by Kim Faulks
“Let me through,” the savage command tore through the air.
I lifted my gaze to the blur as Titus rammed through the wall of officers. His clothes were rumpled, hair dark and slick, shining with grease and sweat.
My heart lunged at the sight and I stumbled forward. He was like a bull, charging through the crowd with those perfect brown eyes fixed on me.
His eyes widened at the sight of my face, rage burned in his eyes as he opened his arms and clasped me to his chest. “Jesus, Lorn.”
His body trembled, his grip too hard, digging fingers into my arms. “I’m okay,” I murmured. “Titus, I’m okay.”
The words were like ash in my mouth.
He pushed me away, taking a second to stare at my face. Hard fingers softened as he reached for my cheek. Dark eyes roamed, taking in every scrape…and every cut. “Who did this to you? I’ll have their badges…I’ll…I’ll…”
You shut your mouth. You shut your lying fucking mouth or it’ll be more than a taser you’ll get from us, you understand me? We know where you live. We know everything about you…when you drive to work, the assholes you fuck every night, even little old granny back there. One fucking word…
I shook my head as tears threatened to blur his face. Inside I was scrambling, desperate to hold onto a fragment of the hard, cocky bitch I once was. “It doesn’t matter. Just get me the fuck outta here.”
“I can’t,” he snarled. “I’ve got to stay behind. But I’ll be home as soon as I can.” He lifted his head and found my father’s stare.
They’d never so much as said two words to each other before now. Still, he forced the words. “Sir…Lord. I’m sorry to put this on you, but do you mind?”
My father’s expression was a mask of control. “Not at all, she is my daughter, after all. Maybe she’d be safer with me…”
The shake of Titus’ head was a shudder. “No. I can take care of her…I promise. I, and the others, we’ll protect her.”
Lucifer took one slow step forward, coming face to face with the man I loved. “Can you? You can’t even control your own men, Inspector.”
There was a flinch, and then a desperate growl as Titus answered. “I will do everything in my power, I’ll stake my life on it.”
My father’s lips curled, revealing perfect white teeth, and on anyone else the reaction might’ve been vaguely threatening. But on the Dark Lord of Hell it was downright chilling. “Lorn,” he murmured without taking his eyes off Titus, “I’ll ask you one more time. Are you sure you want to stay here with these…humans?”
Yes, I wanted to stay. This was my home—my family. “It’s okay, I’m no more a target here than I would be in Hell with you. I’ll stay. I need to stay.”
My father’s tone lost the icy bite as he turned his head toward me. “Then stay, but, please, for my sake…no more driving on a damn highway in the middle of the night.”
I ground my jaw and looked away. “I just wanted answers.”
“And you thought your grandmother, of all people, would give you those?”
The idea sounded ridiculous from his lips. Still, I nodded.
“And I heard you’ve made some changes at The Circle.”
God, was this what it felt like to be scolded by a parent? I lifted my head and stared into the bottomless eyes of the Lord of Hell. “I just wanted changes.”
“And you thought giving up your grandmother’s stake in the company was going to do that?”
“My stake in the company,” I answered. “Let’s not forget that.”
“True. My apologies,” he murmured and glanced from me to Titus. “Either way, there needs to be some changes. My daughter’s safety is paramount. The next time I see her beautiful face scratched and bruised will be the last time, am I clear?”
Titus’ growl was husky and raw. Kudos to him for staying upright. “Yes, Sir. Loud and clear.”
My father lifted an arm, giving me the crook of his elbow. The act was a subtle summoning, half possession, half warning, and not just to the human I loved.
The dull murmur of conversations had died away. All heads had turned toward us. We were the center of attention as I took a step and grasped Lucifer’s arm.
His power rippled through the four-story building. Papers fluttered to the floor, phones and personal effects toppled from desks. The hum of energy was as subtle as a truck, tearing through the hallways and the foyer like a fucking tornado.
But it was nothing…to him.
Just a taste…a tiny fragment of the endless well of rage that lingered inside.
“My dear,” he murmured as his fingers curled around my hand pressed against his arm.
And, for the first time in a very long time, I felt at home. It was his blood that hummed through my veins—his power that dwelled in my mind.
The sigil across my palm flared to life, stinging and burning. But it was a good pain…a fierce pain, reminding me who the hell I was.
I was the Daughter of the Underworld…
Lucifer’s only child.
My boots hit the ground with a heavy thud. I turned my head, catching Titus’ nod of encouragement as we left him behind. A fist closed around my heart. I hated leaving him here...with these people.
Kindred souls…that’s what we were. He didn’t belong here, not with their prejudice and their hate—no more than I did. And as the automatic doors to the outside world shuddered and slid open in front of us, Alma’s notebook fluttered to life in my memory.
Titus’s father was an unknown. An unknown. That meant he wasn’t entirely human. And if not human…then what was he?
The bitter night air hit me like a slap as we strode from the glaring lights of Harbor Metropolitan’s district police station and out into the night.
The moon drooped low in the sky. I could feel the time closing in, whispering dark secrets that floated around in my head.
Red and blue lights lit up the night as a police car pulled up to the curb. A snarl of distaste echoed from my father as two officers climbed out of the front of the vehicle and moved to the back. I could hear her screams even before they opened the door.
She was a scalded hellcat, hissing and spitting, throwing herself forward as they opened the door and reached for her.
“I’ll fucking kill you,” she screamed. “I’ll kill all of you!”
The officers said nothing, only gripped her by the arms cuffed behind her back and hauled her free. She was filthy and wild, and, for a second, I wanted that emotion back.
I wanted to be free…free from all this.
Free from my name.
Free from my past.
The car door cracked through the night with a thud. And they were hauling her, kicking and thrashing, all the way up the stairs and toward us.
We moved to the side, allowing them to pass. It took me a second to see Lucifer was mesmerized by the woman, stolen by the fierceness in her eyes as she fixed on the Lord of Hell. “Take me with you,” the woman whispered. “Take me…I’m yours.”
I glanced at him, and then her and, for a second, I thought he’d take her up on her offer and whisk her away. But then she was gone, swept through the automatic doors and into the light.
Still my father never moved, only stared after the woman until his soft voice filled the night. “You left them unharmed, didn’t you?” He wrenched his head toward me and set those dark infernal eyes on me.
Danger crackled in the blackness like the height of an electrical storm. The bitter scene of ozone swept through the air and, far above me, thunder snarled in the night sky. “You never laid a finger on them…there’s no way they’d let me take you if you had.”
Fragments surfaced; the scuff of boots, the grunt of pain….and agony tearing along my side. Black flames were smothered by the dirt…but were they? Wasn’t it me? Didn’t I extinguish my power…in exchange for my own fear.
“They hurt you.” Danger slipped into the air with his words. “They cuffed you like an animal…they did that to y
our beautiful face, and you never fought back once. Did you?”
I flinched as he reached for me, and then stilled. Careful fingers caressed my cheek, and agony followed. I winced with the touch and answered. “No.”
“Why? And it’s not your limitations, so that’s not in question here. But I want to know why you didn’t protect yourself…I want to know why you didn’t fight back.”
I was leashed to the memories, unable to move…unable to run as that apparition filled my head. Those eyes…those black, empty eyes…a shudder raced, tearing along my soul.
“Lorn?” Fear filled his voice.
My lips parted, the words were right on the tip of my tongue…have you ever seen anything like a ghost…a ghost so terrifying…a ghost that came for you and only you?
A quake trembled as I tore my gaze from the night to find him. The flare of white against the darkness stole my focus…and as I turned my head, the words floated away.
Gabriel hit the ground with a brutal crunch. White floated around him and behind him as massive wings carved through the air to settle hard against his body.
They hadn’t seen each other…not until this very moment.
My father’s hand trapped mine. There was no place I could go—even if I wanted to. Blue eyes where a bolt of lightning in the sky as Gabriel found me. There was a grunt at the sight of my face. He lifted his hand, fingers dancing in the air as he neared, and Lucifer’s hand tightened over mine.
“It might be best if you go back inside,” Lucifer snarled. “My brother and I have some unfinished business.”
This was no command…no warning…this was a promise.
Fear filled me, tearing through my mind like the frigid night air, and clarity was a stone-cold bitch. They would tear themselves apart…for me.
One my father.
The other my lover.
“No,” I snapped. “This isn’t happening.”
“Oh, it’s happening,” Lucifer whispered, his eyes alight with cold, savage need.
Gabriel dropped his head in defeat. “Lorn, please.”
“So now you want to protect her?” My father snapped and dropped my hand. He closed the distance with a mighty stride. “Now you care about her well-being, Gabriel?”
“Stop this,” I cried, stepping closer to them. “Both of you, just stop.”
“I never meant to hurt her.” Torment filled his words. “I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“And yet it did, didn’t it?” Lucifer snapped.
Gabriel looked to me, but it wasn’t to save him…only an acknowledgement,
I could do nothing but nod.
“Yes,” he answered. “Yes, it did. I love your daughter, Lucifer, with all my heart, and I’d die to protect her.”
“You might just need to do exactly that…I trusted you. I entrusted the one thing that was ever important to me into your hands. I couldn’t find her. I couldn’t protect her, so I trusted you.”
My father never swore once…still, they were a thousand lashes, and Gabriel trembled with the pain. “There’s nothing more I can say.”
“No, there isn’t,” I growled, finding a tiny thread of steel in my spine. “He wasn’t the one who came after me, Dad. I was the one who pursued him. I was the one who kissed him. I was the one who—”
“Okay, okay. I’ve heard enough,” Lucifer muttered and tore his gaze from Gabriel to find mine. “I only ever wanted you to be safe, and happy.”
I took another a step. Gabriel was there, taking one giant stride. My fingers skimmed soft, downy feathers until I found his hand. “And Gabriel makes me happy.”
One brow rose, before Lucifer murmured. “And the human back here?”
“And Titus, the human back there, as well as Rival. We’re a family.”
“A family that lets you go out on your own in the middle of the night?” Lucifer warned.
“Never again,” Gabriel growled, his grip tightening on mine. “We won’t allow it. I promise you.”
There was a moment where our world threatened to crumble—and everything we fought almost came crashing down. And in that moment the demons waited…with bone masks and brittle antlers, and eyes that bored into my soul.
“I’ll be watching,” my father glared at Gabriel and snarled. “If anyone so much’s hurts her in any way, there will be no end to my wrath.”
Strength met strength as the archangel at my side agreed. “Nor mine.”
“I wish I could give you the answers you need.” My father glanced at me. “But I never saw your mother after she left, not even…not even her grave.”
It’d been almost twenty years, and he still bore the scars.
“You look so much like her,” he murmured, unable to tear his eyes away from my face. “So very much.”
But then he took a step away, haunted by the one woman he’d loved with all his heart.
“Wait.” I stumbled forward, leaving Gabriel behind. “Have you ever seen a ghost that looked like a beast, a skull as a mask, and black empty eyes. It had human-like fingers.”
His brows narrowed, as a look of concentration crossed his face. “Seems vaguely familiar, could be a demon, but I’m not sure without a little more information. Why?”
I shook my head. “No reason. Just thought if anyone knew it might be you.”
He gave a nod. “Well, if you remember anything else—”
“—I’ll come find you…and Luci—I mean, Dad…thank you.”
His fragile smile almost broke my heart. He’d never asked for anything in return, not my time, nor my presence. Everything had been on my terms only…even now as he turned and strode away, it was all for me.
Tears blurred the shine in his beautiful long black hair. I took a step, fighting the urge to run to him. But he wasn’t leaving, not really…just retreating until I needed him once more.
“Lorn, come on. Let me take you home.”
Gabriel’s fingers lightly skimmed my arm. He was gentle, soft and perfect. Heavy boots hit the pavement behind me and the swoosh of wings sounded through the air. “If you’ll allow me,” he murmured, dropping his hands to my waist.
I brushed my fingers along his arms, and then over muscled shoulders, before I clung to his neck. Right in this moment there was nothing I wanted more. I wanted to be held. I wanted to be comforted, and, as Gabriel gripped my waist and lifted my feet from the ground, I dropped my head against his chest.
His body was hard and warm. I took that warmth, took all the comfort he gave as his wings swept through the air and we rose. Air buffeted my face, casting strands of hair into my eyes.
The night was our destination as we left the lights of Harbor’s district police station behind. The stars looked so beautiful like this, half blurred from the tears in my eyes.
I gripped him tighter, but there was no fear of falling…not like this, at least. Neon white wings batted the air, sweeping and carving, driving us higher and higher, until there was nothing but the night…and him.
He lowered his head, his long blonde hair tumbled and danced as I lifted my head, meeting his lips. My heart gave a shudder and then a squeeze. Warm lips brushed mine, taking my mouth softly before he broke away.
I’d loved him forever…but not like this…
“You okay?” He murmured and searched my eyes.
I wanted to tell him everything…Alma, and the officers, but most of all I wanted to tell him about the beast that stayed with me…the one with no name.
Don’t do it, that voice inside me warned. Don’t ruin the one moment you have together. Instead, I forced a cocky smile and growled. “Really know how to sweep a girl off her feet, don’t you?”
“Only you,” he murmured and stared into my eyes. “Only ever you.”
Chapter Six
Lorn
Gabriel gave a sigh as he flapped his wings slowly, easing us lower through the air until we hit the pavement.
I stared along the streets outside my apartment building, and, for the firs
t time in what felt like forever, they were too damn quiet.
There wasn’t a whisper of a spell.
Not even the unmistakable scent of white sage from this side of the city’s paranormal line floating on the wind.
There was nothing but the blazing lights from my apartment above, then, as Gabriel dropped his hands from around my waist, the screech of metal on metal tore through the night.
Rival was a dark blur leaping down the steps to sweep me off my feet. “Jesus…thank God,” he breathed into my hair. “Titus ran outta here like a bat outta hell. I was so worried…so damn worried.”
Strong hands pinned me against his body, my face mashed hard against his chest. “I’m okay. Rival, I’m okay.”
I gave into the desperation and closed my eyes. The thick, heady scent of hound reached deep, finding the fragments of terror inside me. A shudder tore free, hard enough to scrape my teeth together.
I was okay…I was alive…I gripped his waist, curling my fingers into the waistband of his jeans—and now I was home.
“Never again,” he snarled into my hair. “You hear me? One of us has to be with you, all the time. It’s not safe…not for you anymore.”
“Inside,” Gabriel murmured. “We finish this inside.”
The flutter of his wings followed, forcing Rival to release his hold. He stepped backwards, orange flames alight in his midnight eyes. He gripped my hand and gave a gentle tug.
My knees trembled, yet I forced one slow step, wincing with the effort.
“You want me to help…”
I pinned my lip with my teeth and shook my head. Rival just gave a nod and stepped out of the way. I needed to do this…even if it was just for me. The muscles in my side pulled taut, the pain too much to bear now…I swallowed as agony speared along my side.
I clenched my fists and forced myself to move, heading toward the first steps into the building. Heavy boots closed in behind me as I stumbled at the first stair.
Just hold on…hold onto the pain. Let it drive you.
“Don’t,” Rival murmured. “Let her do it.”
The Hellhound’s jaw flared. He tore his gaze away, unable to watch me anymore, and with each step I felt the pain move deeper. You shut your mouth. You shut your lying fucking mouth.