Page 6 of Claiming Demons

“I haven’t graduated yet,” Caia said a bit flushed from being put on the spot.

Grey cocked his head at her modesty. “You’re in your last semester, having fast-tracked through a double major in business and medicine, and your GPA is what?”

“Four-point-oh,” she said a bit sheepishly.

“I thought so.” Grey smiled. “Back when I was more actively running my businesses, I would have snapped you up in an instant. I have a bio-medical research branch that could use an innovative young mind like yours.”

Caia looked at me. “Is he for real?”

“Yup.” I settled onto the couch next to Grey and kissed his cheek. “He’s very real and very perfect, and he loves me like the goddess I am.” I snuggled into him a little, feeling the warmth of his tall frame next to mine. I didn’t care that my daughter was in the room. Let her see how much we loved each other.

I said to Grey, “Caia tells me everyone at school is head-over-heels in love with her and she can heal, so she probably has my aspects of love and healing.”

“That makes you a daemon princess,” Grey said to Caia, nodding. “Technically on par with me.”

“What are your… ah… aspects?” Caia asked. She still seemed hesitant with the terminology, but was catching on quickly.

“Hunting and acquisition. My title is The Lord of Conquest.”

“Oh… ah… wow…” Caia seemed a bit lost for words, but she recovered quickly. “Do you hunt animals?”

“I do, but never to kill. I hunt with my bare hands and my intellect to trap and release.” His grin softened. “I love animals almost as much as I love your mother. One of the businesses I’ll never give up is my network of animal shelters.”

“You should see him around those poor animals,” I cooed. “He becomes the biggest softy you’ve ever seen.”

Caia blinked, probably having a hard time imagining big, hunky Grey turning into a puddle of saccharine goo at the sight of kittens. But I’d seen it with my own eyes.

She frowned, her head tilting to the side. “I can sense your love for each other. I’m… happy.” Then she laughed, shaking her head. “This is a lot to get used to.”

“Take your time,” Grey said softly, understanding. “Your mother was a hot mess when she first found out.”

I slapped him playfully. “You’re not supposed to say that! My daughters idolize me.”

Caia let out a very unprofessional snort, which made us all laugh.

I sighed as the moment faded. “I know I wasn’t a great mother, Caia. I’m sorry.”

Caia gave me a forgiving look. “You may have dated a lot of losers — and I meana lot, like every loser on the Eastern Seaboard — and you may have been a bit distant at times, but when it really counted, when I really needed you, you were there for me,” she said.

It was my turn to flush a little, warmed by her praise.

“Your advice was horrible.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “But you tried.”

“Gee, thanks,” I said with a laugh, because my advice probablyhadbeen horrible.

She looked away for a moment, lost in memories. “I can remember you holding me, comforting me, after I’d gotten my first A-minus in fourth grade.” Then she gave a bit of a head-shaking laugh. “And in high school, you threatened to have one of your goon boyfriends go beat up James Wilson after he broke my heart.”

“I’ll never understand that,” I told her, still upset even though it had happened years ago. “You’re perfect! So smart and beautiful.”

“I was also flat as a board and he left me for Brina Butler, with her perky double-Ds,” she said with a wry grin.

Caia had my height and my silver hair, but that was where our physical resemblance stopped. She was slender and willowy with long elegant arms and legs, but not much in the way of curves. She had the physique of a model and had actually done some modeling to help pay for school.

I couldn’t believe that silly boy had dumped her.

“Boys are idiots. Aren’t they Grey?” I challenged him.

“Absolutely. Most men are idiots too,” he said easily.

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