“The cinnamon rolls are the best,” Jasmine informed them.

  “Are they now?” Blade asked. “Personally, I think the bear claws are the best.”

  “No way. Besides, Mama says no one makes bear claws quite like the bears in the Ice Realm. She says these are a poor substitute.”

  Lassiter let out a bark of laughter. “I have no doubt your mama’s right. Come along now. Let’s do some taste testing.” He led Jasmine back to the table and settled her at his side.

  Starlight’s heart melted a little, watching the vampires work hard to entertain her daughter and make her laugh. They’d always been like that, from the moment they met Jasmine the first day she ran into the diner after school.

  And though he was currently occupied, arguing with his uncle, Talon had always been the best of all of them, when it came to Jasmine. He’d been the first to win her affections and was always the first one she went to when she had something to share about her day.

  All the paranormals in Zero, Kansas, had accepted Jasmine, despite her being human, and treated her as one of them. Remembering this made Starlight a little homesick, not necessarily for the town, but definitely for the people they’d left behind there.

  “Come on, sweetheart.” Talon stepped up to sling an arm around her shoulders. “We should probably catch up.”

  “Finished arguing with your uncle?” She glanced over at the couch, only to realize Lucy was no longer there.

  “Eh, something came up, but he’ll be back. Like a bad penny.”

  Bygul didn’t know whether this was a good development or not, especially now that he realized who the players were.

  He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten all about those two and their doomed match.

  It was that stupid spell. It shouldn’t have worked on him at all.

  He was a matchmaking cat of the goddesses, for goddess’ sake!

  He was Freyja’s own right-hand cat.

  And that Satan had actually figured it all out before him was just insulting. That bastard had probably insisted the spell not trap him in its weave in the first place.

  Which clearly was cheating!

  “What’s wrong, Bygul?” Soraya asked.

  “Everything,” he said morosely. Was history about to repeat itself? Had he made a terrible mistake in agreeing to Soraya’s demand that they help the human?

  If only he’d remembered her sooner. This was a nightmare!

  “So your parents are travelers,” Talon said as Starlight led him into the library, her favorite room in the house.

  “Where’d you hear that?”

  “When you disappeared, Dinara investigated, found out who you parents really were. None of us had any idea. No wonder you never blinked an eye when a wolf shifted in the diner or when those zombie spiders came marching through.”

  “Well, when you grow up traveling the realms, nothing really surprises you anymore. Though a few things came close, like this situation with the B&B. I forgot one of the cardinal rules of traveling the realms. Watch your words.”

  “Do you not want to be the manager?”

  “Oh, I do very much. I actually love it here. It’s like my dream job.”

  “Seriously? Why?”

  "Because it's a really beautiful B&B. I get free room and board for me and my daughter. Plus, Jasmine loves it here. The B&B makes sure she has everything she could ever want or need. She has a fantastic time here. The only thing that makes it a little less than perfect is the lack of playmates, though she adores the kittens and treats them like her best friends.”

  “Uh, you do realize those kittens are hell-cats in disguise. I mean, sure, they’re still kittens, but in their hell-cat form, they’re huge and they’ll just keep getting bigger.”

  “I know that. I also know they’ll defend my daughter with their lives, rip apart anyone who dares to try and hurt her. She’s got the best guard-kitties in all the realms who will make sure she’s always safe.”

  Talon grinned. “You are a unique woman, Starlight. Here I’ve been going slow, figuring you were human, and therefore, would need some time to adjust.”

  “Adjust to what?”

  He stepped forward, slid a hand around her neck, pulled her close and murmured against her lips, “To the fact that you are mine.”

  Starlight’s breath hitched in her throat. Was he saying what she thought he was?

  "Sweet mate, I recognized you the moment I walked into that diner the very first time. It was like we’d met before and I’d just been waiting for you to appear in my life once more.”

  “I felt the same way,” she whispered. “I’ve always felt that way. Like something was missing and when I saw you for the first time, that missing piece was finally made whole.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet,” Soraya exclaimed.

  “Yeah,” Bygul said glumly. “Let’s hope it doesn’t end the same way as last time.”

  “Last time?” The other three cats chorused.

  Bygul sighed. “You have heard about Witchgate, right?”

  The other three gasped.

  “No!” Muezza exclaimed.

  “Yes.”

  “That was them?” Soraya wailed.

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “Hold on a minute,” Tivali said. “I thought everyone involved had their memories erased, so that the two wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon the truth, so how do you know it’s them?”

  “I’m the matchmaking cat of a goddess,” Bygul snapped. “That’s how I know.”

  The other cats just stared at him.

  He let out a growl of annoyance. “Fine. I’ve always remembered what happened, just not who was involved until now.”

  “What made you remember?” Soraya asked.

  “I’m honestly not sure,” Bygul said. “It’s like the spell just popped when Talon said her parents were travelers.”

  “That makes sense,” Tivali said. “I mean, there can’t be that many humans out there who traveled the Realms with their parents.”

  “I still don’t get it,” Muezza said. “I thought Kalyn was the one working a match in the Underworld.”

  “He’s right,” Tivali said. “That was Kalyn’s match. He took the blame for everything.”

  “Of course, he did,” Bygul said. “It gave him plenty of ammunition to hold over my head for the rest of our lives.”

  Muezza sighed. “Your brother does get an inordinate amount of pleasure out of torturing you.”

  “It’s rather disturbing actually,” Tivali said.

  Four

  TALON COULDN’T BELIEVE he’d waited so long when Starlight would clearly have been receptive to the idea of a vampire mate all along.

  “Sweet Starlight,” he murmured, then kissed her, reveling in the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

  Long moments passed, then he pulled back enough to murmur, “Which room is yours?”

  “Second floor. It’s the suite at the end of the hall.”

  With barely a thought, he used the flames of Hell to transport them to the suite’s living area, and from there to Starlight’s room, which he found simply by letting the B&B guide the flames.

  “How?” Starlight gasped when she saw where they were. “The flames didn’t work before.”

  “Because I wasn’t trying to take you away from the B&B. As long as we stay on the property, we can pretty much go anywhere.”

  “So I did destroy my daughter’s life.”

  “No. Satan was right when he said it wasn’t permanent. It only lasts as long as it takes you to to convince the B&B that you will always return here because it’s your home.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “No one knows, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Now, mate, I know we’ve only known each other a year, but it feels more like a decade that I’ve been waiting to make you mine.”

  Starlight smiled up at him. “Then let’s not wait a moment more.”

  Starlight squealed when Talon lifted her in his arms and launched her toward the bed. She landed with a bounce and a laugh as Talon came down on top of her.

  He kissed her and all laughter disappeared in a rush of heat and desire.

  They rolled across the bed, pulling at each other’s clothes, kissing whatever skin they managed to reveal and reveling in the moment.

  Heat spiraled higher and higher, until it almost felt as if the flames of Hell themselves had joined their mating.

  Finally, they were naked and the feel of Talon pressing against her, slowly sinking deep, was like coming home.

  “Talon,” she murmured against his collarbone, licking a tiny bead of sweat that had pearled there.

  “Starlight,” he groaned, sliding his hands beneath her, lifting her against him and settling back on his haunches so she rode his lap. “My love.”

  He caught her hair in his fist, pulled her head back and captured her lips with his, spearing his tongue deep to duel with hers and sending new waves of heat sliding through her.

  She lifted slowly, then sank back down, then did it again and again, reveling in the feel of him slowly rubbing against her deep inside, filling her, then sliding away, then filling her once more.

  Everything coiled tighter and tighter, then he slammed her back to the bed, powered forward and everything burst free.

  Her vision sheeted white and she cried out as shudders raked through them both, a spiral of ecstasy and infinite pleasure dragging them under.

  Long moments later, Starlight came back to herself, only to realize he was still hard inside her, poised and waiting.

  “Talon?”

  “Starlight,” he groaned. “Please.”

  She tilted her head languidly and caught her breath at the look in his eyes. “Take what you need,” she whispered.

  “Are you sure?” His eyes swirled with tiny flames, his fangs had dropped, and absolute need had pulled his face taut.

  “Positive, my love.”

  He dropped his face into the curve of her neck and slowly scraped his fangs against the skin there, causing her to shudder in desire. “Please, Talon,” she whimpered as she writhed on the sheets, the heat already building again.

  “Sweet Starlight,” he murmured, then sank his fangs deep.

  The sharp pain instantly morphed to pleasure as Talon pulled back slowly, then sank deep, the slow, gliding movements of his cock mirroring the pulse of his fangs as he drank his fill.

  She arched and cried out as he hit that perfect spot deep inside, again and again until the world disappeared once more, in endless waves of pleasure.

  Starlight woke in Talon’s arms, filled with an indescribable feeling of joy, one that felt so right and so familiar, she wondered how she’d never felt it before.

  This, right here, was everything.

  He was hers.

  She was his.

  And it seemed impossible they’d not found each other before now.

  “We haven’t met before, right?” She lifted her head to ask.

  “You mean before we met at the diner?”

  She nodded.

  “I’m sure I’d remember if we had. I’d give anything to be Jasmine’s father.”

  Starlight’s heart dropped.

  She’d known it was ridiculous to hope, but she hadn't been able to help herself. Now that hope was gone. If there was any chance at all, Talon would have claimed it immediately.

  “You may not be her birth father, but you’re the only father figure she’s ever known.” Starlight sat up so she could see the expression on his face as she continued. “Jasmine loves you. So very much. She has from the first moment she met you.”

  A look of joy crossed his face. “I love her as well. More than I’d expected, considering some other man gave her to you.”

  Starlight shrugged. “He matters not. He’s never been a part of our lives, but you have, from the moment we met.”

  “I can’t stand it!” Soraya exclaimed. “After all this time, they’re reunited at last. It’s so romantic.”

  “It’s like the greatest love story ever,” Tivali agreed.

  “Whatever,” Bygul grumbled. “This greatest love story had a tragic ending a decade ago and I’m not holding my breath it won’t happen again.”

  “It can’t have been that tragic,” Muezza said. “Both are still alive and look, they’re back together.”

  “Of course, it was tragic! Jasmine’s been without her father her entire life. How is that not tragic? Also, and more importantly, I’ve had to deal with the guilt ever since. Kalyn just thought it was funny, but then he loves a bit of chaos.”

  “A lot of chaos,” Tivali muttered.

  “And the twins! Their mother cracked down hard on them, probably making it even more difficult for them to gain control of their powers. Last I heard, one of the twins had caused a citywide blackout where they live.”

  “You mean, they never gained control?” Soraya exclaimed.

  “Well, it’s not like I’m keeping tabs on them. I did check back in when they reached the age of majority for witches, but as far as I could tell, nothing had really changed at that point. That’s been a while though.”

  “So, it’s unlikely they could reverse the spell they cast upon Starlight,” Tivali said.

  “Highly doubtful,” Bygul said. “In fact, we can only hope those two don’t choose to attempt another mating celebration.”

  “Oh, but why?” Soraya asked. “After all they’ve been through, they deserve⁠—”

  “Do you want history repeating itself? Do you not understand what happens when the Prince of Demons has a mating celebration? Chaos! That’s what happens! Chaos. Everyone wants to attend the celebration of the century and that’s how doorways get left open and human witches end up wandering in and setting matebonds afire.”

  “Oh, don’t exaggerate,” Muezza said. “There were no flames involved.”

  “How would you know?” Bygul said.

  “Because they’re witches and this is Hell. The only flames around here are Hell-born and they would never allow witches to command them.”

  “Okay, fair point,” Bygul said. “Even so, the effect was the same. The bond was destroyed.”

  “Obviously not completely,” Tivali said. “After all, look at them!”

  “Did they just set the bed on fire?” Soraya exclaimed.

  ‘Well, it is Hell,” Bygul said pragmatically.

  They spent the day in bed, a time that felt so familiar to Starlight, as if she’d lived this reality a million times before, and was now blessed to be living it again.

  Perhaps they’d been mates in another lifetime.

  She’d never been one to believe in reincarnation, but the more time she spent with her mate, the more she thought it could be a possibility.

  That constant nagging sense of deja vu, as if they’d been there before, done whatever it was already, as if everything was familiar and wonderful and a cherished part of their forgotten history.

  Because it would be easy to obsess over the things that nagged that she just couldn’t remember, Starlight tried to focus on other things.

  Like the answers to a few questions she had.

  For example, it turned out that no, there weren’t any fire extinguishers in Hell.

  But only because they weren’t needed since everything was fireproof.

  She also learned that Hell’s B&B was fairly sentient, a fact she’d already figured out for herself, and that it was known for choosing its managers.

  “You should be flattered,” Talon said. “The B&B’s quite picky and has been known to go centuries without a chosen manager, simply because it doesn’t deem anyone else worthy.”

  “I wonder why it didn’t choose Lekhleth.”

  “I don’t even know who that is.”

  “She’s a troll Merry convinced to take over so that she could visit Tempest.”

  “Well, there’s your answer right there,” Talon said. “If Merry had to convince her, then she wasn’t the right person for the job. I take it you took over for this Lekhleth?”

  Starlight nodded.

  “And did she have to convince you?”

  “Of course not. The B&B is wonderful and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

  “And there you have it,” Talon said. “The B&B would have known you were the right person from the moment you walked in the front door.”

  Starlight grimaced. “I didn’t exactly walk. I woke up here. In this bed, in fact, without a clue as to where we were.”

  Talon let out a rumbling growl. “I should have known. Satan. He can’t be trusted.”

  “You think Lucifer brought us here?”

  “I know he did.”

  “But why?”

  Before Talon could respond, a knock came on the door. “Mama!”

  Starlight bolted to her feet, threw Talon’s jeans at him and started struggling into hers. “Just a moment, darling.” She whirled on Talon and hissed, “Get dressed. Quickly.”

  Talon let out a rumble of laughter, even as he pulled on his jeans and t-shirt.

  Frantically finger combing her hair, Starlight walked to the door. A quick glance over her shoulder showed that Talon was dressed again, but the bed behind him was a disaster and told a tale of its own.

  She darted back across the room, grabbed the sheets, threw them onto the bed and then tossed the comforter on top.

  Talon chuckled, but helped her smooth everything down, then, when she turned away to head back to the door, caught her around the shoulders, pulled her close and kissed her. Setting her back on her feet, he winked at her and said, “There, that’s better.”

  With that, he walked away.

  “What’s better? Wait, don’t open—Talon!”

  But it was too late.

  He flung open the door and grinned down at Jasmine. “Hey there, munchkin. What have you been up to?”

  Jasmine grinned back. “Playing with my kitties.” She sauntered inside, said kitties following behind. “Hi Mama. What have you two been up to?”

  “Just hanging out,” Starlight said.

 

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