The Demon Who Fed on a Shark (11 page)

“Of course it’s my business,” Rhys shot back. “Father sent me

here to take care of you. What will I tell them if something happens to you?”

Anger coursed through Alexis. Of course. He should have known

better than to believe his sibling was actually concerned about his

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condition. “You selfish prick. You only care about watching your ass

and keeping Father from punishing you. Just leave me alone.”

He turned away from his sibling and ran the water in the sink to

rinse his mouth. Rhys grabbed his arm and forcibly turned him

around. “Don’t you dare ignore me,” the other incubus said. “Believe

what you like, but this is a serious situation. Don’t you care about

what happens to that child you carry?”

Those words were like a slap to the face. Of course he cared. If he

could have forced himself to accept the caress of another, he would

have. But how could he look into the eyes of a child born from his

and Morgan’s love—however misguided that love had been—if he

betrayed his father like that?

“What would you have me do?” he asked Rhys. “I can’t take

another lover. I can’t, Rhys.”

“At least tell your parents,” Rhys insisted. “They’ll come up with

something.”

Alexis shook his head angrily, and Rhys’s nostrils flared. “I’ll tell them if you don’t,” the other incubus warned.

Alexis glowered at Rhys. “Don’t you dare, Rhys. Don’t you dare

to tell them.”

But Rhys’s expression was decided. “They have to know.”

Desperately, Alexis clutched Rhys’s shoulders. “Don’t you see,

Rhys? This isn’t an incubus child. I don’t know what he or she will

be. How do you think they’ll react to that?”

A small trickle of doubt slipped in Rhys’s eyes. “They’ll accept

it,” he said after a small pause. “They love you.”

Alexis laughed bitterly. “If you truly believe that, you’re either a

fool or lying to yourself. They hate Morgan, and while they might

have some affection for me as their child, they won’t have any qualms in hurting this child.”

“At this rate, it won’t even matter,” Rhys shot back. “Without

feeding, you yourself are killing it.”

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Unable to control his emotional response to that horrible thought,

Alexis fled. He headed toward his room and dropped on his bed face

down. The sheets were cold, so cold, just like his heart, and he was so very afraid.

Taking a few deep breaths, Alexis forced himself to think. He had

three choices. The first one was to continue on this path, which would probably kill his child and, eventually, even him. The second one was to accept Rhys’s idea and take another lover. And finally, the third was to call Morgan, to call the man he’d let down and enthralled,

whose life he’d destroyed. Did he dare?

He imagined Morgan’s handsome face, his roguish smile, his

gravel-filled voice, the way he’d whispered words of passion in

Alexis’s ear. Morgan deserved better than anything Alexis could give

him. But he also deserved to know he was going to be a father. He’d

been so very thrilled when Alexis suggested the possibility. Alexis

couldn’t hide it from him.

His hand trembling, Alexis picked up the phone on the nightstand.

He didn’t have the courage to allow for video connection, so he kept

the call voice only. His hand sweated as he made the call, his heart already thundering. This was a bad idea, such a bad idea, but he

desperately needed help.

“Hello?” Morgan’s voice sounded at the other side of the

connection.

Alexis couldn’t speak. He couldn’t say a word. Just that simple

word froze him, immobilizing his vocal chords. They hadn’t even said

good-bye, damn it, and Alexis could still remember Morgan’s touch

on his skin, his caress, his kisses.

With a choked sound, he ended the call. Thankfully, the phone

lines were secure at the mansion provided by his parents, and Morgan

would be unable to call him back. Alexis angrily kicked at a pillow.

This was getting him nowhere. He needed to be strong, if only for his child. His relationship with Morgan might be wrecked, but their baby

wasn’t to blame and shouldn’t have to suffer.

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75

Decision made, he gripped the phone again, just as Rhys burst into

the room. “What are you doing?” the other incubus asked, his voice

suspicious. “Who are you calling?”

“Morgan,” Alexis replied. “It’s the only way.”

Rhys hissed an angry sound. “You know Father forbade you to

contact them.”

Alexis narrowed his eyes at his brother. “He left me a phone.

Well, he should have known I’d use it.”

“It was a test, and you’re failing it.” Rhys reached for the phone in Alexis’s grip, but Alexis pulled away. “Come on, Alexis. What are

you going to say to him?”

“The truth. That I’m expecting his child and I need his help.”

“Just like that?” Rhys laughed. “Come on, Alexis. You know

better than to think it’ll work.”

“They might hate me, but the child I carry is a Cunningham.

They’ll want it.” Alexis clutched his brother’s arm. “I can’t tell

Father, Rhys. What if he cuts me off from Morgan completely? What

if he forces me to accept another lover?”

“Fine.” Rhys took a deep breath. “Okay. But let’s do things right.

I’ll call and set up a meeting for you. And God help us all.”

* * * *

Morgan frowned at he stared at the phone in his hand. He rubbed

his chest, anxiety assaulting his every sense. The person who’d called him hadn’t spoken or even breathed, but instinctively, Morgan knew

who it was. Alexis.

In the past few weeks, Morgan had struggled to find a way to

reach the Whitakers. Eventually, through his parents, he’d contacted

the incubus family, and the Whitakers didn’t even bother to claim

they didn’t know Alexis’s location. However, they adamantly refused

to disclose it, and nothing Morgan’s parents had said or done could

convince them.

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Byron had dispatched shape-shifters of all kinds to investigate the

Whitakers in great depth. So far, none of them had any luck. They

were pretty sure the demon couple had Alexis stashed somewhere at a

secondary residence, but actually discovering it was a whole different matter.

This phone call was the first sign he’d gotten from Alexis in

weeks, other than the dreams that wouldn’t let him go. But the only

way to know for sure would be to track the call, something which,

knowing the Whitakers, must be impossible.

Nodding to himself, Morgan got up from his desk, where he’d

been studying the latest reports on the Whitaker compound. He was

just about to leave the room when the phone rang again.

Instantly, Morgan took the call. “Alexis?” He hated the tremor of

his own voice, hated the fact that his heart was racing and his breath had quickened. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “Alexis, are you there?”

A few seconds passed with no answer. Finally, an unfamiliar

voice said, “I’m looking for Morgan Pierce-Cunningham. You are

him, I presume.”

Morgan nodded, even if the other man had chosen to stick to vocal

connection only and couldn’t see him. “Yes. Who am I talking to?”

“My name is Rhys Whitaker. I’m Alexis’s brother, and I have a

message for you.”

“A message. From Alexis.” Morgan repeated the words, testing

them, trying to understand what they meant. “Why didn’t he call

himself?” Cold terror swept through him. “Is something wrong with

him?”

He’d suspected it for a while now, suspected from the dreams

he’d been having, frightening, horrible dreams which never told him

what he needed to know, instead taunting him with the idea that

Alexis had somehow been harmed. But now, he knew for certain. He

could tell from Rhys Whitaker’s tone that all was not right with

Alexis.

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77

“Alexis needs your cooperation on something very important,”

Rhys said. “I cannot tell you what it is yet, but you must meet with us as soon as possible.”

“Where and when?”

Morgan knew he shouldn’t sound so eager, but he couldn’t help it.

“I will send a helicopter after you,” Rhys said. “All you need to do

is get on board. Tomorrow, at noon. I expect my staff to be well

received.” Rhys paused. “It’s preferable that, for this first meeting, you see Alexis alone. Your family is welcome to come, of course, and

you will be allowed a limited number of security personnel—two

guards at most—but I won’t allow them in Alexis’s presence. ”

All these conditions sounded more than a little suspicious, but

Morgan couldn’t exactly say no. “Agreed. I’ll be waiting.”

“Very well, Mr. Pierce-Cunningham. Thank you for your

cooperation. We’ll see each other soon.”

With that brief good-bye, the connection was cut off. Morgan was

left staring at the receiver in disbelief and dismay. What the hell had he just agreed to?

Fuck. He didn’t know, but he couldn’t back down. He needed to

see Alexis. With each second that passed, the urgency increased. But

first, he needed to broach it with his family.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Layton burst into the room.

“Hey,” he said. “Anything new?”

“Actually, yes. Alexis called.”

Layton froze. He literally froze. He didn’t even seem to be

breathing. As always, their parents must have sensed something was

wrong because they appeared in the room as well. Sophia trailed

behind them like an annoying ghost.

“What did he say?” Byron inquired, his voice low and threatening.

To anyone else, it would have sounded intimidating, but Morgan

knew his father was just concerned for him. He’d been a mess these

past weeks, wondering what had become of Alexis, thinking about

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who Alexis had taken in his bed. It was still hard to think about that, but his concern for Alexis’s welfare was overcoming his jealousy.

“I didn’t actually talk to him,” Morgan replied, marveled at his

own calmness. “I spoke to his brother. He wants me to meet up with

them. They’re sending a helicopter here tomorrow at noon.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” His father’s voice was so quiet

Morgan might have missed the reply if not for his sensitive hearing.

“I’m not letting you anywhere near that man ever again.”

“You can’t keep me from going,” Morgan replied just as calmly.

“I’m not a child any longer.”

Byron’s nostrils flared. “You certainly are acting like one. What

does he have to do to convince you not to go running to him like a

faithful puppy?”

Morgan recoiled like he’d been slapped. “I don’t know,” he

replied coolly. “What would Dad have to do for you to stop following

him around like a love-struck fool?”

It was an unfair, awful thing to say, and Morgan wanted to take it

back the moment he uttered the words. He respected his parents

greatly and was thankful for the fact that they were still as in love now as in their younger years. But his father didn’t give him the

chance to apologize. He grabbed Morgan and effortlessly lifted him

off the ground.

“Don’t compare your sire to your whore.”

Morgan saw red. Even if his father sounded angrier than ever,

Morgan pushed him away, freeing himself from the other shark’s

grip. Byron was stronger, more experienced, and a better fighter, but Morgan would not allow him to speak about Alexis that way. Alexis

had never been a whore to Morgan. He’d been special, just as special

as his parents were to each other, even if the incubus himself didn’t realize that.

“Then don’t speak of things you know nothing about,” he shot

back.

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79

His father might have said something else, but his dad stepped in

between the two of them. He looked pained and pale, and Morgan

immediately reached for him. “I’m sorry, Dad. Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Skylar took a deep breath and gave Morgan a telling look.

“Your father might be blunt, but he’s right about one thing. Alexis

isn’t good for you.”

“I agree,” Sophia piped up. Morgan had completely forgotten she

was even present and felt irritated that she’d interfered. This was none of her business. She made her way to his side and leaned on his arm.

“You deserve better than that incubus.”

Obviously, she believed that he deserved her. Whatever. He didn’t

have time for this. He only regretted she’d been present to witness

him losing his temper.

Extracting himself for her grip, he directed his attention toward

his parents. “Please, forgive me for what I said. I was out of line. But I have to go see him, Dad. I have to know he’s all right.”

After a few seconds of silence, his dad nodded. “Okay, but I’m

coming with you.”

“And me, too,” Layton offered. “He and I need to have some

words.”

Morgan wasn’t exactly happy about having his former lover and

his twin facing off like that. Before Alexis’s betrayal, Layton had

actually started to befriend the incubus, which was why the entire

thing hurt so much in the first place. Layton had always been the most important person in Morgan’s life, his twin, his other half. Even if