Page 106 of Beauty At Stake
I looked at Star. “Thank you for the save.”
“Of course.” Star inclined his head to me.
“No, Star. Thank you. Truly. Dax is right. It was close this time. You saved my life.”
I laruked away, knowing that it would hurt my husbands too much to watch me use Demon Magic after thanking Star for my life. It would just be salt in their wounds. So, I left in a vortex of air—magic given to me by my Angel husband back when he haloed me in Heaven. It helped to center me—something I needed after seeing the look in Star's eyes.
The one that said he loved me.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
I promised my father that he could attend our after-parties—all the celebrations we had after we finished missions. And since I brought him, I had to bring the children and Eibhleann, my father's wife. I also brought Cat, my best friend, who happened to be a puka—a Fey, shapeshifting dog. Cat used to go on missions with me, but it got to be too much. So now, she stayed home and watched over Rowan.
And if I brought Cat, I couldn't leave the rest of the family behind. So, I laruked to Unseelie and then Seelie to collect my husbands and children in those kingdoms. By the time we walked into the party, it was late in Thailand, and my kids were all from different time zones, but the excitement of a celebration kept everyone going. Cat was especially having fun exploring the yard with all its new, exciting smells and wildlife.
“So, Rue is in the Coven prison?” Leo asked.
“He is,” I confirmed. “I'm sure they'll welcome your testimony at his trial.”
“Witches don't have trials,” Vanessa, the other Bite Vex, said. “The word is triggering for most of us.”
I snorted a laugh. Then I realized that she might have been serious.
Luckily, she wasn't. Vanessa laughed with me, then nudged Leo's shoulder. “Come on. It's over. The sorceress is dead, her stolen-magic creams destroyed, and the traitor is in a cage. We won. Our people are safe.”
“Including those who you freed from the last house,” I added, thinking about the empty cells I had passed on my way out of that slaughter chamber. They'd been full of the sorceress's would-be victims. Her stash for her next round of product.
“Rue was a vex, Vanessa.” Leo shook his head. “He should have been steadfast.”
“Even vexes can fall in love.” I leaned into Tiernan's embrace. “And love can make us do terrible things.”
Tiernan smiled softly at me.
“What terrible thing did she do for you?” Vanessa asked Tiernan.
Tiernan lifted my hand, kissed it, then said, “She killed a Fairy Queen and gave me her kingdom.”
“That's partially true,” I teased him.
“It's entirely true. And it's just one of the many things you've done for me.”
“Not all of them are terrible.”
“No. Most aren't. And even the terrible ones are beautiful.”
“Do you two need some alone time?” Team Leader Sullivan asked as he joined us.
“Always.” Tiernan shifted his stare to the extinguisher. “But we can control ourselves for a little while.”
Vanessa sighed.
Everyone looked at her.
She cleared her throat. “Sorry. He's just really handsome.” She waved limply at Tiernan. “That hair. Is it natural? And your eyes are amazing. I've never seen anyone with silver eyes.”
“How about gold?” Raza leaned over Vanessa's shoulder to whisper in her ear.
She squeaked and jumped away. “Don't do that!”
