Love Charms (106 page)

Chapter
Thirteen

Finding Francisco proved easy. He sent
another imp to guide her. The repulsive, green skinned creature insisted she
put on an amulet that checked to make sure she was alone, puny magic that she
batted aside with ease.

Grinning at the creature for hire, she
said. “It’s just little ol’ me. Take me to your employer.”

The route took them in meandering circles
that made her want to shake the imp with impatience. As if such a feeble ply
would stop a dedicated tracker. How little Francisco knew.

Arriving hours later at the vacant
warehouse on the mortal side, she almost laughed at the classic setting. Did
all nefarious deeds have to happen at night in remote areas? Although, given
what she wanted to do after the rescue, it would suit her purpose because failure
just wasn’t an option. She would save Remy. She would send Francisco and his
mother back to Hell. And then, she’d do the most dangerous thing of all; she’d
give Remy her trust.

A familiar hag greeted her at the door,
Luysa, still wearing her medieval garb consisting of a lace mantilla and black
dress. But Ysabel didn’t have time to waste with the bitter woman.

“So the slut shows herself. Go tell my
son,” the matron ordered the imp.

Ysabel chanted a few words and flicked
her hand. Encasing the imp in a bubble before it could raise an alarm, she
smiled at Luysa’s shocked face.

“You’re not supposed to be able to do
that. The contract says,” the matron sputtered.

Ysabel smiled slowly. “The thing is,
someone else took over the terms. Surprise!”

“Franci – ”

Ysabel quickly spun a second spell and
slapped a cone of silence around Luysa before she could finish her shout.

“Normally, I would stay and torture you
myself,” she said. “But, I have a demon to rescue. Oh, Jallayna!” Out of the
shadows behind her, cloaked by magic for their trek, Remy’s mother appeared.

“Is she the one who likes to play with
fire?” she asked, regarding Luysa with slitted, yellow eyes.

“Yup. She’s also the one who’s trying to
make you lose your bet by keeping Remy and I apart.”

Tsking as she approached, Jallayna’s eyes
lit up with a violent madness that Ysabel found endearing. Now here was a
mother in law she could grow to love.

“No one messes with my baby boy.”

Mouth open in an inaudible scream, Luysa
turned to run, but couldn’t escape a mother bent on punishment.

Ysabel waggled her fingers goodbye as
Jallayna stalked past her with her prize. “Just remember to bring her back to
the prison before lunchtime so Remy doesn’t have to barbecue again.”

An insane giggle was the reply as
Jallayna, with Luysa tucked under one arm, bounded away back in the direction
of the portal.

One damned soul down, there was just one
to go.

Taking a deep breath, Ysabel marched into
the forlorn building.
Time to rescue my demon.

* * *

Being almost human sucked a big hairy
one. How did they stand it, Remy wondered as he tugged at the rope binding his
wrists? Rope, of all things, holding a demon of his caliber captive. Well, for
at least the next couple of minutes. He’d almost undone the knot that bound
him.

I should have read the fine print.
Eager to spare Ysabel the pain of her
curse, he’d not actually done more than skim the document Lucifer wrote up. He
signed his name in blood and congratulated himself on doing the most romantic
thing ever. But, it seemed he’d not just gotten the whole set-on-fire daily
problem, he’d also inherited the whole, weak like a human schmuck when around
the souls involved in the curse.

Not that it would matter in the end. Even
if his demon powers were dulled down, and he only had his regular strength and
wits to aid him, Remy still intended to prevail. Actually, he couldn’t wait to
have his fist meet Francisco’s smirk.

His annoyance with the other male owed
very little to his ignoble capture of Remy after he left his mother’s house,
lost in thought. A stupid victim of an ambush of a dozen bribed demons –
who would so get their asses handed to them when he got back to hell. So what
if they carried a grudge because he’d kind of slept with all their girlfriend’s
in the past? It wasn’t his fault they couldn’t satisfy their ladies.

But it wasn’t all those things that made
him angry. Oh no, he’d finally confronted the dark haired asshole with the
pretty face who not only touched his witch in the past, he’d also dared to hurt
her.
He hurt my Ysabel.
And that was not something he could tolerate.
I
will avenge my witch.

Speaking of whom, Ysabel had to wonder
where he’d disappeared to. Did she believe he’d abandoned her after getting her
to admit she loved him? Fuck. He hoped not. He’d fought hard for that
declaration. Nothing and no one better ruin it.

“Still tied up I see,” said Francisco
sauntering into view with a sneer. “So much for your reputation as a big bad
demon. I have to say, I don’t see the big deal.”

“That’s because you’re not looking low
enough,” Remy replied. “Because it is all about size.”

“Ysabel never complained when I took her
virginity. She was like a cat in heat.”

“Virgin? You never told me she was a
virgin,” a female voice screeched.

With a sigh of annoyance, Francisco
turned to a heavy set woman. “So what if I deflowered her. She was still a
witch. And she bespelled me.”

Luysa pursed her lips. “I am going to
check the doors again. I don’t trust those magical wards you bought from that
vendor.” The matron wandered away leaving Remy alone with the object of his
annoyance who checked his watch again.

“I don’t think Ysabel was that impressed
with your skill in the bedroom. Time is almost up, and she’s yet to do a thing
to save you.”

Well, at least that answered one
question. Ysabel knew he’d not run out on her, and he’d spank her if she put
herself in danger trying to save him, especially since it would mean getting
ridiculed by all the other demons.

“Release him or else.”

Remy groaned as he couldn’t help
imagining the jests he’d have to put up with. What male allowed himself to get
saved by his woman? “What are you doing, Ysabel? I have this under control.”

“Really, because from here it looks like
you’re all tied up.” She strode into view with a cool smile, wearing an outfit
that would look even better on the floor.

“Bah, as if something like rope could
hold me.” He yanked his arms apart and showed her his freed hands, a moment
before a sharp point pressed against the back of his neck.

“Move and he dies!” Francisco yelled.

Cocking a hip, and crossing her arms, a
smirk crossed his witch’s lips. “I don’t think so. That demon belongs to me,
and I’d prefer him in one piece. So move the dagger away before I hurt you. Or
don’t. But know this, if you even so much as scratch him, I’ll make sure your return
to Hell is even more painful.”

“I knew you cared,” Remy exclaimed.

“Apparently, the insanity in your family
is contagious,” she replied dryly. “Besides, you already forced me into
admitting I loved you. As such, I realized I couldn’t exactly let Francisco
kill you. That should be my pleasure alone.”

“You say the sweetest things,” Remy
teased.

“But I taste even sweeter,” she sassed
back.

Despite the knife at his throat, Remy got
hard remembering. Time to end this.

“Enough!” Francisco shouted. “Either you
get Lucifer to let me go or loverboy here gets it.”

Had the little bastard interrupted him
and his witch as she publicly admitted she cared? Oh, hell no.

Remy jabbed his elbow back, twisted, then
ducked as he grabbed Francisco’s dagger wielding hand. He twisted it up behind
the damned soul’s back and shoved him to his knees. “Sorry, my little witch.
You were saying something about pleasure and alone time?”

Her lips twitched and mirth shone in her
eyes. “I should have let him kill you.”

“But then who would love and worship you
for an eternity?”

“You don’t have to keep saying that.”

“Oh I do. And because you seem to have
issues believing me, I even got the contract to prove it.”

“You what?”

Francisco chose that moment to squirm and
scream obscenities. Remy frowned at him. “I was in the middle of something.”

“Interruptions are so rude,” she agreed
as she came to stand by his side. “I’ll be by to see you later, Francisco.”

“We both will.”

“And until we can come and thank you for
bringing us together, I’ve sent my kitty to greet you in your cell. He’s been
looking forward to meeting you.”

Remy laughed. Now there was a witch who’d
fit right in with his family.

Ysabel tagged Francisco and didn’t even
bother to watch as the man she’d once thought she cared for, who’d hurt her so
bad, disappeared. It eased Remy’s heart to see Francisco meant nothing to her.
Less than nothing. But the way she gazed up at Remy… It stole his breath.
Stopped his heart.

In her eyes, he could see the fear, but
also the love. The need. Time to show her, that to him, she meant everything.

“Before you shower me with kisses for
saving you –”

“I think it could be argued that I played
a part.”

“Not when I retell the story you won’t.
But we can argue about that later, naked. As I was saying, I have something for
you.” Remy pulled the sheet of paper out of his back pocket and unfolded it.
Initially he’d worried about it being too short. But as Lucifer assured him
when he made the contract and binding, the less clauses he put in, the more his
promise would stick out.

Handing it to her, he waited. Fidgeted
when she didn’t say a word. Almost tore it from her grasp. Then stumbled back
as she threw herself at him.

* * *

I, Remy, the most awesome demon in Hell,
do declare to love the witch Ysabel, fiery temper and all, for an eternity. I
will never stray. Never betray her trust. Never do anything to cause her pain
upon penalty of permanent death.

This I do swear in blood,

Remy

A simple contract, which in its very lack
of clauses and sub items, awed her. “You love me that much?”

He peered at her with incredulity on his
face. “Of course I love you that much. Would I have done all the things I did
if I didn’t?”

“Well, you are related to a mad woman.”

“Yes, and maybe it’s madness for me to
love you, but I do. Do you think just any woman would inspire me enough to take
on a bloody painful curse. Or put up with the fact you have a giant, demon
eating cat. I know you have trust issues, and that I might not have led the
kind of life that inspires confidence, but I will show you that you can believe
in me. I want you to love me.”

“I know you do. And I do love you. Only
for you would I come to the rescue wearing nothing to cover my bottom.”

His eyebrows shot up. “You came to battle
in a skirt without any underwear?”

A slow nod was her answer.

He grinned, then scowled. “You will not
do that again. Do you know how many demons live in the sewer and could have
looked up your skirt? I won’t have them looking at what’s mine. On second
thought. Throw out all your underwear. I’ll lead the purge on the sewers myself
so you can stroll around with your girl parts unencumbered for my enjoyment.”

“You’re insane,” she laughed.

“Crazy in love with you,” he agreed. “But
I do warn you, we’ll have to have dinner with my crazy mother at least once a
month.”

“Or more often. I quite like your mom.
She’s got a refreshing way of viewing the world.”

“Oh fuck. Don’t tell me she’s already
rubbing off,” he groaned, as he pulled her into his arms. She snuggled against
him. This was where she belonged.

But she did have a question. “As my
new…what should I call you anyway? Boyfriend? Demon I sleep with?”

“The following terms are acceptable to
me. Yours. Mate. Husband. Divine taster of your –”

She slapped a hand over his mouth. “I’ll
stick to mate.”

“And I’m going with my super, sexy, touch
her and die, fabulous cougar, ass kicking witch.”

“I dare you shout that five times in a
row without stumbling.” He did to her eye popping disbelief.

“I told you, I have a very agile tongue.”

“I remember.” Boy, did she ever and so
did her pussy.

“So is there any reason we’re still on
the mortal plane instead of back at your place fucking like wild animals?”

“Why wait? I didn’t come dressed like
this for nothing. And I don’t see anyone around.” She tossed him a coy smile.