Page 64 of Seven is Swell

“Creepy fucker,” August mumbles before stepping forward as well, now completely blocking Delaney from the…guest.

“I couldn’t harm her if I wanted to; surely you know that, Delaney. Listen to your instincts; what do they tell you?”

I watch as one of her mates picks up a discarded shirt from the nearby sofa, handing it to her to cover up. Zac opts for an odd pillow of a cat wearing dark spectacles to cover his manhood. Is that what that pillow is truly for? I had been wondering.

“My instincts are fried right now after the amount of dick I just took. If you have something to say, just spit it out. I’m in desperate need of a shower and a soft, non-erection surface to rest on.”

“You always were funny,” he says. “Invite me in and we can talk about everything. I am unable to enter your domain without an invitation.”

“Ha, that sucks,” Adam says, relaxing a bit.

Delaney closes her eyes and shakes her head, then pushes past everyone. She stops before she reaches the frozen lady, no one doing anything to help her. Her eyeballs are still able to move within whatever stasis this stranger put her in, so they’re moving back and forth while the rest of her is held still. “Is she okay? Is she going to come after me if I get closer?”

“I have nullified her powers for the moment. I was able to do so because I was able to determine she meant you harm. I’d rather not do this in the hall, can you please let me in?”

“How do I know you’re not going to walk in and then refuse to leave when I want you to?”

“All you have to do is rescind your invitation and I’m gone.”

“Like a vampire?” Delaney blurts.

“They wish they were so cool.”

“Right, I guess that’s crap information anyway. One of my dads is a vampire, so I should know better. Okay, my mates will probably fuck you up if you hurt me, but that won’t even be necessary if you so much as threaten me because I’ll fuck you up myself first. They’re the backup though. Just to be clear. Me first, then them.”

He laughs and I find my chest aching more. “Got it.”

“Okay—"

“Delaney, wait,” Ash says, coming forward in all his ‘I just had hot sex’ glory. “Are you sure you feel good about this?”

She eyes the doorway, where the stranger is patiently waiting. “Honestly, right now I’m just annoyed about the back and forth. What’s the worst that could happen?” She turns to the doorway. “You can come in, but I won’t apologize that most of us are naked.”

The shadows dissipate almost immediately, and in steps what might be the finest specimen of a male I’ve ever seen; other than myself. His deep blue skin has a luster to it that I’ve not seen in my entire years as a gargoyle, horns smaller than my own poking through his charcoal gray hair which appears to have some sort of diamond-like sparkle woven into it. His face is chiseled and his frame tall and lean, but his muscles look well formed and ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

But it’s his eyes that really have me staring. I cannot determine their true color because it’s as if an entire prism of colors shine out of them. When Delaney steps closer to him and places a hand on his shoulder, trying to determine anything about who he might be, it’s like my world freezes. The two of them together are the finest art, a dangerous duo that anyone would think twice about crossing.

“You honor me, wife.”

“Not married yet, Casanova. There’s a clause to that marriage contract; a contract I had no say in, by the way. I’m not convinced at all that marrying you is something that needs to happen.”

“Ah, yes, the clause. If you do not bed me the engagement does not hold. This is what you speak of?”

We all circle around her, making sure she knows we’re there for whatever purpose she asks of us, but none of us interfere because it feels too much like she’s in charge right now. And we know better than to interrupt.

“Kind of a fucked-up thing, if you ask me. Can’t you just call off your dad and tell him that my mom has no interest in Hell? Seems like a far less messy solution.”

His skin starts rippling with different blue colors. Is he…laughing?

“I’m not even here because of my dad. He admitted that was a joke years ago. However, you’re still mine. The goddess thinks so, at least. Go on, do your thing to determine whether I speak the truth. The contract still stands whether or not my father intends to follow through with his threats. It’s been sealed and cannot be broken. You’ve fulfilled what’s required so our marriage is impending. You just need to set the date.”

“I don’t recall sleeping with you, so no, I don’t have to marry you. Besides, I already have seven good mates here that are not just going to sit by while I marry someone else.”

“Oh no, bring them along, please. They’re absolutely invited, and I expect you to marry them as well if you wish. My apologies, I forgot I had not put my more human skin on, give me a moment.”

He closes his eyes and his skin shifts again right before our eyes, becoming a light brown shade that would fit in far easier with the human population outside these walls. His hair becomes a flat black that only hints at something more, and when he opens his eyes, they’re a rich topaz with hints of brown. “What about now?”

Delaney gasps and then shouts, “You motherfucker!”

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