Page 37 of The Monsters We Are

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Ishtar strolled along the roof, sweeping her gaze over the sight below. “A blizzard.Pfft. Far from creative.”

“The Aeons aren’t going for ‘creative’,” said Cain. “They’re going for ‘destructive’.”

She flicked her hair over her shoulder. “There was no follow-up after you retaliated. The Aeons responsible must have let loose a little power and then fled.”

“One of our scouts caught sight of them before they struck.” If any of the creatures here were able to take on Aeons, Cain would have ordered for them to take the bastards out or at least attempt to capture them. Instead, all he could ask of the scouts was that they report the Aeons’ arrival immediately.

“I will have some of my aides assess the level of damage,” said Dantalion.

“I don’t see any sign of fatalities,” said Lilith.

“No, nor I,” added Inanna.

Ishtar fired a tight smile at Cain. “It appears that your witch and her coven are fine.”

Yes, Cain had noticed. He was relieved even as he was furious that she’d been subjected to the wrath of the blizzard in the first place.

Azazel grinned at Ishtar. “I’m sure that fills you with so much delight you almost can’t take it.”

She shot him a droll look.

“I doubt the Aeons are still close, but we should probably have the scouts confirm it before we step down from here,” hedged Seth.

So that was what they did.

By the time they’d received their confirmation that the Aeons were gone, Wynter and her coven had disappeared into the manor and, Cain assumed, to the underground city. When he returned to his Keep, he was informed by one of his aides that she was “home”, and the simple word made a smile build inside him.

The moment he stepped inside his chamber, Cain heard the shower running. He padded into the attached bathroom, noting the damp clothes that were piled beside the stall. His consort stood inside it, but he couldn’t see much of her due to the steam.

He stripped off his own clothes—they weren’t quite as wet as hers, but they were still uncomfortably damp—and joined her in the shower.

She squealed when he cupped her hips from behind. “Christ, your hands arefreezing.”

Chuckling, he pulled her back against him, which elicited another squeal from her.

“Let me go, asshole!”

He licked a line up her throat. “But this is far more fun.”

She bitched at him right up until his hands were warm, at which point she allowed him to soap her down . . . which quickly turned sexual, so it wasn’t long before he was fucking her against the tiled wall.

Her body trembling from the aftershocks, she slumped against him, breathing hard, burying her face in the crook of his neck. “For an old and decrepit dude, you have a whole lot of energy when it comes to sexytimes.”

Feeling his lips curve, he gave her earlobe a sharp nip. “I may be old, but I’m not decrepit.”

“I’m going with you when you storm Aeon. You know that, right?”

He tensed. Where in the fuck had that come from? And why in the hell would she ever think he’d allow it? “That’s not going to happen. And if you’re mentioning this now because you thought that I’ll be easier to convince while in post-sex throes, you were mistaken.”

She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. There was no anger there, only resolve—firm, calm, and all too familiar. “That wasn’t a request,” she softly stated. “I know you worry about me. I worry about you just the same. But I won’t stay behind.”

Cain felt a muscle in his cheek flex. “More than anything, Adam wants you at Aeon. You’d give him that?”

She let out a prim little sniff. “He also wantsyouthere. I don’t see you offering to stay behind. Besides, it’s not like I plan to hand myself over to him.” She planted her hands on his shoulders. “I’ll make a good distraction, Cain. You know that. He’ll be caught between being desperate to eliminate you and desperate to catch me alive. He won’t order any of his people to kill me, which means I’ll bewaysafer than you’ll be. And I’m no easy target. You remember that, right?”

He sighed, knowing she was right in all she’d said, hating to admit it even to himself. Still, he argued that she should stay behind as they dried off, returned to his chamber, and pulled on some clothes. She didn’t back down. Nor did she get mad or snippy. She remained calm as she repeatedly stated her case . . . and he knew that he wouldn’t convince her to change her mind.Fuck.