Chapter 7
Basil
“What’s so funny?” I ask, watching the corner of her mouth quirk up before she covers it shyly with her hand. My gaze lingers on the space where her lips should be, aching to see that little smirk again.
“The thought of you, with a little old lady grandma,” she replies through giggles. That sound. It’s magical. Bouncy, light, and filled with joy. Everything I am not. And yet, I can’t seem to tear myself away. As she giggles again, I realize I don’t want to.
This blasted portal business may have brought me here, but I am by no means sorry about it. There are worse things than being trapped in a tiny apartment with a gorgeous woman.
“My grandmother was a spitfire. She was the leader before my father and was the most feared Boogeywoman in the land. When she passed and my father took over, it was a great loss to our community, but she taught me everything I know and is who I continue to aspire to be as a leader.”
Iris’ eyes find mine as she dabs at a corner of her eye before she edges a little closer, closing the too vast distance between us. She may have been frightened last night, but now, I sense no fear. Not complete comfort, mind you, but she doesn’t want to run away from me anymore.
After a prolonged moment of silence, Iris clears her throat, downs the rest of her coffee, and places the mug on the counter. I don’t miss the way her eyes trail over my body before she steps away.
“I need to finish getting ready for work.” She moves to the entrance of the kitchen, pulling on the hem of her shirt, trying to cover the wonderful curves underneath.
My chest tightens. She can’t leave. “Wait. I thought you agreed to stay here. To help me.”
Iris spins, facing me again, her arms crossing over her chest. “No. I never said I’d stay. You have powers. Apparently, really strong ones. Use them.”
I swear my jaw audibly pops open. This is a very different Iris from the one I startled awake last night.
No longer the frightened flower cowering in her bed, she holds herself up straight, looking like a force to be reckoned with.
In a flash, I am on the other side of her, stopping her midstride.
Speed is only one of my strengths, and I plan to use every power within me to get her to stay and help.
I pull myself up to my full height, my horns brushing against the ceiling, and chest puffing out as my arms extend, allowing my hands to land on the doorframe.
My talon-like nails tap, tap, tap on the wall above her head.
Her eyes narrow as she looks up at me, searching for a soul she’ll never find.
She may be stronger than I initially thought, but I’ve also seen that kindness within.
How she cares. And as I stand before her, her scent overwhelms my senses, making me deflate.
She is destined to be mine, and that means I can do all the showboating I want, but I will never, and I mean never, harm her.
“I am a tiny human. One you could end before I could even think of running away. I am but an ant to your giant boot. What the fuck could I do to help you? Also, I have a business to run. Who do you expect to do that while I’m here playing ‘let’s find the portal’ with you?
” She asks becoming more and more angry with each statement and poking my chest with her index finger as she finishes.
“You’re cute when you’re mad.”
“Gah!!” she huffs, turning around before slapping her hands on my chest. She pushes against me, but I don’t budge. She repositions her hands and moves her feet back, trying to gain better purchase before trying again, and I still don’t move an inch.
“Seriously. Adorable.”
Stopping, she grunts, brushing loose strands of hair away from her face. “Fine. But I need to call in to let my assistant know I’m going to be sick today. You get one day. One day of my time to figure this shit out. But…”
“But what?” I ask hesitantly. I am not one to barter for the benefit of humans, and given the change in her demeanor from last night to this morning, I’m guessing she’s going to suggest something ridiculous.
“You get one day of my help, and in exchange, I get to ask anything I want, and you agree to answer honestly.”
“That’s it?” There’s no way she just wants me to answer questions. I threatened to take the souls of everyone she loves. This is not even a remotely fair trade.
“That’s it. Deal?”
“Deal.” I extend my hand to shake on it.
She grasps my hand in hers, and it’s like a permanent thread weaves between us, sewing us together for eternity.
“Thank you.” I don’t think I’ve ever said those words before, especially not to a human.
It feels… nice. Stepping to the side, I let her pass, but remain close by.
Even though I want to trust her, my instincts tell me not to let her get too far.
Whether that’s because I think she’ll run or because of this innate pull to her that I seem to be experiencing, it remains to be seen.
Either way, I’m not letting her out of my sight.
To be honest, she has a point about her ability to facilitate my entry back to Hell. I’m sure I could figure it out on my own. It’s not like I haven’t opened and closed many a portal in my day, but I’m certainly not going to tell her that.
Instead, I sit back and watch as she takes out her little computing device, setting it on her lap as she sits on the sofa, plump legs crisscrossed, showcasing those succulent, juicy thighs that I would love to stuff my head between…
Whoa. Where did that come from?
Sure, Iris is every bit as beautiful as she is charming and feisty, and I find myself eager to learn more about her.
But I can’t think of the last time I thought of someone else in such a way.
Of course, there are available prospects back home.
And I could have my choice of any of them.
They all practically fall at my feet as it is.
If I were to invite them into my bedchambers, well, they would be alight with delight.
But not one of them in the last hundred or so years has tantalized me the way Iris does.
She barely knows me. I threatened her multiple times. And threatened her family and all those she cares about, despite that not being the most ideal way to capture someone’s preferred attention. Yet, here she is, pleasantly sitting near me, deep in thought.
Her hands fly over the keys, typing things I am unaware of.
Her breathing is even and soft. She’s not the least bit fearful.
It’s almost as if she feels comfortable around me, which is strange, as I don’t think anyone has ever felt comfortable around me.
Not even my assistant or family. There’s always some kind of order or hierarchy they are trying to keep, so no one ever truly relaxes.
She leans back, linking her fingers together before lifting them above her head, where she flips them palms up and stretches out her arms as she arches her back, letting those pert nipples poke through her soft top.
“Okay, so Vera has been notified, and extra support has been called in for her. Now, how the hell do we figure out how to get you home?”