Page 4 of The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark 20)

Theidea of this demon seeing them made her cheeks heat again. “Infact, you should leave and spare yourself a defeat.Tellme,Rök, what will it take to get you gone?”Hislids went heavy as they always did whenever she said his name.Sucha player, such an act.Hadshe once fallen for his charm?Almost.“Halfof my bounty?”Mynonexistent bounty.

“We’rein a may-the-best-demon-win situation here, andIintend to claim everything that’s coming to me,” he said, a hint of warning in his tone.

“I’vealways held my own with you whenever the two of us have faced off.Ican handle whatever you bring into the mix.”

Herwords seemed to please him. “True.Yougive as good as you get.”

Whydid she feel as if he was speaking about something else entirely? “What’sgoing on here?You’rebeing weird.”

Heshrugged. “Strangeday.”

Rainbegan to fall.Heglanced out over the grounds, then back at her, his irises changing color—often a sign of high emotion in immortals.Whenhis blue eyes turned gray like spotlit smoke, she almost convinced herself he was replaying their kiss.Buta male like him, who went through so many paramours, probably didn’t remember it.

Dropsswelled into a deluge.Waterpoured along the edge of the nearby overhang, creating a lightning-lit curtain.Onthis covered portico, she andRökmight as well have been alone together in a cocoon.Theirbreaths sounded loud, their heartbeats syncing. . . .

Poppybarely noticed when the wind picked up, dispersing the heavy downpour.Sheand the demon stood staring at each other, wordless, until a lightning bolt detonated nearby.

Innershake. “Strangeday, demon?Thenyou should go home now and enjoy the draw.”

Heblinked, as if he’d lost the thread of their conversation. “MaybeIcame here hoping to see you.”

“Uh-huh.IwishIcould lie as easily as demons seem to,” she said, though she’d never sensed him lying to her, not once in all their interactions.

“Canyou not tellI’mattracted to you?”

Yes, but . . . “You’remore attracted to the chase.I’mthe only single female you haven’t been able to seduce, which makes me an anomaly in theLore: the lay that got away.”

“Hmm.”Thatsound rumbled from his broad chest, telling her nothing, sending her thoughts tripping about like a horror-movie damsel.Helevered himself away from the wall and strode over beside her.

Sensationcrackled along her skin from his mere nearness.Hisheady scent was a mix of mist and embers.

“Sohow do we handle tonight?”

Collectingherself, she said, “Youcan surrender now and salvage some of your pride.Mystreak is only going to continue.”Thatwasn’t true.Thelast time the two of them had gone head-to-head, she’d been hired to protect a warlord’s daughter from an unfitting suitor.Thatsuitor had hiredRökto steal the female away.

Oneproblem: the beautiful daughter had wanted to be stolenbyRök, had sneaked out fromPoppy’sprotection, straight into the demon’s arms.

Leftfuming over her lost pay,Poppyhad thought the two would hole up in some lair and make like rabbits.Instead,Rökhad dropped off the woman with friends before returning toPoppy.Allnonchalant, he’d asked, “Youlike fancy restaurants?”She’dagreed to a date partly out of sheer curiosity.

“Surrender?” he scoffed now. “Oh,Red,I’vewon against you as much asI’velost.”

“Oh, player,I’venothing to worry about.You’llget summoned before we enter the castle, and the night will be mine.”Anywoman who slept with a smoke demon could summon him at will.Overthe centuries, he’d racked up an army of these swimbos—a play onSheWhoMustBeObeyed—so he was prone to vanish.

DuringPoppy’sdate with him, he’d been summoned by a lover and had never returned.Whichwas for the best.

Hegrinned. “Isthere anything sexier than a jealous witch?Ifthere is,Ican’t think of it.”

“Iam not jealous.”Handup if you’re a jealous witch.Me, me!“Look, if you leave now,I’llwalk on the next job.”

“Where’sthe sport in that?Besides,Icould just teleport you home and return here, snagging the prize for myself.”

Herhand darted inside her bag to snare one of her magic pouches. “Tryit, demon.Oh,do.”

Heheld up his palms in surrender. “WhywouldIbeg off whenIcan see how much you want this gig?”

“Whydoyouwant it so bad?”Poppyand the demon must be after the same thing.Whenshe’d been told the answer to her curse lay within these walls, she’d pictured a magical talisman, a cursebreaker, that would set her free.

Rök’scagey look perked up her witchly acquisitiveness.

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