Page 10 of Craving Demons

I closed my laptop and shook my head. I ached for something new, something to fill this void within me.

But I had no clue what that might be.

And before I could go visit my animals, I had to have that talk with Harmonia about this new server we’d hired.

I sighed again. It would have been easier if we hadn’t hired her, whoever she was. Markus was one of the few non-Empyreans working here and probably hadn’t noticed the woman’s out-of-control aspect. If he had, it would have been in subtle ways. I really should have a daemon sit in on interviews in the future.

I rose and made my way to Harmonia’s office. She should be back from her outing by now. As the club’s manager, she used her aspect of harmony to make everyone feel at ease and at home. Technically, she was my first cousin once removed, but among the gods and daemons, such relationships were rarely noted. Especially among the Greeks. Those horny gods would literally mate with anything, including siblings, cousins, and parents, not to mention plants and animals. As it was, I had three sisters and a brother from three different mothers, but all children of Hades.

I knocked on Harmonia’s office door and waited for her melodic voice.

“Enter,” she called out and I opened the door, striding in… and stopped.

Ramsey was there.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him, my voice cold. It was my usual tone, especially with him. I liked to keep my life orderly and with Ramsey around, that rarely happened.

“I hear we have a new staff member who might need tending to?” Harmonia answered. “Ramses was just letting me know a bit about her.”

Ah.

“I believe I saidI’ddo that,” I said to Ramsey. “Why do you always cause trouble?”

Ramsey opened his mouth, but again Harmonia answered, always trying to make peace. “He’s not making trouble at all. In fact, he had an idea you should hear.”

I sighed and sat in the other chair in the office. Part of me wanted to shift it away from Ramsey, but I knew that small action would only make him smile. He’d think he’d won. So, I kept the chair where it was, trying to ignore the other daemon prince.

“Yes, go on,” I said to Harmonia, not Ramsey.

Harmonia looked to Ramsey, who answered. “When I spoke to this woman in the elevator, she didn’t seem to have any clue she was a daemon. So even with Harmonia helping her, it may take a while for her to get herself under control. In the meantime, I didn’t think you’d want every daemon in this place fighting to be with her. With an aspect as strong as hers, that’s likely what’s going to happen.”

“And you have a plan to stop them? Kill them all?” I asked evenly. I still didn’t quite look at him, looking past his face to the wall beyond. That smug smile of his always annoyed me.

“No, I know how you like peace and order. I was thinking the best way to keep other Empyreans off her was to claim her.”

I nodded, this made sense now. “You want to have her all to yourself. And that will keep most other daemons away since you’re of a high rank. The bonus being you can seduce her as you like. Is that it?”

He raised his hands. “I don’t see any issue with that. If she’s game for some fun, then we’ll have fun.”

I sighed. The man had already slept with most of my staff.

“What if…” Harmonia began and drew our attention back to her, “both of you were to claim her, as it were?”

I raised a brow at that.

Harmonia went on. “Since we don’t want to scare away this new staff member by coming on too strong.” This with a pointed look at Ramsey. “Perhaps it’s better that she not be the focus of only one man. Instead, andonly if she agrees, we can make it known that because of her presence, you two are both fighting over her. Given your natures, you two feuding over anything isn’t… uncommon. And with two daemon lords already fighting over her, that would surely keep any other interested parties away. Wouldn’t you agree?”

I saw Ramsey look at me from my periphery. “You up for a little competition, Zag?” He knew I hated that nickname. “And let’s be clear, it was only ever my intention to help this woman, not seduce her. We could make it look like we were fighting over her, but she’d be free to do as she wishes and be with whomsoever she wishes, whether that’s you, me, or someone else.”

Harmonia’s idea did have merit. “Fine, I’ll join in with this charade.” To Harmonia, I said, “When she’s in next, please bring her to see me, so I know who it is I’m fighting over.”

“Oh, you won’t have any trouble knowing who she is.” Ramsey’s tone grew heated. “She’s very hard to miss with that aspect of hers. If your dick isn’t rock hard and your balls aren’t aching as soon as you see her, then it’s not her.”

How vulgar.

I rose. “Is that all?” Then I remembered my reason for coming here. “Harmonia, you’ll take this woman under your wing, help her understand who and what she is, and make sure she learns to control herself, yes?”

Harmonia nodded. “Of course. It’ll be my pleasure.”