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Learaised her glowing palms, threatening him with battle magic. “Poppymight be yours, but you are nothers.Wiccansdon’t have mates.Whatwe have is untapped potential and a need for magical protection.WhenPoppytakes a warlock for her partner, he will unlock her powers, and our entire coven will be strengthened.Youcan’t do that for her.You’llonly hobble her for the rest of her life.Howselfish are you?”

“Icould protect her.”Washe really declaring forPoppy?Thiswas all happening fast.Whywouldn’t this witch let him see her?

Thelight inLea’spalms grew brighter, her expression murderous. “Oryou could leave her alone and let her develop her own powers in order toprotect herself.Letme explain this to you simply, demon.You’rein a quandary. . . .”

NowRöksaid, “Twoyears ago you told me about myquandary, that ifPoppywas my mate andIwas decent,Iwould let her go for her own good.”Rökhadn’t at first.ButafterPoppyhad stood him up and started seeing that warlock, he’d realized that she likely agreed with her sister.

Sofor years he’d suffered because he’d wanted to do the right thing by his female.Chaoshad been his partner.

Nomore.Baringhis fangs, he said, “Sincethen,I’veaccepted two things.Poppyismine.AndIamnotdecent.”Withthat, he traced away to search forDesh.

Figuringthe storm demon would head to one of his other favorite haunts,Rökteleported to the shadows behindLafitte’s, a low-key bar.Sureenough,Deshwas inside, carousing with the humans despite his huge horns.Evenoutside ofHalloween, he mingled with mortals, claiming cosplay for his appearance.

Röknoted he’d changed hisT-shirt to one that read:BigEasyProsthetics!Forevery horny occasion!

“Ismell a smoke demon!”Deshcalled. “Whereye been,Rök?How’sRothkalinathese days?Iwouldn’t know ’causeIhaven’t transported a single client there.Oranywhere for that matter.Idon’t evenhaveclients!Alltoo private, see?”

Wastingno time,Röksaid, “Idon’t often blackmail, but whenIdo,Ido it quickly.”ThoughCadealways razzedRökabout his spy intrigues, sometimes they worked a trick. “Youremember the dirtIuncovered on you?”

Deshswallowed. “Whatdo ye want?”

“Foryou to trace me to wherever you tookPoppy.”

“Nonedoing.”Deshcrossed his beefy arms over his chest. “I’mno angel, mind ye, butIcan weather some blackmail more than me business can a privacy violation.”

Seeingno other recourse,Rökplayed the one card all demons would respect.

AndDeshbent the rules.

Goodthing too.OrPoppywould be dead.

SEVEN

“Iheard your oldest sister threateningDesh,”RöktoldPoppy, “demanding to know where he’d taken you.Buthe wouldn’t crack with her.SoIdecided to come help you out.”

“Helpme?”GreatHecate, this demon confused her!

“Yeah, you.Look,Ivow to theLoreI’mnot on a job.”Avow no immortal could break.

Shedidn’t know what shocked her more: that he hadn’t come for a cursebreaker or that he was here solely to help her.Healready had.Shelowered her hands. “Ididn’t want to worryLea, or any of them.”

“Shestrikes me as the type who can handle anything thrown her way,Red.”

Mindin overdrive,Poppyheaded toward the grand staircase, and he followed. “Sinceour parents returned toAkelarre, she can be as protective as a mother basilisk over her eggs.Shealways says, ‘Wedon’t have individual burdens.Oursare group burdens.Oneof the benefits of sisterhood.’”Poppysighed. “ButIdon’t want to be a burden.AndMariketadid say to come here as a ‘lone witch.’SoIlied to my sisters about the location of the castle and told themI’dmeet them at the house with new information before we set off.That’swhyI’munder-weaponized.IfI’dasked them for help with pouches, they would have knownIwas setting off on my own.”Shepaused, her brows drawing together. “Deshdidn’t give my location toLea.Whywould he give it to you?”

“Ihad some leverage that overrode even his vaunted secrecy, something unquestionable to a fellow demon.Don’task, becauseI’mnot coming off it.Sufficeit to say,I’llbe handling your ride out of here.”

“I’mgoing to have a word with him about this.”

Ina casual tone,Rökasked, “Youand he have never . . . ?”

“No.Deshis just a friend.”Athought occurred—along with fresh outrage. “Youtold me you heard something tasty was here, and you wanted to jump all over it!”

Rökwaggled his brows at her.

“Idon’t know ifIshould be flattered or alarmed that you would risk your life for—lemme check my notes—a kiss?Youreally want to check this box, huh?”

“Ihave many plans for your lovely?—”