Page 11 of House of Malice
“Our source was Galia Rathone, the High Priestess of the House of Rats,” Val said. “See if you can find out anything about secret connections she might have.” Val turned to Blaze. “And I need you to get something, anything, from your father’s blackmail stash on Rathone. I need dirty, dangerous secrets that would help us keep her controlled.”
Blaze ground his teeth, his jaw tense. But he nodded.
“How long do I have?” Leigh asked.
“Not long,” Val said. “The sooner you can dig something up, the better.”
6
September 17, 1950
It was still dark outside when Galliermo left his bedroom on the third floor of the Snakes’ brownstone and took the stairs all the way down to the basement.
On his way, he stopped by the kitchen and greeted Romeo, who was already up, laboring over the breakfast menu. As always, he was cheerful. Galliermo had yet to meet another witch who would smile as much as Romeo did. Or be as kind.
Whistling a tune, he handed Galliermo a piece of buttered toast with hard cheese and maple syrup with one hand, a cup of black steaming coffee with another, then shooed him out of the kitchen.
Just as Galliermo opened the door to the basement, Alatar caught up.
“Good morning, brother,” he said, patting Galliermo’s shoulder. He jerked his chin at the toast in Galliermo’s hand. “Tell me, where can I get one of these? I’m starving.”
“Romeo, obviously,” Galliermo said. He looked his best friend up and down. Alatar’s hair was a mess, and he still wore his academy uniform from yesterday, which was now disheveled, as if he had slept in it. “Where the fuck have you been?”
Alatar’s smile was crooked when he answered, “Oh, I have been busy.”
Before Galliermo could ask anything else, Alatar went looking for Romeo and his own piece of toast.
Galliermo devoured his toast as he descended the stairs into the basement. Reverie, sitting on a leather chair perched against a large bookshelf, scrunched her nose at him when he licked his fingers clean from the maple syrup.
“Disgusting, Leveau,” she said. “Have you at least washed those nasty hands of yours before you licked them clean?”
Galliermo smirked. “Nah, Frone. I actually just finished finger fucking Romeo before he handed me the toast as a thank-you.”
Reverie sneered at him, while Lyra and Rufus burst out laughing.
“And you didn’t invite me?” Chills went down Galliermo’s back when Demitria’s voice caressed his ears. “That’s no fun, my love.”
An invisible force pulled Galliermo to her. It was impossible to resist, so he walked over to where she sat on an old leather sofa and took his place next to her.
When she smiled at him, his heart leaped to his throat. And when she took his hand and linked their fingers, a wave of heat washed over Galliermo, from the very place where their skin touched to the tips of his toes.
He draped a hand over her shoulders and pulled her as close to him as it as physically possible. But even that wasn’t enough. Galliermo wished he could get under her skin. He wanted to feel every part of Demitria, from her body to the very depths of her soul.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Demitria asked, her voice a whisper.
Galliermo caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Because you’re beautiful. And you’re mine.”
Demitria’s cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she lowered her eyes with a cheeky smile.
“Alright.” Octavia’s voice came from the entrance, and soon she descended the stairs with Alatar trailing her.
He plopped on the sofa next to Demitria with two pieces of Romeo’s toast. As he bit into one, his gaze wandered to Demitria’s legs. “Damn, I didn’t think mortal women had legs like that,” Alatar said with his mouth full.
Galliermo had the urge to punch Alatar for looking at Demitria like that. He cleared his throat instead.
Alatar peeled his eyes off Demitria’s legs and locked gazes with Galliermo. Alatar chuckled. “Relax, brother. It’s a compliment for you just as much as it’s a compliment for her. After all, you’re the lucky bastard who has those long legs over your shoulders every night.”
“Seriously?” Demitria crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
