Devlin might just be the best person on the planet.

After seeing the Cadmuses, all I had wanted to do was run home, crawl into bed, and cry. But his suggestion—that we spend the next day cleaning their house—had lifted some of the weight pressing on my chest. It gave me a sense of purpose.

And it made me even more eager for our date.

As we walked through the darkness, heading wherever he was leading me, it struck me just how little I actually knew about the demon I was sharing my home with—the demon I was now dating .

That he was kind was obvious. Thoughtful, too—I hadn’t missed the tiny ghost figurine BooDini had been cradling after Devlin returned from making preparations for tonight.

He was compassionate, always attuned to my feelings, even with his senses dampened.

And, even now, after hours of effort, still willing to take a rain check if I wasn’t up for it.

And, to my absolute delight, he was funny. The dad-joke kind of funny, which just so happened to be the pinnacle of humor as far as I was concerned.

I wanted to know more.

When we reached the end of the lane, I expected Devlin to turn toward town. Instead, he led me back toward our cabin. I was half tempted to ask why he’d spent so long in town preparing for a date night here but decided to trust the process.

When BooDini spotted us through the living room window, it froze for half a second before darting away. A moment later, a white blur fluttered past the edge of my vision, disappearing into the wooded area behind the house.

Devlin followed without hesitation, guiding me past the cabin and into the trees. I clutched his arm as darkness swallowed us again, but thankfully, it didn’t last long. A few heartbeats later, candlelight flickered through the branches like starlight.

And then, we stepped into the clearing.

The lake stretched before us, its inky waves lapping idly at the shore.

In the middle of the sandy bank, a blanket was laid out, laden with what I presumed was food, all covered with gingham cloths.

Surrounding it, at least a hundred tealights flickered—some nestled into the sand, others casting their glow from colored glass lanterns dangling from the branches above.

“This is amazing,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

You’re amazing was what I wanted to say.

“I had some help with the candles,” Devlin admitted, winking at BooDini.

BooDini clasped its hands to its chest, gave one last satisfied look at its masterpiece, then dreamily glided off toward the house.

Devlin turned to me with a smile, guiding me toward the blanket. He waited as I picked my spot before lowering himself beside me, the candlelight dancing in his eyes.

“I wasn’t really sure what people usually eat on dates, so I got a bit of everything,” Devlin admitted, flashing a sheepish grin as he pulled back the cloth from the first bundle of food.

Jars of pickles and an assortment of random condiments stared back at me.

I pressed my lips together, determined to keep a straight face as he moved on to the second bundle, unveiling a collection of fruits and nuts—most of which required either a knife or a nutcracker, neither of which were anywhere in sight.

But it was the third bundle that sent me over the edge. A selection of cereal boxes and tins of fish.

A laugh burst from my lips before I could stop it, quickly snowballing into full-blown giggles.

“What?” Devlin asked, his brow furrowing, genuine concern creeping into his voice.

I took a steadying breath, trying—and failing—to contain my laughter. “Um... we can’t really eat any of this.”

“But... it’s food. People eat this food. Otherwise, why would they sell it in the shop?”

I bit my lip, nodding solemnly. “Yes... technically, it is food.” I gestured toward the bizarre spread. “But most of it requires, you know... accompaniments. Like bread. Or utensils.”

Devlin turned an accusatory glare on the assortment before him, as if personally betrayed by the concept of meal preparation.

Remember, Jen, Devlin doesn’t normally eat human food—he feeds in a different way. Heat rushed to my cheeks, my core tightening as another, far more distracting thought followed: And he hasn’t fed the entire time he’s been here.

Flustered, I grabbed the first thing within reach—a bottle of ketchup. “Like this!” I blurted out, holding it up. “You usually have this with fries. You know, for dipping.”

I pointed at a colorful box of cereal, the kind that practically guaranteed a sugar rush powerful enough to lift you into another plane of existence. “And this... you need a bowl and milk to eat.”

“Oh.” Devlin let out a sigh, visibly deflating.

I winced, suddenly feeling like I should’ve just kept my mouth shut and attempted to eat the walnuts, shells and all. “There’s still one more pile,” I said, forcing a note of encouragement into my voice. “What’s under that one?”

Please, Hecate, don’t let it be a platter of raw meat.

With noticeably less enthusiasm, Devlin pulled the dishcloth off the final pile...

And I could have cried with joy. Because in front of me sat a glorious mound of candy bars. At least fifty of them.

A delighted squeal—so high-pitched it actually made Devlin jump—erupted from my lips as I launched myself at the candy like a woman possessed.

Hershey’s. M&M’s.

Butterfingers.

Devlin had picked them all.

Only when my hands physically couldn’t hold another candy bar did I finally give in to the overwhelming urge to throw myself at Devlin. Arms full of chocolate, I wrapped them around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.

His skin burned beneath my lips in the most delicious way, sending a shiver down my spine. A few candy bars slipped from my grasp, tumbling to the blanket below, but I barely noticed. Devlin stiffened at first, caught off guard, before his body melted into my touch.

It might have only been a lingering kiss on the cheek, but when I pulled away—hands now half as full—his entire expression had softened, settling into something between disbelief and wonderment.

Except for his eyes. Hunger, heat, and something far more dangerous swirled there, making my breath stutter.

I cleared my throat, dropping the remaining candy bars into my lap. “You are officially my most favorite person ever.”

Devlin’s lips quirked, but he didn’t speak.

Probably for the best, because I was already halfway to feral as I ripped open the Butterfinger wrapper and took my first bite. And, oh Gods, it was everything.

A full-body shudder overtook me as the peanut-buttery crunch melted on my tongue, my eyes fluttering in pure, unfiltered bliss. A sound—one I might have later denied as being a sensual moan—escaped my lips as I devoured the entire bar in record time.

When I finally opened my eyes, Devlin was staring at me. Mesmerized.

His bottom lip was caught between his canines, his gaze locked on me with an intensity that sent a bolt of heat straight through me. He looked like a man who had just watched me undress for him—when, in reality, I had just inhaled an entire candy bar with all the grace of the Cookie Monster.

Then his stomach gurgled. Loudly.

His expression flickered—desire twisting into something raw and strained, his body tensing as if trying to hold himself back.

Something primal stirred deep within me.

Let him feed from you, Jen.

I had asked Devlin to dampen his senses nights ago, afraid he might catch even the faintest flicker of the desire brewing inside me.

But that was before.

Before I knew how funny he was. Before I knew how thoughtful. Before he gave me enough candy to make Willy Wonka look like a health nut.

And it wasn’t exactly like he was hiding his desire for me. I had a feeling that if I spread my legs for him right now, his mouth would be on my pussy just as fast as mine had been on that Butterfinger.

You will be spreading your legs for him, Jen. That’s the next scene, I reminded myself.

A sharp pang of guilt curled low in my stomach.

I reached for another candy bar—an excuse, something to occupy my hands and ignore the gnawing feeling in my chest. Devlin was getting the date he wanted.

And I had no doubt he’d hold up his end of the bargain, going over the scene with me like we’d agreed.

But this... this felt too real. Too close to something we should be feeling for someone else.

You both know what this is. And it’s not like either of you want to fall in love.

He would only be here for another week or so. By then, I’d hopefully have my magic back and would be leaving for the coven. This was never meant to last. We both knew that.

I let out a slow sigh, chewing the last mouthful of candy.

If this was going to be Devlin’s first proper date, then I was going to make damn sure it was the best date he’d ever had.

Not that I had any actual experience to draw from—having never been on a date myself—but hey, I could wing it.

And, to sweeten the deal, I’d let him feed from me. .. if he wanted to, that is.

Devlin’s stomach let out an even louder growl as I swallowed my last bite, his gaze fixed on my mouth like he was seconds away from pulling me onto his lap and tasting the lingering sweetness for himself.

I gulped. The guilt that had been gnawing at me mere moments ago was suddenly drowning in something else—a hot, liquid need curling low in my stomach, urging me to skip the small talk and go straight to the oral sex.

But this was a date.

And on a date, people asked questions.

They got to know each other first.

All I had to do was keep it simple. Start with something casual, maybe ease into something a little more flirty. Set the mood. And once we’d built up the tension—once the atmosphere had been properly guided into the right kind of anticipation—then we could move on to something physical.

Unfortunately, my brain had other plans.