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M ist stood outside the large building, her heart pounding in both trepidation and excitement. She wasn’t supposed to be in Texas. Wasn’t supposed to have left the place she’d been forced to hide out at for the past several months.

Hell, according to her coven sisters, she wasn’t supposed to have a life. She was to stay hidden and quiet. Granted, Aurora had asked her for help a couple of times when the Channings from Moonstone needed it, but that was it. Otherwise, all she’d done was sit around and twiddle her freaking thumbs.

Alone.

Bored.

Sad.

At first, her sisters came to see her off and on, but that gradually stopped, just like she’d known it would. They didn’t call, didn’t pop in. Nothing. The only one she heard from was Aurora, and that was sporadically. Her life had become one big pity party for one, and she was over it.

It was going to stop right now.

At this point, Mist didn’t give a damn what anyone thought. She was so tired of hiding. It was just her. She didn’t have a charge she was putting in danger. No family the demon could go after. At this point, she wasn’t sure she even had friends anymore.

She was going to do something she’d wanted to do for the past couple of years, but never made time for. At first it was because of her training, and then because she put everyone else’s needs and wants above her own. Her charges and coven sisters always came first, no matter what.

Not that Mist regretted her decision to accept the Goddess’ request to become one of her chosen ones, a group of men and women the Goddess personally picked herself to protect and defend the innocent. There were ten different covens made up of nine witches in each, spread out throughout the world. And she was proud to be a part of them. She would make the same choice again and again if given the chance.

But she was tired of sitting around doing nothing. She felt helpless not being able to take on any new charges and was going a bit crazy with all the time she had on her hands now.

Mist was ready to do something for herself. She was going to the Motorcycles, Mobsters, and Mayhem 2025 signing event near Dallas and meeting some of her all-time favorite authors. Not only that, but she was going to spend a few hundred dollars on signed books to put on the shelves in her home that she was currently not allowed to stay in or even visit.

Which was really starting to piss her off. Not that the small, two-bedroom apartment was anything amazing, but it was hers. The one place she felt happy and safe. She had so many wards around her place for protection that she was almost positive Darius the douchebag wouldn’t be able to get to her.

Almost.

After a quick glance around, Mist made her way to the front doors of the huge hotel and slipped inside the building. Following the signs, it didn’t take long before she was standing in a long line waiting for her turn to enter the room for the event.

It was crowded as hell, and Mist was praying that would allow her to blend in with the hundreds of other book fans that were currently chatting and squealing in anticipation at the thought of meeting the authors and models that were going to be there. The noise level was high, and she was having an issue concentrating on what was going on around her, but she caught bits and pieces of the conversations others were having.

She needed to be on the lookout for the demon prince who was hunting her, but there were too many other things catching her attention. Like finding out both Liberty Parker and Darlene Tallman were there. She’d read all of their books, the ones they wrote individually and their co-written ones, for years. Not only that, but she was going to get to meet Jessa Aarons, E.M. Shue, Avelyn Paige, and so many other authors she fangirled over. She couldn’t wait!

“Hi! My name’s Christina!”

Mist smiled at the petite, bubbly brunette with hair down to her waist who’d turned around to introduce herself. She was debating on how to answer, unsure if she wanted to share her name with anyone when she shouldn’t even be there, when someone called out Christina’s name from toward the front of the line, thankfully taking her attention away from Mist.

Fifteen minutes later, after keeping her head down so she didn’t have to make small talk with anyone around her, Mist was let inside. She froze at first, her eyes widening as she surveyed the area with nervous excitement. There were so many authors, too many to count.

Slowly, she began to make her way down the first aisle, her gaze taking in everything around her. Her first stop was Sapphire Knight’s table, and her fingers trembled as she reached out to pick up one of the author’s paperbacks. Sapphire was one of her all-time favorite authors, and she had a huge list of books she wanted from her, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to carry them all. Especially if she got some from the other authors she’d come to see too. If she had been thinking ahead, she would have brought one of those rolling carts so many other readers had with them.

“Hello!”

Mist glanced up and grinned at the woman in front of her. Sapphire was just as beautiful in person as she was on social media. Her blonde hair was pulled back into two intricate braids with purple and blue color throughout them, and Mist wondered if it was a look she could pull off. The braids she could do easily, and had in the past, but it was the added color she hesitated on. She’d never died her hair before, and wasn’t sure it was something she wanted to do. It looked amazing on Sapphire though.

Realizing she was staring, Mist smiled nervously, responding quietly. “Hi.”

Inwardly, she rolled her eyes at herself. Seriously, how could she go up against the kind of evil she did on a daily basis, but get tongue-tied around this woman just because she wrote some of the hottest, most amazing MC and mafia books Mist had ever read?

Sighing, Mist quickly told Sapphire which books she wanted to purchase and waited patiently while the woman signed them for her. After accepting the small bag with her treasurers, she thanked the author, wishing she could have more time to talk to her.

Mist was just getting ready to move on to the next table when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Standing in the doorway and looking out over the crowd was the demon prince himself, Darius Riorden. His eyes locked on hers, and a slow, sinister grin crossed his face.

He’d found her. Holy shit, what was she going to do now? It wasn’t like she could just blink out of a large room full of people.

“Are you okay?”

Mist glanced back at Sapphire and gave her a small smile. No matter what was about to happen, she needed to keep anything dealing with the paranormal away from the other woman. “Yes, thank you so much. I hope you have a great rest of your day.”

Sapphire’s face lit with a blinding smile before she thanked her and turned to the next book lover who was waiting to speak with her.

When Mist looked to where Darius had just been, he was gone, but she wasn’t fooled. He was around, waiting to make his move on her.

Screw it. She had more authors to meet. More books to buy. It wasn’t like he was going to just appear in front of her, grab her, and leave. Not with so many humans around.

A small squeak left her lips when he did just that. One second, she was in a room full of hundreds of people, the next she was in the arms of the demon prince.

“Finally,” he growled in her ear. “I finally found you, my mate.”

Before she could respond letting him know she was not his mate, not his anything, Mist felt something sharp prick the skin at her neck. Her mind became foggy, her eyelids blinking until they flickered shut. She felt her bag fall from her fingers, toppling to the floor, and wanted to cry at the loss.

Just before she lost consciousness, Mist reached out to Aurora, whispering in her mind and praying the other woman heard her. I’m so sorry, my sister. I should have listened to you.

Mist? Mist, where are you?

Aurora sounded so far away, as if there was an ocean between them, when in reality there was really only a few hundred miles. Normally, they would have easily been able to communicate telepathically.

Mist struggled to reply, but all she managed to get out was, Frisco. MMM signing.

What? Where? Mist!

Mist tried, but she couldn’t respond. Her mind wouldn’t cooperate, and after fighting it for another long moment, darkness overtook her.