Page 35 of House of Demons and Bones

“It feels like someone wanted to draw Barbie out,” Rock added.

All eyes turned to me.

Killian’s expression went blank. “There’s a residual mental power here. Someone deliberately cracked the Veil to let these things through.” He gave Rock a look. “Get all the princes here, especially Cade. We need to reset the ward and find out who’s sabotaging us.”

My heart hammered. I’d felt that same mental power earlier, some spells designed to keep the sentinels from patrolling the Veil. My suspicion wheeled to Queen Lilith, not because I strongly disliked her or was even jealous of her, but because few supernaturals packed her kind of power.

“Barbie,” Killian called.

I held up a finger. “Can’t do Q&A right now. My stockings are soaked. I don’t want to catch a cold.”

His gaze instantly dipped to my legs as if he was mentally peeling off my leggings. Heat rushed through me, pooling low in my belly. Shit, these supernaturals could all smell arousal a mile away, but before anyone could catch a whiff, I bolted for the hill.

“Gotta run—shower time!” I yelled over my shoulder as I made my escape.

I wasn’t planning to show up for afternoon class as I sprinted in the direction of Underhill.

10

Killian

The images of my vicious mate blazed through my dark mind like a flaming wind.

Her quick feet had carried her away from me before I could reach for her, demanding she stay until I could escort her to my house. She had a permanent room there and full access to my penthouse, no matter whether she wanted it or not.

Sitting behind my ebony desk carved with ancient runes, I opened a drawer and retrieved a romance novel I’d fetched from Barbie’s old room. I usually read military strategy, history, and magical texts, but I needed to understand what kind of man captivated my mate’s imagination.

My dragon growled.There’s only one kind of male our mate fancies, and that’s us. If you hadn’t screwed up, there’d be no reason for her to look elsewhere, not even in books.

Shut up and let me figure this out, I growled back.

The endless bickering with my beast exhausted me. There was never a moment of peace with him. I dragged a hand over my face, still reeling from the fact that she had a beast too.

What other secrets are you hiding, little scorpion?

We’ll find out one by one,my dragon offered.

I ignored his unnecessary encouragement and flipped through the sex scenes. My dragon watched intently, pretending expertise. I tossed the book aside.

I wasn’t expecting knife play, which seemed to be in trend in the mortal world. I would never stick a gun, a knife handle, a string of beads, or any other objects into my mate. The only thing inside her lovely cunt would be my cock, tongue, or fingers.

You insult our mate,my dragon snapped.She’d never allow a gun inside her lovely, divine body.

We don’t know that,I said, annoyed.She reads those books.

If my scorpion was into that kind of kinky stuff, I’d show her how much better my cock felt than cold metal. My blood heated at the thought, my cock instantly and painfully hard.

Let’s get our mate here to fuck,my beast pushed.Or take her to my realm. Show her something better than lame book dicks.

I stood, my erection straining against my pants. My dragon had a point. I needed to find my scorpion.

As if summoned by my desire, golden curls flashed past my study door. My heart leapt. She’d come to me before I could hunt her down. She knew where to find me. That first summons, I’d pinned her to my desk, laughing. My men had burst in to witness the truth—Barbie was the only woman I could touch since the Underworld queen’s bond.

Barbie retraced her steps and paused at the door. I waited. A few heartbeats later, she slid in and shut the door behind her.

Those pink lips. That golden face. Her dual-colored eyes sparkled with lust, one sapphire, one spring green.

“Barbie—” I started, trying not to fumble like an awkward adolescent boy who didn’t know where to place his hands since he was so smitten with the girl. I’d never been that guy until her.

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