Page 95 of Paramour of Sin

She’d never do what Amarella did to me.

It just wasn’t in her to even try. Nor was it something she’d ever want to do.

And for that, I owed her an apology. Or maybe a better explanation.

Later,I thought, glancing down at my empty glass. I picked it up and stalked over to my bar to refill it, then said, “I need to call Valentino. Give him an update.” Because this was definitely a revealthat would interest him.

“Of course, sir.” Ragus stood. “I’ll work on a protection plan.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

He excused himself with a slight bow and left with my glass in his hand. He’d clean it and return it later. After another burning sip, I returned to my seat and made the call.

Valentino’s shock was palpable as I relayed the afternoon’s events.

By the end, he was cursing as loudly as I had in my mind when I saw the images of Amarella. I sent him the footage so he could see it for himself.

When we finished, I readied myself for my next house call.

To Ashmedai in Hell.

I arrived outside his palace gates beneath the surreal blue glow of his realm, where I announced my arrival to one of the Royal Guards just beyond the diamond-encrusted gates. Then I waited, the blue glare of the sapphire sun shining on me so brightly it gave me a twitch in my right eye. I couldn’t imagine living beneath that light every moment and never having the cold quiet of night to chase away the glare.

Ashmedai arrived a few moments later, gliding gracefully in the air toward the closed gates. His giant navy wings flapped twice as he halted and landed nimbly on the ground in his bare feet. He was in his requisite shirtless and blue jeans look today, which was slightly less intimidating than his royal robes.

I fell into a bow in greeting. This time, he didn’t force me to grovel.

“Back so soon, Zebulon? Stand.”

I obeyed his command and brushed my palms over my suit jacket, easing out the wrinkles. “There’s been a development.”

Ashmedai cocked his head to the side and gazed at me with his violet eyes, his expression remote. “Am I going to be angry?”

“Perhaps,” I replied truthfully.

Ashmedai nodded and waved a hand to open the gates. “Then I suppose you better come in.”

He led me down the long, elegant path, up the stairs, through his massive doors, and onward to a hallway that ended at his ornate study. It was an open room with windows along the back and a mural-styled ceiling about two floors above us. We remained silent on the walk, his wings held high to keep them from dragging along the pristine floors.

But as we entered his den, I froze.

A dark-haired Halfling sat in his chair with her feet up on his desk. Her long legs were crossed at her dainty ankles, and she wore a stony expression that somehow made her look like she just might be capable of kicking Ashmedai’s ass. A board hovered beside her, pegged by blue and red dots, but it vanished the moment we entered.

Ashmedai sighed. “What did I say about boots on the desk, Princess?”

Ah.The princess of Bael. I’d forgotten that Zane had told me Ashmedai had made off with her from the foyer at Guinevere’s home. In the interim, Princess Kayla had clearly made herself at home.

The Prince of Hell didn’t mention the miraculously vanishing peg board, so I didn’t comment on it. However, I did wonder what it was about, particularly as Princess Kayla felt it necessary to hide the board from me.

The Halfling swung her legs off the desktop and sat up, the chair creaking beneath her. “This is my cue, right? I can go now?”

Ashmedai shook his head. “Not quite.”

“Damn,” she mumbled under her breath, then looked down at her hands. “I feel so blue here.”

Ashmedai smirked as if amused by her antics, but I was too busy questioning her sanity. The way she’d spoken to him was unacceptable from a baby Halfling Archdemon. Plus, she was making no move to relinquish his desk to him.

Looks like someone’s inherited Prince Bael’s arrogance,I thought with a mental snort.