Page 150 of Dragon Her Heels

Yuless kept on staring at me. “I think I will stay and observe and see what you were planning. I assume you have a plan?”

I checked the lake, pleased at the number of ripples sweeping over the water. Within five minutes, hundreds of alligators, ranging in length from two to ten feet, took positions in the foliage, waiting for their chance to strike. I gestured to the reptilian gathering. “My pets are hungry. My plan is to feed my hungry pets.”

My fiancé considered the gathered force, and then he nodded his satisfaction. “It’s an excellent plan. How are you planning to weaponize the Devil?”

“Lucifer, if a single one of my alligators is even scratched, Darlene and I are inviting Kanika to a pizza party, and there will only be one pizza.”

The Lord of Lies scowled. “For that to happen, I would have to kill them the instant they arrive.”

I shrugged. “They’re coming here to kill me. I have zero interest in a fair fight. They shot me on live television. I still won the race, but there are videos of me resembling a sack of grain on my previous baby girl, and I find this to be offensive. Mercy was not shown to me. The only mercy I’m willing to show them is a swift death. Frankly, I would rather you just disarm them and allow my babies to finish the job. And yes, should anyone ask, I will be quite honest about what happened here today. They’re coming here to kill me, and this is Florida. My weapon is bigger.”

Yuless shrugged. “I can find no fault with this plan. No scratches, Lucifer. I’ll be making off with half that pizza should anyone, especially Crystal, be harmed.”

“I see you two have opinions, and you have gotten tired of doing good all the time. I’m even going to be generous and count this towards your next batch of selfish sins, Crystal.”

I could accept that. “If you handle disarming them, I’ll handle the curses, and then my pets can take care of the problem from there.”

“I shall make certain their weapons are incapable of being fired. If you plan on laying any curses, I recommend you begin. It will not be long until they arrive.”

Showtime. With a grim smile, I closed my eyes, concentrated on the land and the nearby nodes, and discovered a baby node nearby. Delighted, I drew in a line from mine and forged the starting connection. After careful consideration, I drew a line from Yuless’s node, suspecting the new one had formed around the same time our baby dragon had come home.

I’d probably created the node without realizing I’d done it.

Reaching further out, I picked three of the weaker nodes in dire need of purpose and brought them into the weave of lines, hoping they would all thrive in time. Once I finished that, I considered the conditions for the curse and decided I would layer it.

For those who had been involved with Belinda’s death, they would experience the same crippling doubt and self-loathing the woman had endured before her death. As I wanted to make certain those souls never harmed another, I made the working conditional and not quite permanent; it would last until Lucifer released them from the darkest pits of his many hells.

Once confident the working would hold, I began the next layer, targeting those who had been involved with my shooting and wished for me to perish.

They would attract the hungry company of any alligator or crocodile to cross their path.

Just to make it hurt a little more, I welcomed every snake and lizard to join the party.

Most viewed nature magic as gentle and safe.

I would be anything other than gentle or safe when I crossed paths with those responsible for Belinda’s death and my shooting. While I would do my best to become a safe haven for those in need, I would also rain terror upon those who would terrorize, and I would lack any remorse for my choices.

They had made the decision to harm others, and I had no problems with becoming the swift hand of retribution. If I wanted peace, they needed to make their journeys to their next lives.

I would atone for the sin, but I would do so through a life of service. And if anyone asked, I’d simply verify I had been given a choice: kill or be killed.

Upon finishing the groundwork for the curses, I opened my eyes and considered Lucifer with interest. “This is a kill or be killed situation, is it not?”

“It is,” he confirmed. “Should you fail to strike first, it’s entirely possible many fates will be changed this day.”

“Then I won’t fail to strike first.” I lifted my chin, surveyed the nearby landscape, and gestured to one of the larger trees. “Let’s wait for them there. I would rather us ambush them than the other way around. And once this is done, I have limited plans. I’m going to be pampered, prepare Alligator Bait for her races, and enjoy life for a while. Then I’ll get married, and if life doesn’t resume being enjoyable immediately after the ceremony, I am going to be inconsolable in addition to being disappointed.”

Yuless laughed and headed over to my chosen spot. “I’ll do my best to make certain the rest of your days are a living paradise.”

* * *

Three SUVs and three gaudy sports cars pulled in, and Hagnar stepped out of the vehicle Mr. Mortani drove. As warned, they came armed. Hagnar took in the rather swampy terrain with a pleased expression, and when one of my babies came his way, he crouched and held out his hand.

Yuless sighed. “Someone really needs to tell him that’s a terrible idea.”

I jabbed my fiancé with my elbow, grinning at the sight of the scaled baby snuggling with Yuless’s friend. “Hey, at least you know he isn’t a murderous asshole out to kill me.”

“I already knew that, but I appreciate the confirmation. Your alligator isn’t going to bite him, is it?”