Page 22 of Demon's Bane

“I’m not. And I can also say for certain there are more than a few fae and dragons and demons and other creatures across the realms who don’t care much for one human coven’s rules.”

Rhett and I are both silent as her words sink in for a few moments.

I don’t know much about how or if demons travel to realms other than this one, but the idea of all those other worlds makesmy head spin. Enough that I have to shake it to clear the thoughts away and focus back on the conversation at hand.

“We don’t want to get you in any trouble,” I tell Seren. “All we need is information. A lead. Anything you can dig up about who might be involved in the thefts or where all these stolen crystals are actually ending up.”

“I can do that,” she says, completely confident in her ability to get it done, before glancing back over at Rhett. “So, is Mr. Sunshine over here joining us for our little soirée tonight?”

I can hear the rumble of Rhett’s retort before he speaks, and jump in to cut him off. “No, he’s not.”

Rhett levels his dark stare squarely on me. He still looks so damn surly, fiercely displeased, and just a little… uncertain. Like some of that earlier worry over the safety and security of this place hasn’t quite left him.

I don’t know what to do with it.

I don’t know what to do with a grumpy, inexplicably protective demon who definitely has a bit of crimson in his gaze right now. Clear as day, it startles me enough to send a shiver down my spine.

“We’re fine here,” I say, lowering my voice. “Seriously. Seren’s… well, Seren is Seren. But the rest of my friends are mostly just as powerless as I am.”

Apparently that’s not what Rhett wanted to hear, because that growly rumble kicks up again. “You’re not powerless.”

At a loss, I look to Seren for help.

She thinks for a moment. “Magickally disadvantaged? A bit quirky with your spellwork?”

“Sure,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Let’s go with that. Andfine. I’m fine, Rhett.”

For a moment I think he’ll keep arguing. His mouth opens, then closes, and his eyes flash a vivid blood red for a couple of seconds more before the glamour settles back over him.

“Fine. But I’ll be upstairs, and I have very good hearing. Yell for me if you need anything.”

He stays exactly where he is until I nod in understanding, and with one last warning gaze at Seren he stands and leaves the shop.

When he’s gone, Seren lets out a low chuckle. “Well, he’s… a lot.”

“Fucking tell me about it,” I mutter, standing from my seat and heading toward the kitchen to get the pastries and tea I’ve prepared for the evening. It’s a quarter to six, and the rest of the group should be arriving shortly.

Seren follows me, hovering in the doorway. “Want to talk about it?”

“Can I say no?”

“Yes, but if you do, you need to know I just might die of curiosity.”

“I don’t know what the hell his deal is,” I concede, realizing I probably owe her at least a morsel for how much she’s helping me with all of this. “I don’t know if it’s being in this realm that’s got him so on-edge, or if things are just more dangerous in the demon realm, or what, but he’s been such an ass about my apartment’s security, and the whole thing with you and the locks, and…”

When I glance over at Seren, she’s watching me with one brow raised. “Are you sure it’s himself he’s worried about?”

“Yes? What else would he—” My question stops short as I catch her meaning. “Oh, comeon, it’s not me he’s worried about.”

She shrugs. “His king married a witch. Maybe he’s looking for a bit of human booty, too.”

“It’s absolutely not like that,” I tell her as I arrange way too many pastries for six witches onto a serving platter. “We’vealready established that neither of us trust each other in the slightest. We don’t evenlikeeach other.”

“And you need to trust a demon to fuck him? Or like him, for that matter?”

I choke on my own spit and Seren thumps me on the back.

“That’s not…” I sputter, trying to catch my breath. “That’s the furthest thing from my mind right now.”

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