Queen of Night (Thorne Hill 6)

“Because of that blast of energy you just sent out. I do wonder who pissed you off that much?” He looks at Lucas, lying motionless on the ground. Michael put everyone in the room to sleep when he came to heal me, and they were just fine.

Lucas will be fine too. He has to be.

“Trouble in paradise already?” Lucifer asks, giving Scarlet one last pat. He stands and brushes fur from his clothes.

“No, we’re happily married,” I snap. “There was a werewolf and—no.” I conjure ball of energy in both hands. “What do you want?”

“Can’t we have a little family bonding?” Lucifer slowly steps over Lucas and tips his head to the sky, wincing. “They’re onto you, kid. You let loose some mega powers there.” He smiles at me, eyes glimmering. “It’s just as impressive as that right hook you got there.”

“Oh yeah? Ready to be impressed again?”

He laughs and keeps walking to me. “I’d say yes if we weren’t in a time crunch. But we have to get out of here and…” He trails off, hand going to his face. Long fingers tap his chin, and I hate how I feel comforted to be near him, just like I do when I’m around my father.

Lucifer is an angel, after all. A fallen angel, but an angel nonetheless.

“I’ll take the rap for this one. Throw ‘em off your trail.”

“Throw who off my trail?” I ask, though I already know the answer. Lucifer knows I know too and just gives me a pointed look. “They can really sense me?”

“With that blast that resonated through the whole town? Uhhh, yeah. Though I’m curious, niece, what did this werewolf say that pissed you off so much? Did he make fun of your clothing choice?” He points a finger at me. “Because the black works for you, but come on, cliché much?”

“Hey! I just happen to like black and it has nothing to do with me being a witch. It’s a flattering color!”

“I think you’d look good in red.” His eyes flash like hot embers in a fire and he strides even closer. “So, he didn’t insult your look, then what was it?”

My lips part, and for some reason, I want to tell him the truth. To spit out everything and maybe for once actually get some answers. But I shouldn’t.

He’s the devil.

The actual fucking devil.

“I’m so tired of this,” I admit, words tumbling out of my mouth on their own accord. “We’re supposed to go on vacation, and it shouldn’t be too much to ask, right? Just a few weeks away from the drama and the fighting? I take one step forward and a fucking mile back.”

“It’s not fair,” Lucifer says, and his expression softens. “You’ve been through a lot, my dear niece.”

“Right?” I throw my hand up and suck in a breath when Lucifer takes another step toward me. My hand goes to my stomach without thinking, and suddenly, I’m ready to throw all the energy I can muster at Lucifer.

Because I’ll be damned before I let him take our baby.

“What do you want?” I repeat. “What do you really want.”

“I’ll tell you want I want, what I really really want.” He holds out his hand again, eyes sparkling with amusement. “But come with me first.”

“No, and did you just make a Spice Girls reference?”

“I was afraid you were too young to get it!” He claps his hands together and then goes totally still, tipping his head up to the sky.”

“I believe you,” I start. “I believe the others are after me…but why are you helping me? I don’t want to owe you anything.”

His face softens again. “You won’t.”

“But…that’s…that’s your thing,” I say, heart racing even faster. “You make deals or do favors, and you always want something in return. You said so yourself when we talked not that long ago.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” he says sincerely. “It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone other than demons or desperate souls to talk to. Call it pathetic but I was lonely. And you…you’re different.” He tips his head toward me, and I don’t get a chance to ask what he means by that. “Is that why you looked so terrified when I healed your sister?”

He moves even closer, and the moonlight shines in his blue eyes.

“I’m not going to take anything from you, Callie.”

“I…I thought you wanted my baby as payment for helping Abby.” I can’t help the tears that well in my eyes.

Lucifer recoils. “Your baby? No. Babies…babies aren’t my thing. I’ve used the little carrier monkeys in Hell before, actually. You don’t know how torturous it is to be stuck in a room surrounded by crying babies until you kill your own and are forced to listen to their cries for all eternity.” He laughs at the memory of torture and then shakes his head. “Why did you think I’d want your baby?” He shudders. “Changing diapers and dealing with spit-up is a whole other level of Hell. But I’m sure you’ll love the little bugger.”