He was happy.
The potential of me choosing him wasn’t an evil demonic quest. It was his happily ever after.
“Isabella, have you made your choice?” Katrina repeated, and everyone was looking at me.
It was all clear in my head now. I did have a choice. “Yes,” I said, confidence brewing inside me.
“Who do you choose to be your mate this lifetime?”
“Kayden.”
Kayden squeezed my hand. Sighs and swears filled the air. Joshua’s gaze dropped to the ground. Alec kicked at the dirt.
“And Joshua…” I added, and his head snapped up. “And Alec.” He stopped kicking and glanced at me, his expression a question mark.
“You can’t do that,” Damien thundered. “You have to choose one.”
“No. The deal stated I had to make a choice. It didn’t say anything about choosing just one mate.” I stepped out of the circle and reached Damien. “It’s the twenty-first century. Ever heard of polyamory? A woman can choose to have multiple partners at the same time, have a big, happy family together.”
His eyes flamed. I was positive if I touched him now, I would burn myself.
“What’s hurting you the most now? That you lost me this lifetime? Or that I outsmarted you for once?” I asked.
A dull shadow crossed his face. “Hope.”
“Hope?”
“What hurts me the most is that this time I actually had high hopes you would finally be mine. I even refurnished the home I’d prepared for us, had a huge ceremony awaiting your arrival.”
“You were counting on our deal to get me as horny as possible so I’d mate with you, too, and choose you instead?”
“Yes,” he confessed. “But now you have three mates. I don’t think you’ll need me anymore.”
I twisted my lips. “You give up that easily?”
He gave me a quizzical look. “What are you telling me, Professor?”
“There’s always a part of me that will want you, Damien. If I suppress it or ignore it, it will come back to bite me later, and it won’t be pleasant. I’m telling you if the part when you said you were in love with me is true, you will fight for me, make sacrifices—”
“I’m ready to unleash hell on earth to have you, Isabella. If you will take me.”
“Here’s a new deal for you. I wouldn’t be your hell queen. Not a big fan of fire. But I’ll let you be a part of my kingdom here on earth?”
“Share you? With the beasts?
I nodded. “No more reincarnations. No more pain. We all live forever. A Happily ever after for all.”
He glared at me for long, nerve-wrecking moments.
“I’m sure you’re smart enough to know it’s a great deal.” I tried not to give him too much to think. “The only deal where you get to have me. In the flesh you love so much.”
“I do. But believe it or not, I love your heart even more. Do I have that, too?”
“My sweet devil, you know I’ve already saved you a spot.”
His notorious smirk curved up his mouth. “Your deal is very tempting.”
I stretched my hand out. “Shake on it?”
