Page 52 of Viper

Ella gave her a hard smile. “Of course I can. I wouldn’t have taken the job if I wasn’t sure I could deliver on my promise to ensure the ‘curse’ is undone. For instance, I can make it so that no glamor spells—whether cast by you or anyone else—ever work on you again.”

PJ’s lips parted, a reluctant admiration flaring in her eyes. “No way.”

“Yep way. Is he worth that?”

Her shoulders slumped. “No,” she mumbled.

“Don’t you think you’ve scared him enough? Do you really see a need to drag it out any longer?”

“He really pissed me off,” she groused.

“I can tell. But I’d say you’ve had your revenge. And surely you have better things to do with your evenings than come here every night. You’re giving him way too much of your time.”

PJ grunted, athat’s truelook on her face. “Fine, I’ll stop.”

Ella flicked a hand, freeing the other woman from her magickal hold, and then held out the aforementioned hand. “I’m going to need you to shake on it.”

PJ blinked, realization dawning on her. “You’re going to bind me to my word, aren’t you?”

“Correct.”

“Devious. Brilliantly so.” She placed her hand in Ella’s. “I really don’t want to like you, but it’s happening anyway.”

Ella’s magick sparked from her to PJ, who solemnly swore she’d leave Brock alone from now on. The magick then sank into PJ’s skin, stamping the promise to her body; ensuring it could never be broken.

As always when it came to spells, Ella tangled it with a few others so that it would take alotof time, sweat, magick, and incantors to ever unravel it. She liked giving such layers of protection to her spells.

Once PJ left through another portal, Ella closed the closet doors, nabbed her things from downstairs, and noticed she’d received a text from Brock to say that Mary hadn’t showed at his hotel room. Ella informed him that she hadn’t turned up at his home either—technically not a lie, since it had been PJ, not Mary—and so ‘the curse had been lifted’. She also sent a message to Neve, informing her of all that had happened.

Driving away from Brock’s house, Ella debated on what to do next. She wasn’t feeling all that tired. Maybe she could take a hot bath, drag on some comfy sweats, and read a book in bed.

Or you could go get laid. You know you want to.

Ella gritted her teeth. Okay, yes, she did. While shelikedthat Viper wanted her official consent rather than to seduce her into caving, the idea of toddling off to the Red Rooms to see him … it felt a little too much like answering a summons.

As an alternative occurred to her, she lifted her brows. She could instead go to the dive bar he owned. He wouldn’t be there,but he could join her there. Then he’d basically be meeting her halfway in this ‘come to me or I’ll come to you’ thing.

Her demon smiled, totally in support of that option.

Reaching a turn that would take her to the club that doubled as the entrance to the Underground, Ella tightened her grip on the steering wheel, warring with herself.

She took the turn. Her demon’s smile widened.

Ella parked the car, headed down to the Underground, and went straight to the dive bar. Stepping inside, she was greeted by the scents of yeasty beer, wood polish, spicy foods, and liquors.

Like the pool hall she frequented with Mia, the bar was dimly lit and featured some slot machines. One might be tempted to term this place dreary or in need of a makeover. But the choice of dated and eclectic décor was deliberate. It had an old-style, well-worn charm that she preferred over glamor and glitz.

Music played on the old-fashioned jukebox, mingling with the sounds of chatter and laughter. Unlike most other bars in the Underground, the dive was small and rarely cluttered with people. The drinks were cheap, the food menu was simple, and the clientele were mostly regulars.

She weaved her way around the heavy wooden tables as she began making her way to the bar. More than its usual skeleton crew was manning it this evening. Necessary, since not a single stool there was empty.

Feeling eyes on her, Ella looked to see the blonde from the Red Rooms staring at her. No,glaringat her. Huh. It appeared she still wasn’t happy that Viper had paid Ella any attention.

Unbothered, Ella shrugged it off and finished crossing to the bar.

Foam spat out of a beer tap, making the dark-skinned bartender swear beneath his breath. “Omen, need you to change this keg over here,” he grumpily called out. His blue gaze slid to Ella and … changed. Sharpened.

She pointed at the fridge full of beer bottles, preferring that brand. “I’ll have one of those and some sweet potato fries,” she told him.

---