Page 129 of Enchanting Her Monsters
Jade pouts, but then gives him a wink. “I’ll send you a Happy Yule card with hellhounds dressed up as reindeer on it.”
Darius chuffs at her, then disappears.
We portal to a few places before Erwald turns to Jade and places his hands on her shoulders. “I want to tell you how proud I am of you. I’ve loved you all these years. I wish I made different choices so I could have been part of your life. Whatever happens when we go to hell, I will do everything in my power to get you out safely, but do not let them know about your unique powers.”
“Um, I don’t know what to say, but thank you for helping me with Galiana.” She bites her lip, then regains her strength. “And I hope I get to know you in the future, if you’re interested in that.Ifwe get through this next hurdle.”
“Of course, it will be my honor to do so.”
With that out of the way, Erwald shifts to his demon appearance and Jade sucks in a breath, taking in his revealed horns. Overall, he looks the same as his human glamour, and his eyes are still an unusual green that now contrasts with his red skin, which is a lighter shade than mine.
He opens a portal to hell. My pack surrounds Jade, giving her soft kisses on her head, shoulders, and cheeks.
I step in front of her and give her a searing kiss on the mouth. “No matter what you hear about me in there, know that I love you.”
Her eyes widen, and her mouth parts to ask me what I mean, but I grasp her hand and pull her through right after Erwald.
The rest of my pack follows, and we find ourselves in an elegant hall reserved for the high lords of hell. The air is warm with a lingering scent of smoke. The polished walls and floors are carved from black obsidian that shines like glass.
The circular royal meeting chamber is just over one hundred feet in diameter, with large pillars keeping the ceiling of heavy rock from crashing onto us. It’s made this way to discourage battles since everyone would be crushed under the weight if they broke.
Well, maybe not Flint if he shifted. But his special gift with rock manipulation doesn’t extend into hell and it definitely doesn’t work in this room.
Seven dark lords sit on gilded thrones in front of us. Each of them rules their regions of hell with a brutal and ruthless hand. Yet, they like to appear as they are above their base, primal instincts and play aristocrats and kings. Their power is waning just as it is in the other known realms. This farce of ruling with civility is their attempt at control, but we’re counting on them to play into it today… for Jade’s sake.
Their dark eyes are locked on to my mate. I can practically see the drool from their lustful thoughts as they trail their gaze over her curves. I’m tempted to rip out their eyes for daring to looking at what is mine.
Lord Muldon, the menacing male in the center, makes my stomach turn, because it all hinges on him. I fear he will punish Jade to make me pay for our personal connection. My very existence offends him now.
“High lords, I am here to respond to your summons for myself and myprogeny.” Erwald bows his head, but it isn’t deep or long.
Interesting that he didn’t use the usual demon descriptorspawnbut used the term ‘progeny’ as if to claim her in a more significant way—as his replacement or mentee.
“Come closer.” The high lord waves Jade to step forward.
Both Erwald and I stay at her side as we stop ten feet from the lords.
He studies her for a long moment, then slides his gaze over to me. “This cannot be my long-lost Maxumus showing his traitorous horns here?”
I clench my jaw but nod. “Muldon,” I say, insulting him by not using his honorific.
“You’ve finally taken a mate, then?” He smirks like he’s a cat that’s caught the last canary. “When I last saw you, you were telling me to shove the throne up my ass and that you’d never suffer a needy mate.”
“Yes, well, apparently, I didn’t know the bliss of finding my mate match who perfectly fit with mychosenfamily.”
Muldon’s eyes dart up to take in the rest of our party. “Quite a menagerie you have collected. Were you trying to befriend every possible tragic and obscure species?”
I shrug off his insult. “Seems fitting I should find acceptance with them since I never fit in amongst those in hell.”
“No, you did not,” he says with a weary sigh. “At least your brother proved to be a proper demon.”
“Don’t rub it in,” I growl. “I didn’t plan on being the white sheep of the family.”
Jade snaps her gaze at me, her brow crinkling in confusion, and then perhaps she’s figured out my secret. “Are you two related?”
I press my lips flat, but Muldon speaks before I can confirm. “Jadeana of Erwald, you were raised as a human. Is that correct?”
“Uh, yes,” she says with surprise at the topic change.
