Chapter 40
Coleson Castle was…chaos. Oh, hell. He should never have come in here.
Daniel had spent the last two days making sure to avoid his hostesses as much as possible, after catching Hope in almost nothing. They had all been worried about Heather, and he hadn’t wanted to cause them any trouble.
He hadn’t had a single opportunity to question any of them or spy or any other bullshit the governor’s brother-in-law had requested. He’d been concentrating on…survival.
His best course of action had been retreat—and sleep. But now…he could almost swear the woman in front of him was…purring.
She sent him a look from dark eyes that no man on earth would ever have the power to resist. “Daniel…dear…you look a bit perturbed right now. A little flushed, even. Should we be concerned?”
She put one little hand on his forehead. Damn, she was…soft. Very soft. Very beautiful. This one was dangerous. Hell, she was almost caressing him.
“I…I am fine.”
“Well, that is good. I understand you had a lot of visitors today?” She had to know what she was doing to him right now. He didn’t believe this Coleson’s innocent act for one moment. Not with the things that would come out of her mouth when no one expected it.
Some had shocked him to his core. This woman was a demon, pure and simple.
This one had a more knowing expression than some of her witch sisters, too.
Even if she had that whole cotton candy wouldn’t melt in her mouth kind of thing going on.
He suspected it was just an act. She looked as sweet as the governor’s wife, but this sister of hers…
no. This one was pure witch through and through.
This one was as diabolical as Heather in her own way.
Of course she was—she’d learned from the best.
“A…few. From the TSP. Marshall and MacNamara…” They’d been by to check on him and to give him updates on what had happened. To make sure he hadn’t lost his sanity, well…no.
He had lost it. Probably the moment Samia had turned into the driveway that day.
“Oh, such pretty, pretty men. I have met them both before, of course. Enough to give a woman the shivers.” Which…
she shivered. Right in front of him. Things moved.
Hell, she didn’t have big enough things for them to be able to move, but he swore…
they did. That little top was pushing her chest up and…
there was a fine sheen of moisture covering her skin.
Right across her chest. A man just had to look, to imagine what had gotten her that… flushed.
This woman was designed by a ruthless all powerful asshole god to taunt men like him completely.
“What…were you doing out there?” She’d come in through the back door, off the kitchen. It seemed like ninety-nine percent of the three million Colesons that lived in the place used that back door. It was open to every friend the Colesons had. He suspected they didn’t even lock it half the time.
He was surprised Heather hadn’t put a stop to that. Considering.
The front entrance was next to a parlor, very formal.
The Colesons didn’t use it much at all. They spent most of their time sprawled around in the largest room in the house, the music room.
It was one of the most welcoming rooms he had ever been in.
It just seemed like everyone relaxed the moment they were in there.
And the family spent as much time together there as they possibly could.
Someone was always playing an old piano—from Bonnie playing Beethoven all the way down to Heather’s little girl pecking out Mary Had a Little Lamb and clapping and squealing with pride.
It had a very similar floor plan to the place Daniel had grown up—but it felt far different.
That monstrosity had been designer perfect—it had even been featured in home style magazines twenty years ago.
But it had been so sterile and cold, he couldn’t wait to get out.
He’d stepped foot in it twice since his high school graduation.
He had no intention of going back there again.
The Coleson Castle felt like a home.
And he was there to spy on them where they were the most vulnerable. The coconut cream pie he’d just eaten felt a little soured then. No matter what game they were playing with him now, they deserved better than that.
“Oh, we’re finishing up that little surprise for Auntie Heather, dear.
For when she comes home.” Her words broke a little.
Heather was in and out of consciousness right now, but word had come earlier that her fever was lower than it had been.
It just kept coming and going as she fought the infection.
“What is it?”
“A dance studio, of course. You should see her dance, Commander Butthead. She is beyond beautiful when she dances.” Just like that, the demon fairy in front of him began to sway.
He recognized enough to know this monster had had some ballet training.
And was probably very, very flexible. He could imagine…
things. “She taught us all, you understand. She was going to go to Juilliard. Until…Gramma Kem and Grandpa…well…you know the story. He had the plane tickets to take her to the audition, you know. But…after…she stayed home. Because there just wasn’t any money, no matter what the rumors said.
She stayed home, gave up her dreams—and took care of the rest of us.
The least we can do is take care of her in return now. ”
Cashlyn just danced around him. She trailed her hand across his chest. Tempting him. Taunting him. She pirouetted away. He studied her back for a moment. There, right above the waistband of her far-too low, far too tight pants, was some sort of tattoo.
He looked closer. No bigger than a half-dollar, a dark black horse rearing, but…without rear feet or something. Odd choice. “Your…tattoo. What is it?”
The demon fairy stopped her dancing, and twisted, as if she was looking for herself. Oh hell, she was flexible. “It’s my pooka, darling. A pooka. It seemed to fit.”
“What exactly is a pooka?”
“A changeling or a shapeshifter, of course. One who makes mischief. He prefers the body of a black horse, you know.” She shot him a wicked grin.
This Coleson could be very wicked, he suspected.
“It just…seemed to fit. I’ve named my little pooka Pookie, of course.
He was a twenty-first birthday present to myself. ”
She just danced away—far too suggestively for his peace of mind.
Daniel just stayed absolutely still and watched her.
Reminding himself that he was far too old for this demon, and not nearly half brave enough to even try.
She was one of the hottest women alive. And the monster knew it too.
But this woman was one of the strangest of the lot of them. He had yet to figure her out.
A pooka—he could see where that fit as her spirit animal.
That woman was dangerous.
He pitied the man who eventually captured that one.
But it would be a hell of a way to go.
Daniel was starting to get the feeling they were up to something where he was concerned. He just couldn’t put his finger on what.