The Witch Queen of Halloween

Annelise’s telekinesis launched them down the maze to crash through the double doors. They tumbled across a hard-wood floor, his loose sword clanging on the wood.

Poppy scrambled to her feet. “Rök!” She rushed toward his motionless form some distance away, struggling to get her bearings.

Gas chandeliers cast a wavering light over an enormous ballroom. Towering windows framed lightning from the storm outside. Between them, grim-faced portraits gazed down at the sheet-draped furniture and statues that lined the perimeter of the room.

“Poppy,” Rök muttered. “Can’t bloody move.”

“I’m coming!” Before she could reach him, visitors appeared and blocked her way. She darted to her right; more appeared. To her left, more visitors.

Within moments, they’d filled the ballroom. Even the earliest manifestations of her curse had shown: vampires, werewolves, and more.

As they closed in on her, Poppy kept Rök in sight. The slasher leaned down to grip one of his arms, the killer clown grabbing his other. When they dragged Rök’s limp body upright, his head lolled.

Never had she hungered so for power. The curse that had threatened her sanity would now take her life—and his.

Why hadn’t she loved him when she’d had the chance? Why hadn’t they talked? She should have chewed him out two years ago! They could have aired their differences.

All that wasted time.

Grury was back. But the fury overwhelmed her grief. She couldn’t allow this scourge to win. She couldn’t allow them to hurt the demon she loved.

The slasher gripped Rök’s hair, snatching his head up. Rök’s glowing gaze darted until he found hers. He tried to speak and couldn’t. He barely managed to mouth, Run! He wasn’t worried about himself, only her.

Did he not understand that she’d never leave him behind? She couldn’t have even when she’d thought she hated him. Now . . .

Love.

The visitors near him parted, a broad aisle revealing the ultimate nightmare on the far side of the ballroom: the Headless Horseman. His steed reared on its hind legs, front hooves punching the air. When the Horseman spurred his mount and charged, Rök’s captors made horrible sounds of excitement, awaiting the killing blow. . . .

“No, no, no!” Her fury morphed to ungovernable rage. A strange heat coursed through her veins. Magic permeated the air.

From me?

Her body began to vibrate. She glanced at her hands. They shook so fast she couldn’t make them out. The hardwood floor buckled beneath the force of her quaking body. What’s happening to me?

The Horseman neared Rök, galloping hooves sounding over the din of the monsters.

All the while, her vibrations intensified, marking some ability she’d never known. Though she’d found no talisman here, magic tolled inside her, the force too great to be contained. Was it enough?

When the Horseman freed his sword with a ringing pitch, the demon briefly closed his eyes. He opened them to stare at her. She saw her feelings mirrored in them.

Love. Yes.

As their gazes met, she instinctively knew what to do in order to end decades of her suffering and to save her demon.

Picturing every villain here dying bloody, she raised her hands, threw back her head, and screamed: “ENOUGH!”

From her quaking form, light and magic exploded like a mystical star . . . funneling out . . . out . . . before boomeranging back to her.

Silence.

Then came the sound of a body dropping on the wood floor. Her head dipped, her gaze seeking Rök’s.

He’d collapsed, still paralyzed—and all the nightmares . . . had vanished. Not a sound from them, not a hint of them.

She ran to Rök. “Demon!” She dropped to her knees beside his motionless form, cradling his head in her lap.

With difficulty, he said, “Break curse?”

“I . . . maybe?” She couldn’t explain it. She’d stopped the visitors, yes. And she didn’t think she’d have to tangle with them again tonight. But they weren’t gone. She didn’t feel free.

Had she merely muted the curse? Maybe she’d always possessed that muting ability but had just needed the proper motivation to access it: saving Rök from a beheading. “We don’t have to worry about them. Whatever I came here to do has been done. The visitors are on hiatus.”

“Without a . . . cursebreaker?”

“To be fair, Mariketa never told me to expect one in this castle, just an answer.” And yet it’d come with even more questions. Poppy would visit the young witch again and drill down on this new power.

Rök tried to nod, might have bobbed his head.

“Let’s get you more comfortable.” She spotted a covered divan along a wall and hauled him over. Dragging off the dust cover, she managed to lift him and maneuvered him to a sitting position.

“You . . . did something.” Curiosity lit his expression.

“I think I might be able to ward off curses or to mute them.” Mariketa had also mentioned a prize; she must’ve meant this ability. But then, who could steal it from Poppy? “We’ll figure everything out in time. For now, concentrate on shaking off the toxin.”

“I’ll be back to normal soon.”

Not likely. “Can you drink some tea?”

“Pumpkin spice? Had my fill of pumpkin for the night.” He frowned. “Why do you look so pensive? Shouldn’t we be celebrating?”

She forced a smile. “Just tired. I had to fuel a lot of visitors.” Even as she said the words, her earlier sense of foreboding returned. Thoughts of the missing explorers floated into her consciousness.

“You’re the worst liar I’ve ever met. Tell me what’s going on.”

Sighing, she admitted, “I sense more danger coming.”

He looked increasingly alert, his attention landing on his sword across the ballroom. “Imminent danger?”

“Not imminent. Nothing is on its way, but I get the feeling the other explorers might have met a bad fate and that we might too. It’s like I’ve got all the clues yet can’t see the pattern.”

He caught her gaze. “You want to know what I see? My mate before me. Together, we can do anything. The two of us as a team will be unstoppable.” He reached for her face with both hands, surprising them both.

“That toxin should’ve lasted hours more!”

“Feeling’s returning all over. I’m a mated demon, remember? All my new strength is meant to protect you.” He glanced down; blood rushed back to one area especially. “And to pleasure you.”

That sight made her melt. “I thought demons only got stronger after claiming their mate.”

“Ah, I like how your merc mind works. You want me to claim you so I’ll be a better asset in our future battles. If I must . . .”

“Don’t put words into my mouth.”

“Gods, don’t remind me of putting things into your mouth.” His erection strained in his jeans.

She absently asked, “Are you trying to distract me from my concerns?”

“You’re staring at my cock like a vampire eyeing an artery, so I’d say it’s working.”

“We do have unfinished business.” She dragged her gaze away from his crotch. “But your injuries . . .”

“Forgotten.” His emphatic tone made her grin. He managed to swing his legs around. “Are you sure the visitors are done?”

She nodded. “For now.”

Rök stood, testing his muscles and stretching his limbs. With long, surefooted strides, he retrieved his sword and sheathed it with one try.

As he returned to her with his shoulders back and his blue gaze focused on her face, she regarded him with a new eye. Was that magnificent demon truly . . . hers?

Sitting beside her on the divan, he grew serious as he said, “I only stayed away from you because I wanted what’s best for you.”

“And you suffered for that.”

He didn’t deny it.

“You told me you knew I was yours during our date,” she said. “How?”

“I’d sensed something different about you even before then. Your scent got me strung tight, and competing on jobs against you felt wrong. First time in my life I was pulling for a competitor to win. Then I realized that seeing you was the only highlight in my life, the one thing that got me going,” he said, making her heart clench and filling her with elation. “During our date, suspicion turned to confidence.” He canted his head. “When did you know about me?”

She blinked. “Know?”

“Smart-ass.” Lightning flashed, the storm still raging. He glanced around the eerie ballroom then back to her. “I thought we were done for. I really did. And I had so many regrets. I wished I’d been spending the last two years with you. I don’t want to waste another minute.”

“Me neither.” We might not have as long as we’d hoped. Time to go out with a bang? “I want more. I need all of you.”

“For good?”

She cast him a saucy look. “For now. Earn it, demon.”

Eyes lively, he said, “Oh, fuck me, witch. I like these challenges.”

I know. She leaned forward and nipped his bottom lip.