Page 55 of Nope, No Regrets
“You know you have an open invitation to stay here.”
Hauser gave me this gentle smile, but I saw his gaze fall on a demon woman across the room.
“Yeah, I just might. Let’s show them how to party, Rei,” Hauser said, pulling me off to the dance floor.
This was such a strange party, an odd mix of a classy event and a rave. It was decorated like an art gallery, and catered like some of the places I crashed when I was scoping a place to rob it. The music on the dance floor was anything but. Demons and supernaturals were crowded on the floor, bumping bodies and sweating.
I was having a blast, getting smashed between my mates, all bumping and grinding. Sota was totally letting loose and Dakarys, Rajack, and Wren were able to keep up, even if this kind of dancing wasn’t exactly popular—or even in existence—when they were arrested. Even Faust was dancing all sexy.
If I looked past them, I could see all my parents having fun. My dad was dancing in a circle of his wives, and somehow my adoptive parents lookedwaymore comfortable with it than I would have guessed. Then there was Solron and Bael, who somehow managed to be more graphic than I was, and I had a whole harem with me! Hauser zeroed in on this demon Sota told me was one of the Yokai, and he looked totally smitten.
Hell parties were officially my new favorite thing.
The music suddenly stopped, and Bael was at the center of the room and tapping a wine glass with a knife. did this mean the embarrassing shit was about to start? So far, I’d remained unscathed.
“I have an announcement to make, one that wouldn’t be possible without the party girl. I received a call from Barbatos shortly before the party started. Earth will cooperate with us on turning the Aether Circle over, but they need our help, so I’ve asked for volunteers in all our legions. My Solron is trying to decide if she wants to stay and play with Sabrina, or go cause a little mayhem on Earth. I wholeheartedly support her either way.
“This is it. The Aether Circle will pay for their crimes against demons. Everything happens for a reason. We were all deeply upset when Kudan tried to murder his father, and little Rei was sent away. But she was busy while we were missing her… she successfully, and singlehandedly, robbed the Aether Circle and set all of this in motion, so I’d say she’s going to make a hell of a ruler. To Rei!” he cried, holding up his wine glass.
Everyone raised their glasses and toasted to me. Okay, so that wasn’t totally mortifying. It was kind of nice. This was really over. I didn’t pretend to know how I would gain more tails, I didn’t even know how I had the ones I’d gained so far, but I had time to figure that out.
I grabbed my mates and pulled them into a hug as the music kicked back up again. I looked over their shoulders to see my father giving me a curt nod as he spun my mother around the floor. I saw Hauser getting dragged away by that Yokai, and he caught my eye and gave me a thumbs up.
Yeah, things were good.
