Ironically, the Atrika couldn’t control their emotions very well . . . or their libidos, it seemed. One would think such a killing machine would have no emotions, or their emotions would run icy and remorseless. Yet the heart of an Atrika beat wild and fierce, their emotions hot and strong. In a way they were like children, acting always from the id.

It made it damn hard to control them and Stefan had been working too long and come too far to allow Bai’s dick to screw it up.

“What should we do with the recalcitrant demon, sir?” asked David, a lanky water warlock. He looked so innocent, David did, so . . . geeky. Yet David would slit your throat for a twenty-dollar bill. Stefan loved that about him.

David had been on his father’s staff. He’d been there the day William Crane had been pushed out the forty-story window of Duskoff International in New York City by Mira Hoskins, that little bitch of an air witch. He’d also been there when Isabelle Novak had caught Stefan by the balls—literally—a couple years ago. Both times David had escaped. He had a knack for survival, just like Stefan did.

“What to do with a recalcitrant demon? Oui, a question for the ages.” Stefan sighed and drummed his fingers on the boardroom table of Duskoff International and stared out the window where his father had fallen to his death. Just being in this room made rage boil the seat of his magick, made it shoot through his limbs like he was about to explode.

It made Stefan feel very motivated.

Thomas Monahan and his organization of weak do gooders had killed his father. He’d told them he’d make them pay and he would.

“Didn’t Boyle give you any tips for how to control an Atrika?”

“Boyle told me many things, but how to bring an Atrika to heel was not among them. That daaeman was loyal to his people.”

“Of course, sir, silly of me to think he would reveal such secrets.”

“Oui. How is the air witch?”

“Weak. She is depressingly fragile.”

“We’re done with her. If you can’t break her to our cause, kill her.”

“We cannot bring her to the Duskoff, sir. It seems she’s too cemented in her former life and lacks our aspirations.” David rolled his eyes. “She’s constantly crying for her husband and child. It’s annoying.”

Stefan waved a hand. “Then do with her as you wish and dump the body when you’re done. We don’t need her anymore.”

“Yes, sir.” David turned to leave.

“And send Bai to me. All I can do is try and reason with him. He’s already tipped our hand.”

“Right away.”