Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Not my style.
“Lucifer didn’t summon me,” Gray said, his eyes trailing down to my chest. “He showed up here. He can’t summon me.” Gray lowered his head until it met with mine. “It means my contract is fulfilled.”
The idea that Gray was out of that infernal contract he’d signed sent a shockwave of relief through me. “I thought it was six weeks. It’s only been three.”
“Ah, but I had a clause, baby. Hugo made sure I got time off for good behavior. If I aided Lucifer in one of several ways, it took a week off the backend of my contract,” Gray said with a smile. “I was never told whether or not my focus work did the job he wanted it to, but there is a record with the satans. Not even Lucifer can break that. He’s here because he could not summon me to his realm.”
“Thank the goddess,” Trent whispered, his hand coming around to cup the back of Gray’s neck.
“Thank the goddess for putting us all in harm’s way?” Tix was not relieved. “You three might be excited the master has fulfilled his contract, but I assure you the Dark Lord is plotting something new. Mistress, you did not put on the jewelry I sent you.”
Eddie shook his head like he’d told me so.
“Because it’s bones,” I replied. I’d drawn the line there. “And I think there was still meat on that necklace.”
Eddie’s horns shook. “I did mention I didn’t think it was to the mistress’s style.”
“The mistress’s style is late nineties lumberjack lesbian with a hint of the kind of assassin who allows Groupons,” Tix said with a hand to his chest. If he’d had pearls, they would have been clutched so hard. “Seriously, I expect her to drive a Jeep or worse…an Outback.”
Those were good cars, and my style was comfort. “I’m not wearing meat or anything that used to belong to our enemies.”
“The mistress would wear the skins of her friends?” Tix gasped and sized me up again. “That’s a ruthlessness I didn’t expect.”
“Tix, come on. You know she’s not used to our ways,” Gray said with a shake of his horns. “Bring her something else associated with the house. The Eye of Night will look beautiful on her.”
“But the Eye of Night doesn’t scream ‘fuck with us and we’ll deny all of the Hell plane sustenance,’” Tix insisted. “‘You will starve and know hunger forever more if you play games with the House of Sloane.’”
Gray sighed and placed a hand on the wall briefly. Within seconds a raven was flying our way, a large necklace in his beak.
It was good to know we had a whole animal errand system. The raven dropped the gemstone into Gray’s palm.
“The Eye of Night is hers, as it never was my mother’s,” Gray said, moving behind me to place the dark diamond around my throat. I shivered because a chill went through me at the touch of that gem.
It felt far too much like a collar, like something that tied me to this place.
But I was going along with it because there was a fallen angel in my dining room, and Gray knew how to handle him far better than I would.
Gray frowned Trent’s way. “Next time I’ll know to send staff to help you get ready, too.”
Trent’s head shook. “Nope. I’ll sit it out if you like, but I’m not important here. In Lucifer’s mind, I’m Lord Sloane’s sex toy. No need for a suit.”
“How about a thong and we can oil you up?” It wasn’t fair that Trent got to be comfy and hadn’t had shriveled rat things climbing all over him ensuring the seams of his clothes sat properly. Although I will say they did a good job on the makeup. It was restrained for the Hell plane.
Tix shrugged a single shoulder, looking Trent over like he could already see him lubed up. “It could work. The wolf is attractive, and Lucifer does not discriminate.”
“I’ll pass on the thong and lube. I am a laid-back sex toy,” Trent proclaimed. “And seriously, I’ll go to the kitchens with Fenrir. I don’t particularly want the Lord of Hell to get a look at our son. I’ll get the kids and stay out of the way.”
That sounded like an excellent plan. “And check in on Olivia. You don’t think Myrddin would have sent Lucifer to steal her back, do you?”
Gray snorted. “Lucifer wouldn’t do Myrddin’s errands, and you shouldn’t imply that he even might. He will take offense.” Gray looked up at Tix. “How would you describe him? What part did he send?”
“Part?”
Tix got his “I’m giving the lady of the house an education” expression. I was seeing that look on his face a whole lot. “The Lord Lucifer is far too large an entity to send all of himself into a single realm. Being in the presence of the whole of the Morningstar would be far too much for anyone without a majority of royal demonic blood.”