Page 96 of Dancing With Demons

“But I also don’t understand you,” he confessed. “You’re a weirdo with horrible taste in clothes and people who can’t string together a single sentence that doesn’t have a dozen made-up words in it. I don’t know. It must be the mortal thing. I guess everyone up there is an unintelligible freak that dresses like a clown,” said the fucking work-in-progress. “But you’re my freaky, mush-mouth clown, and there’s no part of that... or you... that isn’t perfect.”

“My gods,” someone whispered, staring as dumbfoundedly at us as everyone else was. “Is that really Ronin? What’s he saying?”

“Dude’s drunk off his ass right now,” someone else replied.

“So,” Ronin groaned, throwing his head back. “You’ve got to help me out here. I don’t want to hurt or break you, and I don’t want anyone else doing it either, but you’re not normal, so power, gold, and incredible, bed-breaking sex don’t please you.”

Should I just kill him now?

“You’ve got to tell me what you need to be happy, and then I’ll give it to you, and then you’ll do that thing with your face.” Ronin rolled his eyes, kissing his teeth. “The stupid mutt called it communication, or something like that.”

I blinked, momentarily snapping out of it enough to find my voice. “Wait, the stupid mutt? Are you talking about Tristan?”

“Yeah.” Ronin bared his teeth just talking about him. “I asked him last night how to fix you, and he droned on about all that communication bullshit. Said you mortal women all get wet for it, especially when it starts with an apology— Oh, the apology was that sorry stuff in the beginning,” he said, thinking he actually had to explain it to me. “He swore it works every time— Wait.”

Ronin stiffened, fury erupting on his face. “Is it not working? Did that fucker trick me?” He spun around. “I knew he was pulling this shit out of his ass! I’ll kill him!”

“No, wait,” I blurted, holding tighter to the fingers laced through mine. “It is,” I whispered, and then had to fan my flaming cheeks. “It’s... working.”

“Yeah?” Ronin broke out into a grin that made me blush deeper. “Well, look at that, the furry fuck is good for something after all.”

I roughly cleared my throat, drawing closer to him to hide my face from the shameless, gaping onlookers. “But since when do you and Tristan chat?” I asked. “He’s too busy to talk to me, but he’ll give you dating advice?”

“Hmm. Oh, yeah,” Ronin breezed. “The fucker said I had to tell you this too. That it was like hon-neesty, or whatever. So, he’s not ignoring you. I sent you a fake text saying he wanted nothing to do with you, and then blocked his number from your phone.”

I flew back, goggling at him. “You did what?! What the hell’s wrong with you! Why would you do that!”

“Because he was sniffing around you, trying to lift his leg and mark what’s mine.” Ronin eyed me, and my hanging jaw. “Oh, you’re mad again. Okay, wait, I know this one.” Cupping my cheek, Ronin looked me dead in the eye and said, “Sorry.”

Bulging eyes reflected his completely serious face. This dude actually believed sorry was all it would take to get him out of trouble. I stared at him—

—and busted out laughing. “Haha! Ahaha!”

I grabbed his arms to hold on to him, tipping over and dropping my head on his chest.

His hand flashed and grasped my chin. Lifting me up, his gaze caressed every inch of my face—soaking me in with stunned fascination. “Wow,” he whispered. “Beautiful.”

My gods. How was it possible for this much blood to rush to my face, and I not pass out?

Reaching up, I curled my fingers around his. “The things you’ve said and done aren’t okay, Ronin, and if you really mean what you just said...” My voice and expression hardened. “I won’t have to tell you this again.”

“I meant what I said.” He stroked my cheek. “But I also meant it when I said you have to tell me what you need. So, how about tonight we make a new contract?” Ronin tipped his head. “And I won’t rip this one up.”

I hesitated. Was I really having this conversation? I’ve already made up my mind to go. Radu’s waiting to take us both to Pomaris. Even if Ronin means what he says, he’s still talking about me like I’m his possession. My priority first and foremost has to be getting Dora her soul back and getting her out of hell, and the only way to do that is to find the hallows. Every day Ronin gets in the way of that, is another day my sister has to wait to get her literal life back.

But what if he’s truly sincere? another voice asked. If all he wants now is my happiness, then I’ll tell him to prove it by breaking the sub bond, letting me talk to Nik, and helping me with an offering for the dryads. If he refuses, that’ll make my decision to leave really simple.

“Okay,” I heard myself say. “Tonight. Let’s talk.”

“Good.” Dipping down, Ronin kissed me soft, slow, and mind-scrambling.

I was still dizzy when he turned us around to leave.

“Lunch?” he asked.

Sense suddenly returned. “Oh, wait, I have to change my dress, remember?” I slipped my hand out of his. “We’ll meet up with you in the mess hall.”

“Sure,” he said, accepting that easily.