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Henarrowed his smoky-blue eyes, their color vivid against his tanned skin.“You.”

Whenhe climbed the castle’s steps to join her at the entry, she held her ground, yet her gaze couldn’t help but sweep over his chiseled features with appreciation—his wide jaw, strong chin, and aquiline nose.

Shegot lost for a moment when she met those heavy-lidded eyes before she dragged her focus upward.Histhick black hair was long enough to tie back in a queue, but tonight he wore it loose to cover most of his silvery horns.Overthe years she’d seen them flared with aggression—and once with passion.

Hisdemon-may-care attitude matched his appearance.Afrayed, navyT-shirt highlighted his muscular chest and arms, and his worn jeans clung to his narrow hips.Scuffedboots and a sword belted around his waist rounded out the ensemble.

Helooked tired though, as if he’d just rolled out of bed from his latest conquest.Likely.

Findingher voice, she said, “IwishIcould say this was a pleasure, but it never is with you.”Shewas proud of how calm she sounded when unwelcome chemistry simmered between them like a bubbling potion.

Ittemporarily overrode her nerves about tonight’s mission: breach this castle at moonrise, find her prize, then get out during the brief window at moonset.

“Nevera pleasure?”Rök’srumble of a voice pricked her senses. “Youknow that’s a lie.”Hislips curved into a slow, mind-scrambling smile that showed off white teeth with a hint of his demon fangs. “Youliked my kiss well enough.”

Theirsole kiss on their sole date.

Twoyears ago, when he’d slanted his mouth over hers in the rain, she’d moaned with abandon and dug her nails into his back, her body desperate for his.

Herbody was a fucking idiot. “Willyou never stop bringing that up?”Wouldshe never stop replaying the feel of those lips?

Rain-wetted, demon-hot.

Histalented tongue was pointed?—

“Assoon as you stop staring at my mouth like you fancy another one.”

Shedarted her gaze away. “Idon’t have time for your games tonight.Someof us are on the clock.”Andmuch was on the line.

Sheglanced past him to survey the two-hundred-room castle.Lightningflashed behind its gravity-defying towers.Thunderclapped:BOOMBOOM.Anearby pond gave up sulfurous fumes.Deadspruces circled it, limned in silver flickers.

Tocomplete the property’s ill-omened look, a cemetery lined one side of the overgrown drive.Thetombstones were all askew, like a witch’s hat after a bender.Acouple of ghouls skulked amidst the weathered stones.

Thiscastle was the most foreboding place she’d ever beheld, and that was something for a witch to say.Thewizard who’d built it had been aLorephilanthropist and a gifted scientist, until his family had died under mysterious circumstances a century ago.

Noone had ever spied him outside these walls again, but her coven hadn’t sensed his death until a few decades later.Sowhat had he been up to in the intervening years?Somewhispered that he’d gone rogue, turning balls-out evil.

BOOM.

Shefelt the thunder in her stomach, along with clenching nerves.Steelingherself, she adjusted her cross-body satchel with her few spell pouches inside.She’dhad scant time to prepare for tonight and hadn’t been able to ask her sisters for help.

They’dnever suspected she would set off by herself for this particular mission, but by now, they would know she’d given them the slip.

Oneof the last mistakesI’llever make?

Drawingher from that unsettling thought,Röksaid, “YouassumeI’mnot on the clock as well?”Afterletting his gaze roam over her from her boots to her bright-red hair, he leaned against the entry wall and crossed his brawny arms over his chest.Alesser witch would have gawked.Hissculpted seven-foot-tall body was as seductive as the most gripping enchantment. “Whohired you to come here?”

“Spillinfo on my client?”Whenshe gave him an indulgent smile, his attention clocked her curving lips, making her cheeks heat. “Whatkind of merc wouldIbe?”Intruth, no one had hired her.Shewas here to risk her life, on this, the most problematic of nights, to break a curse.

Sowho had hiredRök?Didhis presence mean other mercs would show?

“Youup for pooling intel on this place?”Hisaccent wasBritish-adjacent, peppered withAmericanslang.Whenthey’d talked for hours on their date, she’d learned he’d been raised inRothkalina, the rage demon kingdom, but his parents had bounced around untilRök’sfirstAccessionwhen they’d both died in battle.

“Nota chance.Iknow everythingIneed to know.”Herresearch indicated that a pressurized boundary spell surrounded the structure.Whenthe veil between worlds was thinnest—during a full moon onHalloweennight—the castle door would swing open once the moon rose.

Gettingout would prove more precarious.Afterall, none of the explorers had returned from the last expedition into the interior. . . .

TheHalloweentiming was unfortunate since her own curse burgeoned out of control on this night.Anymoment now, the monsters she unwillingly created once a year would wake.