I gritted my teeth. “Please.”
“On one condition.”
Dave stiffened while Aira darted a nervous glance between us.
“Tell me.”
“I want to officiate your wedding.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
What did you expect? Skulls, blood sacrifices, and dungeons?
When dealing with a group of individuals dedicated to a god of death, ensure you have brought a gift. Not just any gift, the right gift. Luckily, Lucifer had insider knowledge, and that was how I found myself clutching a black bag containing a raven feather quill and an onyx-carved inkwell. Sadly, my uncle vetoed my idea of regifting The Hound’s beating heart, so it remained sitting on my desk, carefully contained in its glitter-covered glass case. I considered trying to stab it, but if Abaddon said it was being kept alive by a god, then I decided it was best to not interfere, particularly as we were about to enter said god’s domain.
The House of Donn was an eighteenth-century stone pillared mini mansion. Runes carefully carved around the doorway hinted at the magic inside, and had either stood the test of time, or were regularly checked and sharpened. Power drenched the entrance, making the hairs on my nape prickle in awareness.Even humans would get a weird vibe and give this place a wide berth.
“I’ll return for you both once you exit the house,” Lucifer declared.
“How will you know?” I wondered.
He shrugged. “Your god is not the only all-knowing being in existence.” With that little gem of knowledge, he disappeared.
Hudson lifted the heavy wooden knocker and sighed. “For the record, I am less than impressed regarding your deal with the Devil.”
“Me too, but what would you have had me do?”
He glanced at me. He looked good. Handsome. Capable. Dangerous. Mine.
“Say no and offer him something else.”
“Like?”
The door swung open, halting the brewing argument.
A being in a floor-length black hooded robe stood before us, their face hidden in shadows, making it impossible for us to discern their features. They stood perfectly still, like a statue.
“Hi, I’m Cora Roberts, and this is my mate, Hudson Abbot. We have an appointment.” I sounded stupid, but I didn’t have time for a silent standoff. My world had tilted on its axis, and I needed to right it before I publicly tied myself to the male beside me. I snapped out my hand and offered them the bag. “A gift.”
No one could fault my manners.
The cloaked figure floated back, ignoring my offering. That wasn’t creepy. Not one bit.
Hudson threaded his fingers with mine and tugged me forward into a circular entrance hall. The warm polished wooden floor was a stark contrast to the clean white walls, while lit candles dotted the fireplace mantle and floor. As far as death sects went, this wasn’t half as bad as I expected.
The figure continued to float backward through an arch and down a corridor. Hudson and I shared a look. Guess we were following them. We stalked forward, side by side in a show of strength. The hallway curved to the left, and the figure sped up, disappearing around the corner. We quickened our pace and encountered shadows darker than a cloud-filled night.
When you’d battled darkness, you no longer feared it. Light couldn’t contain evil or banish evil; it merely illuminated atrocities, making them easier to see. Those brave enough to bare all in the light were terrifying. They were confident in their abilities, assured they would win. Those were the ones to watch.
Hudson stiffened as we sank into the shadows. “Kitty afraid of the dark?”
“That’s not the first time you’ve said that. No, I am not afraid of the dark—only what’s inside it.”
I chuckled. If the House of Donn wanted us dead, they would have already embroiled us in battle. Lucifer had given me a crash course in the group’s history. Unlike other similar organizations, the dwindling members were born into their roles, not recruited, and had the freedom to leave if they so chose. Their numbers had become so insignificant that most people had forgotten they even existed. Their job was to keep the House of Donn alive by supplying it with the souls of the departed. However, despite its affiliation with death, the sect didn’t have a reputation for violence. They were a little morbid perhaps, but it was their god that led their lethal intent, not the members themselves. Effectively, the sect were the people who kept the lights on while their master was away.
Faint light appeared in the distance, morphing into an open doorway the closer we got. “Ready?” I whispered to Hudson. I’d already read him the riot act about keeping his growling to a minimum. He nodded once, and I stepped over the threshold and froze, my mouth falling open.
Gone was the shadowy gothic vibe, and in its place was a room with pale blue and cream themes. An overstuffed U-shaped sofa surrounded a large square wooden coffee table, and a roaring fire made heat wash over my body. In the far corner, a large flat-screen TV played the latest season of a well-known raunchy Regency show.
