Page 57 of Speak No Evil
My lip curls. “Ew. Don’t call me that, either.”
“It’s appropriate,” Thorne explains. “When you’re in your demon form, you are granted all the rights of a full demoness. Including the title of Mistress.”
“Let’s keep it to Jade and witch, OK?”
“And Stinky.”
I sigh.
“Yes, Chonk.”
He grins at me, flashing the razor sharp daggers his new species calls teeth.
The four big round eyes on top of his head are one thing. Cute and cartoony. But a razor blade mouth?
Pass.
“Well, now we know what he is, how about everyone gets dressed and we meet in Vrahs’s office. We’ve got some things to discuss.
“Sounds good. But feel free to come as you are.” Thorne looks me up and down appreciatively. Like a tablecloth is the hottest thing he’s ever seen on an eight-foot-tall fuchsia woman.
“Knock it off, you horn dog.” I take Chonk back and leave them to get ready.
On the walk to Vrahs’s office, Emilia can’t keep her eyes off me. Hallway after same hallway, I feel the weight of her scrutiny.
“Something on your mind?” I finally ask when it grows too uncomfortable to bear.
“Oh, nothing.”
“Something. Don’t make me pull it out of you. I’m sure you won’t like my methods.”
She rolls her eyes, but there’s humor in her tone. “You’re only fooling yourself; you know that, right?”
I glare at her, not appreciating the tone or topic. “What? Shut up.”
“I won’t.”
“Chonk, make the witch stop talking.”
He looks up at me with all four eyes. “I could, but I’m curious to hear what she has to say. So I won’t.”
Emilia grins. “See. Even Chonk knows I’m right.”
“Right about what, exactly?” I ask, giving in and wishing the basilica wasn’t big enough to accommodate an intrusive conversation from a witch I don’t know.
“You let them think it doesn’t affect you. You pretend like you don’t like their attention, their praise. But we both know you do.”
I stop dead in the hallway and look her in the eyes. “Well, of course I fucking do. But I can’t let them know that, can I?”
VRAHS
I’mindifferent toward the felines of this plane.
But on seeing my demoness mate carrying an extinctduyopsthe same shade of orange as her cat into the conference room…
“Oh my. Now that is truly a feat worth celebrating, Jade.” I beckon her closer and take the creature from her arms.
I turn the creature over, examining every tentacle. “Remarkable.”