Page 5 of A Fury Of Shadows

Cortes sighed. “It’s incredible how you say the most astounding things like you’re talking about the weather.”

Mae squinted. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not a compliment?”

Anya’s lips twitched. Karin rolled her eyes.

Cortes opened his mouth to utter what was likely going to be a sarcastic riposte. He was interrupted by a most dreadful rumble.

Derrick froze. “What was that?”

The sorcerer’s stiff gaze swept the shadows around them.

Karin’s fingers whitened on her whip. “Is it a demon?”

Cortes indicated Mae leadenly. “It’s her.”

Karin and Derrick’s expressions grew pinched.

Mae patted her stomach guiltily. “Sorry. I skipped lunch.” She glanced at the fading light streaming through the dirty skylights before leveling a pointed stare at Cortes. “Andit’s almost dinner time.”

“It’s a miracle you haven’t fainted,” he said uncharitably.

Mae’s attention was diverted by a pair of whiny voices.

When do we eat, my witch?Hellreaver groused.

I want steak in black bean sauce, Brimstone demanded.

“You realize we’re only guests at Vlad’s place, right?” She studied the pair coolly. “We can’t keep asking the guy to cook steak for you two every night.”

I can eat mine raw, Hellreaver contributed helpfully.

Brimstone sniffed.I don’t mind mine rare.

Mae’s mouth flattened into a thin line.

Derrick leaned toward Cortes.

“I didn’t realize she’d hooked up with the incubus,” the High Priest hissed out the corner of his mouth.

“It’s…complicated,” the Columbian replied.

“Like, threesome complicated?” Karin asked shamelessly. The High Priestess arched an eyebrow. “So, she’s going to take both of them as consorts?”

“No,” Mae protested. “I only moved in with Vlad because it kinda made sense at the time.”

Derrick and Karin appeared skeptical at this explanation.

That’s how your mother looked when you told her you’d accepted the incubus’s offer, Brimstone observed unsympathetically.

Hellreaver sniggered.

Mae pursed her lips.Thanks, like I needed reminding.

Though Yoo-Mi was fond of Vlad, she’d seemed less keen about her moving in with him than when Mae had taken Nikolai as her tenant.

Considering the guy has the power to make women in a ten-mile radius lose their panties, I can’t exactly blame her.

Popo straightened on Cortes’s shoulder.

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