Page 68 of House of Pain
The Imp Queen who sat in front of him was nothing like the illustration in their textbooks.
She was worse.
With deep wine-colored hair flowing down her shoulders, creamy skin, and sharp, delicate features, she looked inhumanly beautiful.
But it wasn’t the kind of beauty that made Blaze’s blood boil with wicked desires.
It was the kind of beauty that was painful to look at. The kind that made him want to turn and run as far as his feet could take him.
“Valeria. It’s been a while,” the Imp Queen addressed Val and Blaze was sure that his jaw was on the fucking floor.
They know each other?
“Yes, Moren. It’s been a while.” Val smiled. “How have you been?”
“Busy,” Moren replied, her face hard as a stone. Then, her eyes shifted to Blaze, and she cocked a brow. “Mr. Leveau. Does your father know you’re here to see me?”
Blaze blinked but didn’t let his surprise show. “He has no clue, my Queen. I don’t ask about his affairs, and he doesn’t ask about mine.”
There was a tug at one corner of her perfect lips, and Blaze sensed it was as close to a smile as the Imp Queen ever got.
“I see you have his looks, but he doesn’t have your charm,” she said and then waved her hand to the chairs in front of her desk. “What is the reason for this interruption, Valeria?”
They obediently sat down, and Val said, “We need black quartz.”
Moren’s eyes narrowed on Val, but then she looked away as she opened the drawer and took out a silver cigarette holder.
Her elegant fingers popped it open, drawing a slim black cigarette and placing it between her sultry crimson lips.
Blaze was on his feet in a fluid movement, leaning over the desk as he flicked his lighter and held it for her. “Allow me.”
The Imp Queen watched him intently for a moment; it seemed as if the air in the office was sucked out. Then she leaned forwards and let him light her cigarette.
“Black quartz is illegal,” Moren said as the stream of smoke escaped her lips.
“Yes.” Val nodded. “That is precisely why we’re in the black market.”
“Why are students of Venefica in need of a black quartz?”
“For a very special spell,” Blaze said.
He wasn’t sure how much Moren knew, how much Val was willing to give, and frankly, whether the Imp Queen even cared about the Game.
“And smoky quartz is not enough?” Moren arched a brow. “That’s some spell.”
“We need something stronger than smoky quartz,” Val explained. “And don’t worry, it’s not going to be a favor this time, Moren. We’re going to pay for your trouble.”
Pointedly, Val glanced at Blaze, and so did Moren.
You’d think Val would at least try to hide the fact that Blaze was her walking bag of cash.
“Oh, there will still be a favor involved,” Moren said, looking back at Val. She snapped her fingers, and a cluster of black quartz appeared on her desk. “It’ll be three thousandgardersand a promise from the Leveau boy.”
Blaze’s hand froze midway into the pocket of his jacket. He blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I do not repeat myself, Mr. Leveau.”
“What kind of promise?” Blaze asked, taking out his wallet. He counted the bills and placed them on the desk between them, keeping an eye on the Imp Queen as he awaited her answer.
