“An arch demon. If he’s here, it’s not to help manage the Castle of Dark Dreams. He’s one of the really evil ones, a Titanic kind of bad. He’s that powerful.”

“The Titanic sank.” Dacian looked amused.

Wade wasn’t amused. He ignored Dacian and focused on Cinn. “Do some research. He might be playing an ordinary guy, but he’d rip out your soul and laugh while he did it.” Wade stepped from the greenhouse, and dinner smells drifted through the open door. “But I guess he fits in here. Edge deals in death, too. Watch out for both of them.” His pointed glance at Dacian included him in the triumvirate of death. “Always remember what they are.” Then he was gone.

“Nice guy.” Dacian sounded vicious. “Maybe I’ll send him back to hell. I bet he can find a nice fishing hole there.”

Cinn couldn’t let that pass. “Are Bain and Edge really that bad?”

Dacian shrugged. “Probably.” He stared at her. “I have a lot in common with them.” He didn’t say anything more.

He intended to allow her to decide whether friendship—okay, making love with him—was worth the risk. But she’d already decided that, hadn’t she?

Cinn sighed. Time to change the subject. And there were plenty of subjects to explore. “Wade’s obsession with me came on right after I touched one of my miniature rosebush’s flowers and then touched Wade’s hand. I have a theory.”

Dacian groaned. “Don’t tell me the rosebush made him your love slave.”

She frowned. “Well, that’s sort of extreme. But, yeah, that’s what I think happened. I have to test my theory.”

“I’d let you test it on me, but how would you know if it worked? I could give Wade a run for his money right now without any help from your plants.” He smiled.

That smile, rare and something to be treasured, took her breath away as it always did. And the thought of him as her love slave triggered an instant response—heat buildup along with a heavy feeling low in her belly. Against her express orders, her mind shot off a whole bunch of images, all involving Dacian naked and doing things to her body with his hands and mouth that… Distraction alert. Now wasn’t the time. Maybe later while she was drifting off to sleep she’d pull out those images and enhance them a little.

“No, I’ll need another test subject, someone who owes me.” She knew her smile was evil enough to put her in the same class as Bain. “I think Asima would be perfect. As far as I can see, she doesn’t have anything special to do. And Eva wouldn’t affect Asima, just whoever the cat touched.” Cinn turned the idea over in her mind. “And I have the perfect recipient, someone who deserves an obsession.”