Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 154735 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154735 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Female gang members were more like it: The human women wore leather jackets of a similar style, and every one of them had a tattoo on the front of her neck, the design of a skull bifurcated by her windpipe. Their hair was all types, blond, black, curly, straight. Many had earring holes that took up their entire lobes, but there were no hoops or studs in them. No rings, bracelets, or necklaces, either.
The scent was a combination of hash, crack, and drugstore perfume.
Which was not to say they weren’t hot. As his shock abated, he recognized that though they looked like the last thing in the world they needed was a man, that didn’t mean they weren’t fuckable.
And there was his demon, bringing up the rear.
Not that he was claiming her in any way.
Devina had her hair all coiled up again and she was wearing a business suit, her vibe like a beauty queen CEO about to get rolled for her heels and her gold watch.
Yet the women readily parted for her as she came down to him. “I’d like you to meet my friends. I believe you’ll find them well qualified for your work.”
Lash took the demon’s arm in a hard grip and pulled her into the storage room. Kicking shut the door, he hissed, “What the fuck is this.”
“Are you saying you won’t deal with women?” An arched brow lifted even farther. “How chauvinistic.”
“I’m not asking them to a fucking tea party.”
“Do they look like they’d know what to do with a cup and saucer? Unless it was breaking the latter and using it to slice someone’s throat open.”
“I don’t need this—”
“You are so stupid.”
Lash recoiled as if she had struck him. And he was so affronted by the statement that he couldn’t throw back a retort immediately—which gave the demon time to continue: “I handpicked these women from over a hundred. Most of the vampires who go out in Caldwell at night are males, and most of them are heterosexual. If you want to get at civilians, they can be seduced. And I know your Lessening Society’s history—all lessers have started as men before they were turned, so none of the Brotherhood are going to expect slayers who are women—which is a tactical advantage. Plus you can still keep recruiting men. Why limit yourself and your strategy?”
Lash rolled his eyes. “Do you think I want them fighting against the Brotherhood? You think that matchup is going to go well—”
The impact of a knee to his groin was so swift, so targeted, he saw stars as he jacked forward, covered his nuts, and debated whether he was going to throw up.
Devina grabbed the back of his hair and ripped his head up. “Oh, whoops. Did I do that? I guess I don’t know my own strength. Tee. Hee.”
Lash shoved her off and paced around with a stiff leg as the pain faded. When he was sure his voice wasn’t going to squeak, he faced the demon and said, in a voice that was absolutely not any higher than his normal one, “Be careful, you like what I can do with that shit.”
The demon smiled and licked her lips. “I do.”
“Then keep both your fucking feet on the ground.”
If it had been anyone else, he would have blown them apart. But knowing her, she’d enjoy that, and he was not in a mood to make her fucking happy.
And what was worse than getting nailed in the privates? The bitch had a good fucking point. Maybe not about fighting the Brothers with women who had been turned, but certainly about civilian vampires and sex. There were still a lot of traditional families who sequestered their females, that double standard making it many times more likely that males would be out alone—and in the mood.
The more civilians he could kill off, the greater the civil unrest and the less stable Wrath’s throne was.
He went back over to the door, opened things up, and eyed the women.
They weren’t chatting, taking selfies, or scrolling through Instagram on their phones. They were staring down at him, their bodies still… like they were ready to do whatever was required—even if that included some hand-to-hand. On him.
Clearly, they weren’t the kind to be played.
The demon’s hand curled onto his shoulder. “You know I’m right. And you should also know the Brothers are going to have a real hard time fighting women. They’re not going to want to kill them because they’re a bunch of Boy Scouts. That’s another advantage.”
Lash took note of each face, meeting each one’s eyes. “Do they know what they’re in for.”
“Not any more or less than any of the men have.” The demon squeezed. Hard. “I wouldn’t fuck them, if I were you.”
Lash glared into her black eyes. “I’ll be the judge of that.”