Daemon is stiff next to me as we ascend the weather-beaten stone steps to his father’s house. If you can even call it that? It looks more like a Gothic castle or a church than a cozy family home. It’s hard to imagine Daemon growing up here, playing on the grass beneath the statues of scary angels with sharp teeth and dead eyes.
We reach the top step, slowing to a stop. Daemon reaches for the door handle but changes his mind.
“What?” I ask.
Staring at the floor he leans with his hand on the door, his ankles crossed. The world weighs his shoulders down. His eyes slowly come to mine, sweeping over my features, before dropping to the black silk dress that hugs my curves, trailing behind me on the ground. “Let me do the talking tonight.”
I frown, gripping the clutch bag in my hands. I’m cold, but his eyes warm me enough to ward off the chill. Daemon lowers his lips to mine, close enough to make me tingle in anticipation but not close enough to ignite sparks. “Can you keep those pretty lips shut for once?”
I wet them, ignoring the fluttering of butterfly wings in my belly. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Daemon.”
His breath gusts over my chin and his teeth grind as he hovers with his lips over mine. “Why are you so stubborn?”
“Why are you so grumpy?” I counter.
“I’m trying to keep you safe.” He shifts infinitesimally closer as I hold my breath against the onslaught of his intoxicating, masculine scent and his heat. He’s built like a tank, towering over me. If he touched me now, my queen would topple. I need the shield of board pieces to guard me against him. Especially when I feel the heat of his fingertips slide down the thin strap on my shoulder. His lips follow, a soft press on my creamy skin. As he straightens back up, my lungs burn from the need to inhale fully.
“Stay close to me tonight.” He opens the door and guides me inside with his hand pressed to my lower back. I hastily pull the strap back up while he steers me deeper into the belly of the mansion. My heels sink into the red plush carpet on the stone floor. Cast iron sconces flicker, creating shadows that chase us along the walls, and the air smells of long, dark winters and damp stone. I always imagined Hell as a warm place, with burning flames designed to entrap your soul, but it’s cold, and the flames on the walls don’t ward off the icy bite in the air.
Voices drift closer, causing Daemon to stiffen beside me as he pulls on his tie. It’s the only outward sign of his unease. His face remains a hard, impenetrable mask.
As we enter a large sitting room, my gaze dances over the plush couches in front of the most impressive mantelpiece I’ve ever seen, and the intricate carvings in the stone draw my eye as we walk closer.
Flames flicker wildly, the occasional spark quickening my heartbeat. Three men sit on the couches, and when they spot us, their conversation falls silent. Lucifer is the first man to stand up. His dark eyes fall up and down my body, noting every curve and crease in the expensive silk. It’s difficult not to fidget beneath his scrutinizing gaze. Lucifer strikes me as a man whom nothing gets past. He sweeps his hand out and says, “Meet my brother, Amenadiel.”
The man in question walks up to us and holds his hand out for mine. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Angel. We met on your first day at the academy, remember?”
I don’t like the way he emphasizes my nickname. It feels wrong. My skin crawls when I slide my hand into his.
Pressing a kiss to the backs of my knuckles, he smiles. I know him from the stories told to me as a young girl. Amenadiel is Lucifer’s oldest brother and one of the fallen angels that walked out of Eden. “I believe you’ve met my son Dmitriy?” he asks.
I snatch my hand away out of instinct. “I have.”
Memories of Dmitriy’s hands on my body flash through my mind as he steps up to us with a smirk. “Hi, Angel.”
Next to me, Daemon vibrates with anger. If he could, he would wrap his fingers around Dmitriy’s throat and squeeze.
“Have you settled in well in Hell?” Amenadiel asks.
I snap my eyes away from Dmitriy and try to focus on his father’s question. “As well as can be expected.”
He hums, his gaze dragging over my white wings and pale skin. “And the academy? Are you enjoying it?”
What is this?
Why the millions of questions?
I look to Daemon, but his face is a stony mask while he glares at Dmitriy. “Um, yes, I enjoy it.”
“Excellent,” Amenadiel says.
Lucifer lifts his hand, wiggling his finger impatiently while clearing his throat. Out of the shadows appears a waiter with a tray of tumblers filled with an amber liquid. They all help themselves to a glass. Lucifer hands me one, watching me closely as I bring it to my lips for a hesitant sip. The bitter burn warms my stomach. Amenadiel holds my gaze with his dark eyes, smirking behind his glass. There’s something not right about him. The true devil isn’t the man in the room who bears the name, but the man watching me with cold, dark eyes that are void of any warmth.
“How long did it take for your wings to turn black?” I ask him, causing Dmitriy to choke on his whisky.
Amenadiel slowly lowers his tumbler, his lips quirking in an even slower smile—a smile with a hardness to it. Next to me, Daemon stands frozen. I know he asked me to stay quiet tonight, but my curiosity can’t be leashed. Lucifer and his brother have both walked on the same green grass and climbed the same tall trees as me. They both had white wings that were brighter than snow and felt the sun heat their cheeks. I’m a stranger to their world, but they’re not a stranger to mine.
“A long, long time, sweetheart. It might not happen for you.”
The worm dangles on the hook just below the surface, squirming and wiggling. I’m circling the bait; we both know I’ll bite. “Why wouldn’t it happen for me?”
Bringing the tumbler to his lips, he winks, pulling the worm out of the water. “Curiosity leads to trouble.”
I narrow my eyes on him as I take a sip of whisky, relishing the burn and how it gives me something to focus my nerves on. Amenadiel likes to play games. I’m starting to think it’s a family trait. “And yet, life is meaningless without trouble.”
Dmitriy looks bored, and Daemon stares into the distance like a silent statue behind me. Only Lucifer is paying close attention to our exchange.
Amenadiel’s cold eyes sparkle in the glow from the fireplace. He likes to challenge me. “The trouble with trouble is that it starts out as fun.”
I raise a brow, but just as I open my mouth to speak, Lucifer cuts in, “Let’s retreat to the dining room.”
Next to me, Daemon is a statue. I can’t read him and it’s making me jittery. His hand returns to my back, leading me out of the room. I like his touch too much. It’s dangerous to seek safety in a pack of wolves when you’re a lamb.
Lucifer walks ahead and I’m unable to look away from his impressive wings. The black feathers shine, reflecting light from the candle-lit chandeliers overhead as we enter the dining room. I instantly want to tuck tail and run, but I keep my mask firmly in place when I feel Dmitriy’s father watching me closely, hunting for cracks and weaknesses in my armor. Terrified, whimpering human women, shackled naked to the long bench at the table, fall silent. One of them is struggling to keep her panic at bay, and when she rattles the handcuffs behind her back, a guard steps out from the shadows and slaps her hard. “Behave!”
Something inside me breaks at the sight. I’ve seen and tasted cruelty on my tongue since I got here. I even liked it. But the darkness, alive and breathing in this room, chips away at the goodness inside me. Amenadiel smirks knowingly on his way past. I’m not surprised at all when he walks straight up to the terrified girl and fists her hair, pulling sharply to bare her neck for his elongating teeth. The man is a sadist. He hasn’t just fallen from grace; he’s so far down the pit he can’t be reached.
Lucifer gestures for a waiter, who collects our tumblers. “Unlike my brother, I pride myself on being a gentleman. Go on, Aurelia. Pick a girl.”
I’m paralyzed by the fear that trickles down my spine.
“Go on,” he urges, nudging his head. “I left Paradise once too, remember? I know you hunger.”
“You know nothing,” I hiss before I can stop myself.
Beside me, Daemon turns to stone. Not a single breath slips from his lips. Amused, Lucifer chuckles. Then, to Daemon and Dmitriy, he says, “Choose your meal, boys.”
The warmth of Daemon’s hand on my back slips away, leaving me cold and unable to take a full breath. Lucifer circles me, a predator sizing up its prey. He steps up close behind me, the heat of his breath teasing my cheek as he leans in and whispers, “My son is not for you.”
I watch in horror as Daemon slides his chosen girl onto his lap and sinks his teeth into her neck while his eyes stay locked on me. Breathy chuckles dance across my skin. “This game you’re playing with my son won’t end well. For anyone.”
“I’m not playing games.”
“Tut, tut,” he whispers, his fingers sliding over the silk fabric that covers my stomach. “Lying doesn’t befit you.”
My throat is clogged with something other than aching sadness for the horror in front of me. Burning flames lick their way up my throat. I whirl in his arms, baring my throbbing teeth in a show of defiance. “Your son kidnapped me for his own amusement. If anyone is playing games, it’s Daemon. I’m simply trying to survive this world I have found myself in. I’m a fighter, unlike you.”
His eyebrows shoot up, and he regards me. “You don’t think I’m a fighter?”
“You’re a coward!”
That makes him laugh, and it strikes me how much Daemon resembles his father. “Tell me, sweet girl, how am I a coward?”
My soles itch to run away as I press up on my tiptoes and whisper, “I left the garden on my own. You didn’t have the fucking balls. No, you had to convince seven other angels to join your boys’ club.”
His smile falls and he grabs me by the throat. “You have guts, I’ll give you that much, but your foolish bravery will get you killed in my world.” As if he didn’t just threaten my life, he lets go of me, then makes his way over to the others, where he bends over the back of his girl of choice and drains her blood while squeezing her small breasts.
Unsure what to do, I shift. The lone girl who’s meant for me sits with her head bowed. Her stringy brown hair falls in a curtain around her face. I killed that man the other day without blinking, but this feels different—cold and callous.
The girl in Amenadiel’s arms slumps forward. I don’t need to look up to know she’s dead. Slapping his hand down on the table, he says, “Bring the whisky and cigars.” His cold eyes come to me and he cocks his head to the side. “Why don’t you join us, Angel. Let’s get to know each other a little better.”
With his teeth buried deep in the girl’s neck, Daemon’s eyes track me as I take hesitant steps closer to the table. The worst part is that my fangs throb with hunger, their sharp tips grazing up against my bottom lip.
Amusement sparkles in Amenadiel’s eyes while he drags the pad of his thumb over his chin to catch the droplets of blood. He shoves the girl off his lap and rests his elbows on the table. “Sit down.”
It’s not like I can say no and walk out the way I came. I’m here now and they won’t let me leave. I slide in on the bench across from him and look around the room nervously while his eyes stay fixed on me. A waiter turns up out of nowhere with a tray of alcohol. After pouring whisky into one and handing it to Amenadiel, he puts a glass in front of me and pours blood-red wine into it. It glugs, sploshing against the sides.
“To new adventures,” Amenadiel says, holding his tumbler up.
I raise my wine glass and clink it with his, watching him closely the entire time. He looks down the length of the table to his brother, who discards the dead corpse like she didn’t have a beating heartbeat five seconds ago. Straightening back up, Lucifer runs a hand through his hair and accepts a tumbler of amber liquid. When he smiles at me, a shiver runs down my back. His teeth are coated in blood, revealing his true monster behind the veil.
“Shall we discuss business matters?” Lucifer rounds the table until he’s right next to me, and I sit frozen with my breath caught in my throat as his fingers brush my hair behind my ear.
“Father!” Daemon’s voice is filled with smoke and tension. The girl on his lap lies slumped on the table, her cheek pressed against the worn wood, her dead eyes staring at nothing. There’s only one poor human girl alive, and she’s not making a sound.
Lucifer ignores his son while brushing the tips of his fingers over my jaw and cupping my chin. “Such a pretty girl.” He looks at his brother. “Though I have to say, it sounds like a foolish wish to give up your royal title for a girl.”
My heart beats like a frightened rabbit’s inside my chest when Amenadiel chuckles and rises to his feet. His footsteps are slow and measured, just like his approach on this chessboard. How can Lucifer be so blind? Amenadiel has changed tactics. Lucifer is quick to act, going after what he wants with putrid hatred in his heart and guns blazing. On the other hand, Amenadiel waits and observes. He acts behind a closed curtain, choosing instead to strike his opponent when they’re weak.
“She’s an angel. You can buy gold and diamonds, but you won’t find another true angel.”
“Don’t tell me you’re feeling sentimental, brother. You were never a collector of rare things before.” Lucifer steps away from me, and while they discuss, my eyes clash with Daemon’s. I’ve never seen him this angry before. It’s electric, hovering over him like a dark storm cloud. It’s the pressing heat before the whip of lightning across the sky.
Dmitriy looks bored as he slides across the seat to the poor, sobbing human. I look away when he brushes her hair from her shoulder in a gentle caress. He likes to hurt pretty things, but first, he likes to be the hero.
“So, if I let you have the angel, you’ll stand down completely? Forgive me, brother, if it sounds too easy.”
That’s because it is.
My attention gets drawn back to the two men circling each other like vultures. At first glance, Lucifer looks calm and composed, but I don’t miss the tic in his cheek. He doesn’t trust his brother.
“Come on,” chuckles Amenadiel, his hands clasped behind his back. “Are you not bored with this feud between us? How many years have we been at each other’s throats?”
“Too long.”
“Don’t you think it’s time we bury the hatchet?”
They walk away to converse over by the fire. I try to listen in, but they’re too far away. My poor heart beats in a staccato rhythm, and my breaths are shallow. While I’m fully aware Daemon kidnapped me, it hasn’t truly dawned on me that I’m a prisoner until now. They’re discussing my future like I’m nothing more than a piece of furniture or one of the dead girls in the room. I’m struck with a sudden pang of homesickness that coils itself around my heart. Tears sting my eyes, but I don’t let them see. Instead, I hide away behind a curtain of blonde hair and proceed to pick at my cuticles until they bleed.
Soft fingers slide beneath my chin and tilt it up. “Are you okay, Angel?”
Am I okay? I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again. My head shakes and the tears spill over, trailing a hot path down my cheeks. Daemon swipes them off with his thumb before dipping it into my mouth. His touch is gentle in a way I didn’t know him capable.
“This is cute,” Dmitriy drawls across the table. The girl is dead. He shoves her off and slowly rises to his feet while wiping off a trail of blood from his chin with the back of his hand. “You better enjoy each other now while you can.”
Snarling deep in his throat like an animal, Daemon bares his teeth. “Stay the fuck away from her, or I’ll peel your fucking skin off your body!”
“Now, we both know you won’t do that.” Dmitriy chuckles, continuing his slow approach. “I’m untouchable, cousin. Your girl here is not.”
Ice runs through my veins at the dark look in his eyes when he releases a deep, taunting chuckle.
“I’ve got to say, she has the tightest pussy I’ve ever fucked.”
All hell breaks loose. Daemon flies at him with his wings on full display as a terrifying snarl rips from his lips. They crash into the table and fall to the floor. It all happens so fast. With my hands pressed to my mouth, I watch Lucifer calmly walk over and haul Daemon off Dmitriy like he weighs nothing.
“Enough!” His voice is sharp, cutting through the ensuing silence like a whip. The glare he gives his son could kill a man on the spot, but Daemon is unfazed, breathing harder than a provoked bull.
“You’re not this fucking naive!” Daemon growls, low and threatening. “You know exactly why they want her.”
Lucifer stays calm, giving nothing away, and his dark eyes remain cold and detached. “Calm yourself down, son.”
Rising to his feet and smirking at me, Dmitriy walks past, whispering, “I’ll see you at school, Angel.”
