Chapter Ten
Countless guards appeared, surrounding Frost’s home.
Frost set the building on such a high security lockdown, the doors stuck when opening.
Celina crawled across the floor, banging a set of plastic keys on the marble beneath her each time her little hand connected with the ground.
She babbled to herself. Lucifer’s hellhound, Brownie, scooted across the floor on his belly, staying right at her side.
Frost stared at nothing. Gemini held his hand.
Sitting on Lucifer’s couch watching Lucifer crash out happened way more than Frost had expected when he moved to Hell.
Lucifer paced and ranted in a projected stage whisper to keep from scaring the baby at his feet.
“I can’t fucking believe Bodhi still thinks you need to be protected from me. Me.” He poked himself in the chest with his index finger. Lucifer paused, and he locked gazes with Frost. “Have I harmed you in any way? Am I a bad father? Grandfather? Yes? No?”
“That’s actually a few questions with different answers.
No, you’ve never hurt me. Yes, you’re an amazing dad and grandpa.
That’s why I’m sitting here right now. I have patients counting on me, and I’m here, convening with you.
That’s because I care. I sure as hell don’t want Bodhi to pull something.
While I’m certain there’s nothing he can do to me, I don’t want to spend eternity studying every face, wondering if Bodhi hides behind it.
This entire nonsense is beyond old. What is it with ancient ones?
None of you know how to let go and move on. ”
Lucifer snarled. “I existed long before this planet. Way longer than Bodhi could even imagine. If he’s ancient, what am I?”
Riku, Lucifer’s husband, jumped in. “You’re vintage, baby.”
The response seemed to appease Lucifer. “Anyhow, this needs to be dealt with.”
Celina tugged on Lucifer’s pants leg. With a set face that screamed determination, she grabbed two handfuls of the material and pulled herself up to stand.
“Holy shit.” Lucifer bent and scooped Celina from the floor. “Good girl. You waited until everyone was here to see that. Papaw is so proud of you.” He planted a loud kiss on her cheek.
Frost kept his mind on lockdown so Lucifer wouldn’t see how Celina had started pulling herself up last week.
It was important to him that Lucifer felt as included as Gemini and he were.
After all, Lucifer had brought her into existence.
The backs of his eyes burned. The wave of sadness felt ridiculous.
He had everything he could possibly want, except freedom.
Bodhi had once been his aunt. Her blood ran through his veins, and he had loved her fiercely.
But her interference, lying to Frost about his parents, those things had cost him years away from a family that wanted him.
Now he had this amazing life, and Bodhi wanted to steal him away from it.
He wasn’t sure if Bodhi realized how horrible that made him.
Likely he would be proud of himself for harming everyone involved.
It seemed his druid magic had turned dark.
He even spawned dark fae with his corrupted spells.
This had to stop. Frost just wanted a normal fucking life.
Well, as normal as a man who was the son of Lucifer and mated to a Were snow leopard and had a magic baby would ever be. Goddamn. He just wanted some peace.
I love you, baby. We’re strong. Everything will be okay.
Frost turned his head and smiled at his sexy husband. Goddess, those light blue eyes and long, curly blond hair. That irresistible body. Frost shook his head. He had to stay on track.
I love you too. You’re my rock. You know that, right?
Gemini leaned his way and swiped a sweet kiss across his lips. Let’s talk a little about those other thoughts you were just having.
Heat rushed to Frost's face, and not in embarrassment. “Later—”
“Hello.”
Frost jumped at the loud, chipper greeting.
Riku was on his feet, eyes flashing and ready to defend his mate.
Lucifer released a low, exhausted-sounding sigh. “Tam. We really need to discuss the way you just pop—”
“I brought you something.” Tam bounced on his toes like a kid who had eaten too much sugar, without a care that he had just interrupted the King of Hell. Of course, Frost knew exactly how powerful Tam was. He likely wasn’t afraid of anything,
Tam’s beautiful, innocent-looking eyes focused on Frost. The childlike demeanor vanished.
He stared into the face of a broken man who had seen too much.
“I’m terrified of a lot of things.” His expression snapped back to the carefree guy he had been a minute earlier.
He skipped in place. “See, after centuries of torture, which fucked me all the way up, I met my mate.” Tam stopped and gazed into the sky with his hands clasped beneath his chin.
He twisted from side to side. “And he’s so sweet, and gorgeous, and perfect—”
“You said you brought us something,” Lucifer reminded him, interrupting the list that was no doubt twenty minutes long, judging by Tam’s expression.
Tam jumped. “Oh, yeah.” He tossed some glitter in the air, and Bodhi appeared, tied to a chair. “Can I hold the baby?”
“No.”
“Yes,” Frost answered, talking over Lucifer. “Tam is family.”
Lucifer growled and handed Celina over. She looked beyond happy to land in Tam’s arms. Celina immediately put her hand on Tam’s mouth, as if demanding kisses.
Tam kissed her hand and then pushed it aside so he could place several kisses all over her cheek.
Her laugh was priceless. The child-like sound made everything right until Frost remembered Bodhi sat before them.
Frost quickly rallied. “Why would you bring him here? Do you know how powerful he is? This could be a ruse.”
“Nah, he’s good. Celeste mated him to a fairy, so he technically answers to King Cassius’ realm. But he had something he shouldn’t, and I had to get it back, so I knocked him out and then made him give up the goods. I figured you guys would also like a chat.”
Frost shook his head at how powerful Tam was.
“Your mind is a really weird place, isn’t it?”
Tam shrugged at Lucifer’s question. He answered as he bent and petted Brownie, and let Celina do the same. “It’s actually someplace even you wouldn’t survive.” The claim was so nonchalant, Frost might have called bullshit, but no. It was possible that his claim was very true.
Lucifer looked at him.
Frost’s hands rose and fell, showing he had nothing.
He hadn’t exactly pictured himself in this position.
One thing Tam said finally penetrated his thick head.
“Holy shit, Tam. He has a mate. From what I understand, he’s sugary sweet and you’re likely tormenting him by bringing his other half here. ”
Tam’s chin lifted. He looked as if he took the statement seriously.
“He is so adorable and pure of heart. I just love him. He’s sitting at your desk, playing with a fox and a wolf.
They’re my best friends. I made sure he knew everything would be okay and that we would be back in a few. He agreed this needed to be addressed.”
“Damn, Tamil. Why would you reassure him? You know I’m not about to let the druid see the light of day again. If I kill him, he’ll just be reborn and I’ll get twenty, maybe thirty years of peace and he’ll be right back. No. He’ll stay right here in one of my many cells.”
Bodhi laughed. “You couldn’t keep me here if you tried.”
Frost shot him a dirty look. “Be quiet, Aunt Vickie. You’ve caused enough problems with all your lies.”
Bodhi softened.
It was beyond strange to know that the soul inside this man’s body had once belonged to his aunt and likely several other forms. “I tried doing right by you. Keeping you safe. Why are you even here, putting my great-great-grandniece in danger like this? This is insane behavior. There’s no way you’ve chosen this.
How has this monster convinced you to risk your family? ”
“Be careful with the name-calling there, Bodhi. You used to really enjoy fucking this monster.” Lucifer immediately looked Riku’s way. “Sorry, angel. I had to.”
Riku graced him with a smile, no doubt responding mentally.
Lucifer’s attention swung back toward Bodhi. “Thundercunt.”
Frost fought a laugh. With all of Lucifer’s torturous glory, he stuck to name-calling.
“Now who’s acting like they didn’t love being all in this ass you used as your personal cunt. I kept you coming back for more for years.”
“Subpar at best.”
That was it. The evil look Bodhi shot at Lucifer finally broke Frost. He roared with laughter.
Frost couldn’t help it. The two sounded like teens trading barbs.
He sighed long and loud as he got himself under control.
Everyone looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
Maybe he had. Either way, this was just dumb.
“I love you both so much and you sound ridiculous as hell. How long ago were you together? Can you even remember?” He focused on Bodhi.
“From what I understand, you two were together for a long time. You were obviously special to Lucifer. Look at him. He’s literally a god.
I know you felt flattered as hell to have his attention the way you did. ”
“He’s a piece of shit. A bloodsucking, unnatural beast.” Bodhi’s face was red with fury.
“Do you really feel that way, or were you just hurt by Lucifer when you learned you weren’t the only one?”
Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Please. Are you joking? That was too long ago to recall. Not only have I had many loves in my life since, I have a mate. Why in the fuck would I cry over him? He shouldn’t even exist.”
“Oh.” The truth dawned. He understood now why Bodhi was so unreasonably enraged by Lucifer’s existence. “You’re a bigot? Only close-minded people would think, in this grand year of our lord and savior, Pedro Pascal—”
Heads nodded.
Lucifer cut in, “Yeah. Celeste will definitely let that one slide.”
Heads nodded again.