And maybe, just maybe, most of that excitement was at the chance to spend even more time with the very demons she was starting to fall for.
10
INTELLIGENCE
Lazerath
Lazerath had never really been a patient demon. That quality, he assumed, was absorbed entirely by Severath in the womb, just as Laz had absorbed the ability to smile and hold conversations and probably something else he was forgetting. But his mind was too busy bouncing between the new catering gig, his final cleanup for the day, and the very beautiful human sitting at the corner table of his bakery chatting with another human.
Laz had immediately taken a liking to Brioni. She was all smiles and sunshine and bounce, and it had been nice to ask her about all sorts of human things he’d always wondered about. Brioni had no hesitations about answering, which was very useful before Laz had found his own human to ask questions.
And he had a whole bunch of them he wanted to ask hertonight on their date, after he and Davarox had fought over who would get to take her first. Well, Laz had insisted Dav should have time with her first. His tail had done thethumpy-thumpthing, after all, so it was only fair. But Dav had gotten all twitchy and grumpy and finally Laz had relented just to keep his friend from getting the sads, and that would do no good in convincing Rosalind to stay with them.
But now Brioni was keeping him from their date, and it was increasingly difficult to pretend he was actually finishing his duties for the day—not trying to eavesdrop on what the bubbly human had called a “private conversation for only the humans and a very friendly green demon who definitely knows what this visit is about.”
Lazerath was very tempted to find this green demon and figure out what made Rosalind’s cheeks go pink but also soften in relief. Why didheget to know what was in that little pouch and no one else? Lazerath was a good secret keeper.
Sort of.
Not at all, but seriously, there should never be secrets ever. Unless it was a surprise party, then maybe a little secrecy was okay, but only if there was cake involved.
He was only jealous because he wanted to know how to make Rose do that little smile with the corner of her mouth. To know why her heart rate spiked and why her hands twitched toward the papers spread over the table whenever Brioni jostled them. To know what little whisper they shared that made Rose’s eyes widen and lips pinch.
He wanted to know so he could recreate it. Tell her the same things. Understand what made her nervous so he couldnotdo those things.
Laz just wanted her to stay.
With him, obviously. And Dav. She was, of course, staying in Heck because of the rune bracelet and safety-of-the-demon-realm thing were she to leave.
“Fix that.”
Laz blinked, then twisted his head to see Dav looming over him. “Fix what?”
“Your face. You’re being creepy.”
His friend shifted, moving the mop from one hand to the other, and Laz immediately straightened from where he was leaning on the counter. “Shit, I was supposed to do that.”
Dav waved him off. “It’s fine. I know you’re distracted.”
Laz’s mood sank. “So are you. We’ve got the daily business, the prep work for the fundraiser, fixing those contracts I fucked up?—”
“Laz,” Dav said, clapping his free hand on Laz’s shoulder. “You handled two big rushesanda rowdy group of kids this afternoon, which I never could have done on my own. And you didn’tfuck upanything. Rose gave me a second set of eyes, and we’re good to go now. Those demons were just assholes.”
True, but the words didn’t ease any of Laz’s guilt that he’d been so gullible to fall for their tricks. Or any of the embarrassment that Rosalind knew he’d been duped.
Still, he plastered on a smile and pretendedthe sads weren’t twisting around in his gut alongside the nerves about tonight. “Okay.”
The slight twitch around Dav’s eyes was an obvious indicator that his friend didn’t believe everything really wasokay, but luckily Brioni’s cheerful goodbye cut through the silence of the shop.
“I’ll pass along any more news of the girls!” she called to Rose, then smiled brightly at Laz and Dav. “Make sure the dessert has chocolate.”
Laz frowned, glancing to Davarox who was equally confused. “What dessert?”
“Bye, Bri!” Rosalind shouted, rushing out of her seat to gently push the other human toward the door. “Lovely catching up with you. I promise I’ll be around more.”
“Wait,” Brioni pouted as she was herded out of the shop. “I didn’t even threaten them yet if they hurt you. I’ll send Kalypso after them!”
Davarox choked as Rosalind continued to talk over whatever Bri was threatening in a cheery voice that would rival Laz’s.
