Page 3 of Little Bite of Bliss

“Uh, I’m gonna go,” Bell said nervously.

He waved his hand and headed toward his car. I waited until he pulled out of the driveway before speaking again.

“You interrupted me,” I said. “I was busy with my mates. And you forced one of my children to bring you to my home.”

“And? I want my mate. It’s my turn.”

“And how would you know that?”

Eleni laughed, like a cat playing with its prey. “I simply know. As many sphinx do. So, will you help me?”

“I guess.” I rubbed my face with an irritated sigh. “But we should make it quick—I am busy. And I should warn you, those I match could be in danger.”

“From Death?” she asked.

I frowned. “How do you know about him?”

Eleni shrugged her shoulders. “Once again. I know things. Besides, you’ve been making waves. You and your little family, drawing a lot of attention. But I’m not worried about the entity. Death has always been fair, unless provoked.”

Did cutting his fated mate bond count as provoking? Without a doubt.

The good news was, in Eleni’s case, I already knew who her mate was. I didn’t have to do any research or hunt them down. He was Dante and Peter’s son. But there was a complication there, and I was sure Eleni wouldn’t like it. Was it my business to tell her about it? To tell her that Archer had fallen for someone years ago and had attempted to make a mating bite with them, only for all of that to go terribly wrong? Wrong enough I’d been forced to interfere?

Archer and Dante still had such a strained relationship. It didn’t matter how much Peter or Inferna had tried to talk it out with them, the tension was impossible to diffuse. Dante had softened over the years, but he could still be difficult. Regardless of how much he loved Archer, it didn’t change that the way he’d reacted to that situation had damaged Archer’s confidence in fate.

Was I any different in how much I’d fucked up?

I hastily pushed that thought away.

The real trick was going to be convincing Archer to show up for the date.

“I don’t like the look on your face, Barista.”

“It’s nothing,” I dismissed. “I know who your mate is. I will set things up.”

“Good. When should I be at the cafe?”

“Friday,” I said. “First dates always seem to go well on Fridays.”

“Maybe I can steal them away for the weekend . . .”

“That does often happen.” I paused, considering giving her a warning to be gentle with Archer. But he would be fine. Probably. Hopefully. “Be there at nine. And try not to seduce anyone else at the cafe or use your damn pheromones to drive anyone mad.”

Eleni smirked. “No promises. I’ll be at the cafe on Friday.”

“Great. Get off my porch and out of my sight.”

She bared her fangs at me but was already leaving. Her wings spread behind her and she took off into the air. A gust of wind whipped through my hair. The moment she was out of sight, I shook my head and stalked back inside to my mates.

I stepped through the bedroom door and smiled. Lucy and Trixie were both waiting patiently for me.

“Everything is resolved,” I said. “I guess I am matching monsters and humans again. It worries me.”

“Well, I don’t think Death will harm them,” Lucy sighed. “He has no ill will toward the living. He kept Oli and Steel safe.”

Lucy had a good point.

Trixie’s eyes softened and she patted the bed between them. “Come here. I want you.”