Page 86 of Of Mercury and Mist

“Have some respect,” she snapped, grabbing me by the shoulders and positioning me behind her, slightly to the side.

Mandy grabbed the dual handles in front of us and slid the panels into the wall revealing the dining room.

The space was another masterpiece of dark granite and severe lines, accented with black iron metal work, like the room I’d decided was the living area last night. A gloved waiter was pouring a beverage for Samuel, who smiled when he saw me.

“Come in,” he beckoned. Mandy bowed hard at the waist and closed the doors behind me, leaving us. “Coffee? Tea? Something else?”

“Coffee would be fine, thank you.” I glanced around, trying to decide where to sit when a man materialized, seemingly out of thin air, to pull a seat out for me.

As I lowered myself to the chair, I said, “This is going to take some getting used to.”

I hadn’t batted an eye when Micha ate someone’s heart right in front of me, but the ghostly figures were pushing me over the edge. I let out a small laugh as the waiter served coffee.

Samuel arched a brow, not missing a thing. “I was just remembering something,” I offered, shaking my head. I’d wanted some excitement in my life and the universe had definitely answered. I just wasn’t positive it was the type I was looking for.

Be careful what you wish for, my mother had always said.

“Yes?” Samuel asked, encouraging me to divulge.

Again, I shook my head. “This is a lot to wrap my mind around, but it's all good.” I was totally lying to the man. “I don’t want to be a squatter. Are we far from that town you took me to? I can go try to find work today.” The sooner I settled into my new life, the better. I didn’t want to waste any time.

The waiter rolled a tray alongside the table bearing silver platters with covers. Billows of steam wafted into the air as he uncovered them and placed plates before us. Heaps of scrambled eggs, bacon, and butter-soaked toast set my mouth to drooling.

“Ashley, my dear, that is unnecessary. I’d never allow it. You are in service to me, and I don’t allow my belongings to work outside of the home.”

Bile quickly smothered my appetite. “But yesterday you said?—”

“You heard only what you wanted to hear. The first thing you’ll learn is how very important one’s words are.”

“I can’t stay here; you know that.”

Samuel set down his cup, eyes gleaming, as his low, cruel laughter echoed.

“Welcome to Hell, love.”

THIRTY

Micha

“What the hell did you do, Micha?”

Josiah stood before me, coiled, his muscles tense. His voice boomed around the room; his anger justified.

Della hovered by the door, shuffling her feet. Her cellphone was by her hip, and I caught her furtively typing something on the screen. Warning Ashley, I imagined.

Kiam stood opposite her, scrolling through his phone as if the very air he breathed wasn’t crackling with an explosion of energy. I could feel it and see it, the sticky tangle of electricity sparking from overwrought emotions. The man couldn’t see it but he sure as hell wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended to be.

I didn’t know if Josiah was angry I’d fallen in love with Ashley, or upset I’d fooled so many by using magic. Not that it mattered, I wasn’t going to back down. With his blessing or without, I was taking the woman. I didn’t give a fuck what he had to say about it. I’d always been more enthusiastic about using our full range of gifts than he, more open. I’d always indulged more in my senses while he exerted more control, stifling himself as he fought to keep his basest instincts at bay. Not that he didn’t give in to them at times; it was just who he was.

“Exactly what I had to,” I snarled. We were practically nose to nose. “If you want to suck my dick, just say so. No need to be all up my ass.”

“Micha,” he warned, but he backed away.

“You’re in no position to say a single word about who I choose to claim.” I turned away and walked to the sideboard to pour myself a drink. We were in my penthouse, where I’d come to collect myself and formulate a plan. I didn’t want to go to the Second Realm completely blind and needed my own utterly private space in which to plan an attack if it came to that. Now, my oasis was filled to the brim, it felt like.

Kiam, the asshole, had called Josiah after seeing me with a dagger sticking out of my chest and thanks to his private jet, my best friend and his wife returned home in record time.

I couldn’t say I didn’t understand, but after Josiah kept calling me, I knew I had to answer my phone. And then I knew I had to wait for him to arrive. Not once did it occur to me to interfere in his pursuit of Della or attempt to dissuade him in any way. He should’ve returned the sentiment.

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