Page 35 of Wickedly Yours

Bending down, she put her fingers into the gaps in the crate so she could rub her creature’s muzzle. “I’m sorry, baby. I promise you won’t be in there too long.” Luna looked back up at me. “It won’t hurt her, right?”

“Teleporting?” I clarified. Thoughworld walkingmight have been a more accurate term. Damien and I both used the shadows to do so, opening up a portal to move between realms. I shook my head. “No. It doesn’t hurt.” I took her in as she worried her lower lip into her mouth. “Are you… scared?”

“Not scared, exactly. I think I’m just… apprehensive of the unknown?”

“You’ll be okay,” I promised, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. “You’re always going to be safe with me.”

She relaxed, breathing out a little. “Okay.”

And despite everything that had happened today—she seemed to trust me on that, at least.

It was a start.

Maybe I hadn’t ruined everything. That sparked an ounce of hope in me. That maybe, somehow, I could still make this work despite my monumental fuckups. I didn’t regret us sleeping together—could never regret the nights I’d spent in her bed—but I wished I could erase the pain from her face when she’d learned the truth.

Turning to the door to the outside world, I murmured, “Should we go?”

Luna looked back at her apartment as I waved my hand over her belongings, using my magic to send them back to her rooms at the palace. Her posture slumped a little as she looked back at the place. That bottom lip I’d spent these past few weeks kissing quivered slightly.

Then, in the blink of an eye, I saw the look of determination form over her features. She gave me a fierce nod. “Okay. Let’s go.”

In that moment, I could see every bit of the queen she could become. That I hoped she would be.

I held out my hand to her, a satisfied thrum flowing through me as she interlaced our fingers, and then I opened the portal.

Taking us straight into the heart of the demon realm.

Stepping out of the portal, the foyer of the palace came intoview. Luna’s hands still gripped at my arms from where she’d clung to me.

Her skin was pale.

“Are you okay?” I smoothed a hand down the back of her hair. “I know the first time can be… difficult.” After I’d used the power for the first time, I’d vomited profusely. At least she was doing better than me.

She shook her head as I helped steady her. “I’m fine.” Then her eyes widened as she took in our surroundings. “Where are we?”

“Home,” I answered, my gaze landing on her.Maybe now it would feel like it. “Welcome to the palace.”

ELEVEN

luna

You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, my jaw dropping. “This is where youlive?”

My small apartment was nothing compared to the gleaming vision that sprawled out in front of me. Marble staircases descended to the top level, and above us was a giant, shimmering chandelier. Statues of gargoyles lined the room, and what seemed like thousands of candles lit around it.

Zain shrugged. “It’s alright.” Like he didn’t see this place for what it was. Majestic. Beautiful. A little spooky, but not in a terrifying way.

“Alright?”

Another shrug of his shoulders, that casual indifference written across his face, in his posture.

But the demon realm—so far—was nothing like I’d expected. Whatever my parents had taught us about demons when we were younger, it never would have prepared me for this. Gold filigree covered the walls, down to the sconces that held all those flickering candles. It cast a warm glow across the palace in what otherwise would have felt cold and foreign.

“Toto, we’re not in Pleasant Grove anymore,” I muttered under my breath, looking around the room.

Zain gave me a weird look. “What?”

“Never mind.” I giggled to myself, looking away. Gods, he reallywasclueless about humanity. It probably explained the whole cellphone thing.

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