Page 114 of Married to the Devil

He waggles his eyebrows. “I couldn’t leave you in your greatest hour of need.”

Something passes over his face for a moment that I can’t track. Am I seeing things? The moment and the doubt stall our joke, and I clear my throat.

“You said we’re going somewhere?” I ask a little confused. Where would we be able to go and use the potion on the samenight? Because I’m itching to put this to use. The sooner I’m pregnant, the sooner the territory becomes more stable.

His grin blinds me and is assurance that I imagined the blip before. “It’s a surprise.”

“Fuck me,”Ben says, his eyes traveling down my dress. I’ve departed from the classic cut ones I’ve been wearing for something a little more risqué. The black dress clings tight to my curves with a tease of lace accentuating my cleavage.

“Is this okay?” I ask, my hand smoothing down the fabric. “It’s not too much for where we’re going?”

“More than okay. You look like the best dessert.”

“Well, you need to feed me dinner first.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m not getting distracted. It wouldn’t do for Stoneheart to get there before us.” He offers his hand and pulls me into his arms, waiting for me to close my eyes.

I do and take comfort in the feel of him as the world changes around us.

The air takes on an echoey humidity. When I open my eyes, we’re in a room that looks like a lobby of sorts with white mosaic patterned up the walls and ceiling.

A man strolls forward from the massive front desk.

“Oh good, you’re here. We really need to reopen the lobby. If you make this a habit, maybe we’ll change the wards so you can teleport into a broom closet or something,” a man with auburn hair and a slight frame says, his tone teasing.

“Good to see you too, Lowell,” Ben says.

“Are we at a bathhouse?” I whisper halfway in squeal to him. “Is it by chance a sexy bathhouse?”

I’d been terribly jealous at Katarina detailing the date she and Kalos had here, but with everything going on, had completely forgotten.

Ben laughs at my hardly contained glee. “Don’t get too excited. We’re staying in a private room.”

I wave my hand. I feel like I get plenty of group sex with the two men I currently have. The joy of this place is in the luxury and ambiance of it as much as the novelty.

“The lady has good tastes to get excited. Welcome to the Love Bathhouse,” Lowell says with a courtly bow.

Ben flashes a frown at Lowell and pulls me closer. “If you could show us to our room, I’d appreciate it. The rest of our party hasn’t arrived yet, has he?”

Lowell shakes his head, smiling at the show of jealousy from the demon beside me. “I’ve seen no scary gargoyles yet. I gave him directions to come in the back way, and the door is keyed to him so the three of you will have your privacy.”

He directs us to follow him down a hallway, and I do, barely catching the sound of a cut off moan from the public bathing area.

“Thank you,” I say. “I’m really excited to be here.”

Lowell beams at me as we get to the last door down the hall, opening it. “And we’re very happy to host you. Please do enjoy your night.”

I enter the room and gape. Lowell must leave because somehow, we’re alone with the door securely closed. The mosaic on the walls and floors has all my attention. Deep blues flow in an organic swirling design shot through with silver.

The walls look like the most intricate jewelry with the altar holding thick pillar candles to the side of the door serving as the centerpiece. That’s where the spell that gives our consent for the magic cultivated here by sex to be stored is activated.

One side of the room has a steaming pool of water set into the floor, and the other is piled with cushions and pillows. There’s even a low table with silverware.

“Stoneheart is bringing dinner,” Ben says. He takes the blue vial he stored in his pocket and sets it on the table. “You should really eat dinner before drinking that.”

My lips twitch. “You sent a territory leader on a dinner errand?”

Ben snorts. “He demanded it. I think it’s a part of his kind’s courtship rituals.”

---