“Yeah, well, I can make some filthy sexual suggestions to you if you’d prefer.”

“What, and ruin foreplay for next time?”

This made his grin grow, and he shut the magazine. “To what do I owe the pleasure? Shouldn’t you be visiting our neighbors to the north? Or is that done? I honestly can’t keep track.”

“Well. About that.” God, how was I going to explain what had happened? Had all of this seriously happened in just one day? It felt like a year had gone by since I got woozy in the car. “Something strange happened today.”

“Strange like you sold out of Jane Austen books at the store or strange like the rules of time and space as we know them are about to be ripped apart?”

“Mmm . . . more like that last one.”

“Shit.”

I took a deep breath, figuring I should just get the big stuff out of the way. “There’s no easy way to put this, but . . . I’m not a succubus anymore.”

“I never believed you were a succubus.”

I groaned. That had been an old joke between us when we’d first met. Oh, the irony. “I’m serious,” I said. “No more succubus. And Jerome’s disappeared too, possibly opening up Seattle to a new demonic reign.”

Dante stared at me, eyes speculative as he assessed me for the truth. He was speechless for the first time I’d known him. Not waiting for more witty commentary, I plunged forward. I explained about the summoning, what it had done to all of us lesser immortals, how demons everywhere were now sizing up Seattle, and why I needed to find Jerome as soon as possible.

When I finally finished, it took Dante several moments to gather his thoughts. “So . . . you’ve seriously lost your succubus powers?”

“Abilities,” I corrected. “And yes, I have. Are you saying that after all that other stuff I just told you about the balance of power in Seattle, my succubus status is what caught your attention the most?”

He shrugged. “You gotta admit it’s weird. Besides, that other stuff doesn’t affect me. You do.” His eyes narrowed. “Am I going to have to use a condom now?”

“What? No. Of course not.”

“You sure?”

“You’ve never batted an eye over me stealing pieces of your soul these last few months, but the nonexistent threat of child support suddenly scares you?”

“Well, yeah, seeing as my bank account’s got more in it than my soul.”

I glanced around the shabby room. “Debatable.”

“Cute,” he conceded. “But I’d be asking a few more questions about all of this if I were you. Like, can you die?”