The Demon's Bargain (A Deal With a Demon #4)(36)
“What rumors are those?” August hedged, walking into Guillermo’s office. The place looked just as it had the last time he’d been there. The last time he’d tried to talk to her. The scar prickled on his face.
Guillermo didn’t answer; they both knew exactly why he was here. As if the duende could see August’s struggle, Guillermo went to a small cart in the corner and poured them both a drink. He pushed a tumbler of amethyst liquid toward August, who tossed it back in one gulp. His nostrils flared as he felt the searing burn of the Valle Dorado Rum, harvested from enchanted golden sugarcane. This too was something he’d missed—not just the rum but spending time with Guillermo.
“It’s true,” August finally said, voice hoarse.
“She’s going to be pissed.” Guillermo winced, sinking onto one of the velvet chairs clustered around the roaring hearth.
“The speakeasy doing all right?” He asked, avoiding the topic that had brought him here.
“You walked through that knot of people to get in,” Guillermo said with a roll of his eyes. Humans and magic folks alike loved El Hechizo, the most popular nightspot in Edinburgh. Most humans who frequented the place had no idea that hidden inside their favorite spot to party was one of the biggest gathering places for supernatural creatures in the British Isles. Many patrons in the line wrapping around the building would probably pass out if they knew. The city was overrun by magical creatures from around the world, attending the Shadow Market this weekend. August winced at the reminder of what he was doing here. This was no social call.
“Did you tell her I was here?”
He’d felt her presence the moment he stepped inside. His blood warmed in his veins at the awareness of her. Part of it was from the almost eight years they’d spent together. He’d plucked her from her home at eighteen and brought her to Scotland. He’d trained her to become a ruthless killer. They’d bled and fought together, spent years honing their connection until neither of them could have a single thought without the echo of it running through the other’s mind. They’d been bound like only a hellmouth guardian and her sentinel could be. The kind of connection that comes from knowing your life lies in your partner’s hands. Nothing in their world was more sacred, purer than that bond. But he had destroyed everything—including her—when he’d succumbed to his desire and lain with her.
“I haven’t,” Guillermo finally answered with a shrug. “I wanted to know what you wanted with her first.” August knew he wasn’t imagining the threat in the duende’s voice. Although Guillermo had remained his friend, his loyalties were with her. “Since you haven’t darkened these doors in five years, I imagined you weren’t just dropping by to shoot the shit.” The duende cringed at whatever her saw on August face and took another drink of his rum. “I don’t want trouble here, and the last time you two had a tête-à-tête, I had to completely rebuild the club’s VIP room. If I take you to her, you need to keep it together. If you hurt her or fuck with her again, I’ll kill you myself.”
August didn’t respond to the threat. Guillermo was right. His lack of self-control when it came to her was already shamefully evident in the way his scales were appearing on his arms. His fangs throbbing in his gums, eager to descend. His cocks hardening in his leather trousers at the memory of how it felt to be inside her.
“I need to go see her, Guillermo.” He always knew where she was. Her heartbeat called to his own blood. He’d let her be for as long as he could. Heeded that one request despite what it had cost him. He’d owed her at least that much, and now he’d betray her again. But he had no other choice. She was the only person who could help him stop what was happening tonight. If she refused, the biggest hellmouth on the planet would be cracked wide open. The last time that had happened, blood had flowed like rivers.
“I’ll take to you to the door,” Guillermo said, jolting August out of his thoughts. “But you might want to prepare, this is not a side of her you’ve seen.”
August heard about his former ward’s new professional endeavors. He wasn’t the type to fly into a jealous rage—not that he had a right to with her—but hoped that whatever he encountered didn’t send his demon side into a murderous frenzy.
“I know what she does for a living, Guillermo,” August said, heading to the door. He made sure his voice was steady, but the truth was that he had no idea how he’d react to seeing her again after more than five years. He had no say on how she made a life for herself after they’d turned her into a killer. He didn’t have it in him to judge her.
“Did you hear what she named it?” The duende was smiling so widely, his pointy molars were visible.
“I heard,” August growled. His former pupil—who at one time had been ignorant in everything pertaining to carnal pleasures, to whom he’d had to explain what fellatio and cunnilingus were—was now the proprietress and operator of a travelling monster bacchanalia that she’d irreverently named the Monster Smash. From what he’d gathered, she’d collected a motley crew of sex workers and performers who, for exorbitant prices, entertained supernatural beings. Demons, monsters, gorgons, trolls—all were welcome at her sex-fueled soirees.
“You would not believe the money she makes in a night.” Guillermo whistled as they left his offices through a hidden passageway in a bookcase and descended a set of stairs behind the dance floor.