Several moments later, Abyzou spotted Luc exit the farm house. He was followed by the Angus shifter Jaxon Ryder as well as the vampires Toni Bastille and Tate Locklear. His gaze focused on Toni, staring at the large, heavily built male.

Abyzou felt his cock swell in appreciation of the view. The vampire had broad shoulders, thickly muscled limbs, and hard brown eyes. His thick brown hair was trimmed short, accentuating his tanned features. There were faint laugh lines around his eyes and full lips, but Abyzou had never actually seen him smile.

A tingle worked through Abyzou. He’d steered clear of the vampire due to an altercation with him and his coven not too long ago. Pestilence had ordered his demons to kidnap one of Death’s demons, Balthazar. The vampires had ended up involved, fighting alongside Balthazar, because the demon’s amina was one of their donors.

Now, sitting in the tree downwind of the group, Toni’s scent finally wafted over Abyzou’s senses. His nostrils flared at the smell of the darkly musky scent. His prick oozed pre-cum as realization hit him like a thunderbolt.

Toni is my amina!

Well, fuck! Nothing like Fate to make my life difficult.

Abyzou prayed he could convince Toni to look past the fact that they’d fought on opposite sides in the past.

Caring little for whatever the shifters were doing, Abyzou leaped from the tree. He lifted his wings from his shoulders, allowing them to billow comfortably behind him. Striding barefoot across the lawn, he dropped his glamour and headed toward the group…and Toni.

Abyzou’s cock swelled in his worn jeans—the only article of clothing he currently wore. As he neared the group, with Toni’s scent in his nostrils, he barely managed to keep from cupping himself. He wanted pressure on his dick in the worst way.

As Abyzou strode closer, he focused on what the men were saying.

“We assure punishment for all those involved in the attacks here, Alpha Dorian,” Councilman Moranis told them. With his hands clasped behind his back, he expressed a calm air. “Alpha Donner and his enforcer, Karlylle have been sentenced to death. The council enforcers have been stripped of their positions. I am here to establish restitution based on their involvement.”

“Why did you want the vampire Toni Bastille present?” Alpha Dorian demanded. “He is not one of us.”

“I understand he is here as a volunteer enforcer, so, therefore, he is under our purview,” Councilman Moranis countered, a cold smile tightening his features. “We have also received a statement that he used unacceptable methods of force against an enforcer in an attempt to extract information.”

“That’s bullshit,” Enforcer Brahms snarled. “He was lenient.”

“I did what needed to be done to protect this pack,” Toni snapped. “I would behave the same if I were on coven lands.”

“Then vampires are even more blood-thirsty than we thought,” the councilman replied, his tone snide. “You are to be taken into custody until the extent of your crimes can be determined.”

Possessive rage simmered through Abyzou’s veins upon hearing the councilman’s words. A low growl rumbled through him. He’d just found his amina. He only had one shot at bonding that millennia. He wasn’t going to allow some damn shifter to interfere.

Dustin spotted him, probably drawn by his growls. “Hey!” the enforcer cried, pointing at him. “Who’s that?”

Alpha Dorian’s eyes narrowed as he exchanged a look with Luc and Brahms. Tate gaped as Jaxon took a step backward. It was Toni who growled a response.

“That’s a demon,” Toni rumbled. “In the service of Pestilence. I recognize him from when he and his kind caused trouble at our coven.”

Stepping forward, Alpha Dorian called, “Tell me your name and purpose of your visit, Demon!”

At the same time, the enforcers Dustin and Rafe responded to the wave of the councilman’s hand. They raced toward him, their aggressive intent clear from their roars.

Abyzou didn’t even break stride, but he did grow his claws. Rafe reached him first, swinging a fist at his face. Taking his next step at an angle, he raked his claws along the inside of the shifter’s arm—another cat, judging by the scent of him. Abyzou’s hand reached the man’s wrist and he latched his fingers onto it. Forcing it backward as the shifter’s momentum took him past Abyzou, he heard a snap and pop and knew he’d wrenched it from the man’s shoulder.

Hearing the paranormal scream, Abyzou released him as he met the next threat. He saw Dustin lunge at him, so he bent at the waist and slammed his shoulder into his gut. Straightening, he swept the shifter up off his feet and tossed him over his shoulder, allowing him to tumble to the grass.

Pivoting, Abyzou raked his toe claws across the downed shifter’s neck. He dug in just deep enough to make the male scream in pain before pulling away. The enforcer immediately moved both hands up to staunch the flow of blood.

Abyzou dismissed both fallen men, wiping the blood on his hand’s claws onto his jeans. He refocused on the others. Seeing Adisa still standing at Councilman Moranis’s side, he turned his focus to Alpha Dorian and answered his question.

“I am Abyzou, demon of Pestilence,” he revealed, closing the rest of the distance between them. He stopped ten feet away from Alpha Dorian. “Toni Bastille is my amina. I am here to court him and complete the bonding.”

Toni gaped for all of two seconds before he snarled, “Oh, hell, no! I am not some damn demon’s amina!”