Sarah Hawley

Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what's a witch to do when he won't leave her side--and she kind of doesn't want him to? Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon--one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain. Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry--if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can't leave Mariel's side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls). But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she's dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she'll lose all her emotions--including love--which will only spell disaster for them both.

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

Sophia

 Mariel scrunched up her nose and dug for the words that would send the chicken back home before it sullied her kitchen further.

“Your daughter,” Ozroth said, “has the brightest magical aura I’ve ever encountered. She’s destined for great things.” His gaze slid to Mariel, and a smirk tilted his detestable lips.

The “great things” he was envisioning probably involved her sacrificing her immortal soul to power his Wi-Fi.

The demon was cocky, easily offended, and annoying, but he hadn’t laughed maniacally even once, and when Mariel had called summoning him the worst mistake of her life, he’d looked . . . hurt?

His boxer briefs had clung indecently when he’d gotten out of the pool, giving her a good look at what the demon was packing. It would be a lot to take, but Mariel was willing to give it the old college try.

She thought of the way he’d complimented her magic and the concerns he’d expressed about how her family treated her. The way he’d panicked when she’d fainted, apparently agonizing over whether or not to give her CPR. The way he’d tentatively touched the petals of a flower in that clearing, looking amazed when the flower had stroked him back.

He scowled harder at the way his heart leapt.

If he’d been her demon, she would have let him comfort her when she’d been crying. He could have massacred whatever was causing her grief.

More importantly, what would happen to Mariel?

She was young in human terms, if painfully short-lived to a demon. She would spend the remaining decades of her life as a cold shell: feeling nothing, wanting nothing, hoping for nothing.

She’d become what he had been for centuries.

Her magic thrummed in concert with nature, passion feeding her power. Dormant seeds found new life in the soil, and flowers burst into bloom until Oz stood on a carpet of pink and red.

A climbing vine reached a tendril down from a branch overhead, whisking off his hat before patting his head affectionately.

He grunted. “Don’t let the plants molest me.”

Alzapraz sagged against the counter, relief written on his wrinkled face. “I’m not going to do it because I’m not like Mom or our glorious ancestors. I celebrate life and kindness. I like making things grow, and I don’t want to cause anyone pain.”

The fern clutched at Alzapraz’s sleeve, and he jumped.

Mariel smirked. “But you should know that I could.”

“Bloody hell,” Astaroth wheezed, cupping his throat.

Calladia wasn’t done. While he was still staggering from the hit, she did a roundhouse kick to his side, then grabbed his shoulders for leverage and kneed him in the groin.

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