Page 10 of The Demon's Sinful Serenade
"Old wooden floors that creak when you walk, windows that rattle when the wind starts to talk..."
I grinned to myself, listening to her create music out of nothing. Her voice was rich and smoky, even with the playful lilt. Damn if it wasn't sexy, the way her fingers moved across those strings with such confidence. I imagined those same fingers trailing across my skin after a long weekend of busywork, and nearly dropped the camera I was installing.
Your flames will burn brightest in the shadow of death.
My tail twitched as the witch's words yanked me back to reality. Had she seen this? Me finding my mate only to watch her hunted?
The thought was a sobering one. She was a client in need of protection. A client!
I forced myself back to the task at hand. The cottage was small enough that I could hear her from any room, which was both soothing and torturous. Her improvised song evolved as she carried on, adding details about the 'creepy ifrit with tools' who was 'checking all the rooms.'
I smirked to myself. At least she wasn't afraid to poke the bear.
I moved to the kitchen to set up a camera with a view of the driveway. The first outlet I tried was dead, as was the second. I frowned at the wall. I hadn't switched off anything at the breaker. Then again, it was an older home, and neither outlet had anything plugged in.
I reached for the one next to the fridge, and a sharp jolt of electricity shot through my fingertips.
"Son of a—" I jerked my hand back, shaking it.
"Everything okay in there?" River called.
"Fine," I muttered, examining the outlet more closely. It looked normal. No visible damage, no exposed wires. I made a mental note to check it again later. What good would it do toprotect her from a stalker, only to have her burn alive from faulty wiring?
River's song had taken a decidedly different turn when I tuned back in.
"Bet he burns hot as hell when he's mad, probably scorches the sheets something bad..."
I choked on nothing, spinning to face her. She met my gaze innocently, fingers still dancing across the strings.
"Problem?" she asked sweetly.
"Your rhymes need work," I said, leaning against the doorframe.
Instead of answering, she added to her song. "Hot demon with a tail so long, makes me wonder if the rumors are wrong. Wouldn't mind a bang from a guy with some fangs..."
"Bang and fang? Really?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully, and a wicked grin slowly curled the corners of her mouth. "You're right. Must be pre-performance nerves because 'getting railed by anything with a tail' was right there."
I barked out a laugh. Fuck me, but she was delightfully saucy. Even in the worst of situations, she knew how to joke around. My respect for her ratcheted up several notches.
"Guess I should be flattered," I said dryly, though it took a monumental amount of effort to keep a straight face. "Most humans are too freaked out by the horns to get creative with the tail."
She shrugged, setting the guitar aside. "I grew up in Silvermist. Monsters are just... people with extras."
"Extras," I repeated, amused. "That's one way to put it."
I turned away, unable to handle how cute she was without fucking up something important. I couldn't remember the last time I'd smiled this much. Hells, I couldn't remember the last time anyone made me smile like this.
And considering the fact that she was potentially going to die, it was a godsdamn crime to let it happen.
I pushed away that thought. No, focusing on death wouldn't help me save her.
For now, I was staying by her side, helping her prep for her performance, and guarding her from whatever dangers lurked in her peripheral vision. There would be plenty of time for dealing with the threats looming overhead later.
"What's his specialty?" she asked as I crouched to dig through my toolbox. "Kaz, I mean."
I tensed, nearly dropping a screwdriver. "Leadership. Strategy. Setting shit on fire."
