Chapter Twenty-One
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Theo
V al hurries through the suite with Montejanus flying behind her and a list clutched in her hand. Actually, I was told it’s a list of lists. She acts as though she’s planning a wartime invasion of another realm. Given the perfume, colorful bottles, and seemingly foreign language of the mask and makeup party that she and Nic are hosting, I almost wish she’d picked launching a battle instead. Those I understand.
While stacking dainty bags of something called product samples—not an easy task with claws, I lash her around the waist with my tail as she runs by again. Having her do a one-eighty from orgasming atop me last night to practically ignoring me today drives me insane, but I need her safe and happy before I teleport out to track down the traitor. “Your party will be great.”
She chews on her bottom lip, and gods, I have to remind myself of the reasons why I shouldn’t haul her against me to taste her again. I’m in this for the long game. If she can wait for me to win back the crown, I’ll earn her.
“What if no one comes since Nic announced it last minute?” she asks.
“The guests will love your spontaneity.”
“Ugh.” She undoes one of the bags I packed, takes each of the items out, seems to forget why she did it, and puts them all back. “No one loves my impulsiveness.”
“Says who?” I try to keep the edge out of my tone and fail. My mate has obviously been critiqued by the worst ghouls from the foulest pits of a hell dimension.
She waves a hand as if gesturing toward a packed crowd although we’re still alone other than the soul guardian who adores her. The toy unicorn I rigged the slot machines to win her isn’t even powered up and parading around since it wore out its magic prancing through the suite earlier. “Everyone,” she says.
“Not me. Not Montejanus,” I add. “What other worries do you have so we can take them away? Other than my family trying to kill each other and entire worlds at risk if the royal asshole decides to portal in the wrong monsters.”
“Well, when you put it like that, my problems don’t seem so bad.”
“Then it shouldn’t be hard to tell them to me.”
She trails her fingers over shiny bows and ribbons she began curling earlier before promptly walking away mid-task. “What if I lose things midway through the party? Important things.”
“Shadowvale will magic them to you if you only ask. What else?”
“I lose track of time, and…”
“That’s why they come to you. Welcome to royalty. You can neither be early nor late, no matter when you arrive. You’re always on time because your presence sets the time.”
“What if I space out during the party? They’ll make fun of you having a mate who daydreams instead of entertaining.”
“No one would dare as I would remove their tongue if they speak ill of you, and it’s not your job to entertain them. It’s quite the other way around.”
Val touches my arm, and now I’m the one distracted. “What if a portal opens? Or your mother shows up?” She sounds equally concerned with the latter as the former.
“I’ve warded the suite with the toughest protection spells available to supernaturals. Ora, your alchemist friend helped, and I spent a fortune on upgrades from witches, druids, and a cantankerous dragon. No one will be able to come in unless they have your express invitation.”
“Even family?” she asks.
“Especially family. What else?”
“Why does your mom hate me?” Her voice is so quiet that Montejanus nuzzles against her, morphing into his mongoose form so she can snuggle him.
“Could be it’s not personal.”
“It sounded pretty personal.”
I nod because she’s right. “I’ll find out what she’s up to.”
“When I met her, she said I would be the death of the hell dimensions if I trapped you into completing the mating bond.”
“Okay, then I’ll definitely make her tell me whatever her issues are. We good now?”
“No. You agreed we were in this together. So why do I get stuck playing with sheet masks and mascara while you’re out taking on your mom and saving the world? I mean I adore make-up and can’t wait to try all the sheet masks Shadowvale magicked me, but I should be doing more.”
“You already do plenty.” I can’t stop replaying the image of her gorgeous face when she came last night. Or how she promptly passed out from the post-adrenaline crash. Mating magic, my venom, and teleporting took too much from her.
“Oh yeah?” She’d pull off the badass look her tone suggests she’s going for if she didn’t have a mongoose squished against her tits in a hug. “Like what?”
“Healing me so I can fight again. It’s been less than twenty-four hours, and my cuts are closed, my ribs mended, and the acid burn gone.” I don’t mention how it confirms I was right about us being fated mates. Of course I was right.
Her gaze flicks over my bare chest, and I enjoy the flush that crawls up her cheeks. Perhaps I’m not the only one remembering last night. “I’d rather you avoid needing to be healed all together. Can’t you stay here tonight to make sure you’re okay before going out to do whatever it is you won’t tell me about?”
I tug her to me with my tail, wrapping her in my wings. Montejanus takes the hint and leaves us alone. Smart soul guardian. I might forgive him for trying to take over half the bed if his absence will help me score another taste of Val. I pull her closer. “Care to persuade me?”
“You sound awfully sure of yourself.”
“You like me assertive.”
The hum she gives shoots straight to my cocks. Pressing against me, she says, “I might let you persuade me?—”
“Val,” Nic yells from the hall. “I brought the party to you. Let us in.”
I don’t bother hiding my groan. Nor do I release my mate. “My little sister has the worst timing.”
“Theo,” Nic calls. “You don’t get to keep her locked in your suite forever without some company. It’s basic prisoner rights.”
Val snickers, and I want to hear her make the sound again.
This time, Gilly’s voice comes through the door. “Don’t leave us out here all night, Theo. I can be very creative when it comes to thinking up new ways to mess with you.”
“Is she for real?” Val whispers.
“Probably. We give her people to break with mental mind games when physical torture isn’t effective.” I let Val go when she pushes at me, although I can’t tell if she’s scared of Gilly or wants to give her pointers on tormenting me. At least my mate hasn’t tried to stab me today.
“Great, she’s worse than my older sister,” Val mutters before calling out, “Coming!”
I swallow my protests and banish glorious memories of her coming last night while grinding so sweetly against me.
“Remember,” I say, “no one gets inside unless you specifically say so.”
She gives a wave over her shoulder, scoops Montejanus into her arms, and throws the doors open. “Welcome everyone who’s not here to kill me or open a portal to a random realm!”
I groan. So much time and money wasted on wards. At least Ora is one of the first inside, the dwarf making her way to me. “I’ll re-up my protection spells, boss,” she says. “Bet I can convince the witches and druids to do the same at no charge.”
“That just leaves the dragon.” I don’t add how he’s the most crotchety ward weaver alive.
The dwarf rumbles a knowing laugh. “You leave him to me.”
“Do I want to know the reason you seem so eager to talk with such a curmudgeon?”
She shakes her head. “You really don’t. But be assured, I’ll convince him.”
Reminding myself she’s a grown dwarf, I leave the matter in her capable hands.
Dupree strolls in like he has any right to be in my suite. Gilly beats me to demanding he confess what the hell he’s doing here.
He brandishes a bottle of champagne. “Getting a sheet mask recommendation from Val. Brimstone fire wreaks havoc on my complexion. Yours too, princess. Let’s hope she has some extra strength moisturizer. Hi, Val.” He waves to my mate like they’re old friends. I’ll strangle him with his own tail.
“Dupree,” Val calls with a friendliness that makes me vow to toss him out, weaselly little wings first. Except she turns to me and says, “He put himself between me and a portal. Doesn’t that earn him a facial and maybe a manicure?”
“My cuticles are gnarly,” Dupree answers as if she’d been talking to him. “I could use a mani.”
“I’ll see to it personally,” she says. “There are drinks in the kitchen, swag bags with starter samples on the tables over there, and Nic has games planned for our evening.”
“Perfect.” He shoots a smirk my way as he passes by me into my suite where I’ve hosted exactly zero gatherings before tonight.
Gods, I hate him.
Val touches my arm, and I look away from the asshole. “I know you have more important stuff to do.”
“Yeah,” Nic calls. “We’ll keep her busy while you’re out being Prince of Darkness.”
“Ooh, Prince of Darkness. I like it.” My mate’s already walking off.
I want to argue, to kick everyone out and ask Val how I earn her climbing back into my lap and kissing me again. But of course, I know the best way to start—by winning back my right to the crown.
By the time I teleport home, tired and no closer to finding the traitor, it’s almost dawn, and Val should be asleep, but she’s not in my bed. I go through the suite, noting the tidied rooms where the party had been chaos earlier and a hall where there wasn’t one when I left. Shadowvale must have stayed busy while I followed leads that quickly went cold and dodged assassination attempts by my relatives.
“Val?” My voice echoes back to me.
My stomach twists, threatening to dredge up the nothing I’ve eaten in a flood of sour sick. How much space did the castle add? Is a sleepover an extension of her party, or was she so desperate to be out of my bed that she had Shadowvale conjure another bedroom as far from mine as possible?
Her refusal to address what happened between us had been frustrating as she’d tossed one distraction after another my way to avoid the manticore-level mating dilemma hanging over us.
Except the entire hallway stretches past a single door.
The small apartment she shared with Ava suggested Val doesn’t require much living space. In fact, I’ve noticed that she seems to shy away from open floor plans, commenting that they’re noisy or distracting. So did she ask the castle for a dorm? Barracks?
I knock. No answer. I almost leave, but what if something’s happened to her?
“Val?” I bang on the door. The scents of bleach and vinegar hit my nose. My mate likes cleanliness, but this is a stretch even for her. I twist the unlocked knob and push open the door.
“What the…” It’s a lab with rows of countertops filled with beeping equipment, beakers, petri dishes, and anything else a mad scientist might dream of owning. I slip into my human glamour before I break any of the glassware on the shelves next to the door. I thought Val had said she was a jinx in experiments and destined to blow things up, yet here she stands.
Dressed in a lab coat with headphones over her ears, she touches a long candle lighter to a bowl on the counter. Purple smoke billows upward, filling the air with a bitter taste and sulfur stench.
Brimstone .
She’ll burn down Shadowvale. Or worse, poison herself. I won’t let either happen.