Kell shook his head. “You outdated bastard. Times have changed, brother. One doesn’t just get a mate under control, especially when that mate is a cop, an enforcer of a sort for her own people.”
“She’s fragile, and now, some of her enemies aren’t of her own species. This witch we’re hunting will kill her without a thought, just to get to you.” Daire twirled a letter opener around his fingers.
“I’m aware of that fact.” Kell shook his head to regain some control. “Women can be warriors. Cousin Moira is an enforcer for the Nine, and she’s mated to a vampire.”
Daire flipped the sharp edged opener into the air and caught it, keeping it twirling. “Moira is a witch whom we trained for a century. Even though she’s an enforcer, when was the last time she went out on a job without her soldier of a mate accompanying her?”
“Never,” Kell acknowledged.
“Right. Listen. You can’t do your job if you’re worried about your woman, so you need to find a way not to worry, because I fucking need you to do your job.” Daire slammed the opener into the desk, sharp edge first, leaving it standing up.
“Simone is going to kill you,” Kell murmured.
“I’ll tell her Adam did it.” Daire yanked the blade free. “Are we clear?”
Kell shook his head. “Do you really think that when you finally mate, you’re going to close her down somewhere safe and away from your job?”
“Of course.” Male arrogance lived naturally on Daire’s rugged face. “I’m not mating an enforcer or a cop or even a shifter. Fate finds us the perfect counterpart, and mine will be nurturing, like having kids, and won’t even consider drawing a weapon.”
Kell snorted. “You’re a moron.” He hoped Daire fell in love with a feline shifter who worked as a soldier. Or maybe a bear shifter that could cut ribbons into his flesh with maniacal claws. “I can’t wait to see you mated.”
“I’m not getting mated for another few centuries.” Daire raised an eyebrow. “Look at the hot mess it has made of your life. Adam is next, then probably Simone, and after you all kick out a bunch of fire-throwing witches, I’ll be a favorite uncle for years.”
“I bet you get mated before Simone,” Kell drawled.
“That’s a bet.”
Daire’s phone buzzed and he glanced at the face. “Mother fucker,” he muttered, stretching to his feet. “That’s Adam. There’s a problem at Fire, and we need to get over there now. I keep forgetting that’s our cover, and it’s time we found out who the damn manufacturer is of the drug.”
Kell nodded and turned to jog through the penthouse. “Where’s Simone?”
Daire didn’t answer.
At the doorway, Kell stopped to view his brother. “Simone?”
“I sent her on a job.” Daire reached around him and shoved open the door.
Kell flew into motion, forgoing the elevator for the stairs. His boots clomped in time with Daire’s. “What job?” He shoved open the door to the underground garage.
“She’s meeting with the demon liaison right now. If they have any history of who could’ve mined PK fifty years ago, we need it.” Daire strode over and slung a leg over his Ducati.
Kell coughed out air, amusement and irritation combining in his chest. “You sent Simone to meet with a demon? If it was Nick Veis, I’m going to hit you in the face for her.” Simone and Nick had a history, a long one, and it wasn’t pretty.
Daire shrugged. “Nick is the liaison, and he’ll tell Simone the truth.”
Kell swung a leg over his bike. “God, you’re an asshole.”
“I prefer the term efficient. I’m tired of Simone nearly disemboweling every man she gets close to, and the reason for that is Nick Veis. They need to figure it out.” Daire gunned his engine.
“You’re a fucking girl,” Kellach yelled over the roar. His brother. The badass leader of the enforcers and also a matchmaker.
“No,” Daire yelled back. “Her feelings get in the way of the mission, so they need to be sorted out.”
Bullshit. Kellach shook his head. Daire was a big softy for family, even though he came across as a first-rate dick. Kell ignited his own engine and yelled over the noise. “The demon isn’t good enough for her.”
“Nobody is.” Daire turned his bike and roared out of the garage, easily employing evasive maneuvers to keep from hitting a taxi.
Kellach shook his head again, not sure he wanted one of his favorite cousins to end up with a demon. Sure, they were allies now, but that wasn’t always so. In the way of the world, they might be enemies again. When had his people become so entangled with demons, vampires, and even shifters?
But Simone flashed sharp teeth every time someone mentioned Nick, so maybe there was no need to worry.
Kell skirted a minivan full of kids and drove through the city, finally opening up the throttle upon reaching clear road. He and Daire rode side-by-side, in sync. They’d been young when their parents had died in one of the battles leading up to the first large war.
Merely teens.