Chapter 3
Lily
I groaned and buried my face in the pillow, cursing the sun and its betrayal. Seriously? Of all the places to shine, it had to laser-beam straight into my eyeballs. How rude.
My head pounded something awful, and I was so thirsty that even a puddle would look appealing right now. I glanced around the unfamiliar room. This wasn’t my bed. These weren’t my sheets. But thank the stars, I was fully clothed. And not in a cell. Small victories.
The walls were painted in a deep purple that shimmered with gold like dragon scales in the beams of morning sun that streamed in.
A pair of golden sconces shaped like dragon claws were on each side of the bed.
And the bed itself, the one I was currently lying in?
It was massive. Like, could-fit-a-small-army massive.
The gold silk sheets were super soft and probably very expensive.
The down-filled comforter tossed over me was equally luxurious.
The furniture was all dark wood and antique brass, heavy and old-world, like it had been stolen from a vampire’s castle and repurposed in a bordello.
There was a chaise lounge in the corner that practically begged you to drape yourself across it in nothing but your birthday suit.
That thought alone had me suspicious of where I was.
There was a fireplace. It was electric but made to look old-fashioned. The artificial flames let out a scent faintly reminiscent of cinnamon and spice. Above it hung a painting of the incubus himself, shirtless, smirking, and looking like he knew exactly what you dreamed about last night.
Well, that cleared up whose place this was. But how the hell did I get here?
In fact, what the hell happened last night?
Bits and pieces floated back. There was that incident at the bar with the idiot who got all grabby with me, but I’d grabbed his balls right back with my magic, and security walked him out of the club.
Then I’d gone back to dance with my friends and wonder when that sexy incubus would get back.
Penny and I had gone to the ladies’ room, making our way through the crowd and accidentally knocking into several people.
Oops. But that was normal on a crowded dance floor.
We were back in the VIP booth when I’d started feeling faint.
Too hot. Like I needed to dunk myself in a pool of ice.
At first I thought it was something I’d eaten or drunk, but we had been so careful to keep our eyes on our drinks.
But then I felt it, the tiny tickle of foreign magic. I’d sat down and then… here I was.
Then the door opened.
And in walked Adonis himself. Shirtless. Low-slung jeans. Muscles for days. He wasn’t in his human guise, but his own. His red skin showing every rippled ab. And those majestic horns jutting from his head. No wings today, though. Still, I might’ve drooled a little.
“You’re awake,” Julian said, handing me a glass of water.
I snatched it from him and chugged half of it. “Thank you. I was dying.”
He gave me a slow once-over, single brow raised appraisingly, making my stomach do a little flip-flop. “Bathroom’s next door. I put out a new toothbrush for you.”
Wait. He did what now?
Okay, so he was hot, considerate, and apparently stocked oral hygiene supplies for surprise guests. Was I still dreaming?
“Come back when you’re done,” he added. “We need to talk.”
His ensuite was just as gorgeous and luxurious as his bedroom. There was enough marble and bronze in there to make a high-end hotel jealous. I eyed the clawfoot tub longingly. I was still covered in yesterday’s sweat and grime, and I really wanted a bath, but that would have to wait.
I took care of business and brushed my teeth. I was suddenly super glad I was a witch because my makeup was still perfect. No raccoon eyes, no feathered lipstick. Just makeup perfection. Magic for the win!
Too bad I didn’t feel nearly as good as I looked.
I stepped back outside to find Julian on the chaise lounge, his abs on full display. He patted the edge of the chaise. “Sit.”
It was only one word, but it had a tiny quiver of lust starting in my belly.
But I wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, especially one as yummy as this, so I sat.
Then I tried not to crumble into a quivering pile of need when Julian sat a little more upright and wrapped a possessive arm around my waist.
“Tell me everything you remember about last night after I left.”
“Shouldn’t I be the one demanding answers?”
Julian just chuckled. “Of course. Ask away.”
I asked him how I got here, and he explained how he’d returned to find me passed out, my friends worried, and how he’d volunteered to watch over me, especially since all those witches were going missing.
“I assured them you would stay with me in my personal abode and not Upstairs.”
“Upstairs?”
“The private rooms.”
Julian meant the private rooms on the second floor of the club.
They had all the creature comforts, including unlimited snacks and drinks on the house.
I knew because we’d been in them once when Prax had booked a room for everyone.
Not everyone who booked a room up there did it for the hanky-panky; some just wanted a more private experience.
But we preferred the VIP booths next to the main dance floor since we were there for the music, the people, and the dancing.
“And,” he continued, tongue darting out to moisten his lips, “I promised I wouldn’t take advantage of you unless you asked for it.” A twinkle lit Julian’s purple-gray eyes.
Damn, wasn’t that pretty! I never knew his eyes were actually purple; I’d always thought it was the club lights. But then again, he was an incubus, and therefore a demon, and demons could make themselves look any way they wanted. Prax demonstrated it often enough.
And if I had any doubts about his story, it was gone now. That was something my friends would totally make him promise. Even passed out, they were trying to get me laid, should I want it. That was what good friends were for.
I was suddenly very aware of his closeness and the fact that he had an arm wrapped around my waist, fingertips brushing lightly against my outer thigh. A thrill ran through me.
I wanted to say, “Hell yes! I’m asking for it,” but instead, I told him everything I remembered from last night.
He listened intently, then asked, “And how do you feel now?”
I closed my eyes and listened to my body. “That feeling of external magic that had affected me last night is gone. But I feel massively hungover now. Like I had way more than those three drinks.”
“Two and a half. You never finished the third one.” He was frowning now, his fingers stilling on my leg. “I took it in for testing in case there was anything in it.”
“Oh, thank you.”
A chime went off.
“There’s breakfast. I ordered from the diner across the street. Let’s get you fed, and see if some bacon won’t help that hangover.”
“Did you say bacon? Hell, yes. I’m in.”
We made our way to the kitchen, and I spotted my purse sitting on the table.
As Julian headed downstairs to grab the food order, I took the moment to shoot off a message to the girls through our group chat, letting them know I was still alive and well.
Then, because I knew them and their filthy minds, I added: No, I didn’t get laid. Yet. Working on it.
Julian came back with breakfast, which consisted of pancakes, eggs, and enough bacon to feed a small army.
I was halfway through devouring my stack of butter and syrup-smothered pancakes when my phone rang.
The ringtone was one I’d assigned to either my job or my landlord, and since the job was currently nonexistent, that left one option.
I dug the phone out of my purse, already bracing for bad news.
“Lily?” The voice was tight, worried. “It’s Mr. Kim.”
Why was my landlord calling?
“Hi, Mr. Kim. What’s going on?”
He let out a shaky breath. “I’m so relieved you’re okay. Someone broke in. Must’ve happened after you left for work this morning.”
I blinked. “Broke in? To my place?” Technically, I hadn’t left for work on account of the fact that I didn’t have one anymore, but now wasn’t the time to clarify.
Julian looked up from his plate, eyes sharp. I met his gaze.
“They kicked in the door,” Mr. Kim continued. “Your neighbor saw them and called the cops. We don’t know what they were after, but they cleared out before the police arrived. Your place is trashed.”
Julian mouthed, I’ll drive you.
I nodded. “Okay. I’m coming now.”
I hung up and dropped my phone into my purse, appetite gone.
Julian was already moving. I watched in fascination as he molded his soulstuff, the thing all demons were made of.
His horns disappeared, and his face became more human.
When he was done, he stood there, looking sexy as hell in a perfectly tailored jacket.
Damn! I’d never seen him like this before.
It didn’t look stuffy either, it looked smart and just this side of casual. The shirt with the top buttons undone, sans tie, added to the casual vibe.
I looked down at my way-too-short, slinky silver dress. He’d worked his demon magic, and now it was my turn.
Wrinkling my nose, I concentrated my magic on the dress, my gaze on my reflection in the full-length hallway mirror.
My dress turned from sparkling silver to matte gray and elongated to just above my knees.
I looked around for something to turn into a cardigan and spotted a throw tossed over his couch.
“Can I borrow this?” I asked, picking it up and marveling at how freakin’ soft it was. What the hell was this made out of? Trapped chinchilla souls?
“Sure,” he said, interest piqued.
I tossed the throw over my shoulder and worked my magic again, glad I’d already shoveled so much of the breakfast down the hatch.
Magic was hungry work. The throw shrank, molding around my body until it was the world’s softest, most comfortable cardigan.
I toned my magical makeup down several notches.
I took one more look in the mirror. Good, it looked like I could’ve come straight from work. “I’m not sure I want my landlord to know I’m out of a job just yet. I have the funds, but he doesn’t know that.”
“Gotcha. Smart. Let’s go.”
As I followed Julian down the stairs and into an indoor garage I hadn’t known was attached to the club, reality started to filter in. Someone had kicked in my door. They hadn’t jimmied the lock or snuck in through a window. Okay, so I was on the second floor, but still. They’d kicked in my door!
What the hell were they after? I didn’t have anything of value, so that could only mean they were looking for me.
Call it intuition, but I knew without a doubt that this was related to the spell that had knocked me out last night. Had Julian and my friends thwarted a kidnapping attempt last night? After failing to capture me, did the culprit visit my house, hoping to find me there alone and vulnerable?
Julian must’ve sensed my worry because a warm hand landed on my shoulder as he steered me away from a motorcycle and toward a stealthy-looking gray Audi RS7 with tinted windows and black leather seats.
I looked up into those gorgeous violet eyes.
“You’re safe as long as you’re with me, Lily.”
Safe was relative, but I’d take it. Especially if it came with pancakes, bacon, and those perfect abs.
But whatever was waiting for me at home, I was glad to know I wasn’t facing it alone.