Page 13 of The Demon's Sinful Serenade
"Yes? I was bringing River her good-luck cookies." She glanced between us, her smile fading. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. Here was Poppy, bringing me a thoughtful gift, and I'd ruined it with my paranoia. "It's nothing. I just thought I saw something in the crowd."
The adrenaline coursing through my veins made my hands shake as I stepped out from behind Zane's protective bulk. Heat radiated from his body, and I could smell smoke and steel, stronger now than usual. My heart hammered against my ribs, partly from the false alarm and partly from the way he'd moved to shield me without hesitation.
He threw himself between me and danger. Even when the danger turned out to be my best friend with baked goods.
"I'm sorry about the cookies," I said to Poppy, gesturing at the mess on the floor.
"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to bring these before your set." She paused, studying my face. "Are you sure you're okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Just jumpy," I lied. Better that than admit the shadows were coming for me. "Pre-show nerves."
Poppy didn't look convinced, but before she could press further, Zane's phone rang. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and frowned.
"I need to take this," he said, stepping slightly away but keeping me within arm's reach. "It's Malak with updates on the security arrangements."
At the mention of Malak's name, Poppy's eyes widened and a flush spread across her cheeks. She quickly knelt down to gather the scattered cookies, focusing on the task with unusual care.
"Okay, spill," I said, dropping to help Poppy with the mess.
"Spill what?" But her blush deepened, betraying her.
"That blush says everything. What's going on with you and the tech demon?"
"Ifrit," Poppy corrected automatically, then looked embarrassed at her quick defense.
I raised an eyebrow, noting this was the second time she'd made that distinction in my hearing. There was definitely more to this story than she was letting on.
"Fine. What's going on with you and the tech ifrit?"
She sighed, casting a glance at Zane to make sure he wasn't listening too closely. "It's complicated. He came on strong with the charm when they first moved to town. We had a lot of fun when he was around, but..."
"But?"
"But then I started thinking about what it would mean to be with someone who does what he does. They hunt things that would give most people nightmares. I'd already lost my grandmother, and the thought of caring about someone who might not come home..." She shrugged helplessly.
I nodded, understanding all too well the reality of losing someone. "So, you ended it?"
"I didn'twantto. I only wanted to talk about precautions. Get some assurances he would not end up dead for a stupidreason." She grimaced. "He didn't take it well. He said any mate would accept him as he is, just as he accepted me."
"Mate?" I blinked. "Like... fated mate? Poppy! Are you for real?"
"Very real." Poppy's expression turned wistful. "That's what made it worse. He dropped that bomb on me in the middle of our argument. Like, 'by the way, we're destined soulmates, but clearly you don't want that.' Such bullshit."
"Ouch."
"Yeah." She shook her head. "I didn't handle it well, either. I told him I didn't believe in fate dictating who I should be with. That I had a choice."
"And you didn't want to be his mate?" Wow. Poppy and I always picked up right where we left off, but mate bonds and supernatural destiny? There was clearly more catching up than cookie drop-offs or bodyguard introductions could handle.
"It's not that simple. The mate bond doesn't force you to be together. You can reject it. But once you know it's there..." She trailed off, looking lost. "It's supposed to be this incredible thing. This perfect match. And all I could think about was how I'd feel if something happened to him."
I squeezed her hand. "So, what happened?"
"I told him I needed time to think. It's been three months." She glanced at Zane again, who was still on the phone but watching us intently. "It's not easy loving someone who risks their life regularly."
I nodded, thinking of all the musicians I'd known who'd lost themselves to drugs, to the road, to the lifestyle. Julian included. "No, it's not."
