Free How to Lose a Demon in 10 Days by Saranna DeWylde Page A

something back in a body that’s not there.”
    Though he looked almost sad, Seraphim lifted her chin. “I don’t believe anything you say.” Demons were tricky.
    Hades shrugged, as if he suddenly couldn’t care one way or the other. That only pissed her off more.
    “You never answered my question. What the hell do you want?”
    “You,” he repeated. Then he grabbed her around the waist and crushed her against him for a searing kiss.
    “You wouldn’t have done that if I hadn’t changed into the maiden,” she accused when she could breathe again.
    “You think?” he asked, with a diabolically arched brow.
    “Maybe not. You’re just perverse enough to do it. Now, get out of here. I’ve got things to handle.”
    “Like, ensuring that our granddaughter doesn’t get pregnant from frolicking with a Crown Prince of Hell?”
    “There is that, yes. And I need to stop her from falling in love.”
    “That love thing you can’t interfere with, but number one I’ve already fixed. There will be no imps from this union. I have to tell you, I was kind of pissed when he demanded sex as payment for the deal. I saw it was time to come talk to you.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “You’re just making a booty call.”
    “Oh, Sera. Listen to yourself, using terms like ‘booty call.’ You were always better at keeping up with the times than I. We’ll see how long that lasts before you’re tired of trying.”
    “You aren’t denying it, though.”
    “No, I’m not.” He grinned.
    “It’s been so long for me, there’s nothing down there but cobwebs and dust. In fact, I’m sure the hinges would creak if you tried to open that door.”
    Hades still hadn’t let go of her. “You don’t think I remember how to grease the hinges?”
    “Now that’s just disgusting.”
    “But you like it.”
    “Not really. I—”
    She was rudely interrupted by the Devil’s mouth again crushing her own. When he pulled away, he eyed her for a long moment. “I see it’s inherited.”
    “What is?” Seraphim asked, breathless.
    “Kissing shuts you up, too.”

C HAPTER E IGHT
    Big-Girl Pants
    A few days later, Grace was pleased with her purchases and still incredulous no one had given her the hairy eyeball on the way out of the Avenue dressing room. She’d had a moment when she’d thought for sure that when she opened the door cops would be there to arrest her for public indecency. Then there’d come the fear she’d never get Nikoli back and she damned her own impulsive behavior.
    But Caspian had been a gentleman, soundproofing the dressing room—or so she’d assumed. Perhaps the others were too embarrassed by their own impromptu self-pleasuring to bother with her. Or he’d wiped their memories? She didn’t know if he could do that. It was definitely something to ask him, along with the question about Nikoli. Grace couldn’t get over how incredibly stupid she’d sound, asking if the son, the one she remembered pushing from her body, was real. It wasn’t like he was Pinocchio and made out of wood.
    Grace knew she needed to ask Caspian the question, but what was nagging at her now, practically chewing on her in fact, was a need to talk to Michael. She wasn’t sure where such a meeting was going to get her, but she had to see him. The visit from Sasha dictated it.
    Though Grace was a powerful witch, a snake of fear coiled upward from the bottom of her stomach and wrapped around her heart. She was afraid of her ex. And yet, this fear for Nikoli was worse than anything Michael could do to her physically. She was going to see him. She had to pull up her big-girl panties.
    Not that her knickers themselves were large; she was currently having a passionate affair with a lacy, cheeky variety. But metaphorically she would pull them high enough up to walk into his club. They felt pretty far up her ass already, so she figured they were high enough for her to walk through the door. But she’d been wrong before.
    Soon she was standing