Page 11 of Demon’s Temptation

Mia stood and walked over to him, her sister instinctively knowing he needed her close. “I was just asking Chaya about the guys she’d met at the new club.”

His yellow gaze slid to Chaya and she forced herself not to jolt or look surprised by that direct stare.

“Who are they?” Zenon said, or more growled. “They touch you? Hurt you?” His fingers curled into tight fists. “Names, Chaya.”

Chaya knew her mouth had dropped open but she couldn’t do anything about it. “Um…”

Mia placed her hand on her mate’s chest. “No one’s hurt her. I was just asking if she’d met anyone nice, that’s all.”

His chin dropped, eyes going back to Mia. “And has she?”

“No. Well, I don’t think so.” Mia turned to her, brows raised in question.

Jesus. If she had met someone, she certainly wouldn’t own up to it now. It was like watching Animal Planet, and Mia was doing a good impersonation of David Attenborough. “Nope. Just me, myself, and I.”

“See,” Mia said. “No one for you to threaten or maim, not yet anyway.”

Zenon’s lips curled up on the side and Chaya again had to work at not showing her surprise. She’d only seen that small grin once before, and it only came out when he was with Mia, but it damn near knocked her out of her seat. Zenon was a different male to the one she’d met when she came here after her own transition. She’d avoided him, walked the other way if she saw him coming. She’d been afraid of him. Now she knew how badly she’d misjudged him.

The pain he’d been living in.

Zenon loved fiercely. He loved Mia more than Chaya thought it was possible to love another human being. He’d been prepared to give up his life to ensure her safety.

For that, Chaya loved him as well.

They were family, and going by his reaction now, he thought of her in the same way.

Chaya stood and lifted her hands in surrender. “Okay, put down the shotgun. I always wondered what it’d be like to have a brother, and it’s as annoying as I expected,” she said, smirking. “Dude, are you going to inspect every guy I have the hots for?”

Zenon’s gaze came back to her and he looked as surprised as she had a moment ago, and then he went and shocked her again. “Yeah, as a matter of fact. And I will feed them their own dicks if they step out of line.”

Eve and Mia started chuckling.

“You’re not serious?” Chaya said, because she had no damn idea. Did Zenon even make jokes?

He shrugged. “That’s what brothers do, right?” He turned away and she was sure she saw him grin. Maybe.

Chaya was both touched and alarmed at the same time. “Ha ha. Good one.”

He said nothing more, kissed Mia, and headed for the door.

“You’re joking, right?” she called after him. Chaya spun to Mia. “Tell me he’s joking?”

Then Zenon was gone.

Chaya stared at her sister. “Mia?”

Mia finally turned to her and winced. “Um…yes?”

“The lack of conviction behind that answer is not exactly filling me with confidence.”

Mia gave her a sympathetic look. “He’s still a little protective. And you’re family so someone to be protected.”

How could Chaya be pissed at that? “Best I keep my love life to myself, then,” she said.

Mia pointed at her. “Ha! So you have met someone!”

Chaya picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Well, I’m not likely to tell you now, am I?”