Page 84 of Devils Don’t Deal

The vampire female sighed and turned, gesturing us after her. “This way. We’re not interested in bloodshed or deals, just law and order. I take it you were justified in killing whoever you killed.”

“Justified? No, but it seemed to be the best way to move things forward more expeditiously. I could’ve taken the fairy enchantress to court for damages and so forth, but you know fairy enchantresses in courts. It’s always a bit humiliating for the court.”

She made a face. “You killed a fairy enchantress? Are you sure she’s dead?”

“Ripped and burned, other than half her soul,” he said, gesturing at my rabbit. “But we’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Good,” she said, shivering. “Fairy enchantress, like an enchantress isn’t bad enough. Here we are.” We’d reached an office with a frosted glass partition on the top with Judge McCoy printed in gold letters, looking very official.

She knocked then stood to the side for us to walk through. Well, the devil would walk because he was still carrying me. He turned the knob with his tail then ducked through the door with me, careful not to bump my head or feet.

Inside, he stopped abruptly while the door closed behind us with a dull thud. I stared at the man sitting behind the desk. A gargoyle in full stone, and to his right stood the Grand Sorcerer in a robe made out of infinite darkness and the emptiness between stars. She looked much more like death than the mob without her hat.

“Anna, you look very epic Grand Sorcerer like that,” I said, nodding my approval.

She gave me a short smile, but didn’t say anything, and returned her attention to the devil.

The gargoyle cleared his throat. “You’re here to marry the fairy-goblin?”

“Her name is Kesty Charles. She’s not an object.”

I almost rolled my eyes at the devil, who’d treated me more like an object than anyone, but instead I smiled brightly at the gargoyle like everything was lovely and I didn’t realize that this creature and the Grand Sorcerer were a real threat to my devil.

The gargoyle smiled, showing terrifying fangs, his stone face a mask of horrific proportions. “And what do you intend to do with her blood?”

Ah. My blood could conquer worlds. So I guess it was a big deal, or gargoyles wouldn’t be involved. Or the Grand Sorcerer.

“Her blood is mine,” the devil said smoothly. “As is the rest of her, and I am hers, heart, body, and half-soul. No other creature will taste her blood.”

“What are you going to do with her blood?” the gargoyle said, glowering somehow even more dangerously.

Ah, that had been an evasion. Such a tricky devil, but the gargoyle knew how to deal with devils. Also probably how to destroy them.

The devil sighed heavily. “I will taste it from time to time, but her life is more precious to me than her blood. I will protect her life, her blood, her soul, and her heart with all my capacity and ability.”

“You swear it?” the gargoyle growled.

The devil sighed heavily and raised a hand in the traditional oath position. “I swear on all I hold dear.”

“And what do you hold dear?”

The devil smiled, showing fangs. “My wife. Won’t that do? You are the law. You can sign a paper and make it official. I have to tuck her into bed.”

The gargoyle glowered at him for another beat then focused on me for the first time. “Do you wish to marry this creature?”

“He’s not a creature. He has a heart and a half-soul. If he doesn’t mind, I’d like to keep him.” I looked at my handsome devil, feeling shy.

He smiled at me with those dangerously flirty eyes. “I will mind you at least some of the time. But no, I’d like to be kept if you’re the keeper.”

I beamed at him while happiness roared through me, more powerful than a wildfire. “Thank you.”

“By the power invested in me by the Grey Society, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

I gasped at the suddenness of it, but the devil only smiled and brushed my lips with his.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, so sweet, so heavenly, so absolutely perfect until fire rushed through me, fire and aching need that left me holding on as tightly as I could.

“Woo! Yeah! Get it, girl!” The Grand Sorcerer’s catcalls broke through the kiss.