Page 24 of The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark 20)

Butchemistry was all it would ever be with him.Andit hadn’t been enough to lure him back to her on their date.Whichmade her wonder how strong it’d been with the temptress who’d summoned him that night.

Heturned toPoppy. “Ifwe could bottle it, neither of us would have to take a job again.”

“Oh, you want to retire but can’t?Haven’tsaved enough coin?”

Hiseyes smoldered. “Justwaiting for my rainy day.”

Thefeeling of connection she’d first experienced on their date bloomed again.Beforethen, they had worked in the same field, passing each other with preoccupied waves, but that night, she’d felt he reallysawher.

Notso.

Yetshe’d had that same connected feeling last year at a bigLorebonfire.She’dspotted him talking to a few gorgeous sirens.Withoutwarning, he’d turned toPoppy, catching her eye over a crowd of rowdy immortals.

Asshe andRökstared at each other, the crowd had faded away until she could almost hear his heartbeat.She’dspied smoke rising from his skin and had wanted it to surround her.Yes, connection.

He’dmouthed something to her, but she couldn’t make out the words.Thenthe scantily clad sirens had tried to reclaim his attention, reminding her that he had an actual connection—a summoning pact!—with many.She’dportaled away before he could see her crestfallen expression.

Sincethen, trying to figure out what he’d said had driven her crazy.Shecould ask him, but doubted he’d remember.Inany case,Poppyhad too much on her plate to ponder that or his odd behavior.Shecertainly would never ask what that summoner had over her. “Focus, demon.”

“Verywell.”Grinning, he moved to the next room. “Noidea what we might be searching for?”

Thatwedid funny things to her. “Ipictured the cursebreaker as some kind of talisman, but it could be anything.I’veseen enchanted shrimp forks and bespelled golf clubs before.”

“Whateverit is, we’ll find it.”

We.

Hecatehelp her, she basked in this attention.Sherelished his presence.Shewas just mercenary enough to appreciate the help of a free bodyguard.

Ifa bull never caught a red cape, would he chase it forever?

Rökclosed the latest door, saying, “Athought occurred to me.Youscheduled our second date onHalloween, the night of your curse.Younever intended to show.”Hisexpression was studiously blank.

“No,Ididn’t.Andyou were put off readily enough, so it worked out for everyone.”

“Hmm.Maybeyou insisted on that night because you were afraid youwouldmeet me.”

Howeasily he saw through her. “Rök,Itold youI’mlooking for a relationship.Iwant somethingIcan depend on.Maybea family.”EventhoughWiccaedidn’t have fated mates,Poppyunderstood the power of a pure, abiding love; her parents had been together happily for half a millennium.

Iwant what they have.Hadshe thoughtIxiuscould give her everything she yearned for?No.Lookingback, she feared she’d used him to make her family happy while distracting her from what could never be.

Hergaze was unerringly drawn to the demon.

“Arelationship, then?I’llthrow my hat into the ring.”Teasingher yet again. “Whatdo you like in a bloke?Imean, besides not asking stupid fucking questions.”

“Mybar isn’t high.He’dhave to be honest and loyal andnotfated to someone else.Iwon’t be a placeholder.”Iwon’t!

“Well, it is anAccession,”Röksaid in a noncommittal tone. “Maybeyou’ll find him soon.”

“Maybe.”

Aweird frisson of tension tangled between them, but it faded as they continued their search.

“Sowhat have you been up to over the last pair of years?” he asked.

Jobs.Spinningmy wheels in a doomed relationship.Stillliving down my disastrous date with you.Shekept it light. “Recentlyour catNewtdrank a transmogrification potion and turned into a dog for a week.Nowshe barks, slobbers, and humps the legs of the unwary.”Poppylapped upRök’slaughter likeNewtwith an unsupervised potion. “Whathave you been up to?”

“Imoved out of the pool houseI’dshared withCadeand found a new place, butIspend as much time asIcan at his andHolly’shouse.Thetwins can trace anywhere they’ve been before, so the three of us do a lot of search missions.Onetime we found the girls at theValkyries’ new lair.Holly’saunts were playing toss-the-babies with the girls, who were delighted.Mom,Dad, andUncleRökwere less so. . . .”

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