BURN by Suzanne Wright Read Free Book Online Page B

surprising him. He found that he liked it. Having ordered his Italian beef stew and watched as the server left, Knox spoke. “What made you become a tattooist?” From what he’d heard, her business was quite successful and she was very popular among humans.
    “It was my family’s idea. I’ve always loved art.” It was the one thing she was good at. The talent had been honed by years of creating counterfeit paintings for fun…but that was off topic and not something that he needed to know.
    “Speaking of your family, I’d assumed Richie was your father.”
    “Nope.” But Knox wouldn’t be the first to assume that was the case.
    From what Knox had learned, Jolene only had three children. Richie, who’d bred over a dozen kids. Martina, who hadn’t birthed any despite that she had plenty of practice in the making of them. And…“It was definitely a shock to find that you’re Lucian’s daughter. I knew he had one.” Lucian’s daughter was apparently the only living being that the demon had any true attachment to. “I’d assumed she was an imp. But then, you’re very good at seeming like one.”
    He’d said it like she was deceptive. “I grew up with imps, so I was hardly going to be any other way.”
    “What about your mother?”
    She was a selfish bitch who Harper hadn’t seen since—
    She cut off the thought, determined not to waste time on the woman. “Look, I’m not really a fan of personal questions.”
    Her guard had slammed up so fast and hard, Knox was surprised it hadn’t shook the room. “Personal questions in general or personal questions about your mother?”
    “Both.”
    Her glare almost made Knox smile. “Why do you look so offended by me asking you questions?”
    Harper’s brow furrowed. “Why are you even asking me questions? I know you did your research on me.”
    “I did,” he admitted unrepentantly. “I learned a lot about you. For instance, I learned that you’re responsible for the breakdown of an ex-boyfriend’s bank account—”
    “Allegedly.”
    “—that you hacked a human police database and messed up their filing system when your friend was unjustly arrested—”
    “Hearsay.”
    “—that you beat up a male demon who hurt your cousin—”
    “I have an alibi for that.”
    “—and that you infected an old teacher’s computer with a virus that caused clips of gay porn to pop up on his screen every thirty seconds.”
    “Closet gays do the strangest things when the pressure gets too much.” As his mouth curved into a shadow of a smile, the lust pooling in her stomach seemed to thicken. His dark, direct stare probably should have unnerved her but – for some inexplicable reason – having his entire focus on her was a turn-on. She got the feeling that when Knox Thorne was interested in something or someone, it or they had his total and unbridled attention.
    Just then, the server returned with their wine. Tasting it, Harper raised her eyebrows. “This is actually pretty good.”
    Once he was alone with Harper again, Knox said, “Personally, I think your methods of revenge are very creative.” Demons always got even, one way or another. “I learned something else about you.” He was wondering how best to phrase his question, not wanting to seem insensitive, when she spoke.
    “It’s true that I don’t have wings.”
    He’d heard whispers of a sphinx without wings, but it hadn’t occurred to him that it was Harper. “You’ve never had them?”
    Veiling her hurt, she replied, “No.”
    “Do you have the marks?”
    “Yes.” They looked like tattoos of wings on her back. They should become real wings at her command. But they’d never come. “Before you ask, it’s also true that I can’t throw orbs of hellfire. I can, however, do this.” She infused her fork with hellfire.
    “I noticed you do it during your duel with Mona. In many ways, it makes you stronger than demons who can throw hellfire orbs. You can make anything into a weapon.” She