Once Miu recovered from her stupor, she inched away from Cassian and demanded, "What—was that? Who—was that?"

Confusion wracked her senses.

Had the twin apparition of Cassian merely been a figment of her imagination?

Or, perhaps, a hallucinogenic after-effect from Sirsi's potion?

No and no.

Miu's eyesight hadn't betrayed her. The demon knew what she saw. She felt certain of it.

The god's silver gaze narrowed shrewdly as he taunted her, "I thought you wanted me to let go of my restraint?"

The challenging edge in his tone gave her pause. Miu wanted him to fuck her, desperately, it was true, but she wanted answers as well.

"I did, I do," she insisted with a bit more hesitation, "but..."

Miu gasped as Cassian leaned forward abruptly, wrapping his strong, muscled arms around her body. He guided her down to the mattress. Pulse racing, Miu lay on her back, caged beneath his larger frame. His steely cock probed insistently between her legs, but he was no longer thrusting or grinding against her sex.

He glanced down at her with an unwavering gaze. Even though his eyes remained hard, Cassian reached over to caress her cheek and murmured in the soft tones of a lover, "Next time, do not be so hasty to jump into my bed without understanding what I will do to you. There is only one of you, after all—"

Only one of her?

What did Cassian mean by this cryptic statement?

Curiosity got the better of Miu.

He finished, "And one of you is not enough, too small, too delicate, perhaps, to take me when I truly lose control."

Breathlessly, Miu found herself asking, "Help me understand, then. How should I fuck a god who has lost all of his control?"

To her dismay, the god in question didn't respond. Instead, Cassian rolled off of Miu as quickly as he had climbed on top of her.

She pressed him again, "You did not answer my question."

He rose from the bed and glared at her. "That is because I do not wish to address it. Maybe, in time, we can revisit this... discussion. Or maybe not."

Miu protested, "But—"

Tersely, Cassian interrupted, "I will have my servants show you to another room. You cannot remain here with me."

She felt a trickle of his power breeze through the bedroom. Cassian muttered something under his breath in an ancient tongue that Miu couldn't understand at all. Then, one of the crystals near the doorway lit up with a pale, glowing light.

Was he calling for servants right this moment?

Miu's face fell. "You are sending me away?"

Cassian shook his head. "Not quite."

Her ears twitched anxiously. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, "Against my better judgment, I have decided to let you stay. In my home. For now. Until I decide what to do with you."

Miu's mind reeled at this new development.

"Are you giving me some kind of trial run? A test of sorts? To see if I will be a suitable bride for you?" she inquired with an eager expression.

"Do not get ahead of yourself, little one," Cassian scolded in a gruff manner. "Be grateful that I am not tossing you and your pretty seven-tailed hide out of Elysium. You would certainly deserve it after intruding on my life with all of your troublesome spells and potions."

His growly demeanor did nothing to dampen her spirits.

Miu beamed. "You will not regret your decision. I will make sure of—"

A knock sounded at the door, cutting her off in mid-sentence.

A muffled female voice inquired from the other side of the arched double doors, "You called, my lord?"

Cassian glanced towards the doorway and commanded, "Come in, Vinna."

The heavy wooden doors creaked open and a dark-haired woman with even darker eyes entered the room. As she bowed before Cassian, a pleasant scent of water lilies and fresh spring rain filled the air. Miu's nostrils flared knowingly. The woman smelled like a water nymph.

Cassian murmured, "Please show Miu of Seven Tails to one of our guestrooms. She will be staying with us for the time being."

Vinna bowed her head obediently. "It would be my pleasure, my lord."

The nymph turned to Miu with a cool smile and bowed to her as well. "Come, my lady. I will help you get settled in."

Miu cast a questioning look in Cassian's direction.

"Go with Vinna," he ordered.

With a grumble of reluctance, Miu did as he requested. She followed the nymph out of the bedroom, away from Cassian. From there, Vinna led Miu down a series of long corridors and stairways made of glass and marble and gold fixtures. A light, misty fog blanketed the floors. It made Miu feel as though they were treading on clouds.

Her eyes darted here, there, everywhere, taking in the sights of Cassian's not-so-humble abode. His palace was stunning at every turn, but there was little warmth to be found in the grandness of the architecture and decor. Everything seemed hard, cold to the touch, and far too intricate for uncultured souls like her to appreciate.

A sudden pang of homesickness rose in Miu.

She missed her cozy, little woodland burrow.

As they wandered down several more hallways, from the corner of her eye, Miu noticed two females, a stunning redhead and a sinister-looking blonde, saunter by them. Vinna greeted them with a smile and a bow. Miu didn't know what protocol was expected of her, so, to be safe, she followed Vinna's example and bowed to the two strangers as well.

Neither the blonde nor the redhead stopped to acknowledge the nymph or Miu.

As the two haughty women walked past them, Miu smelled stale human blood in the air. The odor carried distinct metallic notes of rust and iron. Her eyebrows rose with astonishment.

A vampire?

A faint aroma of burnt roses and singed sandalwood was detectable as well.

A fire demon?

No, probably not, fire demons smelled more like sulfur and ash. Miu frowned when she couldn't place the scent of this particular creature, but she was sure that the redhead came from demonic origins. Concern brimmed within her.

Who were they?

How did these she-demons overcome the godly barriers of Elysium?

Had they been... invited?

With a troubled expression, Miu pondered these questions until Vinna finally brought her to a much smaller but exquisite-looking room. The interior was furnished with a bed, dresser, and desk.

The nymph muttered, "I hope these accommodations will be to your liking? Please let me know if you need anything else."

"It is lovely, I know I will be very comfortable here," said Miu. "Thank you, Vinna."

The nymph smiled and nodded. "I am happy to be of service, my lady. Now, if you will excuse me—"

Right as Vinna turned to go, Miu called her back, "Wait. May I ask you something?"

Questions about the blonde and redhead continued to gnaw at Miu.

Vinna nodded again. "Of course, my lady."

"Who were those two women who passed us in the hallway?"

Vinna's black eyes widened with surprise. "You do not know who they are?"

Miu grimaced. "No, I do not."

"The blonde is Celestina. A vampire princess from Zylvania. The redhead is a fallen seraph named Lelu."

Miu scowled. "Why are they here?"

Vinna smirked. "Same reason you have come, I imagine."

Unease trickled through Miu. "Oh?"

Did these she-demons have their eyes on Cassian as well?

"I believe you are all vying for the same position."

Miu wrinkled her nose in distaste. "The same position?"

The nymph proceeded to confirm her suspicions in calm, even tones, "To become the bride of the water god, of course."

Miu's eyes grew sharp and shrewd. "Tell me, Vinna. Are there others besides the vampire and the fallen seraph?"

Vinna gave an awkward cough. "I am afraid, my lady, you are up against not only Celestina and Lelu but seven other formidable foes."

So, nine bitches total?

Just as Sirsi had warned?

Miu cursed under her breath, "Oh, hell's fire!"