Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
As she and Rök stared at each other, the crowd had faded away until she could almost hear his heartbeat. She’d spied smoke rising from his skin and had wanted it to surround her. Yes, connection.
He’d mouthed something to her, but she couldn’t make out the words. Then the scantily clad sirens had tried to reclaim his attention, reminding her that he had an actual connection—a summoning pact!—with many. She’d portaled away before he could see her crestfallen expression.
Since then, trying to figure out what he’d said had driven her crazy. She could ask him, but doubted he’d remember. In any case, Poppy had too much on her plate to ponder that or his odd behavior. She certainly would never ask what that summoner had over her. “Focus, demon.”
“Very well.” Grinning, he moved to the next room. “No idea what we might be searching for?”
That we did funny things to her. “I pictured the cursebreaker as some kind of talisman, but it could be anything. I’ve seen enchanted shrimp forks and bespelled golf clubs before.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll find it.”
We.
Hecate help her, she basked in this attention. She relished his presence. She was just mercenary enough to appreciate the help of a free bodyguard.
If a bull never caught a red cape, would he chase it forever?
Rök closed the latest door, saying, “A thought occurred to me. You scheduled our second date on Halloween, the night of your curse. You never intended to show.” His expression was studiously blank.
“No, I didn’t. And you were put off readily enough, so it worked out for everyone.”
“Hmm. Maybe you insisted on that night because you were afraid you would meet me.”
How easily he saw through her. “Rök, I told you I’m looking for a relationship. I want something I can depend on. Maybe a family.” Even though Wiccae didn’t have fated mates, Poppy understood the power of a pure, abiding love; her parents had been together happily for half a millennium.
I want what they have. Had she thought Ixius could give her everything she yearned for? No. Looking back, she feared she’d used him to make her family happy while distracting her from what could never be.
Her gaze was unerringly drawn to the demon.
“A relationship, then? I’ll throw my hat into the ring.” Teasing her yet again. “What do you like in a bloke? I mean, besides not asking stupid fucking questions.”
“My bar isn’t high. He’d have to be honest and loyal and not fated to someone else. I won’t be a placeholder.” I won’t!
“Well, it is an Accession,” Rök said in a noncommittal tone. “Maybe you’ll find him soon.”
“Maybe.”
A weird frisson of tension tangled between them, but it faded as they continued their search.
“So what have you been up to over the last pair of years?” he asked.
Jobs. Spinning my wheels in a doomed relationship. Still living down my disastrous date with you. She kept it light. “Recently our cat Newt drank a transmogrification potion and turned into a dog for a week. Now she barks, slobbers, and humps the legs of the unwary.” Poppy lapped up Rök’s laughter like Newt with an unsupervised potion. “What have you been up to?”
“I moved out of the pool house I’d shared with Cade and found a new place, but I spend as much time as I can at his and Holly’s house. The twins can trace anywhere they’ve been before, so the three of us do a lot of search missions. One time we found the girls at the Valkyries’ new lair. Holly’s aunts were playing toss-the-babies with the girls, who were delighted. Mom, Dad, and Uncle Rök were less so. . . .”
As Poppy and Rök searched, conversation flowed, nearly as comfortable and natural as on their date. She tried to plumb his mood and got the impression that he was excited about spending time with her. But she also sensed . . . relief.
Strange demon. They kept the topics light, though she itched to know what had really happened to him since their date. Why had he booked so many jobs practically guaranteed to get even an immortal merc killed?
After checking all the rooms on this floor, they followed the hall to a stairwell. Inside, they gazed up and up and up.
Rök said, “I didn’t see this many stories from the outside. The exterior must be an illusion.”
“Or this is.” Up the stairs they went to the next floor and another seemingly endless corridor with dozens of doors. “Searching will take hours.” Poppy glanced at her watch. Time continued to slip past.
“I have an idea,” Rök said dryly. “We should split up.”
Despite everything, a chuckle escaped her. His expression was lively, his smile mesmerizing. Gods, she wished she could get over him. The sight of him like this was another memory she’d store, never to be erased.