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)
“How do you eat an elephant, witch? Bite by bite.”
“Do demons eat elephants?”
“Just a human saying. Demons aren’t so different from Wiccae.”
“I would beg to differ, but I never beg.” Despite what he’d fantasized. Beg more until she begged no more.
How . . . intriguing.
“Hmm.” That deep rumble washed over her, penetrating her defenses. The comfort between them evaporated, scorched away by sexual tension. “You give a demon ideas, Poppy. When we get out of here, I’m going to . . .” His unfinished promise hung in the air, his gaze narrowing on her eyes. “Glowing again. Looks like we’re in for more adventures.”
Only then did she notice the curse churning. Somewhere in this castle, a child’s laughter rang out.
EIGHT
The hair on the back of Rök’s neck had stood up a split second before he heard a kid’s laugh. Yet that taunting sound was nothing like the twins’ bubbly giggles.
When Poppy turned down the hallway, he said, “So we’re just going to ignore that laughter?” He opened the closest door.
She sensed the room. “Sometimes I’ll hear the visitors but won’t see them. Maybe I won’t have to tangle with that particular nightmare tonight.”
“We won’t have to.” He checked his mental database of horror movie villains. “So are we talking about a killer doll?”
“Depends. Do you smell corn?”
“No.”
“Then it’s a doll.”
“Fantastic.”
“Things are always fantastic with you.”
He raised his brows. “Better than saying that’s fucked with each of your revelations.”
Instead of taking offense, she nodded as if he’d made a good point.
More laughter sounded. Years ago, he’d overheard humans talking about a killer doll movie. One had commented, “What a demonic little shit.”
Rök recalled being offended. Demonic, my ass. He’d been tempted to show them his demon self. Now he asked Poppy, “If it shows, how do we kill it? Burn or behead?” He hoped the latter. This dusty carpet could catch fire and spread, and the castle wasn’t exactly filled with emergency exits.
“Sometimes . . . more than one doll shows up.”
“Let me guess: each one has to be killed in a different way?”
“Though this is a new situation for me, my research indicates so. But one of them—Annelise—can’t be killed at all, which is a problem since she’s telekinetic. Just be careful if you see them.”
He opened another door. “If I’m not, I know you’ll protect me, like you did with those skeletons. You cried, ‘I’ll save you!’ and hustled into the fray for me. How adorable was that?”
Her lips quirked.
Imitating her voice, he said, “Never fear, my precious demon! I’ll muster all my magic against these foes to defend you!”
She lost the battle and fully smiled. Spellbinding witch. “You finished?”
“Never.” He leaned in beside her ear and whispered, “BOO!”
She laughed, a throaty sound that made him want to rub his horns all over her. “Okay, okay.”
“You pitted me against gremlins, skeletons, and now I might have to face . . . dollies.”
Her amusement faded. “Don’t underestimate them, Rök.”
“If I get taken out by a doll, then I deserve it, yeah? I’m still waiting for a challenge.” On to the next room . . . “For that matter, if we run into trouble again, save your pouches for your own protection. How many do you have left?”
She’d probably never given an arsenal inventory to another merc before. Indicating a measure of trust, she said, “Two for battle magic and one for a portal.”
That was it? He felt guilty that she’d blown one on the skeletons.
She gazed ahead, so many thoughts going on behind those eyes. Heavy thoughts.
To distract her, he said, “Hey, vampires, werewolves, and witches used to be popular Halloween fodder for mortals. Do you ever get them as visitors? They could give us an actual fight.”
“A few decades ago, I saw a lot of them, but they corresponded more to humans’ ideas of us. Think green-skinned witches, snouty werewolves covered in fur, and caped vamps with chin-length fangs.”
“Demons?”
Her eyes glimmered, his merry witch returned. “Small with pointy tails and pitchforks.”
“Ouch! So your visitors are creatures that humans believe are myths—except some of them are real? Well, that just complicates the Lore needlessly, no?”
“Keeps things interesting.” Another bright grin. How had he ever considered her looks anything less than exquisite?
The children’s laughter sounded once more, this time accompanied by the eerie tip-tap of little shoes.
The sconce to his right flared; something shifted to his left. He yanked free his sword and pivoted in that direction—
Only to confront his own game face, reflecting back from a large wall mirror.
With a relieved exhalation, he sheathed his blade. “Jump scare, huh?” He admired his reflection and smoothed his hair. “No wonder you can’t keep your eyes off me. Was there ever a more smokin’ smoke demon?”
She snorted. “Your sizable ego must be visible from the Elserealms.”
“Not the only part of me that can make such a claim.” He casually looped his arm around her neck, gazing at her in the mirror. “And you, pretty as a picture.”