Chapter 26 Bast #2
Lucifer answers before I can. “That would be a needy hound.” He rolls his eyes, but I know he loves those bloodthirsty, feral-ass demon dogs.
“Hounds? Like hellhounds?”
“Exactly like that, Moonlight.” Lucifer moves toward the bed as if entranced by her, as he lets his eyes roam over her.
“Um…” Again, she turns to me, and this time I’m not the only one who notices. Lucifer’s smile melts off his face as he looks at me, his eyes narrowing.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, ignoring his hurt ego in favor of what really matters.
“Won’t they, like, eat me or something?” Aeri asks, her voice quiet as if nervous for Lucifer to overhear.
“Absolutely.”
“Of course not!”
Both Ruin and Luce answer at the same time before turning to scowl at each other.
“Don’t lie to her; your hounds are dangerous, and if she’s going to be staying here, she needs to know to stay away from them!” Ruin seethes, and I see the concern in his eyes.
“My hounds would never hurt her!” Lucifer defends, the shadows in the room feeling just a little darker as his temper flares.
But even as they argue, I keep an eye on Aeri to ensure she’s handling this okay. Their fighting might be entertaining to me, but if it’s going to upset her, then I have no issue putting a stop to it.
That isn’t necessary, though, because her eyes volley between them, a small smile on her face that lets me know she finds this just as entertaining.
That is, until she hears what Ruin says next.
“How many imps and succubi have they torn apart over the centuries?” Any amusement melts away, replaced by horror.
“What?” Her voice is little more than a shocked squeak, but it pulls both of their attention, making them turn to look at her and her very pale face.
“Aerilyn, my hounds would never harm you. I swear it on the River Styx.”
Well, that happened.
“You can’t know that!” Ruin demands, moving into Lucifer’s space, looking ready for a fight, and Aeri sees it too.
“Stop. Please, it’s fine. I just won’t go near—”
The fire in the fireplace rages out of control, and Lucifer’s eyes change, the whites of his eyes bleeding black as his irises go red.
“Nothing in the realm would dare lay paw or claw on my mate!” His voice booms loud enough that I’m sure most, if not all, of the castle heard him.
A moment too late, he appears to realize what he said and gets himself under control.
“Mate?” Ruin asks, turning away from Luce to look at Aeri, and I can see the pain in his eyes.
“Ruin, please just sit. A lot has changed, and it’s going to keep changing.” I tell him, solemnly nodding toward the spot on the bed that Aeri offered only a few moments ago.
Aeri sits, quiet, eyes fixed on her hands in her lap as if unable to look at anything else or meet anyone's gaze.
I hate it, but I know I can’t fix it. Not yet, at least.
Catching Ruin up takes the better part of the day. I knew a lot happened; I was here for it every step of the way, but saying it…
Fuck, it sucked. Aeri hadn’t been herself for all of it and had yet to ask what happened. I could see the fear and panic on her face as I explained what she missed while she was with Rome and every time she fell back under his mind control.
Lucifer didn’t make it but a few minutes before he stormed out.
He’d joked when we brought her here, called her ‘Rome’s mortal,’ and I get the feeling he very much regrets that now. He couldn’t tear his gaze away as I recalled the months she was gone, months with Rome, and while she doesn’t offer any details, I know he’s imagining the worst.
I do.
It’s a lot, and by the end, I can see the toll it’s taken on Aeri to hear it all, to relive the things she already knew and learn that there was more. The fact that this isn’t over hangs over her like a physical weight I wish I could take away.
Judging by the deep frown on Ruin’s face, he feels it too, if not a little sick about it all. I don’t blame him. He’d just seen Rome not long ago.
“Uh, I think I’m gonna go find Kai and say hi.” Ruin hooks a thumb over his shoulder toward the door, but doesn’t look away from Aeri, and I’m not sure if he wants her to tell him to stay or to go.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. I think I’m going to lie down for a few before dinner.” She moves up to the head of the bed, pulling the covers down and crawling underneath them without so much as glancing at either of us.
Ruin looks at me with a frown on his face that matches my own.
“Where might I find Kai?”
“The library, if you just go down the main stairs—”
“It would be easier if you just showed him,” she says, cutting me off, making me pause.
She clearly wants a moment to herself, to think and breathe, but the idea makes my stomach turn.
Alone and asleep means she’ll be vulnerable.
“Aeri, I—”
“I’ll be fine, just go, Bast.” Her voice is an octave too high, and I feel her sadness as it bleeds into the room around us. The last thing I want to do is upset her further.
Reaching out, I rub a hand over her foot through the blanket.
“I’ll be right back.”
She doesn’t respond, and I begrudgingly get to my feet to show Ruin to the library.
I make it as far as the bedroom door before I look back, regretting my choice when I find her huddled up in the middle of the bed. She’s so small, damn near defenseless; she’s just a mortal.
The urge to tell Ruin to find the library himself and go back to her, despite what she said, is so strong that I actually turn around. Thankfully, I catch myself and move out into the hall and toward the library without a glance back.
It’s the only way I can make myself leave her.
I feel Ruin’s presence as he follows me down the stairs. I know he has so many questions, but I’m grateful when he chooses instead to keep his mouth shut.
I don’t have answers to anything right now, and it’s tearing me apart.
All I want to do is fix everything for her…and maybe kill the angel while I’m at it.
That’s not too much to ask, is it?