by L. L. Frost
Tobias strides over to join us and wraps an arm around Emil’s shoulders. Steam hisses between them, and Emil shudders but doesn’t pull away.
“Come, my friend,” Tobias says as he presses Emil’s hot chocolate into his hands and turns him toward the back door. “Let’s go outside and create ice sculptures, then let me hold you for a while.”
Emil grumbles with discontent but nods, allowing the other man to lead him toward the rising sun.
Safe beneath the heater on the deck, I watch Emil and Tobias.
An hour later, Sophia comes out with a cup of coffee. Alerting to the waking of the imps, I rush back inside to claim my shower before they take up the bathroom for hours.
When I come back down, I find Emil and Tobias casually cuddling under a blanket on my floral sofa while the flames in the fireplace rage full force.
The sight fills me with longing. I want to crawl in there with them and share in the bonding. But Emil needs Tobias more than he needs me right now.
Kellen is nowhere in sight, but I hear the pipes groaning from the stairwell that leads to his and Tobias’s rooms, alerting me to my storm demon’s location. I lean over and press a kiss to Tobias’s hot cheek and Emil’s cold one, then leave them to whatever coping methods they can use while I join my imps and Sophia in the kitchen.
Only, the imps are gone when I enter, with only Sophia remaining, hunched over a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Another plate sits on the counter beside her, covered by a metal dome.
I have no idea where the dome came from. It looks ancient, and possibly made of real silver, so likely one of the imps excavated it from Emil’s hoard in the basement. When I lift it, I find more eggs and bacon, as well as toast and hash browns.
“Fuel up,” Sophia instructs around a mouthful.
My stomach rumbles, and I settle on the stool beside her. “Where are the imps?”
“They went home to do some laundry and do imp things.” She scoops a pile of eggs onto her fork, then glances at her cell phone on the counter at her elbow. “Hurry up. Tally will be here soon.”
My brows pinch together in confusion. “Why is Tally coming here?”
Sophia lifts a piece of bacon and eyes it the same way she would a randy frat boy ready to give up all his energy for a night of fun. “We’re going shopping.”
My frown deepens. “I’m not in the mood to look at dresses. Besides, with everything going on—”
“We’re not going dress shopping,” she cuts in before snapping off the top of her bacon with her teeth. She groans and wiggles on her stool before her green eyes flash over to me. “You need to relax. There’s so much tension right now that you need something normal to focus on, even if it’s only for a couple hours.”
I don’t want to leave the guys, but there’s nothing to be done sitting here, watching Emil slowly freeze over. Maybe getting out of the house will help distract my mind enough to come up with a solution. “What are we shopping for, if it’s not for clothes?”
Sophia winks. “That’s a surprise. Now, hurry up and eat.”
Resigned to leaving the house, I grab my fork.
When Tally directs me to the back end of the shopping mall, a smile forms on my lips. There’s only one store open at this time that they could be taking me to.
Without needing further direction, I park in front of Baker’s Paradise and leap out of the driver’s seat before the others get their seatbelts off. I’ve been wanting to come here for weeks, but with how busy everything else has been, I kept putting it off, relying on online ordering to stock our shelves. But nothing beats being able to browse the new, shiny seasonal items in person.
The little bell over the door jingles as we enter, lifting my spirits in an instant. Who can focus on negativity when there are bells ringing?
The air in the store smells like spices and sugar, and I pause in front of a Christmas display to drag in a deep breath. This is exactly what I needed to clear the funk from my soul and realign my mojo. It’s been way too long since I lost myself in baking.
Grabbing a cart, I start at the first aisle, which turns out to be pans. I have more than enough of the standard kind, but the fun shapes draw me in. I spend time cooing over the present-shaped pans versus the enticing spirals that would look beautiful with colored powder sugar sprinkled over the top. Then the cookie molds catch my eye, and I wave them at Sophia, whose eyes light up with interest.
She hurries over, lifting a cookie press that comes with dozens of disks for different shapes. She points out a couple on the back of the box. “Look, there are snowflakes and trees!”
“You’ll give Jesse new shapes to decorate.” I nudge her in the side. “I bet she’d like that.”
“Oh, more shapes!” She grabs another, smaller box off the shelf to compare the designs.
I add a few new cupcake pans to my cart and leave her to venture on to the toppings aisle. There, I throw edible gold and colored sheets of frosting into my basket. It’s easy to imagine Jesse’s excitement at being able to work with edible paints to create designs that she can apply to cookies and cupcakes. With that in mind, I also add edible paints in every color, along with the edible glitter, because Iris deserves to sparkle as much as she wants to.
In another aisle, I grab chocolate-covered espresso beans for Martha, and new cleaning supplies for Kelly, because his favorite broom is starting to look a little worn.
In the next section, I find Tally studying holiday-themed tablecloths, and we choose some lovely white ones with bright holy berries around the edges.
“Should we get centerpieces?” Tally asks as she lifts a small, fake wreath.
While tempted, I shake my head. “We’d just have to move it if customers come in wanting the cupcake and tea service.”
“True.” She sets it back down and lifts a package of jeweled poinsettia with twist ties on them. “Maybe something to decorate the serving trays to make them festive?”
Nodding in agreement, I toss a couple into my cart, then add a couple packs of snowflakes, too.
When I reach the next aisle, I have to rein in my impulse to buy every sparkly toy and spinner I see. It’s been a while since I’ve needed to hide treats around the shop for the imps, but a couple here and there can’t hurt, right? And a holiday plate and cup for Vova to change up his usual offering. And a new fire-resistant dish for Torch’s food.
Before I know it, hours have passed and my shopping cart overflows with all my selections. My greedy self wanted to fill another cart, but I restrain the urge as I wheel it to the front, where the clerk’s eyes widen in surprise before she begins to ring me up.
I bite my lip and look at Sophia and Tally. “It will all fit in the car, right?”
Tally smiles. “What doesn’t fit in the trunk, we can hold on our laps. But it’s a good thing Jax finished the upstairs space, because this wouldn’t have fit in the supply room with the break area still in there.”
Sophia holds a small shopping basket of her own, and in addition to the cookie press, I spot a couple wooden spoons. When she catches me peeking, she flushes a pretty pink before lifting her chin as if to dare me to comment.
Smiling, I turn back to the cashier and my eyes bug out at the growing total. I really overdid it, and I don’t have the surplus of cash I possessed a couple days ago. I signed almost everything over to Flint for the failed attempt to reclaim Julian’s core. Some of my happiness dims at the reminder, and an answering pain twinges in my chest.
Tally pokes me in the cheek. “Hey, turn that frown upside down. This is supposed to be making you happy.”
“It is,” I rush to reassure her. “I have so many plans for new decorations to try when we get to the bakery.”
Seeing through me, she gives me a sad smile. “You must keep up hope.”
I nod jerkily, trying to reclaim the sense of peace I held a moment ago.
The bell over the door jingles, and I look over to see another early morning shopper entering the store. At the s
ight of red hair, my gut clenches before I realize the woman looks nothing like Cassandra.
Unease rolls through me, though. Without Landon around, there’s nothing to stop her from returning and taking out her wrath on the succubi and incubi who have hidden from her under his protection. There’s no one else strong enough to stand against her. Not unless we all band together to take her down.
Considering the idea, I glance at Sophia. “How many of us live here?”
Her full lips purse in consideration. “I’m not sure. A lot. Why?”
“We should have another gathering.” I pull my wallet from my pocket and surrender the last of my funds to the baking gods. “We need to talk.”
As soon as we pull into the parking lot at the bakery, I know something’s wrong. And it’s not because my imps huddle in front of their van, staring toward the shop as they chitter nervously.
No, it’s a tingling in the back of my brain, a broken warning that someone trespassed here who meant me harm.
As soon as I park the car, I jump out, calling back to Tally, “Guard the imps.”
I make it three steps across the parking lot before Sophia hyper-speeds past me in a blur of shimmering green. She reaches the bakery ahead of me, and not for the first time, I mourn the loss of my succubus powers. I’m not even sure how long it will take for me to process the large dose of ley line magic I took in so I can experiment with assigning the next influx better purpose.
Ugh, I really am like a baby succubus trying to figure out power conversion.
By the time I reach the door, Sophia blocks it with her body, her arms braced on either side.
The sympathy on her face drives panic through me. “Let me pass.”
Her lip trembles before she squares her shoulders. “Adie...”
“Let me pass!” I dart under her arm and elbow her hard in the side to make her move.
She flinches, which gives me enough room to wiggle through.
My foot slips in the hallway, and I fling an arm out to catch myself against the wall. Flour, sugar, and cocoa powder litter the floor, Sophia’s passage through the bakery a clear line down the middle.
A hand curls around my bicep. “Adie, you don’t have to look. Let us clean it up.”
“No.” Heart in my throat, I shrug out of her hold and make my way carefully toward the kitchen.
The center island lays toppled on its side, the utensils stored there scattered everywhere. Empty frosting tubes rest in a mess of colored frosting, and broken decoration dishes glitter on the floor. Pieces of the large mixer litter the kitchen, the metal twisted as if ripped apart by an angry force.
My pulse pounds as I spy a little door among the pieces, and the twisted remains of a food tray with small pellets of wood still inside.
“Torch?” My voice shakes, and I fall to my knees beside the ovens.
The door on the far left hangs by one hinge, while the others are missing completely, but my eyes focus on the dark opening on the side.
I crawl forward to peer inside. “Torch? Come on, baby, where are you?”
Holding my breath, I wait for a flicker of an answer that doesn’t come.
Glass breaks under my knees, cutting through my slacks, but I don’t even register the pain as I crawl across the floor to the crack between the ovens and wall.
“Vova?” Fear tight in my throat, I poke my fingers into the shadows. “Vova, are you there? Did you see what happened to Torch?”
The shadows remain just shadows, and I look around frantically for an offering to draw Vova out.
When all I see is destruction, I twist to shout, “I need a cupcake!”
Footsteps shuffle behind me, and a plate with a cupcake appears.
I take it without looking back and press it as close to the crack as it will go. “Vova, we have an offering. Please com—” My voice cracks, and I take a shaky breath to try again. “Please come out and take your offering.”
“Adie, give him time,” Tally whispers. “The domain he protects was destroyed. He’s scared.”
“Or he’s not here anymore,” I choke out before I twist to stare up at my friend. “What if he’s not here? Where’s Torch?”
Tears shimmer in her mahogany eyes, and she blinks quickly to banish them. “Come on. Let’s assess the rest of the damage.” Firmly, she pulls me to my feet and toward the two-way door that leads into the front of the shop.
There, we find overturned tables and broken chairs, but the glass display case somehow survived the rampage. Most of the destruction seems centered on the kitchen and, from the mess in the hall, on the pantry.
Had my ward on the display case prevented more damage out here, or did the threat of the windows detour the vandal?
“This isn’t too bad,” Tally says with forced brightness as she sets one of the tables upright. “A little rearranging to open the floor space up, and no one will know the difference.”
I stare at her in confusion before her words sink in. “You want to open? Without ovens? And while Torch and Vova are missing?”
“I have Kelly on the way to the baking shop for a new mixer, and Iris and Martha are taking supplies back to their house to get a couple batches of cupcakes going.” She pauses beside me. “This is meant to destroy you. Don’t let that happen.”
“We’ll run out of product,” I point out as I slowly move to help pick up the pieces from one of the broken chairs. “The imps only have one oven at their house.”
“We can have a limited menu for the day, discount espresso, and hand out coupons to bring them back,” she says with determination. “I’ll take some ingredients back to our house, too. We can create a relay system.”
“I can make cookies back at our house,” Sophia calls, and when we both turn to look at her, she flushes. “I mean Adie’s house. I’ll make cookies at Adie’s house. There’s plenty of ingredients there for sugar cookies, and Jesse can decorate them.”
Jesse pops up behind her and gives a firm nod, her narrow shoulders set with determination.
“Okay, but...” I look around at the tossed floor space. “What about tomorrow? And the next day? We don’t have ovens, even if we find Torch—” My throat tightens, cutting me off.
“I called a repairman,” Sophia says as she kneels in front of Jesse. “Come on, tiny tormentor, we’re running back to the house.”
“Tell Kelly to get little bags.” Jesse hops up on her back, her arms and legs wrapping around Sophia with more elasticity than a human could. “We can give small cookies away with the coupons. Give order forms, too.”
“Good idea.” Tally nods in approval. “We’ll turn today into a win for the bakery.”
Confusion sweeps through me. “Who did you call—”
But Sophia hyper-speeds out of the room before I can finish the question.
I turn a frown on Tally, who shrugs in answer.
The bakery had sat on the market for a long time due to the previous owners also being demons and the ovens set up to be powered by an ignis demon. Kellen had been too cheap to retrofit it with regular ovens. The last person to do repairs on the bakery was—
Out front, a sports car in need of a paint job pulls up to the curb, and Tobias climbs out, a tool bag in hand. When Jax exits from the passenger seat, I burst into tears.
As soon as they walk inside, Tobias drops his tool bag and gathers me into his arms, which only makes me cry harder.
“Shh.” He strokes my hair and rocks me in place. “We’ll fix this.”
“Torch,” I choke out.
He rubs his cheek against mine. “We’ll find him.”
“What if we can’t?” I tip my head back. “This was Cassandra, wasn’t it? Revenge for kicking her out of the house.” Clutching him, the fear I’ve been trying to suppress pours out, “What if she ate him?”
He wipes the tears from my face. “Torch is resilient. He’s probably out blazing up the town, again.”
We both carefully avoid looking down, where little footsteps would b
e scorched into the flooring if Torch had escaped.
Instead, I force a wobbly smile. “Yeah. He’s out catching dumpsters on fire.”
“Exactly.” He scrubs his hand over my face. “Now, stop crying so much, or I’ll start gathering all these tears and make a fortune.”
Sputtering, I swat at him, but he ignores me as he meticulously wipes away every tear. When every trace is gone, his fingers trail down my cheek, then skim along my jaw.
His caress pauses at my chin, his thumb swiping over my bottom lip. My breath catches as heat simmers in my veins. Heat simmers under his skin, his power rebuilding steadily. Instinct tells me to take it, and the bottle that hangs between my breasts pulses with encouragement.
Slow, I step back before I give into temptation.
When his eyes lift to mine, I catch his hand and squeeze it. “We need to find Victor Hesse and take him out.”
“We will,” he promises fiercely as he returns my squeeze. “We put a bounty on his head. It won’t be long.”
My eyes widen. “Please don’t say you promised favors.”
“Conditionally.” He bends to press his forehead against mine. “You’re worth a dozen favors.”
Warmth fills me, and I reach up to cup his cheeks. “I’ll give you favors in return.”
His gaze heats and a low rumble comes from him. “Conditionally?”
I rise onto my toes. “I’m open for negotiations.”
He growls softly. “Stop tempting me, little succubus. I have a kitchen to fix.”
The reminder crashes me back to reality, and I drop to my heels. “But how will you do that without—”
His fingers press over my lips. “Let me worry about that. You help pick up the front room so you’re ready to open on time.”
I shake my head. “You’re all crazy.”
“Then be crazy with us.” Booping me on the nose, he heads into the kitchen. “And no more crying. I still have the bottle I took from Flint, and I’m not afraid to use it.”