Page 66

“My hair is down.” Victor smirked around the bottle and gulped it down, making the rest of us look like lightweights.

“So, this is what the end looks like, huh?” Zee said.

“It’s the end in one sense, but a beginning in another.”

Zee rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Fancy Fangs. I’m not a fan of this fucked-up nervous feeling inside. We won, we should be feeling great.”

“Guys, so . . . tomorrow . . . Uh . . .” I looked up and found them both waiting for me to finish. The ache in my heart grew heavy. I couldn’t say it. I didn’t want our story to end. It wasn’t right.

There was the portal? I could go through that, but that place wasn’t my home anymore. I wasn’t sure it had ever been a home. This world was. San Francisco was. The SOS Hotel was. Victor and Zee were my home. “We should uh . . . look at converting the attic into rooms. I spoke with Madame Matase and she said if the occupancy rates stay this high, we’ll be making a profit real soon.”

“Fuckin’ awesome. We are the best hoteliers ever.”

“Right,” I agreed.

“I concur.”

“Wait, hold up, did Lord Fuck-Hard just say I was the best?”

“I think he said we, but . . .”

Victor smiled. “Demon, you are the best of your kind . . . the best demon, the best lover. Indeed, you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. The both of you are. And I’ve lived a great many lives, seen a great many things, but never truly loved like I do in this moment, with you.”

Zee beamed. “Fuck, you’re old.” He laughed, and we passed the unnamed drink around. “We got this, right?” Zee asked.

I wasn’t sure what this was, but we definitely had it. “Yeah,” I agreed, my heart warming.

“Of course,” Victor said confidently.

“Great, now let’s get back down there, because imma dance and you two are joining me. No arguing.”

Zee stood, his outline sparkling in the moonlight. Then Victor was on his feet too, suitably dramatic with the city sparkling behind him. I offered my hands, and they both pulled me to my feet.

We returned to the bar and danced the night away, as though tomorrow wasn’t right around the corner, when we all knew, everything was about to change.

CHAPTER 20

The armored van pulled up outside the hotel at six a.m., under the brilliant sunshine of a glorious San Francisco day.

I’d left Zee dozing, his tail wrapped around a sleeping Victor, and snuck out. Maybe letting this happen without them knowing wasn’t a great idea, but it seemed like the only way to keep them safe. Knowing them like I did, they’d try and stop the inevitable, and get themselves tossed in Lost Ones jail.

Three armed and armored agents entered the foyer, dressed for trouble.

“Adam, darling?” Madame Matase stood at the desk, concern written all over her face.

“It’s alright. They’re here for me.”

After the party last night, most of the hotel’s staff and guests were sleeping off hangovers. Nobody else was in the foyer, just me, Madame Matase, and my destiny.

After ruffling my hair, I tucked my hands into my pants pockets. “What happens now?”

The lead agent flicked open a pair of cuffs. “These are warded for your protection and ours.”

I nodded and held out my hands, palms up. This was really happening. “I’m not going to resist.”

“They all say that,” an agent at the back grumbled.

Zee poofed into the foyer, shirt loose and pants barely buttoned around his hips. “Oh, hell no! You sneaky sons of bitches aren’t taking my kitten. Not today, not ever.” He reached into the air and pulled Shareen from a purple tear in reality. “You wanna dance? I’m right here.”