To save the Valkyrie who broke his heart, the Fae Sea God makes a deal with the Demon Prince of the Aerial Kingdoms, but Pazuzu has a history of stealing the women Manannan loves.
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When Mist visits her parents' home in California, she assumes th...
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Drinks with Bloudwedd, Marcus, and Ethan sped by with shared tales of patron antics, gossip about who'd gotten together with whom, and bitching about Claw. It was only the second time I'd been able to get together with them since Pazuzu had removed me from the temple. Not that Pazuzu wasn't good about giving me the freedom to explore as he'd promised, but more that coordinating when the four of us could get the hours off at the same time was more challenging. Claw didn't like groups of acolytes to have leave from the temple at the same time. Apparently, he worried about our safety.
"So we've been sharing all our stories, Mist. When are you going to tell us something about our dark lord?" Ethan asked.
I shook my head and took a drink. Yeah, no fucking way was I going to share any of Pazuzu's secrets. That way led to my death by dragon teeth, and I had no desire to die one bite at a time. He'd probably start at my feet first, like he had that foolish griffin who'd tried to lie to him about a missing shipment of some kind.
"Shells, Mist. You never tell us anything. At least tell us what the palace is like? Is it fancy? Do you get your own room?" Marcus asked.
Ethan smiled and clinked his mug with Marcus'. "Surely you can tell us that much?"
My eyebrows rose as I narrowed my gaze at them. "Are you trying to get me killed? Do you hate me that much? All I'll tell you is that it is built from obsidian and a bloody fortress. Anyone choosing to go against the Prince is a complete moron."
Bloudwedd put her pale hand on my arm. "It's okay, Mist. I was beside you when he took you. He's scary dangerous. I don't blame you for not wanting to chance incurring his wrath."
Ethan put his hand up. "We were just teasing, Mist. Really, don't endanger yourself."
I glared at him, then Marcus, who also looked contrite.
Bloudwedd started telling us a tale of various elven festivals that made the fertility temple antics look tame and my wrist brand chimed.
"It was wonderful to catch up with you crazy lot, but I'd better go. There is no way I want to be late," I said, pushing back from the table and standing.
The three of them stood as well, each hugging me, with Bloudwedd the last. "Please be careful, Mist," she whispered into my ear.
"I will," I murmured, then released her.
Without another look back, I left the busy establishment and wove through the throngs of demons in the market until I reached the courtyard. Lord Pazuzu hadn't yet arrived, thank the Norns. A glance at my wrist told me I was twenty minutes early. Still, better to be early than to make him angry.
Sure enough, he arrived five minutes before our meeting time in a swirl of black smoke as he shifted from massive dragon to humanoid. The lethal aura undiminished by his change, Pazuzu landed and stalked towards me. I froze, muscles tightening even as my abdomen coiled and heated. Deadly beautiful, l couldn't take my eyes from the predatory masculine grace. Everything about him made me want to touch—the flexing muscles, the shadow on his jawline, the soft midnight locks, and those spectacular smoking wings—even if I might not survive the contact.
