“Hey!” Face warming, I leaned to look around the counter to find that my board had cracked. “You broke my chalkboard!” Then I hesitated, drawing back with my arms over my chest. “You were the one making me sneeze?” I said, and he nodded. “I’m not allergic to cats?” I looked at Jenks, elated. “Jenks! I’m not allergic to cats!”

Minias crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “Ignorant as a toad. Rude as an unwanted guest. Al is a saint for putting up with you, the novelty of your blood aside.”

Jenks was shooing his kids from the window, assuring them we were all right and to not tell their mother. “Me…rude?” I stammered, tugging my shirt back down where it belonged when Minias’s gaze slid to my midriff. “I’m not the one just showing up!”

“I said I would call first.” His demon eyes narrowed. “I didn’t promise it. And I’m not the one flinging pills and mace,” he added, scooping up his hat and jamming it on his head. His curls were sticking out all over, and damn me to hell if he didn’t look good like that. Immediately I sobered. No, no, Rachel. Bad girl. And remembering what Ivy had told me this spring about my needing the threat of death to prove to myself that I was alive, I quickly shoved aside any idea that Minias was attractive. But he was.

Minias saw my anger fizzle, and, clearly used to dealing with volatile females, he dropped his gaze. When it returned to me, he was visibly calmer, though no less angry. “I apologize for startling you,” he said formally. “Obviously you thought you had something to fear, and grabbing you probably wasn’t the best idea.”

“Damn right it wasn’t,” I said, jumping when Jenks landed on my shoulder. “And don’t try to sell me any crap about the kindly demon. I know three of you now, and you are all evil, insane, or just plain nasty.”

Minias smiled, but it didn’t make me feel any better. His eyes drifted over the inside of my bubble. “I’m not kindly, and if I could get away with it, I’d drag you into the ever-after and have someone broker you off—but Newt would get involved….” He shifted his eyes to focus on me. “She doesn’t remember you right now. I would like to keep it that way.”

“Tink’s little red thong,” Jenks whispered, grabbing my ear for balance. Stomach clenched, I retreated until I found the fridge, the stainless steel cold through my thin chemise.

“With this debt standing between us without even a mark to keep things tidy, taking you would be in bad taste.” Minias tugged his sleeves down over his wrists. “Once I grant whatever stupid wish you want, I won’t have to restrain myself, but until then you’re relatively safe.”