“It wouldn’t? Why not?”

Inside my head, a dark, sinuous voice whistled a peppy little tune.

I ground my teeth. “Don’t tell me—I’d have to use the dark power in order to push us through.”

“Yup.”

Smirk.

“Bloody he—Drake!”

“Aisling?” I held the phone away from my ear at the sound of Drake’s roar.

“Hi, sweetie. Um. I guess we’re even on the whole jilting-at-the-altar thing, huh?”

“Where are you? Where have you been? Why have you not answered my calls?” Drake growled. “Rene and your uncle said you just disappeared on the street. Have you been harmed?”

“I’m fine. Jim’s here with me. I’m in…er…oh, hell.”

“Abaddon,” Jim corrected.

I sighed. “I’m in Abaddon. Apparently the woman I bumped into on the street outside the bridal shop wasn’t an innocent tourist. She flashed some sort of a ward on me, and whammo! I found myself here. No, I’m not hurt, just a bit shaky, with a horrifying tendency to wring my hands, but we won’t go into that little problem now. I’m really, really sorry I missed the wedding. Were people upset? Maybe if I apologize to them, they won’t be too pissed with us.”

Drake took a long breath and said in a voice that had me flinching, “The only person you need worry about pacifying at this moment is me.”

“Well, I’ll start the pacifying as soon as I get home. As I remember, the physical extension of this house into our reality is in Islington. I’ll call a cab and be home soon.”

“You will do nothing of the kind. Do not move from that house until I arrive.”

“I am perfectly capable of ordering a cab and getting myself home—”

“Do not argue with me about this, Aisling,” he said somewhat snappishly. I wanted to point out that my experience today was no more my fault than him being arrested the day before, but upon consideration of the last few hours he’d probably gone through, I decided the best tactic was to appease.

“All right. We’ll wait here. But I’m through with trying to have a wedding. We’re going to find the nearest registry office and get it done that way.”

“We will talk about that later. Do not leave the house!”

He hung up after delivering a few more orders, which I naturally dismissed as not being pertinent to the situation.

“I hate it when Drake goes all bossy,” I muttered, glaring at the room in general.

“Like you’re not the queen of ordering people and incredibly handsome Newfies around? Ew. Morning sickness?” Jim asked as it moved around a damp spot on the floor.

“You know full well I haven’t had any morning sickness. It’s one reason why I think Drake is a bit premature with all the baby talk.”

“Your denial of the obvious, while generally amusing, isn’t the issue here, chicky.”

“Oh, stop with the baby innuendoes already! Is there anything I can do to keep from being banished to Abaddon by any passing Guardian?”

“Is there anything that you as a Guardian can do to keep a demon lord from being banished?” Jim asked.

I pointed a finger at it. “I also hate it when you do that.”

“Why?” it asked, tipping its head to the side.

“Argh!”

“Heh heh heh. Hey! What are you doing with those scissors? All right, all right! I’d answer your question if I could, but I’m not a Guardian. You are, so you should know!”

I set down the scissors, frowning in thought. “It’s even more annoying when you’re right.”

“Just tryin’ to help, babe.”

“Uh-huh. As I’m sure you well know, there isn’t anything I can think of that would keep a being of Abaddon from being banished. I suppose I could ask Nora, but I doubt if she’d answer any technical questions since it would probably violate all sorts of Guardian Guild codes. No, there’s only one thing for it.”

Jim looked worried.

I nodded at it. “Yup. I’m going to have to go back to the Guardians’ Guild and ask them for some help.”

6

Drake was pacing the room when I emerged from freshening up.

“You don’t look like a man thrilled to be in the presence of his bride,” I said, eyeing the dragon of my dreams for a moment before flinging myself on him. “You look more like a man who is annoyed almost to the point of lecturing the aforementioned bride, which, given the day that the bride in question has had, would not be the wisest move. Oh, Drake!”

“Has she turned on the waterworks again?” Jim asked as it wandered into the room. “Man, I’m going to be glad when her hormones settle back down. We leaving?”

“Yes,” Drake told it over my head. “Go out to the car. Rene is there. We’ll be a minute.”

I sobbed out the story of the day thus far, too far gone in my relief to see Drake to care that I was watering his tux again.

“Kincsem, I understand that it was difficult to be banished in that way. I do not understand why you believe your hands are possessed, but I am confident you will fill me in on that aspect of your day. We must leave now, however. I cannot protect this house, and I will not have you at further risk.”

I sniffled and accepted the tissues that he had recently started carrying. “I know. And I want to go. I’m just so glad you’re here. Sometimes things get so overwhelming, and only when you’re around do I feel better.”

Drake tipped my chin up, his eyes sparkling with a brilliant emerald light. “That has to be one of the nicest things you’ve said to me. You have made yourself necessary to me, as well.”

I balled up my fingers and punched him in the stomach.

He laughed as he rubbed his belly, then pulled me tightly against his chest. “All right, I will say it, but you must make note that this fulfills the requirement for the day.”

“Too much talking and not enough kissing,” I said as I grabbed his head and pulled it down to me. His kiss was as hot as his dragon fire, scorching more than just my lips. His tongue danced along mine, driving me into squirming against him, wanting what only he could give me.

“Give it,” I whispered into his mouth, and quivered to the tips of my toes when he opened his mouth and let his fire sweep through me. It blazed a trail along my veins, burning my blood, carrying me along in an inferno of desire, love, and need.