, so long as he can find a compatible mate. Last time this happened, we found him at the zoo, trying to woo an ostrich.” He glances up at me, amusement clear in his eyes. “It was not going well, poor guy.”
“Oh, no.” My hand flies to my mouth, eyes widening. “The neighbor has purebred nekomatas.” I leap to my feet. “We have to save him!”
Panic rushes through me. Nekomatas aren’t friendly like Tac, who only munches on knights. If he tries to mate with one of them, he’s liable to be eaten.
Tobias catches my arm before I hyper-speed to my baby’s rescue. “Don’t worry. The neighbor’s house is Emil’s first stop. We’re well aware of Fuyumi’s collection of corpse eaters.”
I remember the icy reception we received last time we ventured into her territory, and it only doubles my worry.
What if she hurts Tac for coming onto her property again? Is it even legal for Emil to keep Tac here? Doesn’t that risk exposure to humans? Especially with his recent penchant for escaping outdoors? What if she reports him and it brings the attention of the higher-ups?
No demon wants the attention of the powerful tribunal who governs us all.
Lava hot hands cup my cheeks. “Adie.”
I blink up at Tobias, sure that’s not the first time he said my name.
He strokes my cheeks. “Tac will be fine. Fuyumi is all bluster. She won’t risk Emil’s wrath by harming Tac.”
I nod slowly in understanding. “Emil’s more powerful than she is.”
Emil controls entire ice ages, while Fuyumi is just a simple ice demon.
“Yes,” Tobias agrees easily. “Also, the loan for her house and her breeding services is through our bank. She wouldn’t want Emil calling in her contract.”
The tension eases from my body.
Yes, contracts. Even better than brute force. Whatever Emil has on our neighbor, it will be good. He wouldn’t allow another demon to live so close without ensuring full power over them.
A purr of satisfaction escapes me, and Tobias’s eyes narrow. “You look entirely too pleased right now.”
I preen within Tobias’s hold. “Emil is clever and powerful.”
And Emil is mine.
Tobias’s touch turns volcanic. “I write those contracts.”
Excited by his show of jealousy, I can’t help but poke at my catalyst demon. “I should go make more food to reward Emil when he returns with Tac.”
Tobias’s hands drop to my neck where my pulse races. “And what will my reward be?”
I arch an eyebrow at him. “I don’t see you out searching for Tac. Why would I reward you?”
With the low rumble of earthquakes, he bends to brush his mouth over mine. “You’re baiting me.”
“I am.” I catch his bottom lip between my teeth, both reward and warning, before releasing him. “Do something that deserves a reward, and you’ll get one, too.”
With strength born of the energy pooled in my core, I dart out of his reach and run for the stairs, my laughter trailing behind me.
He chases after me. “I can’t wait to watch Emil punish you!”
I trip in surprise and tumble to the first landing. Pushing myself to my hands and knees, I blow the hair from my face to glare up at him. “What do you mean?”
Like a proper villain, he takes the stairs slowly to relish his moment. “Aren’t you the one who allowed Tac to escape? It was your window, after all.”
My mouth drops open in shock. Tobias is right. Tac used my window because he knew the shutter’s been loose for the past week. My room, my responsibility to fix the issue. And my negligence in fixing the latch just let Emil’s beloved cat escape.
Dammit! Now my beautiful dinner, which I planned to be romantic, just turned into me bribing Emil not to hand me over to Kellen for spanking.
A satisfied smile spreads over Tobias’s face.
Oh, I will get my revenge. But before that…
I leap to my feet and hyper-speed back to the kitchen, desperately hoping there’s enough sausage to make another meatball.
Emil prods at his small meatball. “This does not make up for letting Tac escape.”
He’d brought the cat monster back shortly after I finished prepping more noodles and sauce and popped the sole meatball into the oven. As we feared,