Page 41 of Hell Fae Commander
“Family is more than blood, Ajax,” he returned. “And no, you’re not royals yet. But your little mate might be one soon.”
“My little mate?” I repeated. And what the hell did he mean by “soon”? “She’s not my mate.”
“No, I suppose she isn’t yet.” He turned and walked over to a table. “My g’ma sends her love, by the way. And cookies.” He gestured to the treat—something that would usually make my mouth water because I fucking loved his grandmother’s cookies—but I was still hung up on his cryptic bullshit.
“I’ll never bite her without her consent.” An action that would enact the mating bond against Cami’s will. Which was precisely what Shade had done to Aflora. “Cami is not my mate, nor will she ever be my mate.”
Primarily because she currently hated me.
But also because I refused to even consider the possibility of making her mine.
Claiming her could easily become a fantasy. But that wasn’t our reality. We lived in a hell loop dictated by Lucifer’s wants and desires. To believe otherwise would set me up for a world of pain.
“You’re fortunate that your path allows you that freedom,” he replied, a glint in his gaze. “Mine did not.”
“I wasn’t making a jibe about you and Aflora. I’m just saying…”What am I saying?I wondered. “I’m saying that… that what I have with Cami is different.”
There.
That was the truth.
Because this really wasn’t about how he’d mated Aflora. Consent or no, they’d worked everything out between them.
But Cami… I wasn’t sure we could move on from our current problems, and I sure as fuck wasn’t about to add to them by biting her against her will.
Even if mating her would make protecting her easier.
Not going to consider that at all,I told myself.
“We’ll see,” he murmured in that cryptic way of his. “G’ma left you a card with the cookies. Read it when you’re able.” He walked over to the windows overlooking the balcony. “There are blackout shades if you need them. Sir Silber will show you how to work them.”
The gargoyle snorted. “Sir Silber will do whatever you’d like,” the stone creature mocked. “Sir Silber doesn’t need any introduction at all because he lives to serve.”
“I did introduce you,” Shade insisted. “Well, technically, I greeted you. The sentiment was there.”
“Hmph,” the gargoyle muttered.
Shade sighed. “I’ll owe you a stoner, okay?”
My eyebrow lifted at the termstoner. Shade was referring to a leafy cigar filled with toxic herbs from the LethaForest—a dangerous woodsy area near Midnight Fae Academy.
“Make it three and I’ll consider us even.”
“Three?” Shade shook his head. “Twoand you help Florica with her next assignment.”
The gargoyle scratched his chin. “Thwomp torches?”
“Yep.”
“Fine.”
“Good.” Shade stuck out his fist for the gargoyle to bump.
“Would you like me to set up the bed for the lady?” Sir Silber asked me, his lighter tone still holding a gravelly touch, thanks to his stone mouth.
“Yes, that would be appreciated.” Cami didn’t weigh much, nor did I mind holding her, but she needed rest, and that giant bed would definitely suit that purpose.
“Well, I’ll leave you in Sir Silber’s capable claws.” He grinned as the gargoyle grunted from across the room. “Join us for midnight breakfast tomorrow, if you’re both rested. I’m sure Aflora will want to meet your intended.”
