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“Get away from the traitor and come to me, Raven.” Lucian’s command echoes through the air, sending heat over me despite him being trapped in the summoning circle several feet away. “I need a word with you.”
I scowl and whip my head up, glowering at him. “Fuck off, Lucian. I’m not going anywhere near you. I know you want to go back on our contract. If you’re not here to help us with a mission I thought you were hell-bent on completing, then leave us alone. We’re trying to get shit in order.”
Kase and Dante stiffen at my tone and immediately form a muscular barrier between me and Lucian, adding even another layer of protection even though Micah’s fire barricade and the summoning circle still block Lucian’s way.
“Angel-girl, now isn’t the time to poke the beast,” Kase mutters, keeping his voice low. “Your ass is in so much trouble for coming out here.”
“Dressed in Elias’s shirt and—that better not be what I think it is in your hair, pretty soul.” Dante’s eyes flash green and he strolls closer, leaning down to get in my space. He growls under his breath, the rumble reverberating through my being. “That fucker better have just had bad aim and didn’t ask you—”
“Enough with your envy. It helps no one and fucking proves Lucian’s point about Raven’s role in your life if something like Elias ejaculating on her face sets you off,” Micah says, punching Dante in his ribs. Fuck. If death didn’t mean Hell servitude, I’d beg the universe to kill me now. Turning to me, Micah offers his hand. The sudden sensation of his presence prodding at my mind opens me up to him, and our thoughts intertwine. “Come on. Your attitude and disdain of Lucian doesn’t help anyone either. He embodies envy as much as Dante. Give in a little to his power and he might not be such a monster toward you.” His voice remains even in my head like he wants to be sure no one knows we’re communicating telepathically.
I flare my nostrils and lock my gaze to Micah’s. “You’re joking, right?” I think to him.
His steely eyes flicker with firelight, and he silently responds, “Trust me, Raven. I’ve been around him in Hell for a while. He craves control, and it enrages him that he gets none. At least pretend. Please. Do it for all of us.”
“Kase and Dante would never ask this of me,” I mutter under my breath, unable to concentrate to think to him.
“Because they don’t know what it’s like to have been alone.” Raising his hand toward the devils, he gets Kase and Dante to remain calm while he guides me closer to Lucian. “Now just follow my instructions and say what I tell you to.”
My soul and mind already scream inside me, wanting nothing more than to shout my protest. But I suck up my innate desire to disobey and finally nod.
Micah presses his palm to the small of my back and guides me to the summoning circle, stopping just outside of it. “Raven,” he says aloud, his stern voice lashing me like my name on his lips is my punishment alone. “You will obey Lucian as your soul keeper. If you do not speak to him and give him the moment he asked for, I will push you to him. Do you understand?”
He sounds so serious that I can’t help but wonder if his reasoning in my mind was all just a figment of my imagination.
I swallow my nerves, trying not to pray, and say, “Yes, Micah. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say it to me.” Pinching my chin, he eases my head to turn to Lucian, half transformed into his devil form. “Lucian is who you must ask for forgiveness from.”
Taking a deep breath, I steel the roiling emotions waging a war inside me and give Lucian my undivided attention. Goosebumps prickle over my skin under his scrutiny, and he cracks his neck, completing his transformation into all his demonic glory like he wants to make everything about this situation even more unpleasant than it truly is.
I force my mouth to work. “Lucian, I owe you an apology. My attitude and purposeful disobedience is uncalled for. I’m really sorry. I just—”
“You need to bow before me and prove to me that you’re not saying all of this to appease me. If you are truly remorseful and want to fall in line, you must accept my punishment. Only then, will I reconsider ending our arrangement.” Lucian straightens his shoulders, flicking his attention behind me. Without having to look, I know Kase and Dante—possibly even Elias—are ready to put up a fight on my behalf.
I blink a few times and shudder at the thought of whatever kind of punishment Lucian could have in mind. I’ve seen him beat and whip both Kase and Dante. If even they broke under his sadistic actions, what does that mean for me?
I wish I could get myself to look Lucian in the eye and accept my fate.
I wish I were strong and had enough faith to survive that I could bow like he demands.
But in this moment? I’m utterly and cowardly human.
My bottom lip trembles at the thought of the pain, and my heart crashes against my ribcage. And then, I start bawling my eyes out like a child who knows they’ve done something wrong but doesn’t quite understand the consequences. I just know it’s going to be horrible. I feel it on a soul-deep level.
Damn it.
Fuck. My. Life.
I need to be brave.
“I knew you were unworthy of the power my brethren want to bestow on you,” Lucian mutters, sending the flames of the summoning circle reaching toward the sky. “Pathetic.”
Anger rises inside me at his words. He purposefully makes me feel unworthy and incapable, and it reminds me of Joel and all of the times he belittled me and twisted things to make me feel like I was worthless.
But I’m not worthless. I’m stronger than I ever realized. I can face Lucian and handle whatever he tries to do to break my will.
I won’t let him.
