“Bea,” he said in a softer voice. “If you don’t open this door, I’m going to break it down. I don’t want to force you to come with me.”
But he would. Those were the unspoken words. He’d already told me I was going with him regardless of how I felt. I had three choices, go with him, fight him, or run.
I was already stripping out of my clothes and preparing to change. If I hurried, I’d be out of the room before he got anywhere near me. After opening the bathroom window, I focused on the image of a falcon. This was one of my favorite forms. Since I used it often, I could change quickly. My body tingled almost painfully as I shifted. The door slammed open just as I pushed off from the edge of the bathroom window, taking flight. I had no idea where I was going, but I needed to get away. The thing that angered me most was that part of me wanted to stay. That weak, stupid part of me wanted Lucifer to convince me this hadn’t been a game to him. I was a fool.
Chapter 34
Lucifer
“Fuck!” I shouted as I watched Beatrice fly off.
I wanted to chase her down and drag her off to the demon realm where I could force her to listen to reason. I was Lucifer—The Angel of Darkness. People didn’t refuse to listen to me. They often ran but not far. In this case, she’d flown off, and I’d never catch up with her. The only way I’d be able to stop her is if I was willing to injure her. She was close enough that, with a surge of my magic, I could force her to change back to her human form, but that might kill her.
Had I not learned of her brother’s escape, I might have given Beatrice some space to cool down. I almost smiled at the realization that she was angry with me. There hadn’t been any hint of fear. With any luck, things would remain that way. It was always possible fear would settle in once her anger died down, but I doubted that.
With a frustrated breath, I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Xavier.
“Yeah,” Xavier snapped into the phone.
“I need you to follow Beatrice,” I told him. Since he and Rainer were already in this realm looking for her brother, they were the best choice to help me keep Beatrice safe.
There was a pause before he spoke again. “Where is she?”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “She took off in falcon form.”
“She didn’t take the news well when you told her who you really are?” he asked.
“She found out before I got here,” I explained.
“Damn,” he muttered. “This is a very bad time for her to be off on her own.”
“I agree,” I replied irritably. “I need you to find her.”
“I’ll do my best,” he assured me. “Do you mind if I have Lucy help me? Beatrice likes Lucy, and it might help with her fear.”
“She’s not afraid,” I told him. “She’s thoroughly pissed.”
“I’d still like to bring Lucy,” Xavier replied.
“Why would you need to bring my daughter?” I asked suspiciously. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Xavier with Lucy so much as I hated her leaving the demon realm. She was much safer there.
“Partly because she’s spent time around Beatrice,” he began. “I’ve never even spoken to her. There’s also no denying Lucy is a good tracker.”
“True,” I agreed. “Bring the Hellhounds, too.”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll bring the beasts.”
Xavier ended the call without another word.
That left me wondering who else I could call to help find Beatrice. I needed Rainer’s group focused on finding Desmond. Hades was a terrible choice unless I wanted to deal with him finding out about Persephone. I preferred to put off dealing with that issue. I also didn’t want her faced with some of my less civilized followers.
“Where the hell could she be?” I muttered to myself.
Chapter 35
Beatrice
I couldn’t stay in falcon form forever, but my lack of clothing was a problem. It was the middle of the day, and I had very few friends. My social circle was bigger than it had been six months ago, but there weren’t many places I could show up naked. While I knew they wouldn’t turn me away at Bliss, I’d still need to get from the crowded building lobby to the office upstairs. I didn’t see that happening—meaning, I couldn’t ask Persephone for help. The same was true for Demi. She’d decided to stay in a hotel rather than taking Persephone’s bed after we’d convinced her neither of us was returning home with her. I decided to try Gryph’s house. I wouldn’t call the werewolf a friend, but he wouldn’t turn me away if he was home. He did private security work, so it was possible he was working.
I landed in his backyard to find a pile of clothes sitting by a tree. That meant Gryph was out for a run.
I grabbed Gryph’s t-shirt and slipped it on. He was tall with broader shoulders, so the shirt was huge on me. Since Gryph was missing his left arm, one arm was also sewn closed. I looked ridiculous, but at least I wasn’t naked. That thought alone proved I could be optimistic.
I waited for what seemed like hours for Gryph’s return. In reality, I’d probably only been waiting about twenty minutes, but I was worried Lucifer would find me. At first, I’d tried to convince myself he’d let me go, arguing that it was just a game to him. Even if it was a game, Lucifer wouldn’t want to lose. Powerful men were like that.
Finally, a giant three-legged wolf with glowing yellow eyes trotted into the yard. His head cocked to the side in question when he saw me.
“Can we go inside to talk about this?” I asked him.
“Sure,” he replied after shifting to human form. It always amazed me how similar our changes looked. I wondered if the werewolves felt the same buzz of magic just before their human form became hazy. I’d have to remember to ask Gryph another time.
Gryph grabbed the rest of his clothing and led me into his home.
“Can I assume your presence here has something to do with your brother?” he asked as he slipped on his pants.
“No,” I replied with a shake of my head. “Actually, yes. From what I’ve heard, he’s escaped the demon realm. My only source is a lying bastard, so I can’t guarantee that’s true.”
“The last I heard from Rainer, your brother was still somewhere in the demon realm, but they weren’t entirely certain where,” Gryph began as he searched for something to eat in his refrigerator. “I’m sure Rainer would have called me if your brother had escaped.”
“Rainer’s a liar, too,” I grumbled. “My brother’s escape must have been recent, so it’s possible he called you.”
Gryph set a tray of meat on the counter and then went to retrieve his phone. He listened to the message, his face tense. “Your brother has escaped the demon realm. I’m going to need to head to Bliss to make sure Julia is safe. You’re welcome to grab some clothes from Julia’s room and hide here. Maybe you should go back to the demon realm to hide from your brother since he’s not there and unlikely to look for you there.”
“No!” I said quickly. “I can’t go to the demon realm. While I don’t want my brother to find me, he’s not the only person I’m trying to avoid. Maybe I shouldn’t stay here. This is such a mess, and I shouldn’t drag you into it.”
“What’s going on, Beatrice?” he asked in a gentle tone. He was worried about his mate and wanted to rush off to Bliss to protect her. Still, he was clearly worried about me. It was touching.
“I’m not even sure where to start,” I admitted.
He nodded. “Go up and get some clothes while I let Julia know about Desmond. I also need to get some extra security over at Bliss. We’ll talk when you get back down. Julia will have my balls if I leave you when you’re this upset.”
“I’m not upset,” I argued.
His response was a snort.
With a sigh, I headed upstairs to find something to wear. I needed a shower, but I didn’t want to delay Gryph when he needed to get to his mate. Julia was about five inches taller than me, so her clothes were all too long. They were still better than running around naked or
with only one arm hanging out of Gryph’s shirt. When I walked back into the kitchen, Gryph was off the phone and eating. Werewolves have extremely high metabolism rates and eat several large meals a day.
He finished what was in his mouth before asking, “Who are you hiding from, other than your brother?”
“Lucifer,” I replied.
“The Lucifer?” he asked, continuing when I nodded. “Why are you hiding from him? Did he find out about your stealing his car?”
“Oh, yeah,” I replied with a humorless bark of laughter. “He found out about the SUV. The stupid jerk must have been laughing at me when I confessed that to him. I can’t believe I trusted that lying son of a bitch. Just a normal guy my ass.”
“You’ve lost me here, Beatrice,” he began. “I’ve only met Lucifer once, but Rainer has told me enough to know he’s not the type to be amused by someone stealing from him. Why did you confess to stealing his car? You don’t want Lucifer as an enemy.”
“I didn’t even know he was Lucifer at the time,” I explained. “That probably sounds stupid, but I never studied fallen angels or demons in school. I met him when I was out with Persephone, and he told me his name was Dev.”
“Dev?” Gryph asked.
“Yes,” I replied with a sigh. “I guess it was short for Devil.”
“Lucifer is the guy you’ve been dating?” he asked.
I simply nodded.
“When Persephone said you were dating someone, I didn’t pay much attention,” he admitted. “Even if I had, I never would have guessed this. You never even suspected?”
“I didn’t have a clue until Persephone’s mom told me,” I admitted.
“When did you find out?” he asked.
“Last night,” I replied. “I confronted him right before I came over here.”
“You confronted Lucifer?” his shock was obvious. This time, he didn’t give me a chance to reply. “Does Persephone know?”
I nodded. “She found out last night when I did.”
“And you had no clue who he was?” he asked.
“He was in the shadows in the only pictures I saw of him in school. He also had those enormous black wings in all the pictures,” I explained. “When I met him, he didn’t seem anything like the Lord of Hell. Now, I can see the similarities. I’m such an idiot.”
“And you want me to help you hide from Lucifer?” he asked hesitantly.
“That is a lot to ask,” I admitted with a sigh. “I’m not going to hide from him forever. I just need to think before I talk to him.”
“You can stay here,” he assured me. “I’ll call Julia to update her on this new detail on the way over to Bliss.” By that point, he was talking mostly to himself. “Lucifer,” he muttered on his way to the door. “Just fucking great.”
Chapter 36
Lucifer
I headed to Bliss to begin my own search for Beatrice. I’d decided against having Xavier interrogate Persephone. The fewer people from my world who met Persephone, the better. I’d introduce her to Hades after things were settled with Beatrice, and after I’d spoken to my cousin about the need for caution when approaching her.
Based on the glare I got from Persephone when I stepped into the Bliss lobby, she was also angry with me.
“Have you heard from her?” I asked, deciding to skip the pleasantries.
Persephone stood and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She looked ready to kill. How was it that these two witches had no fear of me?
“Why should I tell you where my friend is?” she demanded.
Julia Dupree and Alana Hunt, the owners of Bliss, raced out of one of the offices, looking suitably awed by my presence. It was nice to know that some people still respected my position.
“Why don’t you take a break, Persephone?” Julia suggested.
“I don’t think so,” Persephone told her.
Julia and Alana looked shocked by Persephone’s reaction. After only a short time knowing Persephone, I understood their shock. She was normally extremely sweet-tempered and upbeat.
“I’m not going to hurt Beatrice,” I assured Persephone.
She snorted in response. That made two women who’d snorted at me today. “You already hurt her, you lying newt.”
“Newt?” I asked, almost laughing at her insult before her other words hit me. “She told you I hurt her?”
“She didn’t have to,” Persephone snapped. “Beatrice liked you, and you lied to her. You were playing some stupid game.”
“I wasn’t playing a game,” I argued. “I was afraid she wouldn’t give me a chance if she knew who I was.”
Silence met my confession. All three witches were staring at me, but none looked like they wanted to disembowel me. Things were improving.
“I need to know where she is,” I continued. “Her brother escaped. She’s in danger. You are all probably in danger.”
“Gryph called a little while ago to tell us about Desmond’s escape,” Julia stated. “He’s already got extra security on the way over here.”
“How did he hear about it?” I asked. “Has he spoken to Beatrice?”
“Beatrice? Why would he talk to Beatrice? Rainer told him,” was Julia’s reply. She was lying. I had no doubt Rainer had called the werewolf. Rainer liked him. It was the way Julia’s eyes darted away from me that led me to believe there was more.
“Desmond won’t even know about me,” Persephone added.
“I’d rather not take that chance,” I told her.
“And it’s not your call,” she shot back.
“Are all women going to give me a hard time today?” I asked with a frustrated sigh.
“You really weren’t playing some game with Beatrice?” Persephone asked.
I shook my head. “Beatrice makes me feel alive. I enjoy being around her. I wanted her to give me a chance. Lying to her may have been wrong, but I’m Lucifer. I’m not a good man, and I never will be. When I’m around Beatrice, something strange happens. I want to try to be a better man.”
“That is so sweet,” Alana breathed out.
Persephone, the ultimate optimist, didn’t look nearly as impressed. She was still regarding me with suspicion. Finally, she nodded. “I guess I can see why you’d feel like you needed to lie to her. That still doesn’t make this okay, but I’m sure Beatrice will eventually forgive you.”
“Where is she?” I asked.
“Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you,” Persephone replied. “I’ll talk to her, and she’ll see you when she’s ready.”
“But she’s in danger,” was my frustrated response. “I need to get her to the demon realm to keep her safe.”
“If you force her to go, she might never forgive you,” Julia pointed out.
“It doesn’t matter,” I insisted. “I’m willing to lose Beatrice if that’s what it takes to keep her safe.”
Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that, but I couldn’t allow Beatrice’s twisted brother to get his hands on her. I would give up my own happiness to protect her.
Chapter 37
Desmond
We’d spent several hours enjoying the human realm after our escape from Hell. Zareya’s entire life had been spent in the demon realm, having been considered too violent to leave, even as a child. At first, she’d been nervous. It was much harder for her to hide in the human realm, but I’d found a way to help her relax.
“That kill was incredible,” Zareya said with a shudder of pleasure.
This was her second kill in the human realm. With the first, she’d been far too nervous to fully enjoy herself. I’d needed a human form. I couldn’t risk anyone recognizing me. Zareya had quickly killed the human so I could use his identity and car. Zareya had taken more time with this one, savoring it and drawing out the woman’s suffering. I was more than a little aroused myself.
We were outside the old trailer my parents had been renting to Beatrice. It had been my hope that she was still living there since I couldn’t imagine her going anywhere
else. It seemed I’d underestimated her relationship with Lucifer. He must have put her in a nicer place.
When we arrived at the trailer park, a shrieking woman began shouting at us about the condition of my parents’ trailer. Why she’d assumed we were responsible for the trailer, I had no idea, but it gave Zareya an excuse to end her life, not that she’d needed one.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I crooned. “There’ll be plenty more kills in your future, but we need to find my sister first.”
“You didn’t find any clues as to where she might be hiding?” she asked as she looked around the near-empty trailer.
I shook my head. “She cleaned out everything that belonged to her. We’ll have to try a different angle.”
“What are you doing up here?” demanded the arrogant angel as soon as we stepped out of the trailer.
“We’re destroying Lucifer,” Zareya hissed.
“Liar!” he spat out. “You’re up here playing with humans.”
“We’re looking for my sister,” I told him. “If Lucifer is close to her, as you claim he is, she’s our best means to get to him. You said so yourself. This is also the best place to catch Lucifer off-guard. He has too many guards in the demon realm, so I’d rather face him here.”
I stepped away from the trailer with Zareya at my side. She wore a long trench coat with the hood pulled forward to hide her face.
“You can see me?” the angel asked me, moving forward to study me.
“Of course, I can see you,” I replied. “I saw you in Hell, why would I suddenly be unable to see you?”
“Only demons or other angels should be able to see him in the human realm,” Zareya explained.
“Interesting,” I mused. “I suppose this means the rumors about my kind having mixed blood are true, not that it matters.”
“For your sake, I hope you find your sister soon,” he told us. “I’m doing you a favor by allowing you this chance. Don’t make me regret it.”
Undeniably Hellbound (Spells That Bind Book 4) Page 13