Page 43 of House of Demons and Bones

“You aren’t my type,” I said.

“I can be your type. Please, Prince Killian,” she begged. “I’m at your mercy. I can’t fail!”

A dark realization struck, and it confirmed that my betrothed had sent her ward to do her dirty work. Grace had glamoured her eyes to match Barbie’s, attempting to pass as my mate.

“My queen will share,” Grace babbled. “I’m meant to be your gift. You can have me, anywhere and anytime.”

My nostrils flared at her changed scent. Lilith was wearing her ward’s skin now. Impossible—yet the fallen star defied all rules. My betrothed had possessed her ward’s body to seduce me.

Everything clicked. She’d brought Grace in after noticing the connection between Barbie and me, assuming a lookalike could get me into her bed. If I succumbed to Lilith and Grace’s spells, sleeping with either of them and betraying my mate, the bond between Barbie and me would shatter beyond repair. My eternal misery would begin.

I swallowed as I grasped the trap’s insidious implications. This was Lilith’s final attempt to claim me.

The queen was clever and powerful, but she didn’t know me. Even as a child, I had never let anyone in, not even the other heirs. I showed my true self to no one—except my mate. My cock hardened only for my vicious little scorpion. My cold heart beat only for her, my black soul craved only hers.

This creature before me, now possessed by her master, was a pale imitation of Barbie. Lilith could never replicate my mate’s scent and essence, no matter how much effort she exerted.

I drew in a cold breath, containing my rage, holding myself back from slaughtering the copy

in front of me.

What a bad actress,my dragon sneered.If you won’t kill her, send her away right now. We need to go find our mate.

“I look just like her, but better,” Grace persisted. “I won’t disappoint you, Prince Killian.”

“You’ll never be her,” I said with cold disdain. “You’re a pathetic copy. Crawl back to whatever hole you came out of. Return without permission and you die.”

I tossed her out.

13

Barbie

Heat blazed across my palms as twin dark flames materialized, ready at my command.

“Hello,Father, long time no see.” I locked my predatory gaze on Ruin.

The sky god and earth goddess whipped their heads toward me. The sky god’s eyes narrowed, scanning me like a fresh specimen under glass.

“Ra spawned offspring?” Nephthys’s words dripped venom. “An abomination.”

“No,” Isis whispered, something registering in her blue eyes. “Our last hope. I believe our future selves summoned her here.”

My father’s full attention was on me, and he smiled, which chilled me.

“You’re the apple of my eye, little one,” he said.

Sy snarled.

“Here’s to your eye.” I thrust my palms forward, unleashing dark flames at his face. Time to scorch his eyes and blind the motherfucker.

A force slammed into me. The galaxy spun wildly, launching me skyward before my flames left my hands.

What the fuck?I snarled, shoving back the cosmic wind. Sy growled as she pumped strength into me, but each blast of wind knocked me further back until I landed on all fours, fingers splayed against the freezing floor.

A blink, and I was back in the Queen’s Suite, shrouded in dark fog. My breath came harsh and ragged.

Thrown through time again.

---