Page 13 of Mayhem's Magic

“Figured the costume was appropriate,” she teases, rubbing a hand over her slightly swollen belly.

Behind her, Gareth looms over her, dark and a little scary with a cape and slicked back hair. He is a warlock for real, but he played up the part for the party tonight. Luci is also a cute witch as well, with a pointed hat. Her top bears a cauldron with the words “Brewing a Baby” across her tiny baby bump.

“Where’s your costume little lady?”

“I have to go put it on. First, I want you to meet someone,” I tell her, dragging her towards the cookie where Mayhem stands, still frosting one with pink icing. “Luci...this is Mayhem. We met a while ago and...well...we’re together.”

“I see that,” she says dryly as Mayhem grabs me gently, pulling me close to his chest again. “Nice to meet you. This is Gareth, my husband.”

“Mayhem.... Hale? Were you of the Hales?” Gareth asks.

All eyes turn to Mayhem, who frowns. He says he cannot remember much of his life before his death and time in Hades. He has spent almost two centuries down there, so it is not hard to believe he would have forgotten his life. His golden eyes spark as he stares at Gareth in shock.

“Yes. Yes, I believe so. How do you know who I am?”

“We’re of the same time, Demon,” Gareth says softly.

Luci’s eyes go huge as she backs up closer to her husband, a look of shock on her face. “D-d-Demon? What do you mean? Cari, please tell me you did not shack up with a Demon?”

“Uh, well, first of all...yes? I suppose I did. I am with a Demon. What does it matter? You married a witch! Bessi is with a Wolf who turned her into his Luna, a wolf herself. But this is where we draw the line?”

“Calm down, my love,” Mayhem whispers in my ear, kissing it gently as he stands tall. “I am a Demon. I came from Hades just to find her. I will never hurt her, and I will never let anything else hurt her, either.”

“But you’re a monster!”

“Remain calm, wife,” Gareth moves to stand in front of her as if he has to protect her from one of us. The very idea stuns me. “They will not hurt you. It seems all of the Mills sisters have some magic, yes? Your sister has found hers. He cannot hurt her. At least, not the way a Demon can hurt most mortals.”

“What does that even mean?”

“He means you’re a Nymph. I cannot cause you harm, your power is...well, it is from above not below. I would be no match for your magic, my love. Not that I would try to battle it. I am a match for your magic, witch, but I would never want to battle you either. I love my Nymph, and we’re bonded in a way that cannot be broken. Hurting anyone she loves would hurt her. None of you have to worry I would hurt you, because it would hurt her, and I am not capable of that.”

“Can we calm down please? We’re having a party. We’ve got goodies, we’ve got drinks, and I came up with some fun games for us to play. Can we please have a good time tonight?”

“Yes, of course,” Gareth responds calmly. His dark eyes trail over Mayhem and I wonder if he means his words at all. “We came to have a good time on all hallows’ eve, so a good time we will have.”

“Go put on that pretty costume, my love,” Mayhem whispers, his eyes staying on Gareth. “We will have a good night together. I promise.”

Nodding, I kiss him softly then pull my sister with me from the room. Gareth whispers something to her as we go, and I yank at her, glaring at her husband. She might be his wife and the mother of his child, but she was my sister first.

“How could you act that way towards Mayhem? I never once questioned Gareth even after finding out he was a two-hundred-year-old witch! How could you be that way?”

“Cari Bear, a Demon is a lot different than a witch!”

As we bicker, she helps me pull on my costume, a cute little devil’s costume that Mayhem had a good laugh over. I pull on the thigh high stockings as she fixes on devil wings.

“How different? Did he not use magic on you to make you fall for him? To hurt others for his own gain? As far as I can see it, they’re not very different at all.”

We discuss it a little while longer before Bessi shows up. In a cute wolf costume, she takes my side immediately. I am thankful I have someone in my corner, but it doesn’t matter.

It does not matter if he is a man or a monster—he loves me, and I love him. Nothing else matters.

Chapter Eight

Mayhem

It turns out I might be more of a monster than I realized. As I stay close to Cari during her Halloween party, I get a sense none of the people in her life approve of me. Well, her sister Bessi seems to accept me, as well as her boyfriend Edon.

Edon and I have a lot in common, it turns out. We bonded to our women during mating, we can heal our mates if they’re hurt, and we both seem a little weary of Gareth.

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