Page 14 of Commanding Chaos

“I’ll decide for myself. You mentioned herbal tea?”

“Chamomile, lavender. We need to get some calming herbs into the coven members before we drop a bomb like this. And foods with lots of tryptophan. Nuts, seeds, oh! I think they sell deviled egg trays in the deli.”

He picked up a can of chili and read the label. “Most of these ingredients aren’t food.”

“Which is probably why cancer is on the rise.” I took the can and returned it to the shelf. “Tea is on the next aisle over. C’mon.”

“If you need the members to remain calm, why don’t you simply cast a spell?”

I found the lavender and chamomile and dropped a few boxes into the cart. “They’d know. Just like I know when you’re calming me. It works, but it feels unnatural. That would raise even more suspicion.”

“Perhaps you should lie about the cause then. Mutiny in the fae realm. A necromancer raising too many dead. Fabricate a plausible reason for the rifts and leave it at that.”

“Oh no. We can’t do that. We’re walking a razor-thin line as it is. If they catch on to what’s really happening, and it’s not the slightest bit close to what we told them it was, our coven will implode. Ember and I will be banished…or worse…and you’ll never find your brothers.”

“I suppose.” He pursed his lips, looking thoughtful and kind of cute if I were being honest. If I had to be bound to a demon, at least it was to an attractive one.

“We have to give them a little nugget of truth.” I held my thumb and forefinger close together. “We’ll leave out the part about how we’re the ones who summoned the demons and caused the rifts.”

He arched a brow. “Lying by omission is still lying.”

I stopped at the end of the aisle. “You’re a demon. I didn’t think that would bother you.”

“It doesn’t. But it will bother you.”

“My self-preservation instinct is far too strong to worry over an omitted fact. Let’s get the eggs and head home.”

“Home…” He held my gaze with those unnaturally green, gem-like eyes, and, for a moment, I felt this ridiculous urge to take his face in my hands and plant one on him. Ludicrous, I knew. We were in the middle of the grocery store, for Hecate’s sake, but the desire was there just the same.

In my defense, his full, luscious lips would have tempted any hot-blooded woman. Even fully dressed, he exuded this raw, rustic, panty-dropping masculinity that would entrance anyone.

Anyone except me, of course. Light witches and demons did not mix, so the sooner we could send him on his way, the better. Still, I could admit he was easy on the eyes. No harm in that.

His sharp inhale broke our mini trance, and he cleared his throat. “Why must you serve food at this meeting anyway? Shouldn’t you get straight to the point?”

I picked up a tray of deviled eggs from the refrigerated case and set them in the basket. “Ember thinks it’ll soften the blow. We always have food at our monthly meetings, so she doesn’t want this one to be any different.”

“But this is an emergency meeting, not your regular gathering.”

“I know. Just go with it, okay? We’re doing our best.”

“Ash?” Chrys’s voice sounded from behind me, and my breath caught.

I spun to face her, and Chaos moved in closer to me, resting his hand on my back protectively. Faking a smile, I said a quick, silent prayer to the goddess for his shroud to hold. “Hey, Chrys. You’re coming to the meeting, right?”

“Yep. I popped in to get some spinach dip and crackers before I pick up Ginger and head that way. Should I bring anything else?” Her gaze cut between Chaos and me, the questions visible in her eyes.

“Just your lovely self.” If I smiled any harder, my face might split.

“Perfect. And who is this tall, dark, and brooding stranger? I’ve never seen you before. I’m Chrys.” She held out her hand to shake.

Chaos looked at her extended arm. “My name is—”

“Mark. His name is Mark, and he’s an old friend of the family. Distant cousin maybe, I can’t remember. His parents were friends with my parents…” Crappity crap. I didn’t think to test if the shroud spell would stand up to touch.

“Well, don’t leave me hanging.” Chrys shoved her hand toward him, and he gripped it while I held my breath. “It’s nice to meet you, Mark, friend of the family, maybe distant cousin.”

“Likewise.” He released her hand and returned his to my back. He stiffened, and if my corset didn’t fit so snugly to my body, he’d have clutched it in his fist.

---