cleared her throat and recited her vows. As she finished—“This I promise until the end of time”—her throne appeared fully.
Engravings marked the back of it. She skimmed some of the Demonish words: Mistress of this castle, lady of flames, dark queen of this land.
Fate had always wanted her to be a queen.
Memories of hard-won political lessons from her childhood surfaced. Here she would be hated by a united populace—just because of her species. She’d probably have more than Rune to worry about.
“I’m to kiss you now,” Abyssian said, leaning down.
She averted her face.
He didn’t complain, just pulled her against his body and grazed his lips over her cheek.
There. They’d done it.
Her ears twitched when hounds howled from the brush. Lightning flared outside, and volcanoes rumbled.
The dimension seemed to go askew. Her skin grew even more hypersensitive; chills raced over it.
In those lightning bursts, Abyssian’s features appeared more demonic. Something was happening here—much more than a wedding.
Yet he didn’t behave as if anything was different.
Lila sensed that hell was happy about the marriage. She felt as if this realm was . . . welcoming her.
Crazy, right?
She’d been so busy concentrating on her new groom that she hadn’t given much thought to the other aspects of this union. She would be making her home in a land that was as fierce as it was mystical.
For an eternity of eternities.
He drew back. “You are now Queen Calliope the first, of Pandemonia and All Hells.” Thunder boomed, and the castle quaked.
Too much to process. I turned immortal. I got off with a demon. Did I really just get hitched to a M?ri?r? How could someone like me be the queen of hell? Don’t have anyone I can talk to about this.
Unlike Persephone, Lila would live in hell permanently. Which meant she needed to figure this realm—and her new husband—the fuck out.
Fast.
He traced them back to his bedroom. What would happen now? He waved his hand, and that familiar gold band appeared between two of his fingers. “I want you to wear this. I exchanged the confinement spell for contraception.”
“Whatever.” She snatched the ring and shoved it on. With that consideration taken care of, would he just toss her on the bed and do it? A shiver of dread coursed up her spine. “Now what?”
“You and I will take a bath.”
“I figure I can stumble my way through one on my own.”
“Alas, I cannot,” he said with a smirk she longed to slap off his face. “In this realm, a wife is expected to wash her husband.”
He took her elbow and guided her down a hallway toward a golden door that opened automatically for them.
Inside, steam wafted from a full copper bathtub the size of a small pool. Positioned atop a raised stone platform, the tub had submerged benches. Hell’s hot tub. A few glass containers of bath oils and salts lined the dais.
A large modern shower took up the opposite side of the room. Lava flowed down one wall like an indoor water feature, heating the area and providing light. A stack of towels was at the ready, and an elegant silk robe hung beside the tub.
The demon stood before her and stroked the backs of his claws over her cheek. “You may undress now.”
Sian enjoyed watching her choke back a thousand retorts. Nettling his mate was becoming his favorite pastime.
Her behavior had fascinated him from the beginning, and now he would get to investigate new facets of her. Sooner or later her demonic temper would overwhelm her, but how much could he vex her until then?
She stepped back. “Though I thought I would be a wife, you’re ordering me around like a slave.” Looking as if she faced a firing squad, she started to unlace her bodice.
She was cooperating? He’d expected her to tell him again to get fucked. Then they would bicker. Then he would toss her in the tub.
Instead, she was about to remove her dress for him. She must love her kingdom very, very much.
Some strange emotion churned in his chest. Guilt? He so rarely felt it he couldn’t be sure.
Perhaps he could have finessed this situation more. His female was young, and she’d only get one wedding night. Yet she would have no flowers, finery, or well-wishers—just a demon she hated ordering her to strip.
Over this night, he’d been in conflict.
Whenever he softened toward her, he would remember their past.
Whenever he was harsh with her, he would grow uneasy about their future.
Eyes gone teal with fury, she said, “I