Page 19 of A Demon Is Forever

“If I do this,then we do my thing next. Agreed?”

Sweet Freyja.“Fine. Agreed. Now go, my turn to prop up the bar.”

“Nope, for this towork, you’re going to be a fully fledged participant. First things first, youneed a wardrobe change.”

“You said thinkelegant, think classy.”

“That was to getus in the door. Look like we belong with the hoi polio. Now I’m going to needyou to stand out… bigtime. Think sex on a stick. Hot. But aloof. Suggestive,but not tawdry. Unattainable. Do you think you can do that, or shall I googlesome inspiration for you?”

He dare challengeher? A year ago Shaw would have been clueless, but it seems the past twelvemonths of sitting in endless Doctors, Voodoo Priests and assorted HealingMages’ waiting rooms, flicking through boring high end fashion magazines, wasfinally about to pay dividends.

With nothing morethan a thought Shaw’s outfit and shoes changed. “Is this what you had in mind?”Turning slowly so he could get the full effect.

Lord Lucifer givehim strength. Kaleb attempted to remember what to do in cases such as this.Blink. Breathe. Swallow. Keep heart beating. The dress was stunning, clingingto curves like it was painted on with almost transparent black silk and asplattering of sequins. Shaw’s arms bared. A thigh high split showcasing sixinch sparkling gladiator stilettos. Making her legs look endless. The necklinewas surprisingly high, bordering on modest, but the back… mercy, there was noback. Unless you counted the two rows of jet black beads adorning her lowerspine, dipping low almost into the crack of her ass. Calling attention to theacres of flawless mocha skin on display.

Kaleb felt alittle light headed. No wonder, since he doubted there was a drop of blood leftin his upper body. The Valkyrie was deadly, with or without her weapons. Pullyourself together, Demon, if she senses weakness, she’ll totally own your ass.Sniffing, Kaleb managed to nod his head. “That’ll do. Now.” It was harder thanit should have been to look away from her. Eyes sweeping over the weddingguests he ignored the blowhard males, turning his attention instead upon thefull blooded Goddesses. Hmmm, who was looking peeved as she listened to herhusband re-tell the same story for the billionth time? Oh, there. That would bea good start. “Okay. See that fellow, the tall dark haired one with thebottomless gold chalice? I need you to ask him to dance.”

“Dance? TheseDeities won’t even acknowledge my existence, there’s no way I can get one ofthem on the dance floor.”

“You have guile…no, scratch that. You’re strong, and used to manhandling idiots. Just get himon the dance floor and once there I need you to look at him like he’s thesmartest, funniest, hottest man you’ve ever met.”

“Please. I’m aValkyrie, not an actress.”

“You want Deityclients, you do things my way… no more complaints. All you have to do is dragthat God out on the dance floor for two songs. Dance as close as you can to himand don’t take your eyes off him. Keep your lips parted two inches, breathingdeeply from your diaphragm, and every fifteen seconds remember to bat youreyelashes twice.”

“I’m going to lookridiculous.”

Kaleb shrugged,placing his empty glass on the bar. “Then we can leave now and get started onmy to-do list.”

“No. No. Fine.”Crap. Shaw stomped away to do as Kaleb had instructed.

Determinedly Kalebdidn’t watch Shaw walk away, he didn’t want to get distracted. Time to do whathe did best. Most Conflict Demons were all about the chaos. The rage. Thefrustration. Instant gratification. Kaleb liked to play a deeper, more elegantgame than that. It gave the resulting conflict a richer flavour.

Four minutes laterhe dipped, twirled, and manoeuvred his dance partner into the perfect positionwhere she had no choice but to unavoidably stare across the dancefloor at herhusband.

Kaleb had kept herbusy whilst Shaw all but perp walked her dance partner out on to the floor. Nowthey did little more than sway in time to the music, with Shaw discreetlyclutching the God so tightly to her that he couldn’t escape, which was enoughfor Kaleb’s purposes.

Ariadne was anundeniably beautiful Demi-Goddess, all golds and then more golds, from herhair, to her skin, to her fingernails. She looked to only be twenty years oldbut there were eons in her hazel gold eyes. The daughter of King Midas, she hadmarried Dionysus, the God of wine and debauchery, a thousand life times’ ago andpromptly began the endless task of whipping him into shape. Though there was noremoving the golden chalice from her husband’s right hand that was perpetuallyfull of wine. But still, even permanently half cut, the God was a magneticallyhandsome figure. Tall, with sweeping black hair and eyes the colour of balticsapphires.

“Huh. GoodHeavens, will you just look at him. He’s old enough to be her decrepitGreat-Great-Grandfather times like a hundred. Silly old fool. Honestly, do youknow the last time he danced with me? Or the last time he dropped that bloodychalice and held me with both hands?” Ariadne didn’t seem to require an answer,her gaze narrowed, high golden colour flooding her cheeks. “Civilisations haverisen and fallen since he’s bothered to make the effort. I bet you he’s tellingher how heinvented wine, and was the first one to ever host a party.”

“Um-huh.” Kaleb’stone was sympathetic and supportive.

“And her! Look atthat clearly brainless bimbo lap up his nonsense. They can turn theair-conditioning off in here, those batting eyelashes will keep everyone cool.He’s nothing but an overgrown frat boy. She could have anyone, with that…figure and those looks. The way she’s looking at him as if he were the lastpiece of chocolate on Earth at least gives me comfort that she must not be verybright. Why, I ought to go over there and give her a piece of my mind.”

“Her?” Kaleb actedlike he’d just noticed who Ariadne was referring to. “Oh, no, I think she’sjust bored. There aren’t as many feuds, disputes, vendettas or outright battlesas there used to be. So that lot are everywhere. I can’t go anywhere these dayswithout tripping over some gorgeous, built, bored Valkyrie loitering about.”

“She’s aValkyrie?”

“Yes.”

Ariadne swallowedher anger. Rethinking the idea of confronting the hottie. Valkyries were to awoman, tall, muscular and could magically produce deadly sharp weapons out ofthin air in a heartbeat. “It appears they don’t make Valkyries like they usedto.”

“On the behalf ofthe male species everywhere, may I just say halleluiah.” Kaleb had to bite histongue to keep the grin at bay as he could hear Ariadne’s teeth audibly grindtogether. “Besides, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. She’ll no doubtforget Dionysus’s name the moment she’s called to the next skirmish.”

“And in themeantime?” Ariadne fumed. “How am I supposed to compete with all that?”

“I don’t supposeyou have a feud, dispute or vendetta that needs settling?”

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