It had taken a dozen more questions to pry the answers they needed out of Kyler and Liam, and the truth was still difficult to believe. He’d always known that some of the gods lived amongst them, yet going to a bakery to meet one of them still felt kind of surreal. He wanted answers, but a small part of him didn’t want Starla anywhere near one of the powerful celestials. He’d heard enough horror stories about them to be leery, although Kyler and Liam swore Autumn and her mate were different than the others.
Starla squeezed his hand and glanced up at him with a smile. “Still want to stick me in your pocket?”
“You have no idea how much I really wish I could,” he fully admitted.
“Come on. Let’s go inside. The sooner we can hand that amulet over to someone who can safely deal with it, the better I will feel.”
With a reluctant nod, Remy opened the door, allowing her to enter first. He quickly followed behind in order to protect her. There was no need, though. The bakery was completely empty of people. The pale pink walls created a cheerful atmosphere, while the black and white accents and gleaming steel appliances gave everything a modern, upbeat look.
It was a large space, with dozens of tables and booths. There was also a wide staircase leading up to a second level. Thedisplay cases had been emptied of baked goods, but their sugary scent still lingered in the air. The most notable feature in the bakery was the giant cherry blossom tree that had been planted in the middle of the store.
“What an odd place for a tree,” Starla commented. “I like it. It’s beautiful.”
“It is the Wellness Tree,” a feminine voice echoed through the empty space.
A few seconds later, a beautiful female appeared standing beneath the tree. She had a mass of shimmering bronze hair that fell down her back in dark waves and glowing gold eyes that burned like twin suns. She looked stylish, wearing a dark brown sweater and black leather pants with ankle boots, but there was no mistaking the powerful aura emanating from her that classified her as one of the gods.
“Customers write down wishes and worries and tie them to the tree,” she explained, reaching up to tap one of the paper tags hanging down from a branch. “Sometimes those wishes come true, and sometimes, those worries turn into a chance for revenge.”
Remy had stepped in front of Starla the moment the stranger had appeared, but his little mate moved to lean against his side. He knew his reaction was ridiculous since she was just as powerful as he was, but he still couldn’t control the primal instinct to protect her, even from a god.
The goddess grinned at them. “Hi, I’m Autumn Arcane, the Goddess of Revenge. Don’t worry. I’m not like those other asshole celestials. Welcome to The Sweet Spot. I heard you were stopping by for a little chat.”
“Arcane? Were you the one who sent us the Arcane Assist app?” Starla asked.
Autumn laughed and shook her head. “That wasn’t me, but I know who did. Now, what kind of cookies would you like? Orwould you prefer cake or pie? Never mind. I’ll just bring out a selection of goodies. Take a seat at one of the tables. I’ll be right back.”
She disappeared, leaving Remy and Starla blinking after her.
“Come on. Let’s sit down,” he said, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
He led his mate over to a booth near the wall of windows that was close to the entrance. While there wasn’t much they could do to defend themselves against a god, he felt better knowing their friends were watching over them from the private room at the pizza parlor across the street.
“We should have brought Kyler or Liam with us since they know Autumn,”Remy said through their bond.
Starla patted his thigh.“Don’t worry so much. I don’t think the app would have sent us here if they planned on harming us. We asked for help, and that is exactly what the app has done.”
Leaning closer, he pressed a kiss against her forehead. “Thank the gods one of us is thinking logically. I really can’t do without you.”
“Good thing since you are stuck with me.”
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she tilted her head back and puckered her lips, playfully asking for a kiss. Remy couldn’t help but laugh softly at her antics and felt warmth and love bloom in his chest. Gladly accepting her silent request, he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her waiting lips. The contact was sweet but brief, a mere brush of his lips against her.
And yet, it only fueled his longing for more.
Every time they kissed, it seemed to stoke the fire between them. He fucking loved kissing her and found himself wanting to draw her closer, to deepen the connection. He was about to lose himself in her when a voice broke through the moment, pulling their attention away from each other.
“Aww, you two are so cute together!”
Starla jerked in surprise, then blinked at the petite female sitting across the table from them. The female had pink and silver hair and glowing gold eyes with black swirls. She was wearing a purple hoodie covered with tiny ice cream cones, and she rested her chin on her clasped hands as she beamed a smile at them. Although she looked beautiful and sweet, the powerful magic emanating from her made her even more intimidating than the Goddess of Revenge.
“Hi! I’m Devon Lightbringer, the designer of the Arcane Assist app.”
Remy stiffened beside her. “Lightbringer? As in—”
“My mate is Braxton Lightbringer, the Prince of Hell. Actually, he has a lot more titles now, but we can get into that later.” Devon leaned back, and a tablet appeared in her hand. “I was hoping I could ask you some questions about your experience using the app. Since you are the first couple to use it, your feedback is essential to improving our system.”
“Ah…” Starla shot a quick glance at her mate, then nodded. “Sure.”
