Throughout the stroll through the hallways, the ride up the invisible elevator, and the walk across the casino’s darkened entrance hall, the fine hairs on the back of my neck continued to stand on end. Whoever or whatever had followed us past the bookshelves was now shadowing us as we stepped out of the casino.Admiralty Arch stood a few hundred feet away beyond a courtyard, where a black limousine pulled out and disappeared through its middle arch. It was still dark outside, with the only illumination coming from the stars.As we continued toward the steps that led to street level, the smaller ogre we had met earlier broke away from where he had been standing with his colleagues and fixed us with a hard glower.“Watch yourselves,” he snarled.I turned to meet his black eyes. “Are you really the Administrator of Bad Debts’ supervisor?”His heavy features split into a grin of crooked teeth. “Is that what he told you?”I rolled my eyes. “Of course it was a lie.”He reached into the pock
My eyes narrowed. This was sounding too convenient, and it was exactly how we had gotten Azriel to take us into the Fifth Faction of Hell. “Oh yes? And you’ll provide us this name out of the goodness of your heart?”“It’s true what you said about the casino. I used to be a coyote shifter. When I got into debt and couldn’t pay, they twisted my soul into this. Now, I’ve spent the past two centuries watching Edmund stroking himself.” The smoke around her body shuddered.“Damn.” Twenty minutes in that man’s presence had been enough, let alone two-hundred years. Even though I sympathized with her plight, I couldn’t see why she would risk herself to help us.Before I could voice my concerns, Griff asked, “What do you want in return?”“A kiss,” she said.I ground my teeth. “Is this a Gullible Fisherwoman and the Frog situation?”“No,” she said with a yelp. “I swear I’m not trying to pass on my curse to someone else.”“Bullshit,” Griff snarled.“It sounds like a crock of faerie gold to me,” W
Griff’s soft lips grazed the shell of my ear. “Dancing with you was agony when all I wanted to do was fuck you on that dance floor.”“Really?” I whispered.He slid his hand down my back, cupped my ass, and groaned. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t feel it, because I could smell your arousal.”“Shouldn’t we wait until we’ve broken the curse?” I asked.“No,” he growled. “I want you, Cathwulf Aibek. Right here, right now, right under me.”I swallowed hard. “What if I gave you another blowjob?”He shook his head. “I want all of you, including our bond.” He threaded his fingers into my hair, holding me in place as he gazed into my eyes with a hunger that made my chest tighten. “Whatever you did to me no longer matters. I’ll forgive you.”My breath quickened. “Griff—”“No more refusals,” he growled. “You’re a noble she-wolf, but you have to know you’re not taking advantage of me.”I jerked my head to the side. This was so wrong. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”He took my hand and brought it
Griff and I backed toward the farthest corner of our room, away from the flaming windows, away from the fiery doors, and away from the golden elevator rising from the floor. My heart spasmed painfully as it threw itself against my ribcage, trying to crack through my bones and escape.Beki ran around in panicked circles. I couldn’t blame the poor wolf. Any minute now, a horde of demons would burst out of the elevator and drag us back to the dungeons.“Stand behind me,” Griff stepped forward, his broad body a barrier between whatever would emerge from that infernal contraption and me.“No.” I stood at his side. “We face this together. It’s our only chance.”The elevator rose at a torturously slow pace, considering how fast it could move. It was almost as though the person riding it wanted to draw out our panic.Griff reached into the pocket of his tuxedo and extracted a gun. “Take this.” He pressed it into my hand. “I don’t know what iron bullets will do to a demon, but it will bloody w
“That’s when you plan on attacking Shifter City,” I said.“Refuse, and you will lose your mate.” Hades pointed at Griff’s chest. “The curse I planted in his soul won’t just kill him. When it picks up enough power, the enchantment will compel him to enter Shifter City. When it explodes, the wards will fall, and if my demons don’t drag you all to Hell, every human prowling Richmond Park will attack.”“That’s in breach of the Supernatural Secrecy Act,” I snarled.Hades narrowed his eyes. “Who’s going to report my actions when you’re both reduced to atoms?”I gulped. Even if I did report him, who would be powerful enough to restrain the Demon King?Hades disappeared with a pop. I turned around to find him standing at the elevator.“You have five days before the curse reaches its full power.” Hades stepped into the device and leaned against its wall. “Five days until it takes control of your carcass and walks you into Shifter City as a Trojan horse.”Nausea roiled in my gut, but I couldn’t
By the time I awoke, my head was pounding, and the backs of my eyes ached from all the stress from our encounter with Hades. The morning sun streamed in through my closed eyelids, filling my vision with a bright haze. I shifted on the mattress, eliciting a moan from Griff.I was lying on my side again with my head resting on his shoulder. Griff’s arm around my back twitched, and he pulled me into his chest.“Are you awake?” I whispered.“Tell me that was a nightmare,” he replied with a groan.“I wish it was.” Cracking open an eye, I squinted out of the window to find the sun had fully risen and was halfway to its zenith. “Shit.”“What?”“Remember our plan to see the Fae King first thing in the morning?”He grunted once for yes.“It feels like eight or nine o’clock.”“For fuck’s sake,” he snarled.Any other morning, I would slide a hand down that delectable body and wrap my fingers around his erection, but Hades’ warning rang through my ears. We had five days to break this curse, or it
I reached into the pocket of my jacket, took out a handful of iron salt, and sprinkled it on the ground. Griff took a handful of the substance and dipped the muzzle of his gun into the small pile. He brought it close, so I could also charge up my weapon. I gave him a sharp nod. This particular variety might not kill a demon, but they were no fan of salt.Beki’s hackles rose, and she growled at someone at our backs.“We’re ready for them,” I said into our bond. “Bark if they make a sudden move.”She nodded.A sizzling sounded behind us, accompanied by a pained groan and the acrid stench of burning flesh.I whirled around, pointed the gun, only to find a woman-shaped shadow on the path behind us, clutching at her foot.“You,” I snarled.“Help me,” she cried.I slipped my gun into my pocket. Moddey Dhoo was an asshole who may or may not have tricked us into handing over our iron daggers, but she wasn’t dangerous.My lips formed a tight line. “What are you doing here?”She hopped backward
“We might have only one chance to capture the bastard who bargained with me. If we don’t make the summoning as powerful as possible, he might escape and find a way to protect himself.”I nodded. “Then let’s go to the palace.”“Do you think the Fae King will recognize us from the hospital?” Griff asked.“An arrogant faerie who thinks he’s above everyone?” I asked with a snort. “Doubtful.”Griff barked a laugh. Instead of continuing down the side of the hotel, he turned on his heel and walked back toward the outdoor car park.I strolled at his side, my heart swelling with hope. “Where are we going?”“We’ll need something to capture the royal breath.” He flicked his head toward where Wulfie had parked. “Maybe our driver has a container.”“How do you know so much about languages and ancient symbols?”He gazed down at me and smiled. “My mother used to be a teacher at the island’s only academy. When my father lost the pack, she stayed behind for her students. And when our life went to shit,