Page 15

As we ambled in the general direction of where we guessed the restaurant might be, Victor went over some possible plans to lure Santa from his grotto. Santa was fast, but probably not Victor-fast. And in the kitchens, if we could find some more impressive knives that had a chance of beating Santa’s claws, then we’d be able to dispatch his branch-like, shape-shifting self without too much fuss. We did all agree that Santa wasn’t going to fall for Zee’s Mariah Carey act again. We’d have to come up with a new show.

After finding the deathly quiet restaurant, we ambled between the tables fixed to the squeaky floor and headed for the food bars.

Zee leaned over the counter and rummaged underneath, then found a box of ring donuts that had been put away until tomorrow’s service. He leaned a hip on the counter’s edge, popped the box open, and chomped into a donut.

“Striptease, right?” he said around a mouthful of sugary sweetness. “We know Jolly Pedo is into good boys, so I’ll strip, then you two turn him into a pin cushion.”

Victor’s permanent frown turned more frowny. “You’re clearly not good, or a boy.”

“Excuse-moi. I’m the fuckin’ epitome of sweet and innocent,” said the demon wearing fishnet tights under painted-on shorts that happened to leave very little of his masculinity to anyone’s imagination.

Even I had a hard time swallowing the idea he might be innocent. “I’ll do it.”

“Adam does resemble the typical good boy,” Victor said, and for some reason, my entire body got chills. The good kind. Y’know, the kind that wakes your libido up like a slap to the face.

Zee’s eyes widened, catching the little skitter of nerves that fluttered low in my belly. Yeah, okay. I maybe had a thing for Victor saying good boy. Who knew?

Zee smirked around the donut. “Say that again, Daddy.”

“Say what?” Victor asked, perplexed.

I chuckled. “Really, there’s no need . . .”

“Good boy?” Victor asked.

I closed my eyes, relished the tingles, and gave my head a clearing shake. “Yeah, okay,” I croaked. “Uhm . . . maybe not right now?”

“Adam?” Victor asked.

I opened my eyes to find his face concerned, and Zee grinning, tail flicking, his interest piqued.

“It’s uh . . .” I cleared my throat. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s clearly something.” Victor was growing more concerned with each beat of my now-racing heart.

“Yeah, Kitten . . .” Zee snorted. “It’s clearly something.”

“Zee.” I held up a finger. “I don’t think now is a good⁠—”

“Adam is such a good boy,” Zee purred the last two words and I almost melted in my shoes.

“I’m just . . . uh . . . hungry, I guess? Yeah. That’s it.”

“You’re hungry, alright,” Zee snickered. “For Daddy’s meaty-balls.”

With a huff, Victor said, “I am clearly missing something.”

“No, it’s nothing.” I waved them both off and leaned over the counter, searching for something to eat that would take my mind of Victor, the walking sexual feast who pushed all my hungry buttons.

A quick look over my shoulder revealed Zee whispering into Victor’s ear, and when he turned back toward me, cocking a hip next to Victor, their gazes devoured me as though I were the all-they-could-eat buffet.

Oh dear.

Victor blurred from Zee’s side, appearing hard up against my ass and thighs. “Allow me?” He leaned over me, pressing harder still and shifting a little, seating himself properly against my ass.

I squeaked, “Okay.”

“Hm . . . What would you prefer? A hearty snack of donuts, or something . . .” Turning his head, his gaze sharpened, his target in his sights. “Hotter?”