Bael’s lips split into a wicked, evil grin. He tossed another piece of popcorn at her.
This time, she was expecting it and leaned over to catch the piece in her mouth. She shot him a haughty, triumphant expression as she chewed and swallowed.
Her heart skipped at the genuine pride and adoration lighting up his face.
“Fuck yeah, baby,” Bael said. “I’m going to make youlivid.”
CHAPTER 11
“Idon’t know if you know this,” Bael began. “But I have a particular talent for pissing people off.”
“Can attest to that,” Thierry confirmed.
“Under oath,” Ryker grunted.
Thierry nodded and added, “In paranormals court.”
“Maybe it’s something about being raised in Hell.” Bael shrugged and strode over to where Nix sat on the ground. “I bet I could get you to burst into flame within one minuteandget you to admit you like us.”
Nix’s nose crinkled. “Am I hiding that I like you?”
“No, but my love language is clingy verbal professions of obsession, and you haven’t necessarily been forthright with your feelings.”
Because of guilt. Because of the idea of betraying Persius.
But…this is a new life.
“I do,” Nix whispered as her gaze flicked to each of the men. “Like you. Each of you.”
Bael waved off the sentiment. “Stop, you’re going to give Stoney an erection.”
Thierry glared and pointed to Ryker’s bulging crotch, stretching his light gray sweatpants. “We are all hard here.”
“Yeah, but you’re hard as stone, gargoyle.” Bael kneeled in front of Nix’s seated position and touched the cut over her lips. “Don’t get me wrong, if your face scarred, it’d be pretty hot. But I don’t want you thinking you can’t shift and heal if something happens to you. The fire means your power isleakingout of you. Whatever you are is strong. You can shift. You just need to get out of your head.”
“Okay…”
“And let me into it,” Bael whispered, connecting their gazes head-on.
The forest faded around them.
They were back in the living room of their house. And…Nix watched herself be kissed and touched by Ryker and Thierry. But something was off. Because Nix stood, watching a different version of herself moan and grope her men.
Nix gasped when she realized what Bael showed her. A scene where the imposterhaddistracted her men.
“Doesn’t it piss you off—” Bael reached around her to hold her chin and force her gaze onto the scene. “—how they cannot tell it’s not you?”
The imposter Nix looked over and flashed a sinister smile at her. “Guess who they like more?” the other fake Nix asked. She turned and kissed Ryker.
Nix’s body burst into flame.
“What do you think he is showing her?” Thierry asked Ryker as they watched Bael mesmerize Nix. Whatever it was, the incubus had been right in saying he could get her to expel her fire within one minute.
Flames rose from her skin until fire covered her naked form from her hair to her toes.
This was Thierry’s first time seeing it occur; he had only been told about it after the fact. He stared in awe at the raw power pouring from her pores.
But one thought caught in his frontal lobe.Dragons do not typically expel fire from their skin.
