“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.
JULY
I will not kill her, I repeat internally, trying to remain calm.
I know her game. She’s trying to get a reaction out of me. This is her desperate attempt to hold on to something that is no longer hers, and as much as I hate it, I understand too.
Lilith has had Lucifer’s attention for a very long time. She’s held on to some warped idea that eventually he would love her like she does him. There’s a part of me that actually feels sorry for her, because I know what it feels like to lose Luke. It’s soul-crushing.
So instead of strangling her like I want to, I perfect an unaffected face and simply cross my arms over my chest, cocking my head to the side, signaling she’d better wrap this charade up.
The entire scene lasts for only
a few seconds, because Lucifer, being the smart man that he is, grabs her arms, extricating them from his person. He steps out of her grasp.
“What are you doing, Lilith?” he chastises, and she affects the whole what did I do façade.
“I missed you. That’s all. We’ve always been . . . affectionate.”
“We’ve fucked, Lil. There’s never been affection.”
Both Lilith and I flinch at his crass words. They’re harsh even for Satan.
“You’re putting on a show for Victoria’s sake, and I won’t allow it.”
“I didn’t realize I needed to. Last we spoke, she was simply a fallen angel you’d tricked into falling. Have things changed?”
My stomach flips at the mention of what was once my greatest fear. That Luke is still messing with me in some way. I smash it down, unwilling to doubt his love for me anymore. That’s all in the past. I know without a doubt that everything between us is real.
Luke looks over his shoulder at me. I raise an eyebrow, but otherwise remain still and silent. Deathly silent.
In truth, I’m kind of enjoying the horrified expression that he’s wearing. I would love to see how this plays out. He turns back to Lilith, clearing his throat.
“You and I both know that’s bullshit, but right now isn’t the time to hash out your insecurities. Where are the others?”
So it’s like that, then . . . avoid the topic.
I roll my eyes, but otherwise let it go, because he is right.
“They’re coming. They’ll be here any—”
She’s cut off by thumps from the other side of the rock.
At least a dozen demons pile through the wall, dressed in armor.
“Gang’s all here,” Lilith says dryly. “As promised.”
“How in the hell are we supposed to trust her, Luke?” I ask, no longer able to remain silent. “The entire time I was here, she was working with Nolda.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Lilith cuts in. “I had to give the appearance that I was, so that I could uncover his plans, and get Satan back and his army positioned without being noticed.”
“It appears you did so expertly. Nice work, Lilith,” Luke praises, but it lacks any warmth. It’s militant and direct, and based on Lilith’s crumbling expression, she noticed too.
Luke comes to me unexpectedly, grabbing my hand. “It’s necessary for me to work with Lilith. She’s a trusted advisor and an incredible strategist. I need you to work with me here.” His face scrunches and his eyes close as if anticipating a fight.
“Okay.”
It’s all I say, because I’m the bigger woman and there are greater things at stake. And at the end of the day, I could kick this concubine’s ass and we both know it.
A large smile spreads across his handsome face and he pulls me in, searing me with a kiss that’s so different from what was shared between him and Lilith.
Her whimper of distress isn’t lost on me, and I internally smile.
I’m trying to be the better woman, but a little petty is called for in this moment, considering her attempts to belittle what Luke and I share.
“I’m proud of you,” he says, placing a tender kiss on my nose. “And for the record, you’re right. You are the better woman,” he says so only I hear. “Now, we have a demon to kill.”
Hurrahs sound around the room as the demons stomp their feet and clang their battle axes and other weapons against the walls and floor.
If Nolda didn’t know they were here already, he does now.
“About that, Satan,” Lilith cuts in. “Nolda has escaped. Like the coward that he is, he ran, leaving behind his smaller army.”
“Damn it,” Luke roars. “I should’ve known he’d bail.”
“Where did he go?” I ask, drawing Luke’s attention.
He closes his eyes, appearing to concentrate, but his face quickly morphs into stony acceptance. “I can’t locate him.”
“Yvette,” Julian barks. “I know she’s behind this.”
Luke nods. “She’s here in Hell, masking him.”
“I have access to a witch just as powerful. One of her sisters, Shante,” Julian says.
“Zeke, Leeanna, and Michael, take Julian and Lawrence back to Earth. Prepare your angels for battle. Once we uncover where Nolda is hiding out with his army, we’ll attack.”
“I won’t leave until the matter of Victoria is settled,” Michael snaps. “The reapers must be made aware—”
“What about the reapers?” River asks, with narrowed eyes.
“Enough!” Luke roars. “My throne is the most pressing matter. We deal with the traitors in this castle before anything else.”
Luke’s outburst has more to do with him not wanting to alert an oblivious River to whom they believe me to be.
“Not yet, love. Not yet,” he says, proving that yet again, he can’t stay out of my head.
I want to chastise him, but now isn’t the time. Not in front of these demons and Lilith. They need to see that Lucifer is every bit the ruler he’s meant to be.
“I must insist,” Michael continues, not backing down despite Luke’s hostility.
“This is my domain, Michael, and it’s time for you to leave.”
Luke snaps his finger and Michael disappears.
“What did you do?” Leeanna seethes. “Where is Michael?”
“He’s on solid ground, back on Earth. You’ll be joining him shortly.”
Law pipes up. “I’m in search of a portal to the Fae world. If you’d allow me passage, I’ll happily join your cause.”
“The Fae kingdom isn’t somewhere you want to traipse around, Bellamy. You’ll find yourself dead if you set one foot there.”
“It’s a risk I must take,” Law says, resolutely.
“Please, Luke. They’ve been nothing but kind to me, and his reasons for seeking the Fae world could prove helpful to your war.”
Luke’s eyes narrow on Law, but he relents. “I’ll give you safe passage, if you’ll help with the small conflict ahead.”
“It would be my honor.”
Luke nods before turning back to Julian and the remaining angels. “Go find your witch. I’ll summon you all when it’s time.” He snaps his fingers and Zeke, Leanna, and Julian disappear.
“Demons, line up behind me. Take no prisoners. Any who sided with Nolda die. Understood?”
More hurrahs and stomping sound off, and Luke’s hand raises into the air to silence them.
Luke turns to me. “This shouldn’t be a hard battle. If Nolda left, he took all the higher demons with him. All that remain are low demons and easily killed. You don’t need to join this fight, Victoria.”
“I might not need to, but I’m going to.”
“They’re in the throne room, Satan. Abdiel and Bumalin are holding the traitors for disposal.”
“The two high demons who were with Nolda?”
He tips his chin down in acknowledgment. “They’re with us,” he assures, but it does anything but reassure me.
Those demons were extra evil, and the thought of them siding with Luke is yet another reminder that he is their lord. The man I love and the creature who rules this terrible place are one and the same.
“They’re waiting for us,” Lilith says. Her tone is dry and curt.
Good. She got the hint that her time with Luke is over.
“Let’s go,” Luke commands.
The demons file into a line behind Lucifer, and they begin their march to battle. As the line ends, more demons join from the hall.
Luke and I share a glance, and I read so much in the depths of his eyes.
Be careful.
I love you.
We walk in silence for several minutes, the tension thick and suffocating as demons prepare to take out the traitors who’ve lived amongst them.
We round the last corner and come to an open room that’s roughly ten times the size of my barn. It’s wide open, and at the front, the high demons sit perched like kings, watching the fray
below.
Demons’ knives and swords clank together as the first of our army begins the battle. I push my way toward the front, ready to join the fight. I’m yanked back and swung around, coming face to face with Luke. He pulls me into his chest, slamming his lips to mine.
It’s a quick, desperate kiss. His forehead rests on mine. “Please be careful, Victoria. You’re my everything. I need you safe.”
I roll my eyes. “I was born for this.”
Luke smirks. “I love you.”
With that, he rushes off, joining his legion. Removing my dagger, I rush toward a gnarly demon with spikes sticking out from its head like a porcupine. The dagger’s hilt is much shorter than Solis’s, so I have to be closer than I prefer to strike my killing blow.
Unlike with Solis, the demon vanishes before the blade is fully seated. No ash, no fire . . . nothing but dead air.
“That’s . . . different,” I say out loud.
“Reaper rock,” River states, sliding up next to me, pushing his blade through the neck of a vampire. “Although, that shouldn’t have happened,” he says, swinging around and beheading a wolf-demon. “Only a baptized reaper should be able to vaporize a demon with that blade.”
I stiffen at his words.
“Have you ever seen an angel wield this reaper rock before?”
His eyes squint in thought. “Only one,” he admits. “I suppose you could be on to something.”
We each swing away from each other, taking out more demons. I spin around to find my next target and slam into River’s solid chest. A ripple of awareness soars through me as every hard inch of him is pressed against me.
“Careful, angel, you’ll get me into trouble with Satan.”
“Scared?” I taunt, looking up into his handsome face.
He grins down at me. “I’m not trying to find myself in a duel, princess.” He swings out of my way, thrusting his blade directly into the eye of a demon before turning back to me. “Although, for you, I might be willing to make an exception.”
I roll my eyes. “You wouldn’t win.”
His arm flies out, pulling my hip toward him so that we’re once again flush with each other. He lowers his face to mine, stopping a mere inch from my lips. “Care to wager?”
Trust the Fall (Fallen Hunters Series Book 2) Page 11