The Wicked Beasts That Roam

Chapter 24

A little bit of rosemary oil and a couple of frog legs should do the trick. Marsey dropped a handful of frog legs into the giant black pot that set over a roasting fireplace in the warehouse's cold kitchen.

She wiped her hands off on her short, violet nighty. Mm, this was going to be perfect—she could already taste it. She picked up the wooden ladle and started stirring the goop inside the pot.

“What spell are you cookin' now?” Lucifer's voice boomed behind her.

Turning halfway around, she arched a brow at the man who stood in the middle of the room, wearing a pair of brand-named jeans and a white t-shirt. “What are you talking about? This is my soup.”

Frog legs were the best thing ever invented before fried chicken came along. Add a little bit of rosemary into the pot with some fungi and she had herself a meal.

Lucy gave her a disgusted look as he hopped onto the granite kitchen counter. “Well, that's unpleasant.”

“It’s been a few days. I was beginning to wonder if you backed out on me,” Marsey said, giving her full attention back to her slimy puke-green soup.

He put a hand to where his heart should’ve been. “Never.”

She lifted the ladle out of the pot and let the clumpy pieces fall off the giant spoon and back into the mess of what she called soup.

Clearing his throat, Lucy sounded as if he was trying not to gag. “I’ve been holding back a secret from you.”

“Hmm, really?” She stayed focused on stirring her soup.

“The problem is I don’t know if you can keep your mouth shut about it.”

“Is it that big of a deal?”

His smile dropped and she noticed the atmosphere in the room change. “Yes, it is. And if you don’t keep your goddamn mouth shut, all my plans go down the shitter.”

“Cross my heart—hope to die, blah, blah, blah, needle in my eye,” she said, waving her hand at him.

As if someone would potentially hear, Lucifer looked around before hopping off the counter and walking over to her. He bent down on one knee and had the audacity to cup a hand to her ear and whisper the biggest scandal she’d ever heard. Her eyes instantly widened, and her lips curled like a Cheshire cat’s.

“Well, well, well . . .” She eyed him as he stood. “What’s that little secret have to do with your plan?”

He backed away with a smirk. “Now that—I’m not telling you.” Leaning lazily against the counter, he played with a jar of pig eyes. “I’ve grown impatient though. I told him five days—it’s been two. If he hasn’t done it yet, he’s not going to.” He tapped the thick glass. “He’s gonna be in for a surprise today.”

“Doubt it.” Marsey snorted. “When have you ever been a man of your word?”

 * * *

            Damian’s whole body braced for rejection, for Jade to bolt right back up the trail, and he wasn't going to stop her. He would gladly let his little sheep go, no matter how much it'd hurt.

The inside of his mouth bled as he chewed his cheek. He’d been doing that a lot now. So much that he had a permanent scar from it. Jade scowled and scanned the river. Any second now, she would make a run for it, leaving him to hate himself and the monster that lived inside him. His eyes hardened as she finally faced him. His hand convulsed, craving to reach out and grab her before she could take off.

“That’s it?” she asked, tilting her head. “That’s what you’ve been worried about telling me?”

His muscles loosened up just a bit. “It’s not something most women wanna hear.”