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)
Her cheeks heated at the compliment. She seemed to melt against him, just as she’d done in that parking lot.
“Speaking of pictures, do you ever pull up that selfie we took?” He’d sent it to her before she’d blocked him.
Her gaze flicked away. “I kind of deleted it.”
She was telling the truth. “I see.” His shot with her felt more and more distant. Was he not “romantic partner” material? He’d hoped she was different from the females who summoned him over the centuries, the ones who’d dismissed him afterward with all the care they’d give an overworked vibrator. Did Poppy view him the same way? She might’ve gone out with Rök just to scratch an itch.
Maybe she was so hard-core Wiccan that she would never consider a demon for more.
With nothing to lose, he bluffed her: “You deleted the pic because you stared at it as much as I’ve stared at my copy. You scheduled our makeup date on Halloween night so you wouldn’t give in to the urge to meet me.”
“Aww. Poor addled demon. You’re delusional with your advanced age.”
Not a denial. He grasped her hand, marveling anew at her soft skin. “After we took that selfie, we turned toward each other for a kiss, like we’d been together for ages. We both knew we’d kiss. We both knew it’d wreck us. It was as inevitable as dawn. Just like now.”
Her breath hitched.
Dark gods below, he wanted her. “Your last kiss seared me. Left a mark on me forever.” He pressed his lips against her wrist and flicked her pulse point with his tongue, like he’d done on their date.
She watched him with fascination, murmuring, “You are all temptation, aren’t you?”
“I am a demon.”
“And in exchange for your protection you only asked for a mere kiss.” She was playing with him, and he was going to let her! “Maybe I could give you a down payment.”
“I should have asked for more.”
“Then earn a tip.”
“Fucking hell, witch, you drive me crazy.” When uncontrollable smoke rose from his body, her heartbeat quickened, a light drum in his ears. “I can hear your reaction to me.”
“I can see yours.”
He palmed her nape and dragged her closer. “Because you make me burn.” He covered her lips with his own, savoring her sharp inhalation. He gave her a moment, expecting her to pull away.
He groaned when she didn’t. Cupping her face and tilting his head, he slanted his mouth over hers, delving for her taste. She was confection-sweet, addictive. He flicked her tongue with his, and she moaned as she met him. The entire world coalesced into that contact.
Tongues twining . . . trading moans and groans . . . wrapping his arms around her irresistible body. This kiss wasn’t as good as the night of their date.
Better.
He should concentrate on the danger, but demonic drives battled inside him: to protect his mate and to pleasure her. He reached for her hair tie and released it, threading his fingers through those silken locks as he deepened the kiss.
She dug her nails into his back, meeting him stroke for stroke. Lost in this woman, he cupped her breast, thumbing her stiffened nipple, lightly pinching it. Her gasp made his cock surge in his pants. He wanted it buried to the hilt inside her, his female claimed.
Possessiveness seethed within him when his lusty witch writhed to get closer, rubbing her curves against him. The scent of her arousal hit him like a drug. Poppy . . .
Gods, she was ready to mate—
A twisting pain zinged him in the side, and he jerked back. “Damn, Red. I’m not down with pinching.” She’d all but torn his skin, cooling his ardor.
She frowned. “I didn’t pinch you.” Her irises glowed even more.
“If you didn’t . . . ?”
Their attention dropped to the bottom corner of the mirror; glassy eyes stared up at them.
Rök tossed Poppy behind him.
Standing in the hall was a porcelain doll with blond ringlets and a frilly dress.
A pent-up laugh escaped him. “A mirror scare, too! Next we’ll meet cave creatures and unearth found footage.”
She moved to his side and whispered, “Oh, Hecate, no. This isn’t funny.”
A walking doll? “It’s a little funny.”
“That’s Annelise.”
The doll blinked those glassy eyes at Poppy, then swiveled its head to face Rök.
Just because the situation amused him didn’t mean it couldn’t also be disturbing. “Wiggins activated, huh?”
Poppy grabbed his hand. “Back away. Then run.”
“Not a chance. My centuries of Lore cred would get revoked if I run from a toy.”
“She’s not a toy. She’s a demonic entity.”
“So am I.” He winked at Poppy.
“Please, Rök. She’s the telekinetic one.”
“I can lift a building. Her telekinesis can’t outmatch my strength. It’ll take more than this doll to bring me down after all these years. . . .” He sensed a new threat at his back. He yanked Poppy behind him again and whirled around.