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“All right.” She points toward a nearby table. “A Brimstone Bell bloom, please.”
A moment later, a large white flower in a golden pot appears where there was only an empty tabletop before.
I stand and move closer to inspect the blossom. “It’s gorgeous. I shouldn’t dare to touch it.”
“You won’t know unless you try,” Nic taunts, her voice singsong.
Telling myself I’ll jump away the second a single petal shrivels, I inch my fingertips toward the stem. Monty climbs to perch on my shoulder as my skin brushes a leaf. Nothing turns brown or droops, but that doesn’t prove much. My curse takes longer to kill pretty things, to make lovely petals wither and decay. Cradling the bloom in my hands, I inhale its sweet perfume. “What a beautiful?—”
A stranger blinks into the suite, the woman’s sudden appearance making me swallow the rest of what I’d been about to say. She’s an older, icier version of Gilly from her coiffed blonde hair to her corseted skirt suit to those skyscraper heels. I don’t want to think of how her pinched expression reminds me of Mom as much as Gilly gives off big sister Bree vibes.
“Nicolette,” the woman says, looking past me.
“Mother.” Nic scrambles to her feet. “I can explain. I only meant to borrow?—”
“Away,” the woman says and waves her hand. Nic vanishes.
My breath sticks in my chest, and the primitive part of my brain zooms into survival mode. This woman can literally disappear people. She’s clearly the biggest predator in the castle.
When Monty hisses at her, I tuck the mongoose close. I’m not risking my new furry friend to the wrath of Theo’s demon mommy dearest.
She smiles at him, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. No, her gaze remains cold and calculating. I don’t trust the—what did Nic callit? Glamour. Because there’s zero chance this woman’s real form has anything but a mouthful of fangs.
Her attention shifts from the mongoose to me.
“Relax,” she drawls, and the fake calm in her tone sends icicles shivering along my spine. Damn, I hate when people tell me to relax, but I’m not stupid enough to offer that opinion right now. Not that she gives me time to snark my way into an ugly death because she rushes to add in that Satan’s spa voice, “I’m here to offer you a deal.”
CHAPTER NINE
Theo
Afight with a shadow demon of a distant cousin hadn’t been on myto dolist today, and damn, I barely blasted him with magic before the incorporeal fucker slashed my throat. He’s the sixth cousin I’ve battled in the last few hours. Between family and my fated mate, someone will stab me before the day’s done.
The slice across my shoulder burns as I teleport home to Shadowvale. Maybe given the good news I’m bringing, my future wife will ditch her violent tendencies long enough for some of my wounds to heal. Or at least that’s my hope.
I drop into the room to find a pale-faced, wide-eyed Val clutching the soul guardian to her chest as if someone might take him away. As if anyone could. Except her gaze drifts past me to pin on whatever or whoever’s behind me, which has me spinning to assess the threat.
The designer perfume would’ve given my mother away if I’d taken more than a nanosecond to launch into defensive mode. I bite back my unhappy sigh. I’d rather go another round withCousin Reginald the shadow demon than guess at whatever intrigue I’ve stumbled into. “Hello, Mother.”
She gives a chilling grin that speaks of calamity and catastrophe. “Theo dearest, you’re right on time.”
“What brings you to Shadowvale?” What I really want to ask is how the seven hells she got past the wards on my suite without an express invitation? But then, I don’t have all night to bleed out on the carpet while she lumps guilt upon my shoulders.
“Can’t a mother visit her son?”
I keep my mouth shut rather than answer and risk having her and my wife reaching for the nearest weapons. Giving my back to Val seems perilous enough, but I angle my body to block her from my mother’s view. “If you’re staying the night, Mother, I’ll have the staff prepare a private suite for you.” Because she won’t be staying in mine.
She waves a hand, massive rings winking on her human glamour’s slim fingers. “Unfortunately, I have to be going.”
Thank the gods. Something might go right today. But that doesn’t tell me why she came. Panic flashes through me. “Was there another portal opening? Or did Father have another episode?”
“Nothing so dire.” She sidesteps me for a glimpse of Val like she’s including her in the conversation. I wish she wouldn’t. “Your guest and I just finished our girl talk. Think it over, Valentina. You should accept my offer.”
“No,” I answer for my mate. “She won’t make any deals with you.”
The rustling of fabric comes from behind me, but thankfully Val doesn’t try to move around me. “You don’t speak for me.” The snap in her tone reminds me of an ice wraith.
Couldn’t one thing go smoothly today? “You’ve already signed a bargain with me,” I remind her. “Has our agreement gone so well that you’re jumping into another?”
