Page 27 of Claiming Demons

Of course, that only made him more furious.

I got him settled into his suite where a functionary from the conclave — I didn’t envy the poor lesser daemon who had to serve Horus — came to see to Horus’ needs, and Horus listed off his demands, calming down after that.

When I tried to leave, he called after me. “Where are you going, cousin? Are you not going to serve me?” he asked in a petulant and superior tone.

Was there a way I could appease him and still get away from him?

“Ah… yes, of course. I’m here for anything you should need, outside of conclave business, for which you have that other daemon. But you are set in the hotel, and I’ve ordered up a feast for you. However, I also have other duties I need to attend to as one of the host daemons this year.”

“Oh? Duties more important than attending to me?”

Hell, yes!“Equally as important.”

He had trouble arguing with that and I made a break for the door.

My hand was on the latch when he called, “Rumor has it you’re seeing some new goddess. Is she beautiful?”

I froze.Fuck!

I didn’t have to look to know there would be a mischievous gleam in his eyes. He just assumed that any goddess seeing another god would swoon for him as soon as she met him, and I had no clue how to answer him.

“I’m hosting a party tomorrow in one of the ballrooms,” he continued, saving me from having to respond. “You should introduce me to this goddess.”

Yeah, like hell.

His tone was very suggestive when he said, “I’d very much like to meet her.”

That wasnotgoing to happen.

But as I finally left and made my way home, a cold dread, like a massive stone, formed in my gut. Something told me this conclave was not going to go well.

ANAIS

I answeredthe knock at Grey’s penthouse door to find a man in a suit. He had well-tanned skin, like Ramsey, but he was thin and lithe. His dark hair was cropped close to his head, and he had a cocky grin as he winked an amber-colored eye at me.

“Hey there,” he said with a strange drawl. I didn’t recognize the accent. “You wouldn’t happen to be Anais Baker, the goddess who saved Queens, would you?”

“Ah… yes?” I replied before it occurred to me that perhaps I shouldn’t be telling strangers who I was. Though, my daemon sense was telling me this man was an Empyrean, so, at least I hadn’t just admitted I was indeed a goddess to a human.

“Great!” he said and pulled out an envelope. “This is for you.”

I blinked. Should I take it? I couldn’t see any reason not to.

I plucked the pristine golden paper from his hand and looked down at it. In immaculate calligraphy was written:To Anais Baker.

When I looked up, the daemon… was gone.

I blinked.

I hadn’t heard him leave. He’d just… vanished.

“What the…?”

If it wasn’t for the envelope in my hand, I might have thought I’d imagined the whole encounter.

Exceedingly curious now, I opened the envelope. Inside was thick cardstock, the type used for wedding invitations and the like. I pulled it out and read:

You are among the fortunate and favored