Bewitched Shadows: A Paranormal Fantasy Romance (The Wicked Belles Book 1) by Autumn Blake

Author:Autumn Blake [Blake, Autumn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-03T16:00:00+00:00

The brothels were quiet this early in the day, but demons still meandered in and out of the darkened rooms lit by heavy sconces flickering. The other males’ clothing and hair were askew as the scent and sounds of sex lingered in the air. Some demons angled their heads at me with a silent show of respect, but the majority steered clear, somehow sensing the fire percolating under my skin.

I startled when Carreau swaggered out of one of the back bedrooms. As he re-buttoned his trousers, he caught sight of me, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Killian.” He threw an arm around my shoulder and led me to the small bar area, pouring himself a tall, fizzling demon brew.

When he offered me the glass, I shook my head.

He shrugged and downed it himself in one gulp. With a contented sigh, he eased into one of the weathered leather chairs. “Didn’t think I’d see you around here with the case in Gaia. You’re so uptight, forgoing your passions in favor of hiding away like a damned monk. Good to see you giving in a little.”

My hands itched with the need to fuck or fight, but I forced them to unclench and sat across from him. “Just taking a break to clear my head. But I’m surprised to see you in the realm. I thought you preferred to remain on the mortal plane now.”

He shrugged, taking another sip of brew. “Oh, I still like to visit now and then. The creatures above can be so tedious in their moral superiority. I like to be reminded now and then of what I’m missing.”

My brow quirked. I always assumed Carreau preferred his time in Gaia—the Council seat an escape from his father. The situation was familiar. Like Satan, Gressil left a heavy shadow to fill, and Carreau had never succeeded in making his father proud.

A twinkle entered his eyes. “It’s been years since we spent time in the brothels together. Remember the busty demoness we once shared? Gods, that female was something else. It’s too bad she found her mate and left us high and dry.”

I hardly remembered the female he spoke of. My time in the brothels came at a low point when I thought loneliness and sorrow would consume me whole. Grimly, I admitted I was no better than the witch, drowning myself in fighting and strangers’ bodies to lose myself for a single night. Voice thick, I muttered, “Some would find claiming your mate a worthwhile excuse to leave this hovel.”

Carreau ran a hand through his blond locks, as if disgusted by the thought. “Please. I’d rather cut off my balls than be tied to one female for my entire life. Willem found his mate years ago, but he rejected the bond. Saved himself from a lifetime of pain and misery.”

His chatter did little to ease the tension brewing inside of me, and the mention of mate bonds had my leg shaking against the table with unease. The absolute wrongness of being here radiated through my body like a pain.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.