to stay far from Jane.
We had unfinished business. Hence why, the moment my sister left, I hunted down the guy with the locket.
He didn’t prove hard to find. Desmond, some kind of lord who claimed he came from an alternate Ha’el dimension, was mourning the loss of his one true love. She’d betrayed him. Been a traitor to his country. Blah. Blah. Blah.
The story had a bevy of women enthralled. Luckily, Jane was not one of them. Jinjur, on the other hand, stared at him raptly.
I sidled close to my sister. “He’s not that great.” I summed him up, noticing I not only had a few inches on Desmond but that I possessed much better hair.
“It’s so tragic. His fiancée was forsaken for her crimes. He can’t even speak her name. It’s forbidden.”
“So he claims.” I eyed the handsome fellow with mistrust. Was this the same guy Jellia claimed had caught the locket? He’d dressed in a casual suit, which meant light linen jacket over a thin dress shirt and slacks. It also meant a number of pockets that could hide the necklace.
“I really should introduce cousin Mara to him,” Jinjur mused aloud.
“I thought you hated Mara.” Theirs was a rivalry that put holes in the walls.
“I do. Which is why she’s perfect. He’ll date her—not for long because she’s the rebound girl—then I’ll swoop in to console him. And not feel any guilt that I rescued him from that twat-waffle.”
The worst part about her scheme? “That is actually quite a sound plan, but you’re forgetting something.”
“What?”
“His ex-girlfriend isn’t dead. Which means, she’s a temptation. I’d be careful if I were you.”
“Good point. Maybe we should find out where she lives and make sure she moves on.”
I didn’t ask Jinjur to elucidate her meaning, mostly because I didn’t want to know if it meant pushing this mystery lady down a set of stairs or simply ensuring that she was fucking someone else.
“You know who might know more about this dude and his ex? Nosy Aunt—”
“Rosy!” Jinjur exclaimed. “I’m going to find her.”
With my sister gone, I could now move in on the Romeo.
“Psst,” I hissed, trying to distract him from the succubus falling out of her bikini currently offering him a soothing massage.
“What?” Desmond glanced over at me.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Do we know each other?”
“We do now. Ozmodeus Alexopolous.” I held out a hand, and the other man shook it. Firmly. I could feel the strength in him. See the command in his bearing. Good clothes meant possible wealth. All his teeth. I liked him less and less.
“You’re a shapeshifter.”
“Yup. And you’re…” I frowned as I sniffed him. A hint of brimstone and heat. Ashy, smoky heat. But not a demon.
Desmond smirked. “I’m a dark lord. I rule over the demons in Ha’el. And in my world, your kind are nothing but pets.” The arrogant smile almost met my fist.
“Did you catch something earlier? Maybe a locket?” I boldly asked. Might as well find out before I tossed his pompous ass overboard.
“You mean this?” It dangled from his fist, and he offered me a cold, tight smile. “It’s spelled, you know.”
“But do you know what kind of spell?” I paused for effect. “A love spell.”
“Despite knowing that, you’re here trying to get your paws on it. One wonders why,” Desmond mused aloud.
“The witch it’s keyed to wants it back.”
“And sent you to get it. That’s wise. Because what if we were to be smitten with one another? A dark lord and a witch. It could work. Might fix what ails me…” The words trailed off.
Since Desmond wasn’t handing the necklace over, I lost patience. I blamed my disbelief and slight panic as the guy appeared to contemplate keeping and using the locket.
That couldn’t happen. Wouldn’t happen. I refused.
“Hand it over, and no one has to get hurt.” Some might call it a threat. I thought of it more as fair warning.
“Do you really think you can take me?” Desmond moved into my space, almost nose-to-nose. But I remained taller. Wider.
I snarled.
He snarled right back.
And then Jinjur was there between us, growling. “Don’t you look at my brother like that. Future husband or not, I won’t tolerate it.”
To his credit, Desmond didn’t snap at my sister or lay a hand on her, which made my next move a tad dirty.
“Hey, Jinny, he’s got a love locket on him that’s gonna choose him a wife.” I didn’t specify the fact that it was keyed to a particular woman.
Jinny