He knew her actions were driven by not only anger but her fear of what could have happened to Asher and Heidi. The fact that they were safe and unharmed just wasn’t the point. Not when their fates were intended to be utterly horrific.
In order to ensure Asher’s safety and survival, Knox and Harper needed to send a clear message that anyone who had even the tiniest role in a plan to target Asher would suffer inconceivable agony.
No one who looked at what was left of Sherryl Malloy could miss that message.
His demon was proud of its mate. Approved that she’d showed no mercy. While Knox also approved, he was concerned that Harper’s conscience would feel the strain of it later. She wouldn’t regret what she’d done, but she’d be upset that she didn’t regret it. Might even be a little disturbed to learn just how far she’d go to protect and avenge their son.
Keenan and Tanner had entered the boathouse moments ago, curious about what was taking so long. They’d been taken aback by the gruesome sight they found, but not horrified—they’d seen Knox dole out much worse torture. Hearing that it was Harper who was responsible, however, had been a huge shock to them. Not a bad shock, though. No, like Knox, they approved of their Prime’s actions even as they knew Harper’s soft heart would pay a price for it later.
“Conference call’s scheduled to start in thirty seconds. You both ready?” Larkin asked from behind him.
Turning to face the sentinel, expression blank, Harper lifted her chin slightly. “Ready.” She hadn’t said much since Sherryl took—well, croaked—her last breath.
Knox moved closer to his mate’s side so that their bodies brushed, giving her space yet also letting her know he was there. “Let’s get this done,” he said.
The harpy pressed a few buttons on the laptop. “And we’re live.” She turned it to face them. The wide screen was a grid of faces as the other Primes stared back at them. Only Jonas, who hadn’t accepted his invite to the video conference, was missing. As Harper had telepathed Jolene with a heads-up about the situation, the female imp was the only one who wasn’t completely clueless as to why Knox had arranged the video conference.
If he and Harper weren’t blocking their view of Sherryl, they would have no doubt all jerked back in horror. Yeah, the view was that bad.
“I know many of you are exceptionally busy,” said Knox, not bothering with any preliminaries, “so I appreciate you all cutting your activities short to take this call.”
“Is this about the Horseman?” Raul instantly asked. “Have you discovered his identity?”
“No,” said Knox, “but we’re getting closer and closer to finding him. It’s only a matter of time before we do.” He truly believed that.
“Then what is the big emergency?” asked Malden.
Knox looked at Thatcher, face hardening. “I believe we have something that belongs to you. Or someone. Sherryl Malloy is one of your demons, correct?”
“Yes,” Thatcher confirmed, thick brows drawing together. “Why is she with you?”
Knox kept his eyes on Thatcher to monitor his reaction closely as he and Harper parted, revealing Malloy. The Prime recoiled in horror, eyes wide. There were gasps, curses, and horrified mutters from the other Primes. Only Jolene, expression grim, stayed silent.
Face reddening and contorting with fury, Thatcher demanded, “What happened? What did you do to her, Thorne?”
“He didn’t do it,” said Harper, voice hard. “I did. She was passing on information to Alethea—information that led to the attempted kidnapping of my niece and to the incorporeal’s attack on my son.”
The Primes fell silent, all looking varying degrees of shocked. Harper suspected they were more shocked to hear that she’d killed Malloy than they were to hear why Harper had killed her. After all, the Primes had always insisted on viewing Harper as someone who was playing out of her league; a fluffy bunny trying to hang with feral wolves. That was their mistake.
Thatcher’s lips parted in surprise. “You’re certain?”
A flash of anger sailed through Harper. “Do you think I’d do that for shits and fucking giggles?” She had no regrets about what she’d done, but she hadn’t enjoyed it. Her demon, on the other hand, had been on cloud goddamn nine.
Incredulous, Thatcher shook his head. “It makes no sense that Sherryl would have placed your family in danger. She was dating your cousin.” Watching as Harper slowly lifted a brow, realization seemed to dawn on Thatcher. He sighed. “She was using him to get information.” His eyes flicked to Knox. “I suppose the reason you didn’t call me until now is that you suspect me of being the Horseman. I would have taken care of her punishment.”
A low hiss came out of Harper. “That kill was ours,” she told Thatcher, jabbing her finger in the corpse’s direction. “That creature—or what’s left of her—endangered our son. The Horseman wanted us to know what happened to people who got in the way of his plans. Well, that is what happens to anyone who even plays a part in any harm that befalls my family. And when I get my hands on the Horseman—and I will—he won’t get off so lightly.”
“You call that lightly?” asked Mila, tone mild.
“Her pain is over, isn’t it?” Harper retorted. “His will never be over.”
The Primes studied Harper as if they’d never seen her before. There was a newfound respect in their gazes and, in many cases, a healthy dose of apprehension. Knox suspected the Primes would also be both unnerved and irritated to learn they had totally underestimated her. Though she was strong, they’d never really considered her a threat in her own right—only in the sense that she was mated to Knox and, thus, they made each other stronger.
“I am assuming you interrogated the she-demon,” said Dario, flicking a look at the corpse. “Did she know anything useful that will lead us to the Horseman?”
“Nothing that would lead us directly to him,” said Knox. “But she gave us information that would help—information I’m quite sure the Horseman didn’t know she possessed.”
Jolene gave a slow nod. “He would have killed her if he’d thought she had anything on him, but he apparently didn’t consider her a loose end.”
“Will you not share with us the information she gave you?” Raul asked Knox.
“No, just as I’m quite sure none of you will share anything that you uncover.” Knox was unsurprised when none of them denied it. “Sad as it is, we do not know who we can trust. If the Horseman should learn what I now know, it would give him the opportunity to wipe away any evidence. I won’t risk that.”
Dario sighed. “Very well.”
Exhaling heavily, Thatcher rubbed at his brow. “I’ll send some of my sentinels to collect Sherryl’s body. It is custom in my lair to give each demon a proper burial, no matter their crime.”
“Is it?” drawled Harper, eyes narrowing. “Levi.”
At the one-word summons, Levi stepped out of the shadows and into the camera’s line of sight. He then clicked his fingers, and the corpse burst into cinders that quickly faded away. It was an ability that came with being a reaper. And it made Harper’s inner demon smirk. Now that the entity had vented some of its rage, it was much mellower.
Glaring at Thatcher, Harper said, “There’s no such custom about burials in my lair. Even if there were, that bitch would get no courtesies from me.”
“Nor from me, in your position,” Mila said to Harper. Others murmured their agreement.
Knox ran his gaze over each of the Primes, who—except for Jolene, who looked at her granddaughter with pride—were once again eyeing Harper warily. He didn’t blame them. “I think my mate and I have made our standpoint blindingly clear. I hope you convey this message to the demons within your lairs. We wouldn’t want anyone else getting ideas about targeting Asher, would we?” He nodded at Larkin, who cut the link for the video conference and then closed the laptop.