Michael shook his head. “You know the Light doesn’t create Stellars. Just as the souls of the world have free will, so too do their Celestials. If the soul stars fuse together, then it was meant to be. But the Light does not influence these things.”
Lucifer let out a scratchy throat clear of a laugh. “Sure He doesn’t. Just like He didn’t influence me to fall.”
Gray and Aurora exchanged a quick glance.
“What do you—?” Aurora began.
Lilith spoke then in a low, melodic voice, her hooded eyes on Aurora. “If Lucifer hadn’t been banished to Hell, where would the bad boys and girls of Earth go when they were naughty? The Light needed someone to watch over the little nasties. To punish them. And to revel in it.”
Lucifer waved a dismissive hand. “Please, Lilith. The Stellars will think I enjoy being evil.”
Gray’s stomach was beginning to turn in a sick way. His gaze shifted to Lucifer, disregarding his earlier caution. “You’re saying that the Light made you turn against Him? So He could banish you?”
The devil rested his chin on his palm, tilting his head towards Gray. “And are you saying you don’t think He would? You don’t think there is corruption amongst the angels? Take Samuel—one of the Light’s most trusted Powers. Now he is Caducus’s right-hand man. You truly believe the followers of the Light are pure and perfect? Step foot into his holy houses, his churches and synagogues, and you’ll see it’s the opposite. Corruption. Hate. Selfishness. All the qualities I grasp onto. I may be unable to enter sacred grounds, but I don’t have to. I’m already there. The people of the world carry me with them willingly, and unknowingly.”
The mood at the table shifted from one of dark humor to reluctant doubt. Gray didn’t want to let Lucifer’s words about the Light get to him. But they were.
“I think it’s time we let Aurora and Gray retire to their bedrooms for the night." Michael's face was unreadable, but Gray detected a note of warning in his voice. “It’s been a long day.”
“Wait, we’re staying here? Aren’t we going to talk about the battle against Caducus?” Aurora blurted. “Wasn’t that the whole point of coming here?”
“No, kitten.” Lilith's lips curled up into an amused sneer. “Dear Michael only brought you here because he knows we like pretty things. Unique things. But that is all. Surely you didn’t think the two most powerful rulers of Darkness would listen to anything you had to say, did you?”
Aurora’s eyes blazed, and Gray looked to Michael for confirmation. The angel's dark gaze was fixed on his untouched plate. He’d known Lucifer and Lilith wouldn’t care to listen to anything Aurora or Gray had to say. They were just the carrots.
“Lovely.” Aurora stood slowly, her eyes on the top of Michael's bowed head. “And here I was thinking I came here to help fight to retrieve my son. But, apparently, I’m just a little show pony. I may as well not even speak.”
“That would be preferable,” Lilith said.
“Aurora.” Michael looked up, standing as well. “Angel politics are rather convoluted. You don’t understand just yet, but—”
“No. I understand perfectly,” Aurora said in a voice that could carve the wooden dining table in half. “And they aren’t convoluted. They’re crystal clear. Now, where are we sleeping?”
Lilith dropped her heavy fur coat on the back of her chair and licked her lips as if she were about to devour a bowl of drinking chocolate. “Follow me. I’ll show you to your rooms.”
The ice castle was a complicated labyrinth of crystal walls and glowing purple passageways. Aurora and Gray followed Lilith up twisting ice staircases and down narrow hallways until Gray was sure he could never find his way out again. The briefest panic settled in his chest as he remembered the black and white maze on Etheria, but felt Aurora’s hand reach for his.
Lilith sauntered in front of them, the pendulum swing of her hips easily seen through her shimmering cloak. She reminded Gray of a caricature—a sexualized woman in a cartoon like Jessica Rabbit or Betty Boop. Aurora appeared entirely unaffected by Lilith’s so-called “charms.”
They reached the end of a sloping passageway and Lilith stopped by a pair of arched doors positioned side by side. “I hope you two don’t mind sleeping separately. Lucy and I thought it would be inappropriate to let you share a room. You know how we abide by our virtues..." Aurora rolled her eyes, and Lilith smiled wider as she turned to leave. "Enjoy your stay in Neverworld, Stellar Darlings.” She paused by Gray, whispering in his ear, “Let me know if you need someone to warm you up… It gets cold here at night.”
With that she disappeared back down the icy chamber, her gown swishing around her ankles.
Aurora and Gray were left alone outside of their respective rooms, which, for all he knew, could be meat lockers. Despite the heaviness of their coats, the air was biting. Glancing over at Aurora, who was still staring after Lilith’s path with a creased brow, Gray had a few ideas of how they could warm up. But then Aurora squashed all of them.
“I’m going to bed. This whole thing was a fucking joke.”
“You don’t have to stay alone, you know,” Gray said in a low voice. Thoughts of what had transpired between them before they teleported here pushed their way to the forefront of his mind. “You can stay with me.”
Aurora’s teeth clenched down on her bottom lip as she looked up at him with dark eyes, her pupils swallowing the blue irises in the dim lighting.
“No offense, but this place doesn’t exactly put me in a very sexy mood.”
“Who said anything about being sexy? We could just, you know…cuddle. For warmth.”
Aurora’s cheeks dimpled from a repressed grin as she shook her head. “Maybe… Let me see if this place has a bath or something first. I feel gross being around those two evil mannequins.”
“Fair enough.”
Aurora gifted him with one more smile before disappearing into her room. Gray hoped she’d hurry. If only because he was growing colder by the second. He, for one, would not be bathing in this Ice Hell.
He had no desire to float around like an ice-cube in Satan’s water glass.
Fifteen
LILITH
Lilith hated to leave the delicious little Stellars to rejoin Lucifer and his disgusting angel "friend." Humans had such a spark. Their lives were so new and fresh, and everything was so magically important to them. Being an immortal for eternity had a way of taking the fun out of existence for some strange reason.
Lilith put up an uncaring front, but the truth was... humans fascinated her. Even the half-angel variety. Especially that Gray boy. She could smell the desire on his skin. Desire for the golden girl, whose insides were nowhere near as golden as her flowing locks of hair. Even so. The boy’s hunger for her was palpable. Lilith could taste it.
Lucifer and Michael had retired to the smoking room, like a pair of old first class men from the 19th century. Lucifer held a pipe and a glass of brandy, sitting on his throne of an armchair. Michael sat empty-handed across from him. Lilith's reappearance went unnoticed--or ignored, either way. It was as if she didn’t matter or something. Like they didn’t see her. It had been this way for ages. Lucifer making the critical decisions, brushing her aside.
She was the vixen. The lustful lynx who was in charge of tempting the humans. But never was she asked for her opinion.
Like now.
The two men paid no mind to Lilith as she moved to the liquor bar and poured herself a glass of brandy. Her cloak tangled around her legs as she revolved on the balls of her feet and advanced to the third armchair, sinking into it with a straight back.
“Tell me, Michael. What do we know of this Caducus?” Lucifer swirled his brandy. “Is he truly a threat? Surely your armies of Halos would be enough to do away with him.”
“The Halos are indeed a force to be reckoned with. Though, initially, we only knew of Caducus’s Horns and demons. The Beasts were an unexpected development. And he is creating more as we speak.”
L
ucifer shook his head as he took a sip of his drink, looking almost impressed. “Clever bastard to use the corpses of the people the Halos care most about. They will be more reluctant to murder them.”
“Have you seen the Beasts?” Lilith interjected. “I’d hardly say they look human.”
Lucifer spared her a languid glance, though he didn’t acknowledge her words, moving his gaze back to Michael. “Caducus is but a fledgling. Why should we fear him?”
“He may be a newer angel, created centuries after you and me, but he has the power of willing and eager followers who long for an elevated spot in the universe. Both Heaven and Hell have lost servants who have grown tired of feeling like less than they think they should be.”
Lucifer made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat. “They haven’t the power, nor the intelligence to rule.”
Michael leaned forward in earnest. “Yes, but Caducus makes them believe they do. That’s where he is different from both you and the Light, who keep the demons and angels humble. Caducus augments their egos. He makes them think they will have greater power than they’ve ever known. And that is like a drug to them. Of course they will follow him blindly. They’ll do whatever he says.”
“I see.” Lucifer picked at his teeth, feigning disinterest. Lilith knew him too well. His mind was whirring with Michael's words.
Michael folded his hands over his knee. “You see why I came to you now?”
Lucifer beamed with pleasure. “I do. Though, I can’t imagine the Light was keen on asking me for help. He sent you here, correct?”
Michael sat back in his chair. “The Light knows I am here…”
“Well, naturally. He's omnipotent.” Lucifer rolled his eyes. “But was it His idea?”
Michael tilted his head up. “I came of my own accord.”
“And you haven’t been banished to live with me in my realm of evil and darkness yet?” Lucifer said, his voice dripping with condescension.
“No part of me thinks I know more or deserve a higher position than the Light, Lucifer,” Michael said darkly. “That’s the difference between you and me.”
Lucifer's voice took on a low, soft quality. “Not the only difference.”
Lilith sucked in a long breath she didn’t need and let it out in a bored huff. “So, are we helping the angel babies or not? This conversation is growing weary.”
“No one said you had to participate in the conversation,” Michael muttered.
He’d never liked her. Not that she gave a damn. But, whenever Michael came around, which was luckily not often, Lucifer’s attention snapped away from her and landed entirely on him. The precious, beautiful angel. Lucy would never admit how much he cared for him. But he did.
Lilith's mind drifted to the Stellar couple upstairs, and she rose from her chair, casting Lucifer a cursory glance before leaving the room. Neither of the angels—dark or light—paid her any attention.
Back down the icy halls of the palace, she traveled. Up the stairs and right then left and then right again. Until she appeared at the male Stellar’s door. The beautiful one. The sickeningly pure one. Squeezing her eyes briefly closed, a tingling warmth spread across her skin as she transformed. Turning the glass knob to the room, she forced door inward.
The beautiful boy sat on the edge of his bed, still fully clothed, though he'd discarded the fur coat she'd gifted him. The thick cords of muscles in his arms and the strength of his shoulders stood out starkly against the dark bed in which he sat. His square jaw tightened and loosened as he looked up, pupils dilating in his hazel eyes as they landed on Lilith.
“Aurora?” he said.
Lilith’s mouth turned up at the corners as she stepped inside the room.
GRAY
Aurora wore a tight, black corset with a sheer skirt trailing to the floor. One hand was pressed against the door frame, and the other rested on her hip. Gray swallowed, but his throat was dry.
“Where did you find that?” he managed.
A sly smile spread across her face as she stepped into the room and kicked the door closed behind her. “Oh, just…lying around.”
Aurora wore an expression Gray had never seen before. At least, not on her. She looked hungry. And not for food. Desire and something akin to mischief sparked in the depths of her blue irises. She approached him slowly, but he felt like she was charging at him.
Before his brain could comprehend what she was doing, Aurora stood before him, her hands clasped on his shoulders. Gray’s own hands, trembling ever so slightly, moved from his lap to Aurora’s hips. He looked up at her. The voracious spark in her eyes had caught fire, blazing down at him as she bit her bottom lip.
There was something different in her gaze, but he didn’t want to focus on that now. He couldn’t really focus anything now. Other things, other sensations were taking over.
Aurora’s hands moved from his shoulders up to his face, cupping both cheeks as she bent down to whisper in his ear. “I want you.”
The trembling in his hands intensified. “Now?”
She nodded in answer, pushing him back onto the bed. Suddenly he wasn’t so cold anymore. Aurora straddled him, her hands clawing at the fabric of his shirt as she bowed forward, her lips traveling to his neck. A shudder ran through him, but unlike all the other times he’d been trapped between Aurora and a mattress, this felt...wrong.
Kissing Aurora was like stretching first thing in the morning. Like eating chocolate after Lent. Like all the amazing and satisfying things a person could ever experience all wrapped up into her lips. But, now, her mouth tasted bitter, and none of those overwhelming sensations were present.
Gray pulled back sharply.
Aurora remained hovering over him, her lips curling back in an uncharacteristic sneer. “What’s the matter, Love?”
A sickening chill washed over Gray, and he moved to sit up just as the door to the room swung open to reveal…Aurora? Another Aurora? Gray looked from the Aurora straddling him and the Aurora in the doorway and back. The puzzle pieces in his brain slowly began clicking together.
The Aurora in the doorway blanched. “What the hell?”
In an instant, the Aurora straddling Gray morphed before their eyes into a raven-haired, lavender-eyed Lilith. Gray scrambled out from under her, but she had already moved to stand at the base of the bed, chuckling to herself and glancing over her shoulder at the real Aurora.
“Terrible timing, Pet,” she purred, revolving on her bare foot and sauntering to the threshold. “Things were just getting interesting.”
Aurora answered her with an agape mouth and horrified eyes.
“Sleep tight, little Stellars.” Lilith turned and sent a kiss to Gray over her shoulder.
A heavy silence settled over the now frigid room as Gray moved to leave the bed. Aurora held out a hand. “Stay right there.”
“Aurora, I didn’t—”
“I’m serious, Gray. Stay there.”
“But I swear, I—”
“Nope.”
“Aurora.”
“I’m going back to my room.”
“But it’s freezing. Are you sure you don’t want to just—”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
The door closed with a wall-shaking slam, and Gray clenched his teeth. He should have known Lilith wasn’t Aurora. He should have felt it. He had felt it…a tad bit too late.
With Aurora’s disappearance, the room felt about twenty degrees colder. A shiver pricked his skin like barbs, and he pulled the comforter around him.
Who knew hell could be so cold?
Sixteen
LOGAN
The wall shook as the door slammed behind Logan. The image of that blonde whore with her arm around Brielle’s shoulder throbbed in Logan’s cranium like a vessel on the verge of an aneurysm. Usually, she would complain to Luna. Her sister had always been the more levelheaded twin. When she wasn’t infatuated with a boy, that was. Now she was gone.
And Logan was alone.
It wa
s only a little after seven, but Logan didn’t care. She was tired. Tired of everything in her godforsaken life. And all she wanted to do was collapse in her bed and try to forget.
But first, alcohol.
Her little apartment had its own kitchen with a fully stocked liquor cabinet. This once surprised her, back when she’d assumed angels were innocent and naive creatures who crooned and danced around like idiots all the live long day. Now she knew better. Not only were they intelligent, but they were edgy and snarky and borderline sinful at times. They got angry and frustrated just like any human. And they fought demons on a daily basis. Of course they would drink alcohol. They needed it.
Just like she needed it now.
Logan grabbed the first bottle that met her hand. Brandy. Fancy. Swiping a glass from the cabinet, she filled it to the brim and chugged. Then she did it again. Then a third time. Her throat burned and eyes streamed. But she felt better.
Now her bed was all she wanted. So that was where she went, with a belly full of brandy and a rapidly poisoning bloodstream. Her eyes were heavy, and she didn’t even bother removing her Halo armor before falling on the mattress. When Logan’s head hit the pillow, she was out.
Hours later, the bed beside her sank with weight, awakening her. Brielle, she thought. Part of her wanted to pull the infuriating brunette to her, nuzzling her face into her neck. But the other part wanted to push her onto the floor.
“Get out, Brielle,” Logan slurred with eyes still closed. “For your own good. Go back to Blondie.”
A familiar giggle jolted her. “Oh, twin. So hostile.”
Logan's eyes flew open, all effects of the alcohol seemingly disappearing as if she'd been doused in ice water. The room was dark, but moonlight shown between the open curtains she hadn’t bothered to shut the night before. Ashy blonde hair and steely blue eyes filled Logan’s corneas. It didn’t make sense. Luna was dead.
Logan sat up, peering down at the creature who looked exactly like her sister.
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