Read Demon Lord 4: White Jade Reaper for Free Online

everything in their walk-in freezer, and still manage dessert.”
    She stared at Onyx.  “Oh, I see your point.  That could get quite expensive.”
    He scowled faintly, at the edge of irritation as well as his seat.  “I am a prince, you know?  I have no need to freeload.  I have resources.”  He held a fist out over the table.  His hand opened and six glittery stones jostled onto the table top.  “See?”
    I didn’t need to activate my Dragon Sight tattoo for a magical evaluation.  My inner dragon stirred awake, inflamed with greed.  His race-memory knowledge of treasure flowed to me.  I said, “Black diamonds, one carat, natural color.  $1,700 a piece.”
    Grace looked at me.  “They’re real?”
    I nodded.  “Most black diamonds are actually white diamonds that have been irradiated to turn midnight-green, a color that only looks black, but really isn’t.  These are true black diamonds with color coming from graphite inclusions.”
    My hand started forward, itching to feel the textures, to snatch up the stones.  I remembered the ruby I’d reflexively eaten months ago.  It had come out all right in the end, so to speak, but the event had made me wary against casually handling jewels.  I
    pulled my hand back.
    My inner dragon growled at me.  Hey, I was going to eat that .
    I know.  Behave.
    Onyx swept up the stones, absorbing all but one back into his hand.  That one he placed in front of Grace.  “Buy me dinner and you can keep that.”
    She snatched it off the table with blinding speed.  “Sure, just out of the goodness of my heart.”
    I felt a change of heart coming on: If shadow men can manufacture black diamonds at will, I’m going to have to develop a tolerance for them.  I shot Onyx a steely glance.  “So, how big can you make those things anyway?”
    “No more than a pound or two while in human form, but if I debase myself first…”
    I smiled.  “Prince Onyx, allow me to buy you a drink.”
    “Sure.  And while you’re at it, who exactly are you, and what are you to Grace?”
    “Friend of the family?” I said.  “Cassie and I have a little history between us.”
    Grace picked up her drink and took a sip.  “He helped me out that time the ninjas kidnapped Tukka.”
    Onyx nodded, a bit of tension bleeding out of his posture.  He grinned at Grace.  “I’m glad, that’s all.  You do have an unfortunate weakness for older men.”
    “Do tell?” I said.
    “Don’t,” Grace said.
    Onyx leaned toward me a little, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial stage whisper, “That Shaun guy, he’s old enough to be her father.  She all but drools over him.  Sure, the guy knows how to wag a sword, but he’s not a good match for her.  Not nearly as good as me.”
    Grace glowered.  “Even if you say so yourself.” 
    He looked back at her, his face surprised.  “I have to say it.  No one else knows just how wonderful I am.”
    Give the little shit a bit of power and he thinks he’s god.  He should have been born human.
    Taking a drink, Grace sputtered, choking, coughing.
    Onyx flowed to his feet, at her side in an instant.  “Grace, are you all right?  Grace?”
    She recovered, blinking tears from her eyes.  “Damn, don’t say things like that when I’m swallowing.”
    “I’m sorry, I should remember how vulnerable you solids are.”  His right hand pressed between her shoulder blades.  “I will be more careful with you.”
    “Just sit down already.  I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”  She coughed a little bit and took a careful sip to ease her abused throat.
    “Speaking of Tukka,” I said, “where did the mutt get off to anyway?”
    She frowned at the word mutt , but didn’t make an issue of the term.  “He heads the fu dog pack on Earth, so he can’t always hang out with me, playing canine-clown.  You know, he can use good English when he wants to.”
    Onyx took his seat again.  “So, that thing where he calls himself by name—all