“Yes.”
“You are absolutely not calling them mating negotiations.”
“That sounded culturally important.”
“It sounded terrifying.”
Meanwhile my demon’s thumb brushed once against the back of my hand before he faced me again.
“Will they be angry?”
The question surprised me slightly. Not because he asked. Because he sounded genuinely concerned. I thought about my parents for a second.
My mother’s constant work calls. My father forgetting birthdays accidentally. The apartment that never really felt like home anymore. Then I looked back at him sitting beside me in thewarmth of the silver firelight. At the palace that felt more real than most places Earth ever had.
And honestly? I didn’t know how to explain any of this to normal humans.
“That depends,” I admitted quietly.
“On what.”
“How well you survive modern Earth.”
Nina gasped dramatically. “OH MY GOD.”
The younger brother stiffened. “Why was that threatening?”
“She means social embarrassment,” Nina explained gleefully. “You two are going to get destroyed.”
“We survived Hell politics.”
“That means NOTHING against human mothers.”
His father looked genuinely thoughtful. “…Interesting.”
His mother nodded calmly. “Human women are terrifying.”
“THANK YOU,” Nina yelled.
Meanwhile Anderson had already started pacing near the doorway like the concept of this trip alone was shortening his lifespan.
“The media implications alone…”
“The what implications?” the younger brother interrupted suspiciously. Nina glanced between both demon princes. Then froze.
“…Wait.”
“…Absolutely not.”
The younger brother blinked once. “What.”
“You cannot meet human parents dressed like dark royalty from a supernatural cult.”
“That feels insulting.”
“It’s accurate.”
My demon glanced briefly down at the black coat he was wearing like he genuinely didn’t understand the issue. “This is formal.”
