Page 72 of Paramour of Sin

The demon frowned. “I’m likable.”

“That remains to be seen. I mean, you did just enter uninvited. And you were lurking around my house last night, right?”

Pursing her lips, the Halfling gave a single shoulder shrug. “I was looking for Eve, yeah. But she went to the crime scene—which I had nothing to do with, by the way, that Tracker and human were dead when I landed.”

The banter had gone on long enough. If Tax wasn’t going to resort to fisticuffs with the Halfling, then I wanted answers as to what she was doing here in the first place. So I cut in with my most imperious tone. “And exactly who are you?”

“Oh, uh, yeah I guess I should have introduced myself. My bad.” The Halfling threw her shoulders back. “Kay… Daughter of Bael.”

I blanched.Holy Hell…“I think you meanPrincessof Bael,” I said, awed, then fell into the bow required for someone of her station. Tax, Remy, and Guinevere all followed suit without hesitation.

Archdemon Bael had proclaimed this woman as his desired heir and princess of his realm. No wonder she oozed such power and could portal at will. What the hell was she doing in this realm?

Kay huffed out an irritated breath. “Look, I don’t want formalities. I just need Eve so I can reach the Divinity. The balance is at stake, and—”

Kay cut off abruptly, her face going pale. Whatever she’d sensed, she sensed a split second ahead of me and everyone else in the room.

Oh, fuck…

Energy poured into the room as an incoming presence demanded obedience and submission. I dropped into a deep bow, as did everyone else—except for Kay—as Archdemon Ashmedai appeared in a burst of blue flames.

Princes of Hell weren’t allowed on Earth, though that clearly didn’t stop them from visiting. They were just too powerful, too intoxicating to be around, and Ashmedai had always been sex personified—so gorgeous, it hurt to look at him. Even for me.

His intimidating presence sucked up all the air from the room, and he loomed over us all with his unnaturally beautiful face set in a calm, slightly amused expression.

“Well, now that is an interesting revelation, Princess Kayla,” Ashmedai said by way of greeting.

The skin around Kay’s eyes tightened, but she gave a small, respectful bow and said, “Archdemon. Lovely to see you.”

Archdemon Ashmedai circled around Kay, his gaze so focused it felt like he was looking inside her soul. “Pray tell, little Halfling, why do you need to reach the Divinity?”

Kayla took a deep breath, her gaze darting around the room for help. None of us spoke up—this was between her and the Archdemon.

Not my realm. Not my domain.

I already had my damn hands full with Guinevere.

“I have information I need to give to Johanna,” Kay finally said.

“Information?” Archdemon Ashmedai murmured as he paused just over her shoulder. He towered over her, bigger than she was and so powerful, his aura bled the room dry. “No let me guess.” He pretended to think. “Information on the balance, perhaps?”

“Just… there have been a few… power shifts,” Kay said slowly. “Things changing. Breaking. It’s… it’s imperative I speak with Johanna.”

The Archdemon chuckled humorlessly. “No, Princess of Bael. It’s imperative you talk tome. You and I are going to have a long chat, sweetling.” He clamped a hand to her shoulder, then glanced back down the hall—his gaze locking on Gwen. “Tick tock, little succubus.”

Then both the Archdemon and the Princess of Bael disappeared.

Chapter Twenty-One

Gwen

Tick tock, little succubus.

The Archdemon’s parting words replayed through my mind, over and over again. Seeing him and hearing the underlying threat in his parting statement, made my situation feel that much more real. It was easier when there’d been a disconnect between me and the Prince of Hell; when Lord Zebulon formed a trusted barrier between me and the archdemon.

But that barrier had come crashing down.

Things felt very real and very not okay now.