Chapter 9
Salem
I’m not someone who smiles a lot, but since Peach has come into my life, I can’t seem to help myself, especially after last night.
I made her come with my mouth and fingers five times before she finally fell asleep.
I wanted to fuck her so badly, but since she’s a virgin, I need to take it slowly.
I want her to want my cock more than her last breath.
When I finally sink into her sweet cunt, she’s going to be the one begging for it.
When I got to the bakery with her, she didn’t seem to be in a rush to tell me to leave.
I helped her do anything she would let me, such as carrying in boxes that were delivered.
I don’t want her lifting anything. She doesn’t know this, but I set wards on her shop, so no one with any evil intent toward her can step inside.
I wonder if I can also block anyone with lustful thoughts toward her? I’ll have to work on that.
“Salem, can you move these bags of flour?” she calls from the kitchen.
I zip there as quickly as I can. “Of course, little one. Anything else?”
She glances around, then offers me a small smile. “No, I think that’s it. Thank you. You saved me a lot of time helping with that delivery.”
“I can help any time… every morning, or I can stay all day if you need me,” I tell her.
“No, I’ll be okay. Anita is starting today, too, so I’ll have the extra help.” She goes up on her tiptoes, and I lower my head to her so she can plant a kiss on my lips. “Thank you.”
“You need me anytime, touch the ring and say my name. It will call me to you.”
I don’t tell her that I can track her, or that she can’t take a step without me knowing about it. When we bond, and I can feel her emotions and maybe even mind link with her like I do with my brothers, that’s when I’ll be happy.
She doesn’t need to know just how untouchable she is.
She only needs to know that she’s safe. I wait to meet Anita, who turns out to be a young shifter female.
She seems nice enough and not a threat to Peach.
Peach could take her easily, especially after seeing how beautiful and strong Peach’s red wolf is.
She’s large for a female. Perfect. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better mate for me.
Lifting her against my body, I push her against the wall and kiss her hungrily. “See you soon,” I say against her lips.
She smiles and nods. “I’ll save you some strawberry cheesecake.”
Fuck.
“I’d love that.”
Forcing myself to put her down, I zip to my sister’s room in her castle in The Circle, the Demon Kingdom. I could easily break through her wards, but I don’t want to see anything that might make me kill Bane with my bare hands.
She opens the door, her eyes lighting up when she sees me standing there. Her left hand is on her rounded stomach. “Salem, come on in. It seems I’m a popular woman today. Milana was just here.”
Milana is Soren’s mate, and I couldn’t care less about her.
“I just wanted to check on you and the baby, and tell you that I’ve found my mate.”
Now that I have Peach where I want her, and I don’t have to chain her up anymore, it’s time to send Saylor in and slowly start letting Peach get to know the family she will be a part of.
“What?” she asks, her eyes rounding. “Come on, sit down and tell me everything.”
She leads me to her couch, and we both sit while I come clean with everything.
“I can’t believe you kept that from me. Peach is gorgeous. I’ve only been in there once or twice, but I remember her being so striking with that red hair. Maybe you can bring her to our family dinner next week. What do you think?”
She stills and then gasps as she looks down at her stomach. “Oh, fuck. Salem, I think it’s time.”
“Time?” I ask, frowning.
“The baby… the baby is coming.”
“Now? Where’s Bane?” I ask, standing.
“He’s outside training with his army,” she manages to get out. Not knowing what the fuck to do, I lift her in my arms and lay her back on the bed.
“Will you be okay for two minutes? I’ll get Bane and find a fucking healer. I’ll kidnap one if I have to,” I growl.
Saylor laughs until her face pinches in a grimace. “I need Astrid. Get Bane and Astrid.”
“Okay, okay,” I mutter, zipping outside the castle. I spot Bane with his shirt off, sword in his hand, fighting one of his soldiers.
“Bane!” I yell out, my hands clenched into fists.
This is all his fault. My baby sister is in pain because he couldn’t keep his demonic sperm away from her.
His head snaps to me, and he drops his sword and zips right to me. “What?”
I don’t have time for his shit. “The baby is coming. Go to her. I’ll go get Astrid.”
All I see is the surprise and concern flickering in his eyes. Thunder booms in the air, and lightning crashes before he disappears.
I head straight to Aravelle, the capital of the Fae Kingdom. I’m probably not exactly welcome here, but I don’t give a fuck. I break through all the castle wards and zip right into the dining room.
Seeing the Fae Queen get railed by the Shadow King wasn’t on my agenda today, but here we are. Rave has his shadows pinning her down with her arms behind her back, while he thrusts into her from behind.
I imagine doing the same thing to Peach, my cock hardening.
Having had enough of the show, I clear my throat. Rave spins to me, his shadows coming right for me. I go invisible and zip to the other side of the room.
“What the fuck!” Rave roars, pulling out of his mate.
“What is it?” she asks, panting. “Why did you stop? I was about to come!”
“I just saw…” he searches the room, and I allow myself to be seen. “Fucking Salem. What the fuck are you doing here? I’m going to kill you!”
He could try.
I nod my head to Astrid. “Get dressed. We’re about to have a fucking baby.”
Her hazel eyes widen with understanding. “I’ll be right there.”
I flash Rave a taunting smirk, and then head back to the Demon Kingdom.
Two hours later, baby Summer is born. She has her mother’s honey-brown eyes and dark hair. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t see anything of Bane.
She’s perfect. And all Saylor.
My sister hands me the baby, smiling gently.
I don’t know what to do with her. I’ve never held a baby, at least not since Saylor was born.
Summer nestles against my chest, and a rush of protection fills me. The same protection I feel for Saylor.
Bane looks like he wants to steal her back from me and run away with her, but Saylor puts her arm out to block him when he takes a step toward me. “That’s her Uncle, Bane. Let her get to know him.”
“I would never hurt her,” I rasp, pressing a kiss to the top of her soft hair.
I’d kill for her.
“Now, are you going to tell me why Astrid had to go calm Rave down?” Saylor finally asks, and my lip twitches.
“Let’s just say I don’t see me getting invited back to the Fae Kingdom anytime soon.”
* * *
“Peach?” I call out when I step into the bakery.
“I’m coming!” she yells from the back.
Not yet, but she will be soon.
When she walks out of the kitchen, her eyes are a little red, like she’s been crying.
“What’s wrong?” I ask quickly, frowning as I scoop her up in my arms.
“Nothing, it was just a long day.” She forces a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Was it Anita?” I press, anger filling me at the thought of someone upsetting her.
“No, Anita’s wonderful. We had one customer who became really angry at her when she made a mistake with his order, so I tried to calm him down, but he just kept screaming at me.
I told him to leave, and he did, but…” She sighs, tucking her head under my chin.
I rub my hand over her head, smoothing back her beautiful hair. “I’m just glad today is over.”
I take a few seconds to process her words, taking in a few deep breaths to try and calm myself down.
Someone raised their voice to my mate. Whoever that was is going to fucking die.
“Who was it who yelled at you, little one?”
“Just some shifter. Don’t worry about it, Salem. It’s a part of dealing with customers sometimes.”
“What shifter?” I ask her, keeping my tone calm, but I must fail because she looks up at me, her brows knitting.
“Salem, it’s fine. Let’s go home. I want a long bath and a glass of wine.” She strokes her hands down my face over my stubble and pulls me in for a kiss, trying to reassure the raging beast inside me.
Home.
She called my house her home.
That calms me down a little.
I decide to get her home and settled, and then I’ll find out who upset her and handle it when she’s asleep.
She doesn’t need to know.