Reign of Night (Thorne Hill 7)
“I’m really sorry to say this—actually, I’m not—but you’re not the first demon to have told me that. And every time you losers come up with this grand plan to destroy the world, well, we’re still here, aren’t we?”
The demon laughs, wild smile splitting his face. “Maybe before, but things are different now.”
The hellfire starts to extinguish itself from my fear. Because the demon is right. Things are different now.Chapter 13“The party is just getting started,” the demon snarls. “And everyone’s excited.”
“I’ve never been accused of being a buzzkill, but fuck it. I’m crashing your party.” I stride forward and put my hands on either side of the demon’s head. “Daemonium mori!” I say, and hellfire springs from my hands once more, burning the demon from the inside out. The red flames turn blue, and in a matter of seconds, there’s nothing but ash and bone left.
“I thought you were going to use him to send a message.” Easton’s eyes are on the smoldering remains.
“He pissed me off.” I run my fingers through my hair, looking at the ashes on the floor. “Fuck.”
“What?” Melinda asks. “You seem unnerved, and it’s making me unnerved. You don’t really think he was serious, do you?”
“Of course not,” Easton answers for me. “And she said it. Demons try to bring Hell to earth time after time, but it hasn’t happened. And that thing about a new boss? He was talking out of his ass to try and scare us. Don’t worry about it, sis.”
I look at Lucas, brows pushed together. We should worry about it, and this is exactly what I feared. “The demon was right about one thing.”
“What?” Easton and Melinda say at the same time.
I feel the same fluttering feeling in my abdomen, reminding me of how little time we have to figure this all out. The room is dark again, but Lucas can see the tears pooling in my eyes. It’s so annoying that I’m an emotional mess right now.
“Lucifer isn’t in Hell at the moment,” Lucas says, and his hand clasps around my waist.
“How do you know that?” Easton asks.
“I got a little clued in to some family drama,” I tell him.
“What does that even mean?” Melinda asks. She’s still holding her flashlight, but it’s pointed at the ground, and her hand is trembling.
“It means he busted himself out and wants to take an earth vacation,” I sum up. “But by being gone, the throne is empty, and—”
“Demons want to take over,” Easton finishes. “That’s what he meant.” He motions to the ash on the ground. “The new boss…it’s a demon.”
“Yeah, but only angels can sit on the throne, and I’m still not sure exactly how that works or if the throne is an actual throne or a figure of speech.”
“That’s why Bael wanted to possess you, right?” Melinda pulls her arms in close to her body.
“Right. He found a loophole, and being in a body with angel blood would enable him to overthrow Lucifer.”
“Lucifer isn’t supposed to leave Hell?” Melinda asks.
“No, he was cast down there as a punishment, and what I learned from my super-fast crash course on religion from Julian just today is that Hell was created along with Heaven and had demons before Lucifer was cast there.”
“Is he going to go back?”
“I’m sure he will eventually, but right now, no one knows where he is.” I shiver, and Lucas holds me close. I’m feeling overwhelmed again, where I know so much shit is wrong that I don’t even know where to start explaining. “Do you want to get something to eat? Or at least go somewhere with heat?”
Melinda looks at Easton, who’s just as stunned. “Uh, sure,” he says and then motions to the floor. “I’ll take care of it.”
“I’ll help,” Lucas says. “Go to the car,” her tells me. “Warm up and get off your feet.”
“Okay,” I say with no arguing, surprising Lucas a bit, but it’s been one hell of a night. He gives me the key fob for the Mercedes.
“Would you accompany her?” he asks Melinda, who immediately side-eyes Easton.
“And leave me alone with you?” Easton retorts. “No fucking thank you.”
“Oh please,” I huff. “Lucas won’t do anything to you.”
“Only because you don’t want me to,” Lucas grumbles, and I roll my eyes.
“I’m cold, a little freaked out, and have to pee, so hurry it up and get along.”
Melinda picks up a canister of salt and puts it in her backpack. “I’ll walk you. It’s kind of icy, and those heels look dangerous. I can’t wear heels.”
“You get used to them, though this was not a good choice of footwear for an exorcism.”
She smiles, tension filling the air. I just told her Lucifer busted his butt out of Hell. Now’s not the time to be talking about shoes. We walk in silence the rest of the way, and she sits in the Mercedes with me so we can both warm up while we wait for the boys to come down.