Page 27 of Orion: Galaxy Huntress

“Who’s Stormy?” Nice. Real smooth.

“You.” She unfolded her incredible body from the sofa and my eyes went there. Long, strong, bronze legs that reminded me of a bathing suit model. “I didn’t know your name at the time, and it matched your eyes.”

Mom always said my eyes reminded her of a stormy day. Matched my sky-gray pelt too. Probably my damn temperament as well. Fuck. I had been a real grouchy asshole lately, but I blamed the damn demon and the shit going down with my pack. Stress had me off-kilter and brooding.

“This is Ace, kitten.” The demon curled an arm around her waist, and I wanted to tear it off his body.

Kitten? Fucking kitten? The bastard dared to use sexy nicknames on her in front of me. He was asking to get his ass kicked back to Hell.

“We’ve met, demon. I’m Orion, Ace.” She tried my name out and I liked the way it sounded on her lips, with her sexy little accent. Not as good as Stormy, though. That nickname was staying, ‘cause it matched my mood and I wanted lightning to fucking strike the demon and kill him.

Orion. Pretty name. Rare, like mine.

Still unsure how to behave around her, I cut a glare at Vice, who smiled like a smug asshole. My eyes ached to be stripped from her and I fought the urge to look at only her. Damn demon had brought me here on purpose. Used the female mate to soothe the storm in my mind. Well, I wasn’t easily manipulated. Definitely not a male desperate to mate with his female. Certainly not falling for that trick when I had my pack to take care of. I didn’t need a woman to distract me.

“What did you summon me here for, demon?” I growled, driven by the urge to crush his tail if he didn’t take his hands off my mate.

“I wanted to talk strategy with you.” Vice let go of Orion, and my wolf relaxed, still pacing, ready to tear flesh if he went near her again. “Come into my study. Let’s talk in private.”

My matter. Good. Once it was all over, I’d never need to see the demon again, or Orion, and he’d dissolve the mate bond and set us both free.

“Is this about your pack?” Orion asked as I turned to follow him.

“How do you know about that?” Two guesses. The demon spilled his guts. Probably after they fucked last night. My private affairs. Asshole.

Fuck, I didn’t know why the jealousy stung so much. We were fake mates. Brought together by a lying, scumbag demon. Tell that to my damn wolf, who scratched and howled to stake its claim on her and tear the damn demon to pieces for sniffing around its territory. Sulphury demon blood tasted on my wolf’s tongue and it would have it once my pack’s safety was assured.

“I eavesdropped at the tavern.” Orion shrugged, making her boobs bounce and my dick harden. “I can help. I have special skills. Let me strategize with you.”

“Okay,” I grunted, eager to be closer to my mate, yet at the same time wanting to be done with her and the damn demon.

“No, kitten, it’s private business.” There Vice went with the sexy names again, and grabbing her by the hips, tried to steer her away.

My chest thundered with a growl. Fangs descended to slice through his flesh. Claws protruded, ready to do the same.

“Then you shouldn’t have involved me in his business by binding me to him.” Orion pushed away from him, and my wolf howled with approval. Maybe I liked her after all, especially if she had my back against the demon.

“I’m sorry about the mate thing,” I told her as I settled into a studded leather chair in front of a teak coffee table.

She sank into the spare one beside mine. “Not your fault the demon tricked you.”

“Did he trick you into bed last night?” Fuck, Ace, that was private. A topic I should have steered well away from. Nothing good could come from that conversation. But my damn wolf’s jealous, defensive instincts refused to give up on what was his.

Orion shifted in her seat, chewing on the question. “No. That was for fun.”

A bolt of fire shot through me. Wolves rarely shared mates and I wasn’t about to start. Once my business was done with the demon, I didn’t plan to stick around long enough to form a relationship with my fake mate. Did not want to fall for her after my last girlfriend burned me. Women couldn’t be trusted. They fucked around behind your back. Used you for whatever they could get from you then dumped you when they were done and moved onto something better, just like Orion had with Vice. He had magick and money and could woo her with false charm.

So why the fuck did I want to please her, worship her, fall at her fucking feet and massage her legs? The woman had a way of getting under my guard and throwing me off balance the same way the demon did with his deception.

Fuck, no. I was not going to throw myself at Orion. Wait for her scraps of attention, if I got any at all with the demon all over. I’d find a way to deal with her until this mate business concluded. I’d not give away my heart to a woman who so easily fell into the arms of my enemy.

Vice leaned in the doorway observing the interaction. Fucking asshole played love god again.

“Are we gonna talk strategy or not?” I growled. “’Cause I’m busy and gotta get going soon.”

The demon took his seat and reclined in his chair like only he could do. “What’s your play, Ace? What orders will you give the demon army? Defend your lands? Kill your rival pack and claim their territory? Say it, and it’s yours.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. He got me there. I hadn’t really thought this through. I wanted to show the Lithgow pack they couldn’t threaten us. To back the fuck off and leave us alone once and for all. No blood needed to be spilled.

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