These two did so love meddling, and Ellina would bet money their father hadn’t sent the twins here to inform her of this not-so-new news. They’d just taken it upon themselves.
But why? She was well, well aware of what their demon daddy dearest thought of her chosen career path.
“Well, I’ll take his opinion under advisement,” she said, then waited for her brothers to leave. After all, there didn’t seem to be any other reason for them to stay.
Both of her brothers just regarded her, tattletale glee still written on their faces.
Finally, when she realized they were content to do this indefinitely, she asked, “So why didn’t he come here to tell me in person? Sending lackeys doesn’t seem like Dad’s style.”
She waited for their smug smiles to disappear. The effect was almost instantaneous.
“Lackeys?” Pasha sputtered.
Their self-satisfied smiles transferred to her. She couldn’t hold back her grin. She knew that comment would get their goats.
“No need to be so sensitive,” she said, her smile widening. She knew it was petty, but she loved using one of their favorite placations back on them. How many times had they told her she was too sensitive about their often cruel little practical jokes? Her comment hardly compared to their open mockery over her half-breed status.
“We are no one’s lackeys,” Andrey said, his midnight eyes somehow growing even darker, as if his pupils were eating up the light around him.
Ellina knew she should stop, but instead she shrugged. “Sure seems like it to me.”
Pasha’s anger grew evident too, his pale skin also absorbing that light around them until he practically glowed. Both brothers glared at her, more than mere irritation filling their eyes.
Some of her satisfaction dissolved.
Okay, when would she learn? She should have kept her mouth shut. Not that she’d ever been great at that.
Now her brothers were beyond goaded, they were furious. Even Jude could tell that. His arm brushed against hers, as he positioned himself even closer to her, preparing himself to block her from attack, if necessary. She wasn’t sure it wasn’t going to be necessary
“How dare you, not even a full demon, say something like that to us?” Pasha said, although his voice no longer sounded exactly human. It was more like a guttural rumble echoing through her office like thunder.
“Have you forgotten who we are?” Andrey asked, his voice taking on the same unnatural quality. “What we are?”
That was a ridiculous question. How could she possibly forget? The demon half of her family never let her forget that she wasn’t a real demon, while the human half never let her forget she wasn’t a real human either.
But she didn’t say that. She’d pushed them too far, and it wouldn’t make things better to keep going. She knew the best course of action was to just let them rant and then, with any luck, they would leave.
Unfortunately Jude didn’t know the plan.
“Is that some sort of threat?” He moved forward just a bit.
Ellina elbowed him, but the subtle jab didn’t seem to register. Instead he continued to scrutinize the two demons, his expression calm, his muscles coiled.
Ellina should have been relieved that her brothers’ attention moved from her to her faux boyfriend. But she wasn’t. This couldn’t turn out well. Not unless she convinced Jude to zip it.
“It’s okay, Jude,” she said quickly, touching his arm. “Just a little sibling rivalry. Just harmless ribbing, really. Right, guys?”
She turned pleading eyes toward Pasha and Andrey. Her pained, worried expression seemed to please them, because the air shifted, some of their anger ebbing away, like water slowly swirling down a drain.
Well, a clogged drain maybe. And unfortunately Jude wasn’t taking her cue.
“Maybe you two should just go,” Jude said. “I don’t appreciate your veiled threats.”
Rage rose up in the air again. And now the drain was totally stopped up. Great. Ahh, if only there was such a thing as emotional Liquid-Plumr.
“You know, I think you should mind your own business,” Pasha said, his pale gaze eerier than usual. Iridescent and snapping with anger
“Ellina is my business.” Jude stepped away from her, coming around the desk to be on the same side as her brothers.
She followed, again touching his arm.
“Jude, you’re really making too much of this. It’s all fine. Right, guys?”
She gave her brothers another desperate look. This could be bad. Pasha and Andrey wouldn’t fight fair, and really, this situation wasn’t worth a brawl. They’d come here to taunt her—for reasons she still didn’t comprehend—and she should have let them do it and be done with them.
No good ever came from defending herself with these guys. Not that she ever learned that lesson. She always felt the need to get little digs in whenever she could. Maybe that was proof she was their sibling.
But she’d clearly learned she should just keep her mouth shut, especially with Jude here.
“I can’t believe you’re threatening a demon,” Andrey said almost conversationally, moving around the room, acting as if he was just casually pacing the room as he talked.
More fear crept up Ellina’s spine, and she couldn’t suppress the shiver that ran through her as her gaze shifted back and forth between Jude and her brothers. Apparently feeling her worried looks, Jude glanced at her, just a quick flick of his eyes toward her, but that was all it took for Andrey to make his move.
He lunged, his attack nearly invisible, a barely there whir of motion. But to her amazement, before her brother’s lightning strike could even make contact, Jude threw a hand up, capturing Andrey by the neck.
With only one hand and no sign of exertion, Jude lifted Andrey off the floor until his feet dangled inches above the ground as if he was nothing more than a limp rag doll. Certainly not a tall, leanly muscled demon.
Andrey didn’t react immediately, clearly shocked. Then he dematerialized from Jude’s grasp like vapor disappearing through his fingers. Her brother reappeared on the other side of the room, his anger still intact, but now her sibling was visibly shaken.
Andrey started to lift a hand to his neck, then caught himself. He wouldn’t give Jude the satisfaction of that much reaction.
Ellina glanced to Pasha, who looked equally as wary of Jude, but his pale eyes still snapped and glowed.
“What are you?” he asked Jude.
Jude’s expression was calm, almost blank. He didn’t answer the question, but he did reply, his voice low and even. “I won’t let you hurt Ellina.”
Something unfamiliar
