Page 30 of Tall, Dark & Horny

Kastiel nodded. “I’ll let Lyra know. What should we tell them?”

“The truth.” I tugged Calliope against my side. “My mate awakened a blood curse, and we’re being hunted by something old and vicious. Any guest who chooses to stay could become collateral damage and will only have themselves to blame.”

“That should thin the herd.” He smirked. “Or provoke a betting pool.”

Calliope’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Demons tend to have an odd sense of humor,” I explained with a chuckle.

“And a deeply ingrained faith in Adan to ensure they’re safe while staying at The Abyss,” Kastiel added.

Calliope tilted her head back to smile up at me. “I share their confidence.”

Her unwavering trust meant everything to me, and I was determined to never give her a reason to regret it.

I brushed a kiss against her temple. “Thank you, baby.”

I exhaled and shifted my attention to the magic that tethered me to the building. The Abyss thrummed in response. The wards were adjusting—folding tighter and layering thicker. Beneath our feet, the floor pulsed with protective glyphs. Silent sentinels woven into the bones of the hotel.

Kastiel stepped closer. “This place saved me, you know. You gave me a purpose after I crawled out of the pit I made for myself. She’s your mate. I’ll die before I let anyone touch her.”

My throat tightened. Releasing Calliope, I clapped him on the shoulder once, brief and firm. “I appreciate the sentiment, but do me a favor and help me ensure the assassin is the only one who loses their life.”

He gave me a sharp nod, then faded into the shadows.

I turned to Calliope. Her brow was furrowed, but there was no fear in her eyes. Only curiosity.

Danger was coming, and she had no idea just how close it already was.

She moved closer, her arm brushing mine as she studied the thickened glow of the wards pulsing beneath our feet. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Just stick close to me.”

“You won’t get an argument from me.” She rose onto her toes to brush her lips against mine. “It’s my new favorite place to be.”

There was so much I needed to tell her. About the mating brand my demon was pushing to give her before the assassin got too close. How it would bind her to me permanently, heart and soul. That it would increase her lifespan…and possibly even awaken whatever power might lie dormant in her blood.

But I couldn’t. Not yet.

She’d just found out she had demon blood. She’d stepped into a world she didn’t even know existed and had taken every revelation with grace and fire. Calliope deserved to choose me freely…not as a reaction to danger. For now, keeping her alive was all that mattered.

Even if I had wanted to say anything, the choice was taken from me when the temperature dropped. Not from a breeze. Nor a subtle shift.

It was a sudden drop. Like someone had opened the door to the void and let its breath slip in.

I straightened instantly. The air thinned and shadows stirred. The low golden sconce closest to the door blinked out.

Even before I turned, I knew.

The Abyss didn’t shudder. It bowed.

Power rippled outward in a wave of pressure as the hallway bent around him. Not in submission, but a grim recognition. A thousand layers of warded stone couldn’t mute his presence.

My father stood at the edge of my domain, still as death. Towering. Armored in black. His eyes held no flames, only darkness.

“The girl will be fine.”

14

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