Blame
Luke’s massive erection presses into my leg and my cheeks heat in response. If there wasn’t a throne to take back, I’d be begging him to whisk me off into some dark recess of Hell to have his way with me. Against a wall. Laid out on some torture table. I don’t care. I just need him inside of me.
“Victoria … darling … now isn’t the time to mess with me. I’m already rock hard. I know you feel it.”
I smile into his shoulder. “What did I tell you about reading my mind, Lucifer?”
“You were practically screaming.”
The humor in his voice brings a smile to my face.
“You can’t always use that excuse. One of these times, I’m going to knock you out for prying.”
I step back, slapping his chest.
“Do your worst, my love. I can’t wait.”
“Masochist.” I grin, covering my flaming hot cheeks.
“You know me too well.”
My eyes narrow in what I hope appears to be a warning of harm to come if he keeps it up. He chuckles, raising his arms to shield himself from any additional attack on my part.
A throat clears, and that’s when it registers. Zeke, Leeanna, Michael, River, and the Bellamys—who’d been left behind—are staring at Luke and me in varying degrees of shock, awe, and annoyance.
“Is this really the time for all that?” Zeke says, sounding disgusted.
Embarrassment washes over me, knowing they all likely heard every word shared between Luke and me. It was a private moment, shared in an entirely nonprivate location, and if it’s possible, my cheeks heat even more.
“Don’t be shy, love. They’re just jealous of what we have.”
I smile up at Luke and allow all of my emotions to bubble over. Love, happiness … it all comes pouring out of me, and I feel revitalized. Love isn’t weak. It’s a bond that makes me stronger. Makes us stronger.
Leanna steps forward. “Lucifer, we need to act while we have the element of surprise.”
Lucifer grunts. “You’re right. We can’t stand around here, waiting for the menagerie to show up.”
“What can we do to help?” Julian asks, side-eyeing the angels in the room. “We’ll join this fight if you’ll help us get out of here when it’s over.”
Zeke and Leeanna both wear matching frowns, likely trying to uncover any hidden agenda. Eventually, Leeanna addresses the king of vampires, asking the one question likely to piss him off.
“What’s in it for you?”
He pulls a face. “Did I not just say it? We need to get out of here too. My price is our freedom for our help. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“What do you think, Zeke?” she asks.
“Enough,” I snap. “I’ve gotten to know these two and I trust them.” I level Leeanna with a sharp glare, signaling we’re still on rocky ground and she needs to step down.
“Have you two just been hanging out here the whole time? Nobody came for you?”
“You were gone for only a couple of minutes,” Julian says, as though that should be obvious.
“What? How is that possible?”
I think about Luke’s and my lovemaking and then the talk with Michael. I’d conjured a storm. That was hours, not minutes.
“Love, I know you want answers, but now isn’t really the time,” Luke says, pulling me into his chest. “Time is different here. It’s what I want it to be. Can that be enough for now?”
I look up over my shoulder and offer a tight-lipped smile. He’s right. We’re standing in the middle of Hell with Nolda’s legion likely on their way to us. There will be time later for answers.
“We need their help.” It’s all I say, steering the conversation back to the original issue.
Zeke nods to me before turning to speak to Leeanna, who still doesn’t appear convinced. Well, too damn bad.
“Is there any choice? We’re likely to be outnumbered. We can use all the help offered. Even if it does come from vampire royalty.”
I don’t miss the snarky dig on Zeke’s part, and it ticks me off.
“You know who he is?” I ask, pointing to Julian.
“I’m familiar with the Bellamy brothers, yes,” Zeke replies, sounding annoyed.
“Then you should know that they aren’t like the vampires we hunt. Julian is a good man and dedicated to preserving life. So be respectful,” I reprimand.
Zeke’s arms rise in surrender. “I’m only being cautious. Hearing about them and actually knowing them are different things, Tori. How well do you know them?”
I share a look with Julian, then Law, then Luke. “Enough to know they’re on our side.”
Julian offers me a smile and nods his head once.
“That’s good enough for me,” Luke says, pulling me away from Zeke and closer to Julian and Law, forming something like a huddle.
“Julian. Law,” Luke acknowledges them both. “This is the plan …”
He springs into his makeshift strategy, calling out orders and directing the brothers on where to go and how to take out Hell’s demons.
“Wait, so we’re supposed to kill these demons with our bare hands?” Law asks, sounding unsure.
“I’d suggest grabbing something from there,” Luke motions toward the room of torture. “You should be able to find something useful.”
“Where’s the demon?” I ask, noticing his absence.
“Likely running to tell Nolda the cavalry is here,” Law says dryly.
Both vampires head that way, and I watch as they maneuver around the unmoving person strapped to the chair and dig through the table of devices.
Julian lifts the serrated knife from earlier, blood dripping from the tip, and I turn away.
I need my head in the game, and that is not the way to accomplish it.
“I’m expecting my own cavalry to arrive at any moment. Including Rix. You know him, love,” Luke says.
I purse my lips, recalling my run-in with the hellhound in the woods next to my loft.
“Please keep your dog away from me. I still haven’t forgiven him for nearly killing me.”
“He didn’t.”
“He did.”
He shakes his head. “It wasn’t even close. Rix doesn’t make errors.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Whatever you say, but just know, I’m not over it.”
He smirks. “Noted.”
“Could you two quit with the foreplay and get on with the strategy talk?” Lawrence quips, smiling a boyish grin as though Lucifer and I entertain him thoroughly.
I curl my lip in mock annoyance. “How much more strategy do you need, Bellamy? I’m beginning to worry I’ll need to shield you from danger.”
“Nope. I have my trusty sidekick now.” He holds up a butcher’s knife, smiling like he won the lottery.
“Bigger isn’t always better, Law. Or are you doing the whole man thing—attempting to make up for something you lack?” I grin, hoping to convey I’m only teasing.
His lips smack together as if to say fuck off, but a grin quickly follows.
In the short time I’ve gotten to know Julian and Law Bellamy, I’ve really grown to like them. I have every intention of honoring my promise of help when the vampire war begins.
We all naturally spread out. Vampires huddle in one corner, angels in another, River leaning against the wall alone and looking far too comfortable for his own good.
He hasn’t said a word since Luke arrived, and I wonder what he’s thinking.
A throat clears, and I turn to see Luke’s narrowed eyes. He’d clearly been watching me, watching River.
“Care to fill me in on what exactly was happening when I arrived here last time? You two looked very cozy.”
“Luke, is this really the time for unnecessary jealousy?”
His jaw clenches and I know I’ve hit a nerve. “I think now is the perfect time. If I’m to trust him at my side, I need to know he’s not plotting to take me out so he can have my girl.”
“Ooookay, caveman, you can chill out with the barbaric alpha act. Was it not you who just gave me the orgasm of a lifetime?”
He takes a threatening step forward, pinning my back to the brimstone wall.
“I think I need to remind you where you are, love. This is my domain, and no creature, reaper or otherwise, is going to encroach on my territory. No matter who just gave you the orgasm of your life. Understood?”
“No, I don’t. I had to sit here with your concubine forcing me to watch a homemade porno of the two of you.” I lean forward, poking him in the chest. “You don’t get to be jealous of a handsome reaper helping me survive.”
All right … so I could’ve left off the whole handsome part, but a very petty part of me needs to stoke the fire.
Luke growls and takes one more step so that our chests touch. “Handsome?”
“Sinfully,” River calls out nonchalantly, alerting us to the fact he’s been eavesdropping the entire time.
“You stay out of this,” I chide over Luke’s shoulder, knowing that at any point, Luke might truly kill River if he doesn’t stop. I can only hold Luke at bay for so long. Especially with the knowledge that River is supposedly promised to me by Heaven and the reaper queen.
“Reaper, I will end you if you say another word.”
River shrugs but remains quiet, and I know it’s because of the pleading look I’m wearing.
I need to turn this around. Luke also needs to be in the proper headspace to reclaim his throne, so I lean up and whisper, “It’s only ever been you.” My tongue runs down the shell of his ear and he shivers at the contact.
When I pull away, Luke’s eyes burn crimson, hunger and possessiveness blazing hot. If we weren’t in Hell about to go to battle, I’d offer myself to him on a platter. The fire I see threatens to buckle my legs underneath me. Now that I know just what it feels like to be with him, I crave it.
I need him.
“Careful, angel. You’ll cause a scene.” His devilish grin and the way his tongue darts out, running a line across his bottom lip, cause me to whimper like a weak, needy woman. “Then again … that could send the reaper just the right message.”
All the heat from moments ago disappears with his need to continue to stake his claim and my hand darts out, pushing into Luke’s shoulder. He grabs my hand, holding it a little tighter than necessary.
“I’m not done with you, Victoria.”
I bend down, grabbing the dagger that River gave me earlier, and swing the blade up, placing it at Luke’s neck. “Oh … we’re done with this conversation. Understand?”
A wicked grin spreads across his face. “I love when you’re violent.”
“Idiot,” I grunt, stalking past him, needing some distance to clear my head.
Missing him, combined with the effects this place has on me—I was likely two seconds away from truly embarrassing myself.
“Everything okay, Tori?” Zeke asks, coming up behind me.
“I’m fine. Just Lucifer being Lucifer.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, well … I have to say that I’ve seen a different side to him these past few days.
” His hand rises for me to stop overthinking things, clearly seeing my widening eyes.
“I’m not saying I trust him, or that he’s not every bit the Satan of nightmares, but I know he cares …
for you.” He shakes his head and huffs out a laugh.
“I’m not sure how that’s going to work, but anyway, I just wanted to check on you. ”
“Thank you, Zeke. The fact that you were willing to put aside your issues with Luke to come here is big. Him gaining back his throne is important. Human life is at stake.”
“I didn’t just come here for him, Tori.” He smiles, but it’s full of sadness.
Whether it’s from the loss of what we shared for a short time, or something else entirely, I don’t know. And in truth, I don’t care. Those days are over, and we’ve already hashed that out.
“Your destiny is linked to the reapers, and I had to help get you back to River.”
I flinch at his words. “I’m not here for River, Zeke. I’m here to help Luke. That’s it.”
Zeke shifts on his heels. “Even if he can take you to meet your mother?”
“I’m not having this conversation now. Drop it, Zeke.”
“Okay, okay,” he says, lifting his hands in surrender. “I’ll drop it.”
“We’ve got a battle to prepare for,” I say.
“Too late for that,” Leanna calls out, as a crashing sound makes its way toward us.
“Everybody back.”
Luke pushes our group together to form an inverted triangle. It’s not lost on me he set it up so that I’d be at the back.
“You know I’m more than capable of defending myself,” I call out to Luke. “You don’t need to hide me back here.”
“Not here. You don’t have all of your powers,” he singsongs back, and I have to grind my teeth not to march to the front and put him on his ass to prove just how capable I am, with or without my powers.
“Would you two shut up,” Leeanna snaps.
“If something should happen to me, please tell Marina that I love her,” Julian says over his shoulder.
“For fuck’s sake, Julian, tell her yourself. None of us are dying,” Law gripes. “You’re losing your man card for this, by the way. The Crown shouldn’t always assume death.”
Julian throws his fist into his brother’s stomach and Law harrumphs, bending over.
“I’m not assuming death, idiot. I was just thinking about how I don’t think I told her I loved her before we left. It’s bothering me.”
I place my hand on Julian’s shoulder. “You’ll tell her soon, but if something should go wrong, I will make sure she knows that she was the last thing you thought about and that you love her.”
He places his hand over mine on his shoulder and squeezes. “Thank you.”
“Any requests from you, Lawrence? Any certain familiar you’d like to pledge undying devotion to?”
He grunts. “I won’t be dying. So no need.”
I grin, realizing that he didn’t deny having feelings for the woman Maggie.
“They’re coming,” Luke yells to prepare us.
I refrain from saying another word as the thundering sound of hooves gets closer.
Weapons are unsheathed and we all assume crouched attack positions.
“Ready?” Lucifer calls out as the first of the demon dogs fly around the corner.
It’s Rix. I’d recognize that demon dog anywhere.
Rix notices us behind Lucifer and the hair on the back of his neck, all the way down his spine into his tail, stands on end. He bares the largest canines I’ve ever seen, hurling himself toward us.
Luke’s hand shoots into the air. “Stop.”
The sound of that one word ricochets off the walls, and the floor beneath us quakes.
The hellhound skids to a stop, directly in front of Luke, dropping to its belly in submission.
“Rix … for today, they are with us. You will obey,” Luke’s tone is commanding and lethal. “Cutting it a bit close, don’t you think, Lil?”
Around the corner struts Lilith, and my stomach bottoms out.
“You were a bit late in summoning me. Next time a bit of a heads-up would be best.” She smirks at Luke as she glides right up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and planting a kiss on his lips. But not before a look of triumph is directed toward me. Bitch.