I bristle—he’s hit me where it hurts. I haven’t felt like much of a Demon lately. “Look, all I know is that I care about you. You expect me to tell you the truth, right?”
Noah’s eyes narrow with anger—a look I’ve seen far too often. “I expect you to support me. Right now it sounds like you have very little faith in me.”
I laugh at the reference. This has nothing to do with faith. “I’ll see you after your press conference,” I say. I can’t do this. I don’t want the last thing we say to each other to be in anger.
I blow him a kiss and disappear in a cloud of smoke, hoping he won’t call me right back. I materialize several floors up and reach for the handle of the dagger, wondering if I can somehow destroy it, when I realize it isn’t there. Panic grips me as I search my waistband, but it’s gone.
And so is my only possibility of regaining Lucifer’s trust.
Chapter 28
Josh
Mr. Griffith and I descend together while Shona stays behind to make sure things run smoothly above. We materialize in a Beverly Hills hotel, but nothing surprises me at this point. Mr. Griffith and I are dressed in suits.
Mr. Griffith smiles and turns his face to the sun. “Beautiful.”
Behind him, a couple stands with hands entwined, looking into each other’s eyes and blushing with happiness. My heart sinks. I miss simple moments like that with Grace, and a part of me worries that whatever Lucifer’s put her through will have changed her so much, she’ll no longer want me—even when Mr. Griffith reclaims her.
“Where to now?” I ask, interrupting Mr. Griffith’s little moment.
“First we find Grace,” he says, all seriousness again. “Once we find her, Lucifer will follow. For now he is distracted with his plans.”
I nod. Find Grace. That should be simple for me. She’s under instruction to come seduce me when I appear on Earth.
“I expect the concierge can help us out.” Mr. Griffith leads the way. Tons of people are moving around the lobby, murmuring, many with professional cameras, both still and film. I notice the press passes hanging on lanyards around their necks, and when I look down, I realize we have them, too.
“Grace Howard’s room, please.” Mr. Griffith smiles at the girl behind the desk.
“Wait!”
We all turn around to find Keira rushing toward us. I step forward to intercept her.
“What happened?” I ask immediately. She’s breathing hard, face pale and hair sticking out in spots like she’s been running. I’ve never seen her look so human or so worried.
She grabs me and pulls me aside, away from the others. “I’m glad I found you first. Listen, Grace is going to try and seduce you. You have to let her.”
“Excuse me? Keira, my sex life is none of your business.”
She rolls her eyes at me, then leans in closer and whispers, “I mean it, Josh. If you don’t, Lucifer expects me to kill you both.”
I glance back at Mr. Griffith, who waits patiently, hands folded in front of him, rocking back and forth in his fancy shoes. Didn’t he hear that? Is he just letting me handle this?
“Just don’t do it,” I say, irritated that she’s in the way.
“I don’t plan on it, but I’m not the problem,” she hisses, glancing around. Apparently she’s afraid of being overheard.
“Then what is?” I ask, losing patience. I’m so close to getting Grace back. Once that happens, she can seduce me all she wants.
“Noah. He stole the dagger I was supposed to use. It’s the one that girl I saved you from made. Remember her?”
“Lucy? The one you killed? Yeah. I remember. Just… Keep an eye out for Noah and don’t let him do anything stupid. We have a plan, and if you keep him out of the way, it’ll go that much smoother. Okay?”
Keira closes her eyes and takes a deep breath like she’s trying to be patient with a toddler. It pisses me off.
“You aren’t hearing me. Noah knows Grace is looking for you, so he knows you’re coming here. He’s probably going to kill you, Josh. That has to be why he took the dagger. Just go do your girlfriend, and it’ll be over.”
“Keira, I really don’t have time for this. I have to find Grace. Where is she?”
“Here’s our room key.” She hands me the card. “Room 668.”
I nod and take the piece of plastic. “Thank you. Now go find your boyfriend and keep him out of my way. Then he won’t get hurt.”
“Young lady,” Mr. Griffith finally speaks as I look around for the elevator. “Keira, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. What’s it to you?” she asks, eyeing him suspiciously, though he hasn’t stopped grinning pleasantly.
“I wish to speak to your master. Please let him know his old friend, Michael, is here.”
Keira’s eyes open wide. “But—uh, sure.” She looks to me in question, and I nod, having finally located the elevators.
“I’ll be back. I’m going to get Grace.”
“I’ll wait here,” Mr. Griffith says patiently.
I rush over to an elevator that’s just closing and throw out a hand to stop it. I hate that there are people inside; they make me stop at almost every floor. I’ve waited so long already…
Finally, the doors open on the sixth floor, and I take off down the hall to the left, searching for the right room.
And there it is. Grace is in there, behind this door, waiting for me.
I slide in the keycard, and the second the tiny light turns green, I fling the door open.
“Grace?” I call, rushing inside. “Grace!”
“Josh?”
I spin around to find her standing framed in the doorway to the bedroom. She’s more breathtaking than I remember.
“Thank Heaven you’re here. You’re safe.” I rush forward and pull her into my arms, spinning her around.
“Josh, what the Hell is happening? You’re so happy.” She says the last word with wonder as I set her back on her feet and take her face in my hands. She searches my eyes with her honey-brown ones, and I can’t stand even the small distance between us for another second. I lean in and press my mouth to hers.
It’s like Heaven—or what Heaven should be. Her soft lips parting for me, the way she still smells like vanilla and lavender. We meld together like two halves of the same body separated for far too long.
I run one hand through her silky hair, and she slides hers down to my pants.
“Whoa.” I jump back. “Grace?” This isn’t like her.
She twists a strand of hair while I wait for an explanation. “We don’t have all the time in the world anymore, Josh. I want to be with you again, and I don’t want to wait anymore. I don’t care where we are or what else happens.”
“But Mr. Griffith is here. He came down with me so he could bring you back.” I wait for the good news to sink in.
Grace drops her hair. Her big brown eyes open wide and shimmer with moisture. “Mr. Griffith is here? Now?” She looks around like he’s hiding in plain sight.
“He’s down in the lobby, waiting for us. Come on.” I rush forward, scooping her into my arms, where she clings to me.
“Wait. Please, Josh.”
I set her down and wait. I can’t understand what’s wrong, but tears spill from her eyes, and I wipe them away with my thumbs.
“I can’t go back. I don’t… I don’t deserve Heaven any more. When Mr. Griffith finds out what I’ve done, he isn’t going to let me come back, Josh.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Whatever Lucifer made you do— it isn’t your fault. I ought to know.”
“He didn’t make me do anything. I just…did it. I don’t regret it, either, which I think is even worse. At least, it will be in Mr. Griffith’s eyes. Please. Come with me. We can be happy as long as we’re together. I know we’ll find a way eventually.” She takes my hand and places it over her heart.
“Grace, you have to at least talk to him. Whatever it is you’ve done, it couldn’t possibly be worse than—”
“I kil
led a man.”
I stop talking and search her face. There has to be some explanation. It was an accident or something. She blushes and turns away like she’s embarrassed and doesn’t want me to find something in her expression.
“You sent Keira to help me, and you went to help Noah. I love you even more for that, Josh. But Lucifer stopped her. He left us both there without our powers and…and…” She sniffs, trying to find the right words. “He tortured me for hours, Josh. He did all the things Cam wanted to do, but no one stopped him.”
My stomach sinks. My heart races. I know it happened, but hearing it from her—Grace confirming the details that I was too afraid to imagine—it’s all too much. I only left because Keira promised. How could I have let this happen? How could I have trusted Grace’s fate to Keira?
“He murdered me. Well, obviously I’m already dead, but he didn’t know. He killed me and threw my body to the tiger in the hotel’s lobby. Lucifer said he was going to kill hundreds of women. I couldn’t let that happen. So I went back afterward and found him planning his next victim. I killed him.” She looks me in the eyes, and though hers are rimmed in red, they’re clear and full of hate. “He had to be stopped.”
I back away a few feet and run a hand through my hair. I don’t know what to do. This isn’t the Grace I’m used to. I let this happen. I should’ve been there. I should never have left. How can she ever forgive me?
“Josh?” She’s waiting for me to speak. She wants me to tell her it’s all right. But I can’t because I can’t picture Mr. Griffith overlooking this. Killing sends you to Hell—that was made more than clear on our first assignment with Cam. What am I going to do?
“This is my fault,” I say. “Grace, if anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I should have been there for you, and I let you down.”
“Don’t.” She laughs, but it’s bitter. “Don’t you dare try to take the blame. You aren’t a superhero, Josh. You can’t come running every time I’m in trouble. I need to be strong enough to take care of myself. And it doesn’t matter. What’s done is done. The point is I’m not going to be welcome back in Heaven, and we both know it.”
She’s trying so hard not to cry, to be strong. I can’t stand it. I pull her in and kiss her again, this time with all the passion I can muster. I don’t know how to admit that she’s right, so I try to put it all in the kiss.
“Am I interrupting something?” Noah asks from the doorway.
I pull Grace back against me, protectively. He’s not getting anywhere near her with the weapon I know he has.
“You need to leave. Now,” I tell him.
“Josh, don’t be rude.” Grace pulls away from me. “What is it, Noah?”
“I need to talk to you, Grace. Alone.”
“No fucking way.” I grab Grace again and hold on tight when she tries to shrug me off. “If you have something to say, you can say it to both of us.” That maniac might be planning to kill his own sister. He’s the Antichrist. The One. I’ve seen him commit murder.
“Josh! I don’t know what happened with you two, but no matter what, I love and trust you both.” Grace, grasps my arm, and I turn toward her. She’s searching my eyes, looking stubborn. I glance over at Noah.
Noah glares at me, working the muscles in his jaw. Feeling’s mutual. Grace might trust him, but I don’t.
“The press conference is in fifteen minutes,” Noah says, not taking his eyes off of me. “I guess it can wait ‘til after.” He tosses something to Grace, who catches it automatically, then leaves.
“What is it?” I ask, not daring to look away until I’m sure he’s gone.
“It’s…the shell. From when we were kids. You know what this means, Josh?” Grace laughs before leaping into my arms. “I was right. He does love me.”
Chapter 29
Noah
Screw the press conference. Screw Lucifer for trying to distract me by keeping me busy with this media circuit. Media circus is more like it. His plan may be working, but I’ve also realized something. I thought I still wanted to rule, but that isn’t what’s important anymore. Not if I can’t protect the people I love. And I don’t want to be anything like Lucifer.
It’s all pomp and circumstance with him. Illusion and fear. Manipulation to gain control.
Why?
If you have ultimate power like that, why mess with people’s heads? Why not just pull out the fire and brimstone and take over?
It’s clear Lucifer doesn’t care about righting wrongs by punishing people in Hell. No—he’s doing it all for some ulterior purpose. And whatever that purpose is, one thing is for sure: he hates humans. And anyone who was once human.
He believes he’s better than the rest of us.
He’s wrong.
I wanted to clear the air with my sister before I had it out with Lucifer, but it looks like she’s busy with her own little drama. Not that I want to think about my sister and what she’s planning on doing. Yuck.
The important thing is to find Lucifer before he finds Keira and tries to punish her again. It isn’t her fault I took the dagger.
When I get to the lobby, I’m surprised to find it empty. My first thought is that I’m late for my own press conference and that everyone is in the ballroom waiting for a guy who isn’t coming. But when I check my watch, I see that I still have fifteen minutes.
Wait—I had fifteen minutes three minutes ago, when I left Grace and the James Dean-wannabe, and this watch is precise to the second. Lucifer made sure of that. I tap it. Nothing. The second hand’s not even moving.
This has Lucifer written all over it.
I race forward from the elevator, searching for a clue as to what’s happening. It doesn’t take long to find it.
In the lobby, Lucifer and some tall black dude with a bald head are facing off, circling each other like two guys in a street fight. Lucifer’s eyes flash with blue lightning, and his lips are curled in a snarl. The other man appears calm—even kind—but intense. Keira stands behind Lucifer, looking lost and afraid. No one else is around, not even the people who work here.
Who is this guy facing off with Lucifer? I’m jogging toward them when the ground buckles beneath me. The entire structure rumbles and shakes like a giant earthquake just hit, but I doubt this is a natural disaster based on Lucifer’s face, which is scrunched up with intense loathing.
I dodge and roll to the left to avoid a fissure that cracks right through the marble flooring. When the shaking pauses, I jump up and dash forward. I have to find out who this dude is and how he’s impacting my plans for Lucifer. “Hey!” I shout. If I get their attention, maybe they’ll stop destroying the place long enough for me to reach them.
“Hey! What’s going on here? Who are you?” I ask the bald guy, coming to a stop next to Lucifer and strategically blocking Keira from view. Maybe she’ll be able to sneak away.
“Good evening, Noah. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” The guy’s voice is deep and echoes in the open space. There’s something pleasant about it that makes me want to smile.
I resist the urge. I’m still trying to assess whether this guy is a helpful distraction or a bigger threat than Lucifer to the rest of us.
“My name is Michael Griffith, and I’m here to chat with my old friend.”
Chat? That didn’t feel like a chat.
I glance at Lucifer, searching for a hint, but he keeps his gaze fixed and deadly on this Griffith guy, who directs his attention to Lucifer again.
“All I want is to reclaim what’s mine. Give me Grace. If you cast her from Hell, I can take her back to where she belongs,” Griffith says.
“You cast her out of Heaven. She’s mine now. And if she does her job, Josh will be, too.” Lucifer ignores me and continues to circle. He throws out a hand and the earth shakes again. Griffith mirrors him, and thunder cracks above, so close that it sounds as though the ceiling might split.
“You’re going to destroy the hotel. Let’s all take a step back and be reasonable,” I say, hop
ing one of them will listen. This is clearly about more than my sister.
“Yes, Lucifer. Be reasonable,” Griffith says.
More violent shaking ensues. Keira squeals, and I turn to find her backed into the wall, fissures opening all around her until she’s standing on a tiny island of marble.
“Stop it!” I scream, turning back at them.
The bald man drops his hand. “This should stop,” he agrees.
“You cannot stop what’s already set in motion, Michael,” Lucifer snaps.
“I’m simply trying to right some wrongs that I made, starting with Grace,” Michael says in a reasonable voice.
“I take it you’re from upstairs,” I say, trying to distract them and diffuse the situation before they accidentally hurt Keira. Or worse.
Michael smiles at me. “Yes. You could say that.”
“He’s not supposed to be down here,” Lucifer says just as Grace and Josh race over to join us from the stairwell. Guess the shaking interrupted their private time.
“No. I am not. And I accept the consequences.”
“What consequences?” Grace asks, searching Josh, then Keira, then myself for answers. I’m as confused as she is.
“Tell her,” Lucifer says with a sneer.
“I cannot return to Heaven once I’ve descended to Earth. I made a choice, and I do not regret it.”
Everyone gasps—well, everyone except me. I’m still trying to catch up.
“No!” shouts Josh. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t feel like wasting time arguing with you,” Michael says with a chuckle. “Nothing you could have said would have changed my mind, Josh.”
I motion for Keira while they’re all distracted, and she leaps across the fissure and into my arms, where I steady her against me. She’s frightened, and I’m not sure if it’s because of Lucifer or the presence of this guy from above. Either way, I press her close and bury my lips in her hair, rocking her slowly back and forth. It feels so good to have her in my arms.
“Well, you’ve doomed yourself for no reason because you will never have her back!” Lucifer screams, and rubble begins to fall from the ceiling. Great chunks of plaster and giant crystals from the chandeliers rain down around us. I fall to the ground over Keira, trying to shield her. I see Josh do the same with Grace.
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