Page 21 of The Demon's Sinful Serenade
"Ready to go?" he asked softly.
I looked up at him, really looked at him. His golden eyes held concern without the wariness I'd grown accustomed to seeing. No calculation of how much damage I might cause, no pity or judgment. Just a fierce attention that made me feel seen in ways I'd forgotten were possible.
"Yeah," I said. "I'm ready."
CHAPTER SIX
RIVER
The world blurred and twisted, dissolving into crimson smoke. My stomach lurched into my throat as reality folded around us. Then, just as suddenly, everything snapped back into focus.
I stumbled forward, disoriented, and would have fallen if Zane hadn't caught me with one muscular arm around my waist.
"Holy shit," I gasped, clutching his forearm. The cottage porch materialized around us, and my brain struggled to process how we'd gone from the Kadhan compound to here in less than a heartbeat. "That was?—"
"Awful?" Zane offered, his mouth quirking up at one corner. "Most humans say that the first time."
"Incredible," I corrected, finding my footing but not pulling away from his steadying grip. "Like being turned inside out and reassembled."
"That's... actually pretty accurate." He looked impressed, and his gold eyes warmed as they studied my face. "Most people just throw up."
"Don't count me out on that front yet." I pressed a hand to my churning stomach. Reluctantly, I stepped out of his grip. Just in case. "Is that how you get around all the time?"
Zane shrugged, his eyes scanning our surroundings with the same methodical focus he'd shown since taking my case. "When it's convenient. I can't go anywhere I haven't been before, though. I need a mental map before I jump."
"So, no popping over to Paris for lunch if you wanted? Pity." I leaned against the porch railing, watching him. He still carried the tension he always had, coiled and ready to spring into action. But something had changed in the space between banishing Julian and reappearing here.
Was it because we'd kissed? Because he'd gotten a glimpse into the fucked-up mess my life had become? Did he regret agreeing to help?
No. I'd seen him facing down Julian, stepping between me and my own nightmares. Whatever the reason, his watchfulness made me feel protected instead of scrutinized. Safe instead of cornered. With Zane, I could breathe easy without glancing over my shoulder.
Zane snorted, his tail swaying with lazy amusement. "Luckily for you, I do know Paris… London... Berlin... Prague, too." The words rolled off his tongue slow and rich, like honey. "All convenient stops for a European tour."
"Planning my comeback already?" I raised an eyebrow. "Bold of you to assume I'd bring you along."
"Just thinking ahead." His grin flashed white against red skin.
That grin hit me like the first perfect chord of a song, resonating through my whole body. The instinct to push back, to tease and tangle and touch, tugged at me like gravity. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"So," I said, suddenly aware of how much I didn't want this night to end. "Ghost exorcised, teleportation survived. What's next on the supernatural bucket list?"
His smile faltered, replaced by a look I couldn't quite read. Regret? Guilt? Whatever it was, I didn't like it. "I should go. Let you get some rest after everything."
Rest. Right. Not exactly the opening I'd hoped for. I pushed aside a flicker of disappointment. What had I expected? Some cosmic revelation? A declaration that fate had brought us together, like Poppy and this yet-to-be-seen Malak?
"I just..." He cleared his throat. "Tonight was... something else."
"Yeah." I tucked my hair behind my ear, suddenly nervous. "Thank you. For everything. For believing me when no one else did."
Screw it. I'd spent too long letting Julian's ghost control my life, letting fear hold me back. I'd wasted a year running from shadows, and for what? Even if whatever this was with Zane turned out to be temporary, I wanted it. After everything I'd been through, I deserved to feel good with someone who made me feel safe.
My keys jingled as I pulled them from my pocket. I turned toward my door, very aware of his eyes tracking every move I made. "I suppose this means you're officially off bodyguard duty..."
Before I could fit the key in the lock, I felt him step behind me, closing the distance between us. His hands landed lightly on my hips, his palms searing through the fabric of my shirt. He bent down until his lips brushed the shell of my ear. "Someone has to remove all those security measures we installed."
My breath caught in my throat as I arched my neck, allowing him access to my sensitive skin. "I'm certainly not paying Poppy's aunt a cleaning fee."
A low growl rumbled deep in his chest, vibrating against my spine. "Invite me inside, River."
