But... that couldn’t be.
Blaisewas my mate. Blaise, who was currently standing slack-jawed, brows furrowed with worry as he glanced between me and the stranger.
“You’re my mate,” the stranger said.
He took a step toward me, but Blaise—quick as a viper—threw an arm out to stop him. The stranger contorted, baring his teeth at Blaise as shadows coiled around him, whipping back and forth in warning.
Shadows.
He must be an incubus.
And logic would dictate that the demon standing in front of me, currently glaring down Blaise, was his once-lover and the cause of his broken heart.
Ambrose.
Who was, apparently,also my mate.
And if I weren’t carrying two bags filled to the brim with candy, I would have pinched myself to see if this fantasy-slash-nightmare was really happening. Because, yeah, I might have entertained the odd thought about what it would be like to have two incubi mates—but in practice, this was going to be anything but a smooth ride.
“Remove your arm, Blaise,” Ambrose growled, the anger in his words sharp enough to make Blaise flinch as if he’d taken a dagger to the heart.
“I can’t, Ambrose,” Blaise said, his voice firm, a faint pleading note beneath it. “You look like you haven’t fed since I last saw you, and you won’t be thinking clearly—”
Ambrose answered with a low warning growl.
“—and I can’t allow you nearmymate when you’re like this.”
A flicker of confusion crossed Ambrose’s face. Gods, he looked exhausted. And then, as if Blaise’s words had only just landed, horror widened his features.
“I wouldnever—”
Blaise’s palm flattened against Ambrose’s chest, pain flashing across his face, followed by a look I didn’t have the mental capacity left to decipher. “I know. I didn’t mean it like that.” He dragged his free hand through his hair, disheveling itfurther. “What I meant was you’re half-starved and not thinking clearly. Caitlyn can’t be your mate.She’s mine.”
But I’d already felt it.
That bond snapping into place, right alongside Blaise’s.
And Gods and Goddesses,this was a fucking train wreck.
A cackle burst from my lips at the sheer absurdity of it.
It was so absurd that the laughter took hold of me completely. I dropped both bags of snacks, doubling over as candy scattered across the floor.
Creep—who had remained mostly inanimate on the console table between my two mates—swiveled her head toward me, tilting it as if this wasn’t quite the reaction she’d expected.
“That doll just moved,” Ambrose said, as if he felt compelled to saysomething, but had no idea how to address the manically laughing witch in the doorway.
Which only made me laugh harder.
Blaise’s expression warped with concern as he released his grip on Ambrose’s chest, seemingly assured that he no longer posed a threat. “Caitlyn, are you—”
“Okay?” I finished for him. “Oh, yeah. I’m fan-dabby-dosey!” I attempted to speak through another bout of laughter, which only made the words sound even more sarcastic. I mean, Iwasbeing sarcastic, I guessed. “Absolutely fantastic. You know, it’s all I ever wished for.”
I shrugged, dropping to the floor to retrieve my bags, gathering up the candy bars that had scattered everywhere. Both my mates moved to help, then thought better of it as I started again, the words tumbling uncontrollably from my lips. “Y’know, I never had much of a love life up until now, so Ireallywanted to see what a complicated one was like.”
The pair glanced at each other as I finally straightened.
“Well, c’mon, guys,” I continued, an unnatural bounce in my step as I walked past them toward the kitchen. “Relationship—excuse me—relationships” I corrected, hysteria edging into my tone, “aren’t going to work themselves out!”
