Jade gasps, her hands gesticulating wildly. “Ni shi bu shi zai xiao wo de gao-dian?”
Rhazan grabs one of those wild arms and drags her into the portal. They disappear through the veil of light, Jade continuing her rant as we laugh.
Bastian turns us to face Sylvia and Apollo. “I will install your sigil in the hoard so you may travel to us.”
“Oh perfect,” Sylvia says, clapping. “I have a ton of Christmas shopping to do and many book nerds to buy for!”
“If you see anything you like on the website, just ask me and I’ll hold it,” I say, my voice a little stronger than it was moments ago.
It seems as if being so close to Bastian is refueling my low energy. Could that be possible?
Bastian dips his head to the pair and takes a step back toward the glimmering portal.
“I look forward to our next encounter, no sooner than many weeks from now,” he says, making his hermit nature clear.
“It’s not all work, you know,” Apollo says with a grin. “Don’t forget to have fun with your mate, brother.”
Bastian whirls us around and marches through the doorway without another word. Before I can ask him what the heck was up with the wordmateappearing once again, we’re enveloped in blazing hot light.
forty-six
He Left the Fridge Open
The tingle of Jade’s magic is more like the crackle of a campfire blowing across my skin than the electric feel of the portals in the IBMA headquarters. I’m gasping for air when we reach the other side, and fan myself to fight the gathering sweat on my forehead.
We emerge into what looks like an evil lair, and when I glance over Bastian’s shoulder, I see we’ve walkedthroughthe fireplace. No wonder it felt so hot!
Rhazan has Jade’s face in a firm grip and he’s leaning down into her space, his neck craned to get in close. Her arms are crossed but she’s angled into his touch like it’s the best thing she’s ever felt. Their dynamic eludes me…
“Not another word of it, orelse,” Rhazan says the last word with the vicious bite of a challenge.
Jade smiles, her bunched up cheeks going round below her eyes. “Yes, RhazDaddy.”
Their dynamic eludes me no longer…
Bastian clears his throat loudly.
Rhazan releases Jade and straightens up, addressing us. “Welcome to our home in the Mirror realm. You’ll make your binding here instead of the café, since Jade’s location is too delicate for a portal of that strength.”
“Delicate,” Jade scoffs, then mumbles something in Chinese.
Rhazan’s eyes seem to blaze as he glares at her. She eats up the attention and smiles sweetly. The fiery demon replies in Chinese and Jade’s smile disappears, replaced by glowing red cheeks. Jade drops her head, hiding her face with the long strands of dyed hair. Satisfied, Rhazan turns his gaze to Bastian.
“You can add your markings there,” he says, pointing at the mantle of the fireplace behind us. “But I must apologize for our lack of hospitality. I have abratwho desperately needs my attention…”
Jade turns her head away and clasps her hands in front of her. It’s as if a different woman has taken over her body.
“So, you’ll need to depart when you’ve finished the binding,” Rhazan says, his tail flicking behind him in an agitated manner. Or maybe I’m projecting cat behaviors on the demon and that motion means something else entirely.
Bastian nods his head. “We’re happy to depart with haste.”
He turns around and the fire licks my skin once again. He puts his foot up on a nearby stool and balances my butt on his knee, then uses his claws to carve into the black wood mantle. I can’t focus on his markings, though. My attention is firmly on the quiet conversation happening behind us.
I peek my eyes over Bastian’s shoulders and watch as Rhazan’s massive hand clamps on the back of Jade’s neck and turns her body to face him. She lifts her gaze, but not her chin. He says something I can’t hear that makes her knees lock together. His tail curls around her joined wrists and he whispers something in her ear. His posture is so assertive that suddenly, I’m a little worried for her.
Her eyes flick to mine a moment later and she smirks, making a dimple in her rosy cheek.
“I’m good,” she mouths, and then I catch Rhazan’s gaze locked on me, too.
