“It’ll help,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “I assure you, all it will do is take the nausea away. It won’t affect anything else.”
I hesitate, and he nudges his head.
“I give you my fucking unbreakable word, sworn on the ninth circle in front of all the Princes of Hell, Amaymon.” His eyes glance at Adriana. “It even tastes nice.”
I’ve never heard Lucifer use the word, and I hand the glass to Adriana. She smells it and sighs. She takes a sip and the sickly green color fades. She swallows more of it and looks better, regaining her composure.
“Now that’s over with,” Lucifer says, moving me out of the way, “let me have a proper look at you. I’ve spent an eternity searching for your kind and the least I think I’m owed is the chance to get to know you.”
Adriana lifts her head defiantly.
I’m so fucking proud.
She’s meeting Lucifer on her own terms and she isn’t backing down. Rage and fury burn in those stunning blue eyes of hers, which I’ve come to realize dazzle because they’re her father’s heritage. They’re potent beacons of ethereal magic and they’re as close to Heaven as I’d ever want to go.
“You care for him?”
Adriana nods.
“Truly?”
Her eyes narrow, like Lucifer’s asking a fucking stupid question.
Lucifer smirks, and his gaze darts between the two of us.
“Well, that is quite something. An Altair and a Prince of Hell. I asked you to bring me one so I could kill it, Amaymon. Not so you could fuck it.”
Adriana and I stiffen and our tempers flare.
“Look at that,” Lucifer says. “They’re perfectly balanced. It shouldn’t happen. You shouldn’t want him, sweetheart, but you do. And he should despise you, but he can’t keep his eyes off you. He’d do anything for you, my dear. Any-fucking-thing.” The grin on Lucifer’s face widens. “It’s quite against his nature, but he’ll even submit to your will. From time to time. When he can. When you need it.”
I growl and Lucifer flicks his fingers again.
“He’s quite devoted. Amaymon was the only prince who remained undefeated, and you’ve conquered him without lifting a finger.”
My wings beat out in irritation, and Lucifer ignores me. Again. It’s getting fucking tiresome, and my reputation will need some restoration after this.
“I don’t know why you lied to me about her, Amaymon.”
Lucifer stands and his eyes darken to match the color of his hair. He watches me as I glance at Adriana, and we exchange confused expressions. I move toward her as he draws back, letting me take the space he occupied.
I’m still trying to figure out what the fuck is going on when he throws his head back and laughs wildly. I glance at Adriana, confused—and she shrugs her shoulders. The other princes look on in bewilderment as Lucifer laughs harder than any of us have seen him laugh in centuries.
“You truly don’t know, do you, Amaymon?”
“Lord, I…”
Lucifer runs his hand over his mouth and stares down at us. He’s so damn smug it’s fucking painful and if he wasn’t the King of Hell, I’d throw a punch to wipe the grin off his goddamn face.
“You’re not sick, darling. And you’re not having flashbacks or panic attacks, or whatever it is he thinks is going on.” Lucifer’s grin widens as his eyes wander down Adriana, stopping at her waist. “There’s another explanation for the girl’s sickness. One I assume she believes isn’t possible.”
My eyes dart to Adriana’s and they widen as I lock onto her.
Fuck.
It shouldn’t be possible, and she isn’t ready. She doesn’t want this. I’m not fucking ready and it hasn’t occurred to me she could be pregnant. Adriana’s a celestial. Not in the traditional sense, but in every way that matters and that means the assurance I gave her wasn’t true.
Fuck.
