Page 46 of A Touch of Brimstone

“Hey, Cujo,” I greeted. He bristled, lifting his head until his intelligent dark eyes met mine. I flashed him a tight smile. I’d offended the massive hellhound.

“Sorry,” I said, stroking his soft fur. His easy breathing and simple enjoyment were oddly comforting. His response was one of the few things that seemed consistent with my world. An Underworld hound that was sent out for scouting, enjoying the basic pleasure of being petted like a normal dog. Normal didn’t last long when he eased into his invisible form, his head still resting on my leg.

An invisible hound, not weird at all. Just another day in the Underworld. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Dominic entered the spellbook room, his eyes quickly finding Zareb. When he made a ticking sound, Zareb’s head lifted from my leg and he moved away, Dominic’s hand reaching out to stroke his head in passing. Dominic continued to track the hound’s movement toward the door, which nudged open wider. I remained focused on Dominic, looking for any changes in his eyes that would key me in to when Zareb was around. There weren’t any. Another tick of sound from Dominic and the steak bone was removed.

“She’s fine around her,” Dominic told the animal. With the dog invisible, I wasn’t able to tell his response and Dominic was a blank slate revealing nothing. I knew who the “her” was. Zareb obviously didn’t trust Helena around me.

“Do you still want the ability to come here unaccompanied?” Dominic asked, closing the door after Zareb.

“Yes.”

He inhaled a breath and crossed his arms with a dark, commanding primality that seemed wholly his. Helena’s countenance was distinctive, too: baleful reproach, airy confidence, and predatory stealth. It was clear even when she camouflaged it with stylish clothing and flawless makeup.

Dominic moved with fluid grace, taking the seat next to me and resting back in the chair, his hands clasped on his stomach. I couldn’t help but look at the way his slim-fit shirt’s midnight blue complemented his physique, and the rolled shirtsleeves, his exposed well-muscled arms. It was a calculated presentation and I naively fell for it.

“Why?” His question held no curiosity. It seemed like he was asking for confirmation of something he already knew. What else had he and Helena discussed?

I’ll play your game.

“As I said before, it’d be easier to continue my work. I’m just as committed to ending this as you are. Neither you nor Anand will need to shadow me. I’m sure you two have more pressing things to deal with than watching me.”

“You believe you’ll be safe at work?” Another non-question.

I wasn’t exactly confident of that. “I don’t know,” I admitted.

He barely nodded.

“You don’t believe I will be?”

“You’re safe from the Conventicle and those under their governance.”

Despite my best effort to hide any doubt, my thoughts went to the vampire attack. “Kane will honor it?”

“Kane was out of line. The Conventicle claims he wasn’t acting on their behalf. He never would have been violent toward you, but him attempting to circumvent our agreement was unacceptable. It has been handled.” There was a hard edge to his voice.

Handled.

“Is he still alive?” It took a moment for me to get the question out, afraid of the answer. He had been staked in the chest. It seemed like a harsh enough punishment.

“He doesn’t breathe or have a working circulatory system,” Dominic pointed out.

“Is he still around?”

“No, but Bael is,” he told me. “The shifter who attacked you,” he added in response to my questioning look.

“Then I should be fine. The Awakeners won’t hurt me. I die and the prisoners are returned. That won’t serve their purpose if they’re looking to secure an alliance with them.”

He nodded but still looked unconvinced. “Understand that my sister will be here whenever you arrive unaccompanied,” he reminded me.

Yes, I was perfectly aware of that. “You two seem to be playing nice,” I said.

“She’s playing nice because I’m the means to her getting back her magic. I know my sister well. To her, you are simply a toy she has the opportunity to break as a way to retaliate against me.”

I frowned. “Toy?”

“No worries. I have no intention of playing with you.” His gaze was playful, his smirk a sensual taunt. “Unless you want me to,” he tacked on in a husky drawl.

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