Page 25 of Beauty At Stake
“How would your having his children make any difference from a Demon bearing them?”
“You know how, Raza.”
“No. If Anu needed those children to be special, he could bless them.” He waved a clawed hand. “Or do whatever it is the God does with his children. He doesn't need you to be a broodmare. You've already supplied an heir for Heaven. Now, he wants you to do the same for Hell? This is ridiculous!”
Suddenly, my dedication faltered. Was Raza right? “But he said those children would never be born if I didn't have them.”
“Of course, they wouldn't. Not as your children. But that doesn't mean those souls wouldn't find a way into other bodies.” Raza cocked his head. “Has he gotten you wound up, mo shíorghrá? Anu is known to be a master manipulator.”
“I think you mean Danu.” I leaned back. “She's the one who manipulated us into marrying. Anu is only nudging Star.”
“Nudging?” Raza chuckled. “His nudging is just as bad as his sister's call. That's the reason we're putting up with him.”
Okay, that made me feel even worse. Was I being manipulated by the Gods? Again? If I was, it was turning me into a traitor.
“Mo shíorghrá.” Raza pulled me into his arms. “We come first. Remember that. You know I would tear down the worlds for you.”
“And I would set them on fire for you.”
Yeah, our romance was a little twisted. What can I say? We're weird like that.
“I love you,” he whispered. “You are my everything. Please, don't keep me in the dark again.”
“All right.” I leaned back to look at Raza. “I'll notify you when something changes, even if it doesn't involve Fairies.”
“Thank you. And the Star thing?”
“I don't know, Raza. I don't know what to do. He got me with the babies.”
Raza nodded, knowing me well. “I can see that. How about this? We let things play out and see what happens?”
“That's very vague.”
“I'm not saying you can feel free to follow your instincts with Star. Just that we see how things go.”
“Are we still going to help him?”
“Yes, of course. I'm not a monster.”
I chuckled.
“What?”
“Well, ten minutes ago, I said you looked like one.”
“Yes, you did.” He gave me his I-don't-approve face.
“Sorry, babe. Does it help that I found it sexy?”
His expression shifted instantly into a wicked grin. “Oh, very much.” He glanced at the bed.
“No!” I pointed at him as I stood up. “I still have a mission to finish. And just before you arrived, we found a camera.”
“A camera?” He stood up, his wings rustling as they disappeared. The changes kept going, with Raza shifting into his human guise—tawny skin, topaz eyes, softer features, and general movie star good looks. His large physique stayed mostly the same, shrinking just a fraction.
I scowled at him. “Raza.”
“What?”
