and drink.”
Demir smiled, yet his eyes remained cold and unblinking. He lifted his hand in greeting, fingers straight, palm facing up. “Thank you for the warm welcome.”
Noeh placed his hand against Demir’s. His skin was warm and clammy. Noeh stifled an involuntary shudder.
“I take it you found your quarters acceptable,” Noeh said.
“The accommodations are tolerable, for now.” Demir didn’t remove his palm, but instead increased the pressure.
The challenge did not go unnoticed. Noeh pushed back. “Is there something you require?”
Aramie touched Demir’s shoulder, breaking the contact between the two males. “We noticed our cell phones and tablets don’t work.”
“We have no use for human…things. Besides, the Keep lies too deep in the mountain. The rock is impenetrable and prevents any human technology from working down here.”
“That is unacceptable. We must have connection to the Internet to access our accounts.” Demir clenched his hands, his knuckles white with the force of his grip.
“It appears you’ve had more interaction with humans than we have.” The Pantheras’ height and build were closer to those of the humans and Noeh could see how they would blend in.
“Apparently so.” A flash of yellow appeared in Demir’s eyes.
“The Jixies can help you when they go to the human cities for supplies.” Noeh raised his eyebrows to annoy Demir. “Perhaps you can go with them.”
Aramie spoke, interrupting the tension between the two males. “The food smells wonderful and looks fabulous. Demir, let’s get something to eat, shall we?” She pulled on Demir’s arm.
Demir offered a tight smile, his face a mask of false sincerity. “My Pride and I are thankful for the feast given in our name.” He gave a slight bow of his head and strolled over to one of the tables with Aramie.
Noeh clamped his teeth together. He wanted to wipe that smirk right off his goatee-shaved face. Damn Alora for forcing Demir and his Pride on our kind.
A couple of Panthera warriors, one with a gold front tooth, the other with a string of piercings around his ear, raced to the tables, their eagerness apparent in the way they heaped the food onto their plates. A Dren female wearing a well-worn T-shirt with holes in the thin fabric waited close by. Once the warriors took their fill, she seized a small amount of food and raced to a corner of the room, where she could be alone with her treasure.
Noeh’s jaw flexed as he observed the female eat her meal. He wanted to strangle Demir for treating anyone like that.
“Well, that went well.” Gaetan’s tone was flat and low.
“Eavesdropping and sarcasm do not become you.” Noeh sighed in frustration and tapped the hilt of his sword with his ring.
Gaetan stood in front of Noeh, forcing eye contact. “We must trust the gods. There is a reason they put us together.”
“To frustrate me, I’m sure.” At the mention of the gods, Noeh’s thoughts turned to his other requirement, the one to take a queen. His back stiffened. Unbidden, an image of Mauree wearing the queen’s sunstone necklace flashed through his mind. The gods wanted to torture him.
Noeh scrutinized the attendees, evaluating the mood of the room. A flash of long red hair caught his attention. No way, she hadn’t left her room.But there she was in a form-fitting blue dress one of the Jixies must have altered to fit her small frame. She stood in front of Demir, her shoulders tight, a frown marring her lovely pale features. Demir caressed Melissa’s face, his thumb trailing down her cheek. She flinched, peered at the floor, and took a step back.
Noeh tensed, his muscles as rigid as stone. Get away from her! His inner beast snarled. Wrestling for control, the urge to protect ruled his brain. He raced across the room, fighting to bend the beast to his will.
Chapter Fifteen
Melissa stood in front of Demir, and a sense of unease raced
Demir smiled, yet his eyes remained cold and unblinking. He lifted his hand in greeting, fingers straight, palm facing up. “Thank you for the warm welcome.”
Noeh placed his hand against Demir’s. His skin was warm and clammy. Noeh stifled an involuntary shudder.
“I take it you found your quarters acceptable,” Noeh said.
“The accommodations are tolerable, for now.” Demir didn’t remove his palm, but instead increased the pressure.
The challenge did not go unnoticed. Noeh pushed back. “Is there something you require?”
Aramie touched Demir’s shoulder, breaking the contact between the two males. “We noticed our cell phones and tablets don’t work.”
“We have no use for human…things. Besides, the Keep lies too deep in the mountain. The rock is impenetrable and prevents any human technology from working down here.”
“That is unacceptable. We must have connection to the Internet to access our accounts.” Demir clenched his hands, his knuckles white with the force of his grip.
“It appears you’ve had more interaction with humans than we have.” The Pantheras’ height and build were closer to those of the humans and Noeh could see how they would blend in.
“Apparently so.” A flash of yellow appeared in Demir’s eyes.
“The Jixies can help you when they go to the human cities for supplies.” Noeh raised his eyebrows to annoy Demir. “Perhaps you can go with them.”
Aramie spoke, interrupting the tension between the two males. “The food smells wonderful and looks fabulous. Demir, let’s get something to eat, shall we?” She pulled on Demir’s arm.
Demir offered a tight smile, his face a mask of false sincerity. “My Pride and I are thankful for the feast given in our name.” He gave a slight bow of his head and strolled over to one of the tables with Aramie.
Noeh clamped his teeth together. He wanted to wipe that smirk right off his goatee-shaved face. Damn Alora for forcing Demir and his Pride on our kind.
A couple of Panthera warriors, one with a gold front tooth, the other with a string of piercings around his ear, raced to the tables, their eagerness apparent in the way they heaped the food onto their plates. A Dren female wearing a well-worn T-shirt with holes in the thin fabric waited close by. Once the warriors took their fill, she seized a small amount of food and raced to a corner of the room, where she could be alone with her treasure.
Noeh’s jaw flexed as he observed the female eat her meal. He wanted to strangle Demir for treating anyone like that.
“Well, that went well.” Gaetan’s tone was flat and low.
“Eavesdropping and sarcasm do not become you.” Noeh sighed in frustration and tapped the hilt of his sword with his ring.
Gaetan stood in front of Noeh, forcing eye contact. “We must trust the gods. There is a reason they put us together.”
“To frustrate me, I’m sure.” At the mention of the gods, Noeh’s thoughts turned to his other requirement, the one to take a queen. His back stiffened. Unbidden, an image of Mauree wearing the queen’s sunstone necklace flashed through his mind. The gods wanted to torture him.
Noeh scrutinized the attendees, evaluating the mood of the room. A flash of long red hair caught his attention. No way, she hadn’t left her room.But there she was in a form-fitting blue dress one of the Jixies must have altered to fit her small frame. She stood in front of Demir, her shoulders tight, a frown marring her lovely pale features. Demir caressed Melissa’s face, his thumb trailing down her cheek. She flinched, peered at the floor, and took a step back.
Noeh tensed, his muscles as rigid as stone. Get away from her! His inner beast snarled. Wrestling for control, the urge to protect ruled his brain. He raced across the room, fighting to bend the beast to his will.
Chapter Fifteen
Melissa stood in front of Demir, and a sense of unease raced
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