Page 65 of Trust the Fall

“Not all of it. I think once they hash out their differences, she’ll be the right person.”

“I’ll try. I can’t promise that Heaven will allow it.”

“Do your best,” I say, dismissing Zeke and turning back to my half decanter of whiskey.

I’m going to need several more for the next part of my plan.

Getting Victoria to go to the reaper kingdom is going to require something extreme on my part. I know her. She’s stubborn as hell, and when she says she’s not going, she means it.

But she has to. It’s the only way she’ll survive. If she turns her back on the reaper kingdom, war will rain down. Earth will fall, and so will Victoria.

It might make me a selfish bastard, but I won’t live in a universe where she no longer exists.

“You called for me?” Lilith struts in, now wearing something that barely passes as a dress.

She’s pulling out all the stops, and I’d be annoyed as hell if it wasn’t playing right into my hand.

“Yes. Pull together your best girls and meet me in the red lounge.”

Her tongue darts out, licking her bottom lip. “The red lounge? It’s … been awhile.”

“Prepare the cages and make sure the best of the best are inside.”

“Yes, Satan,” she says, smiling wide.

I hate what I’m about to do, but it’s necessary.

I’ll only have to repeat that to myself a dozen more times to believe it.

“Make sure someone brings Victoria down.”

The smile fades quickly from Lilith’s face. “Yes, sir,” she grates, before trudging off.

This night can’t end soon enough.

ROLLING IN THE DEEP

My back is against the wall, body trapped in by Luke’s strong arms at either side of my head. He leans in, and we’re only an inch or so apart.

“Tell me no, Victoria. Say it now, because I won’t ask again.”

I shake my head. “I want you.”

His head lowers to my neck and he bites down. I cry out at the pleasurable pain as he laps at the wound, drinking from me. The tingling sensation works its way through my body until parts of me become numb.

He’s taking too much.

I squirm underneath his strong hold, as the burn from his bite intensifies.

“Luke,” I call out.

He pulls back, and it’s not the sea-green of Luke’s eyes I’m staring into, but a dark red.

My Luke is gone, and in his place is a monster.

He steps away, wiping away a drop of blood—my blood—that clings to his lips, before he walks away, leaving me dizzy and chilled to the bone.

I crumple to the ground, curled into myself, self-loathing and bitter betrayal crippling me to the point of no return. One of God’s toughest warriors, I was brought to my knees in an instant. Love has always been my downfall. I trusted him not to hurt me.