A gust of wind parts the generous side slit, giving Kaiden a full view of the three daggers I have strapped to my upper thigh. “As devastatingly beautiful as you look in red, I think I prefer you in purple,” he says through our mental link as he opens the passenger door for me to slide in. He rounds the car to settle behind the wheel, then glides into the evening traffic effortlessly.
What is he talking about?
Wait.
The lacy thong I wore to bed last night was a deep purple.
“Have you been watching me sleep again?” I sputter, then realize I spoke back to him in my head. This is so freakin’ weird.
“Bold of you to assume I ever stopped. It’s been the highlight of my day for years.”
I open the window, letting the fresh air blast my face. Last night, I had another explosive sex dream. We were back at the succubus party, using one of the rooms. I came so hard I had to take a shower after.
“Don’t worry, I fully enjoyed you moaning my name for hours on end,” he rumbles as if reading my thoughts.
“I thought I told you to stay out of my life,” I snap while pressing the button to close the window because I don’t want to ruin my hair.
“And I thought we already established that’s never going to happen,” he counters. “I haven’t forgotten about you packing a bag. I’ll follow you to the depths of Hell and beyond if I have to.”
I only huff in response, and we don’t talk for the rest of the drive. He slows down when we enter a gravel road leading to a gargantuan two-story mansion on a sprawling estate bigger than the compound’s. Soon, this place will be brimming with people—whose souls I could steal before drawing my next breath.
I take in the front façade, made of red bricks and punctuatedby a limestone portico supported by Ionic columns. However, I’m distracted by the weird buzz beneath my skin that gets louder as we get closer. I recognize it as the same sensation I had in the cemetery because soon enough, my brain screams at me that there are two hundred seventy-eight dead people buried on this property.
Just my luck. They must have built this place over a burial ground or something.
After Kaiden stops the car in front of the stairs, the valet opens my door. But my legs have turned into cement blocks. When Kaiden hurries to round the car and extends a hand my way, I don’t take it—not because I don’t want to, but because I’m paralyzed at the thought that I might harm someone innocent. My pulse thunders in my ears while my vision goes fuzzy at the edges.
Kaiden, cradling my face in his big palms, snaps me out of it. I lean into his touch because it’s the only thing grounding me while I capsize under waves of dread. Concern mars his forehead. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
My gaze crashes into the obsidian sea. I inhale a shuddering breath. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about the danger I represent,” I send him through our bond, barely above a whisper.
The moment my words land, his eyes soften. “Do you want to leave? Just say the word and we’ll go.”
I clear my throat as a car honks. Glancing over my shoulder, I realize there’s a long line behind us. And Belial could be in that mansion. “No, it’s okay. I’m okay. Let’s go.”
“You sure?” he insists.
“Yeah,” I breathe. This time, when Kaiden offers me his hand, I take it.
We pass candles in tall glass cylinders and flower ornaments lining the ruby carpet flowing down the stairs. My high-heeledsandals make sharpclicksagainst the foyer’s shiny marble floor. The sounds fade into classical music, the murmur of overlapping conversations, and laughter spilling from the open ballroom in front of us. The white floral arch where guests are lined up to take photos blends perfectly with the elegance of the vaulted ceiling and the embellished high walls. I make a mental note to let Sam know she’s incredible. Not like she isn’t aware, but my admiration for my best friend’s talent knows no bounds.
When Kaiden pulls me toward the arch, I hiss, “What are you doing?”
“I want a reminder of having the most gorgeous woman on my arm.”
I roll my eyes at his cheesiness. “You know this is not a date, right?”I scoff.“I’m here because we need to trap Belial.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s still one of the best nights of my life.” He wraps his hand around my middle to pull me closer for the photo.
We stride into the ballroom. I let my gaze sweep over the mass of people and servers balancing trays of canapés and sparkling glasses of champagne to search for Sam and Malik. The warlock is engaged in a conversation with about five people across the dance floor, near the open French doors leading to the garden. When he notices us, he lifts his chin before excusing himself to amble toward us.
Malik beams at me. “Whoa, sweets. You clean up good.”
“It’s a far cry from Faerie, huh? You look pretty good yourself,” I say, reciprocating the smile, and I mean it. The deep navy suit hugging his slender yet muscular frame enhances the speckles of blue in his hazel eyes, while his lively silver hair is tied at the nape.
“Any sign of Belial?” Kaiden asks him.
Malik isn’t paying attention, though, because he’s busy staring—mouth agape—at a sashaying Sam on her way to us. Men andwomen’s heads equally snap in her direction. For good reason, because my best friend is the embodiment of a goddess in a halter-style olive dress that has an open back and a slit to match mine.
