“Evaluate?” Her eyes flashed. “How would you like it if I evaluated you?”

“Go ahead. Of course, that would mean actually looking at my feet or my cock or my horns.”

“Less than a day, Abyssian. That’s how long I’ve had to get accustomed to you as my husband. Can’t you be more patient?”

She was right. But no demon wanted his mate to have to “get accustomed” to him.

“Change. Now.”

Shooting him a killing look, she tugged up her panties under her robe, followed by her skirt. She gave him her back as she donned her bra and shirt. She stomped her feet into her shoes. “Are you happy?”

Not once since you died, female. He frowned. Until last night.

THIRTY-FOUR

Their late lunch on the terrace was grueling.

As Lila and Abyssian shared their second meal ever—plates had arrived with both demon and Sylvan dishes—he continued to seethe. Because she wouldn’t look at him?

She was half-tempted to say, Whip out your dick, and I’ll examine it for hours if that’ll make you feel better.

He expected her to get used to so many things at once! She’d told him she adapted. And she was ready to, but give her a freaking nanosecond to keep up.

She’d noticed that he’d donned boots. Sensitive males. She supposed this would be a bad time to ask him what in this hell he was eating? The dish kind of looked like eggs—if they’d been painted by a modern artist.

The demon’s table manners were fine—his utensils were larger by necessity—but he and Lila would never be sharing a dish.

“Why aren’t you eating?” he demanded, seeming eager to resume their hostility.

Since she’d officially tied her fortunes to his, she wasn’t as keen to; cooperation was a more logical route. But she would go toe-to-toe with him if she had to.

“It’s Sylvan fare. Is that not even good enough for you, princess?”

She stiffened, hating when he called her that. “Are you always so moody?” Why did he have to spoil such a beautiful day? The ash had been tamped down by rain last night, and the late-afternoon sun was bright. When she’d gotten her first daytime glimpse of the Mercury Sea, the light had beamed across the water, reflecting off its silvery surface.

“Moody? Perhaps I already see the writing on the wall.”

“Which is?”

“I doubt you will ever be satisfied here.”

“So will you let me go?”

He leaned forward, his lips drawing back from his fangs. “Never.”

She leaned forward as well. “Then fucking satisfy me, Abyssian. It’s not difficult.”

“Ah, this I must hear. How would one go about such an epic endeavor?” He settled back in his chair, as if he expected a long-winded reply.

“Play up your strengths.” Like the way you made me feel last night. “And don’t be a prick.” The way you are this afternoon. “Simple enough for you?” She rose and headed for the terrace railing. Gods, that demon gets my back up!

Inhaling for calm, she gazed at the sea. Lila might not be getting along with hell’s king, but his kingdom called to her.

What creatures lurked in those depths? The tide was lower than before, revealing the shoreline. Was the beach . . . green? Algae must cover it.

She had wanted to explore the castle; now she could. She had wanted to know more about this realm. He’d said he would take her out—

Some animal breached the surface of the sea! When its red scales glimmered in the sunlight, she sucked in a breath.

Abyssian was beside her in a heartbeat. “What?”

“A sea serpent!” She pointed, but it’d disappeared.

“You saw one?”

“I swear. It was right there,” she said, her excitement dampening her anger. “I’ve read about them, but didn’t know if the accounts were true. They’re supposed to be like limbless dragons, right? Each one’s bigger than a train, weighing dozens of tons.”

With an unreadable expression, he said, “We should investigate.” He took her elbow and traced her.

She blinked, getting her bearings. They’d appeared on the green beach.

Not algae. Eyes gone wide, she dropped to her knees to scoop up shiny grains of sand. Peering at Abyssian, she said, “Jade?” She sifted tiny pebbles through her fingers.

Nod.

“Get the fuck out!” A jade beach. Why not? As she stood to kick off her sandals, her attention strayed past the demon. Purple and orange fish leapt from the water. They each had a horn like a unicorn! She sprinted closer to the seaweed-dotted shore.

Abyssian traced in front of her, one arm outstretched, the other pulling her against his back. “Tell me before you run away.”

“Is there some kind of danger—”

A gigantic serpent shot out of the water like a geyser and plummeted onto the beach, its body crashing directly against Abyssian.

The ground shook; she choked on a scream, but the demon hadn’t budged a single inch.

She didn’t know what shocked her more—Abyssian’s show of colossal strength or that he’d started petting the great creature.

“I haven’t visited here for a while, and they get excited,” he said. “This one in particular.” The creature’s head coiled around, its slitted eyes taking her in. Its forked tongue—as long as she was tall—flicked with curiosity.

More serpents streamed out in the water. “They’re tame?”

“They are with me. Come pet it. You’ll like the sensation against your fingertips.”

She raised her brows at him. And for my next trick . . .

He said, “It’s safe.”

She eased closer. He nodded again, encouraging her, so she reached for the creature. Muscles rippled beneath iridescent red scales the size of dinner plates.

She was about to hyperventilate from exhilaration/fear/holy shit! “I’m petting a sea serpent!” She grinned over her shoulder at the demon.

As if he couldn’t help himself, his lips curved. His moods seemed to be as changeable as the sea’s tide.

Her own irritation melted away. When her strokes slowed, the serpent shimmied for more, making her laugh.

In Demonish, Abyssian murmured, “Wants your touch as much as I.”

Be nicer, and you might get it. “How many are there?”