Page 1 of Dating the Dealing Demon

CHAPTER ONE

Theo

Think you come from a dysfunctional family?

Try growing up in a family of actual demons.

Smoke fills the air in curls and twists—not the volcanic vapors from the inferno dimensions. No, this is infinitely worse. It’s family poker night, mandated by my father’s summons.

No magic is allowed. Cheating is encouraged. Otherwise, the same rules hold here as in the human dimension. In fact, we all wear human glamours to the game since wings, horns, and tails make for a horribly tight fit around the table. Not to mention claws can be a real bitch on breakables such as the glasses for the alcohol necessary to make it through the evening without maiming each other.

Luckily, we’re at last down to me, my parents, and my two sisters after having gotten rid of the cowards and the sycophants…all except my cousin, Dupree. That weaseling little asshole remains.

Not bothering to check the cards in my hand again, I drop chips onto the jackpot and nudge my baby sister, Nic—short for Nicolette—to play rather than watch the human reality show on her phone. A few decades shy of a century, she’s the equivalent of an immortal teenager.

“Huh?” she asks, glancing around the table.

“Call, raise, or fold,” my father commands around his cigar as though he’s issuing orders at the royal court instead of presiding over game night. “Keep your head in the game, baby girl.”

“Oh.” She tosses chips toward the center, not seeming to notice when some roll my way.

I sweep the runaway chips into the jackpot. “If I have to pretend to pay attention, Nic, so do you,” I whisper. “What are you watching anyway?”

“Not what. Who.” She shoots a sly smirk my way. “Your future mate.”

My scowl would scare off a lesser demon, but not either of my little sisters. “The first thing I’ll do is force her to give up that stupid reality show.”

“Yeah, because womenloveto be told what to do.”

“She’ll adjust. Every royal mate eventually does. Besides, we’re fated. Val Bonetti assimilating into the demon court is meant to be.”

She snorts. “Good luck with that, Prince of Darkness. Her family makesourslook normal.”

I disagree. “You know their great-great-whatever-grandma made a deal with our mom a few centuries ago, right? They wouldn’t have become famous without our family’s magic.”

“Geez, Theo. Definitely don’t lead with that when you woo her.”

“Woo?” I scoff. “There will be no wooing. Royal alliances are business arrangements. Not romantic nonsense.”

Her gaze widens. “Wow,” she drawls. “Do your clients know their matchmaker has no heart?”

“As long as I find them the sure way to score the absolute best magical match, they don’t care. Besides, feelings muddle the process. My pragmatism makes me the best.”

“Charming.” Sarcasm drips from her tone. “No wonder you haven’t had a long-term relationship.” Ignoring me, she goes back to watching her show.

I risk her having more ammo to use in teasing when I ask, “What’s she like?”

Nic frowns, not looking up from the screen. “Who?”

I bite back myyou know whoresponse and only answer after she continues to remain silent. “Val.”

“How would I know?”

“Aren’t you the president of their little fan club here in the hell dimensions?” A fan club I hadn’t known existed until I told Nic of my fated mate’s identity. My sister had practically squealed with excitement.

“Little? We are three hundred members strong.” She huffs out a breath. “Val is a middle sibling. Popular with men but not with women—the show’s target demographic—so she doesn’t have the same rabid following as her whip-smart older sister who’s destined to take over their international beauty corporation or their glamourous youngest twin siblings. Although I would argue Val could compete with the twins’ good looks. She’s got their level of pretty or better, but sharper.”

“What do you mean?”

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