Page 113 of Dancing With Demons

CHARLOTTE

“It’s not fair that your room is nicer than mine.” Ursula flopped on the bed, bold as she pleased. “Switch with me. Now.”

I rubbed my temples, eyeing the new additions to the room through my fingers. For reasons I didn’t have to guess, the princesses have been attached to me all day. I thought—hoped—they’d let up after dinner, but instead all five of them followed me right back to Ronin’s room and made themselves comfortable.

“It’s not my room,” I said. “And no.”

A knock sounded at the door. I went to answer it and found a large package with green wrapping paper and a purple bow waiting for me. Whoever delivered it was gone.

Bending down, I spotted the tag attached and flipped it over.

“From Ronin,” I read. “I choose you.”

“What’s that?” Ursula appeared over my shoulder, scaring the crap out of me. “Is it mine?”

“Of course it’s not— Hey!”

She snatched it up and carried it into the room, leaving me to chase after her.

“Stop,” I cried. “It’s from Ronin and I don’t want it. I’m taking it straight to the trash.”

Eris snorted as Ursula set the gift on the bed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t throw it out without knowing what it is and if I want it.”

What the hell was wrong with these people?

“Open it, or I will,” Sauda said. “And then give it to me.”

I huffed out a heavy breath. My head was aching from all the excitement of that day, and my leg was about to shake off from the non-stop vibrations of the back-to-back-to-back calls I’d been getting since my announcement hit DeadDrop. I checked a little while before, three hundred and twelve missed calls from the total four hundred and seventeen... were from Lucifer.

“Okay,” I barked. “I’ll open it if you five give me some privacy. You can even have it.”

“Sweet,” Kama chirped. “Let’s see it then.”

Stomping over, I tore off the bow and lifted the lid. Leaning over, I took one look inside—and screamed.

“Yeah,” Eris muttered, leaning away. “I’ll pass.”

RONIN

Charlotte’s screams echoed through the room.

“You gave her Pravat’s, Bruno’s, and Kazuya’s heads in a box?!” Tristan bellowed, throwing the whole dartboard set at me. “What the fuck were you thinking!”

I sent it flying away from my head. “I was thinking that there’s nothing women love more than the heads of their enemies! I even had brand-new gold-plated pikes picked out for her next gift!”

There was a faint thud from the mirror. That would be from Charlotte fainting in a room full of demonesses who could’ve caught her, but didn’t even try to.

“You fucking lunatic! How about next time you try hellflowers!”

“What the hell’s a woman going to do with a bunch of plucked weeds?!”

CHARLOTTE

Groveling 101

Step One: Gifts That She’ll Love & Shows You Care

Step Two: Grand Gesture