The Call of Monsters (My Beautiful Monsters #3) - J.B. Trepagnier Page 0,88
measurements.
Every outfit his tailor made fit like a glove and fit their personalities. Pavlina had a black leather corset and A-line skirt that made her lithe body look even more impressive. Kimon was wearing these buttery soft brown trousers that had laces all down the side and gave me an ample view of his muscular thighs. Barbatos hadn’t provided him with a shirt either. Demos looked like a flame-haired prince, just like he expected to be treated. Tryphon had a robe similar to what he wore in the Underworld, but this one was purple and blue, and it showed more of his legs and chest.
“You all look fucking amazing,” I growled.
Kimon pulled me to his chest.
“That dress is doing wicked things to my thoughts, baby bird.”
We heard a knock on the door, and then it just flung open. Solron strolled in and grinned at us.
“Welcome to Hell, bitches. You’re needed downstairs.”
“Have I told you how much I love you, Solron?” I asked.
“You’ll finally get to meet Bael. He wants to meet all of you. He’s very curious about you, River. We all are. If your mother was human, you should be too.”
I gulped.
“I’m not going to end up in his dungeon getting dissected, am I?”
Solron laughed like she hadn’t spent a lot of time setting the scene it was totally possible for that to happen here.
“Nonsense. Charley and Finn are here. Why would we cut you up when we have perfectly good witches at our disposal? Right, this way.”
I was nervous about meeting the King of Hell. I was petrified when Solron threw these ornate doors open to a ballroom, and I realized Barbatos had thrown a party. I wasn’t just meeting one King of Hell. There was supposed to be seven of them. I think every single king and every duke was here. I could see Amduscias doting on Serafina on a sofa while she rested her feet.
Every single eye was on us, and you could hear a pin drop. Oh, shit. Had we already offended them? The crowd parted, and Barbatos strolled up to us. He kissed me on the cheek and raised a glass of wine to the masses.
“My missing daughter and her mates! River brought us alliances with the Underworld and Olympus!”
He said that so proudly like I had done anything more than getting kidnapped and going with the flow. Barbatos was the one that negotiated everything and brought an army. Sure, I was the one that stabbed Demeter, but I mostly shot my mouth off and got lucky in all of this.
The entire fucking room started clapping, and I just wanted to sink into the floor and die from embarrassment. I guess you were never too old for the dad you just met to embarrass you.
An enormous man with a mane of golden hair stepped forward and kissed my hand. Based on Solron’s adoring looks, this was Bael.
“You’re such a miracle,” Bael said. “You shouldn’t be as powerful as Barbatos brags about. You should be completely human. Would you be opposed to a witch doing a lineage spell on you to find out how this is possible? It would mean I could allow more demons their requests to go topside if their offspring could inherit their powers.”
“Can the witch be Charley? I know her.”
I had no idea what a lineage spell was, but I had to admit I was curious. None of this would be happening right now if I hadn’t inherited all this from my father. I didn’t regret a single thing, but I had to admit I was curious. I wish this didn’t have to happen in front of all of Hell royalty, but I was going to take one for the team if it meant more demons could travel.
Charley and Finn came forward, holding hands.
“I knew I’d eventually be doing this spell on you.”
“Does it hurt?”
I was still remembered the last time I got hit with magic. I ended up with a black eye and a busted lip. I’d seen Charley fling something at Ares that made his entire body break out into bleeding sores. Could she do this without maiming me?
“I’ll need some of your blood.”
Of course, she did. It had to involve my blood.
Another witch stepped forward, holding a chalice and a dagger. Where did she get that? They both looked like they were involved in ancient rituals. Did she just cart that around with her to parties just in case? Barbatos saw the look on my face.