Queen of Night (Thorne Hill 6)

And scary.

As it should be. But if the last few weeks have shown me anything, it’s that people are willing to do anything, no matter the cost, to get even the smallest dose of power.

The glow of the full moon shines ahead, pouring down on my overgrown lawn. The shadow of our little brick house comes into view, and some of the tension and frustration starts to melt away. Scarlet barks, deep voice echoing through the yard. She bounds ahead, and right as I open my mouth to call her back, I see him.

Lucifer stands in the middle of the yard, half his face shadowed by the night. He’s wearing another designer suit, with a red button-up shirt under a black jacket. I freeze and lock eyes with him, heart in my throat.

Lucifer smiles, eyes searing into mine. “Hello, niece.”Chapter 20Lucas speeds forward, fangs flashing in the moonlight. But as fast as he is, Lucifer is faster. He holds out his hand, stopping Lucas dead in his tracks. Slowly, Lucifer curls his fingers in toward his palm, and Lucas slumps to the ground.

I stand there, rooted to the spot, as terror plagues my entire body, rendering me useless. Then I blink and feel that blind rage again. It bubbles up inside me, spilling out without my control. Energy sizzles around my fingers, and I pull as much of it as I can before blasting it at Lucifer.

He stumbles back, almost tripping over his own feet, but catches himself at the last minute.

“Impressive,” he coos, wiping blood from his nose. “I have to say, all that anger…all that rage…it’s working for you.”

“What the hell did you do to him?” I demand, holding my hands up again, ready to shove him back if need be. My familiars are by my side, and Scarlet, in her true form, is sitting between us, not sure whose side she should be on.

“Relax, kid, he’s taking a cat nap. He’ll be thanking me when he wakes up for how refreshed he feels.” Lucifer grins, and my heart skips a beat. He looks at me with such familiarity, like he knows me, and I hate it.

“Wake him up.”

“We need to get out of here first.”

I shake my head back and forth. “There’s no way in hell I’m going anywhere with you.”

Lucifer laughs, and looks down at his shirt. His bloody nose isn’t bleeding anymore, having healed instantly just like a vampire. A single drop of blood is on the collar of his jacket.

“Dammit,” he sighs dramatically, rubbing his finger over the drop of blood. “I just bought this suit. Well, I didn’t buy it. I walked into a fancy-pants store on Rodeo Drive and they just gave it to me. It’s fun, kid, to use your powers to get exactly what you want. And speaking of that store on Rodeo Drive, I wanted that cashier and boy did I have her.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I pull my shoulders back, ready to hit him with another blast of energy. Julian said Lucifer might actually be afraid of me because I have the power to hurt him.

And I just did.

It was like stabbing a giant with a toothpick, but if I can make him bleed, I can make him bleed again. And this time the cut will be deeper.

“I suppose I could get it dry-cleaned,” he muses to himself, still obsessing over the tiny stain on his jacket.

“You…you can’t really see it,” I supply.

“It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.” He holds out his hand. “Now, come on.”

“No fucking way.” I hit him with another wave of energy, not hard enough to hurt him again, but hard enough to prove my point. I’m capable of defending myself, but I need answers.

Like why in the world he wants to take me away. Why he’s holding out his hand, waiting for me to willingly go with. Why not just reach out and grab me?

“Staying here will be a death sentence, and I don’t think either of us want that right now, do we?” He wiggles his fingers. “Clock’s ticking.”

“I’m not going anywhere without Lucas.”

“Fine,” Lucifer huffs, rolling his eyes so dramatically it gives Eliza a run for her money. “But first…” He turns, silver cufflinks catching in the moonlight. “Who’s a good girl?”

Scarlet plops down, rolling over for a belly rub. I stand there, wide-eyed, with my familiars around me. They see it. I see it. And yet it’s so hard to process.

The devil is in my backyard, fussing over and baby-talking to a hellhound.

A hellhound that sleeps not only in my house, but in my bedroom. And sometimes in my bed. She’s been loyal to me, but only because Lucifer told her to be. Can he tell her to turn on me now?

“Why is staying here a death sentence?” I ask, taking a tentative step forward.