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“And even though you want your man out of their ranks, you decided to aid them yourself.” He edged toward her, so minutely she wouldn’t realize he was close enough to reach through the bars until it was too late.

“I decided to aid you.”

Another inch. “But you’re not working for them.”

“No.”

“Shall I tell you all my secrets, then?” Another inch.

Her eyes narrowed, obscuring her pretty irises. “Keep your secrets. I’m not interested.” She withdrew a sucker from her pocket, the wrapper gone, and stuffed the thing in her mouth.

Well, he was definitely interested in hers. “If you don’t work for Hunters, who do you work for? How did you know how to save me? And why don’t you set me free now? As you can see, I’m not a danger to anyone.”

Out popped the candy. “First, I’m currently unemployed. And as for my saving know-how, trial and error. Some races can regenerate limbs, some can’t. Some have wings, most don’t. Some respond to human medicine positively, some negatively. As for the Hunters and your release, I’m sad to say they get you back the moment I decide you’re well enough.”

Yet another inch. Almost there… “But you still claim not to work for them.”

She shrugged. “My husband made the agreement with them. He decides.”

“And you won’t defy him? Or change his mind?” he asked, using his huskiest tone.

“No.” Softly spoken, yet firm, unbending. “I can’t. I wish, but I can’t.”

Finally William reached her. He grinned. “Too bad.” His arm shot through the bars, his fingers wrapping around her fragile neck.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

THE NEXT MORNING, STRIDER’S ears were bleeding and his mind was echoing the lyrics from Naughty By Nature’s “O.P.P.” Didn’t help that Kaia and Bianka were still singing. Badly. So damn badly. Not that he’d ever admit that last part aloud. Kaia looked so happy squawking her heart out and he didn’t want to taint an activity that gave her enjoyment. But seriously. He was willing to bet a cat being skinned had better pitch. And yeah, he’d put good money on that bet, not to mention his body and his demon.

Once the girls had started, they hadn’t stopped. Tragically, though hours had passed, neither of them had developed laryngitis.

Besides the humans, who had all taken off at closing, the lucky bastards, no one had dared leave the bar. Not the Lords, the Skyhawks, the angels, nor the Eagleshields.

To the Harpies, this was another type of contest, plain and simple. Who could outlast the other? For once, Strider was willing to lose. He would have left, writhed in (grateful) pain for a few days, but damn it all to hell, he had to protect his little Harpy.

A few times, one of the Eagleshields attempted to head up onstage, take over and put everyone out of their misery. Strider jumped up, ready for action, but Lysander and Zacharel, who still couldn’t be seen by anyone but Strider and Sabin, immediately formed an impenetrable wall of muscle no one was able to pass.

And the Harpies had tried, hitting, kicking and clawing, until finally giving up in frustration. Of course, Kaia and Bianka were blamed, and he’d heard murmurs of wonderment. What type of strange powers did the twins wield?

Good. Let them wonder.

Knowing the angels had Kaia’s back allowed Strider to switch his focus to Juliette and her boy toy Lazarus, who kept their focus centered on Kaia. He didn’t like that. Didn’t like that at all. And he wasn’t going to stand for it.

Just behave, he told Defeat, and we’ll be fine. I’ll handle this.

Despite the noise that had left the demon whimpering and begging for a one-way ticket back to hell, Pandora’s box, anything to escape, Defeat snorted.

So. No cooperation today. That wasn’t gonna stop him, however.

Before he could talk himself into waiting, planning, Strider closed the distance and kicked a chair over to Juliette’s table, the back slats pressing into its surface edge. He eased down backward and propped his elbows on the tabletop.

Immediately he felt the tension in the room escalate, thicken, and he didn’t need to look to know Amun and Sabin had just taken up posts behind him. They had his back, always.

Juliette finally deigned to study him, her soft lavender eyes sweeping over his face and body unhurriedly, languidly, lingering in places they shouldn’t. “Wish and I shall receive. I wanted you to approach me, and so you did. But I must admit, I expected you to do it sooner.”

If she’d truly wanted his attention, by fair means or foul, she would have tried harder to get it. She wouldn’t have waited for him to make a move. Well, if she’d had a pair of balls, she would have. Kaia went after what she wanted, no hesitation. And that, he decided, was exactly how a woman should be. Determined, eager. Sexy.

This one craved revenge, though, her every move designed to help her achieve it. So his approach meant something, he just didn’t know what.

“Why?” he asked, genuinely curious.