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He smirks again. “I guess we’ll see.”
We’ll see? We’ll fucking see?
Lucian shoves past us, not giving me the chance to respond. Kase bonks his head against the doorframe until he’s out of view. Covering my mouth, he stops me from losing my shit. My mind whirls a mile a minute. I can’t believe this is happening.
And then it dawns on me.
Where’s Andre?
My heart races alongside my mind, and I wiggle and slam my hands into Kase’s chest, using my sudden strength from my Hell-bound soul to escape his arms. Neither he nor Dante try to catch me, letting me hit my ass on the back patio. I scrape my hands on the concrete, ignoring the pain, the ache in my legs from Lucian’s fire whip more dominant but not as consuming as the agony coursing through my mind, body, and soul at the realization that Andre hasn’t returned from Hell with Kase and Dante.
“Andre!” I shout, rushing to the summoning circle. “Andre! Damn it! Show yourself.”
Upon my command, Hell’s gate bursts open, sending flames shooting toward the sky. My breath catches at the sight of Andre unfurling his black wings, his veins lit with molten liquid that gathers at the center of his chest like it had with Lucian.
“Oh, God. Fuck. No, please tell me. Please tell me you haven’t traded places with Lucian, tethering yourself to Hell, so he can walk free.” I drop to my knees, my insides twisting, knowing that my nightmare is true.
“Little Hellion, I did what had to be done to protect you. It’s not forever. The others will have their turns as long as you agree to Lucian’s adjustment in your contract. I volunteered to be first up, because I thought Kase and Dante would better serve your needs at this time...and I’m not ready to leave. It’s...difficult. The craving—it’s better this way.” Andre rests his palm against the fiery barrier, unable to pass through.
I raise my hand to touch my palm to his, but hot fingers link around my wrist, stopping me. “Careful, angel-girl. He has a lot of Hell coursing through him and no one to help balance it. Don’t let that angelic smile trick you.”
I frown. “What? I don’t understand. Andre wouldn’t—”
A snarl from beside me startles me, and I fall into Kase. Andre’s intense anger burns hot around me with the rising flames. “You fucker! She can make up her own damn mind. Give her here. I get her for one day a week like the rest of you. As the watcher of Hell, I’m taking my turn now. Raven, come to me. I need you. Don’t let him take you.”
My heart stalls at his words, my soul trembling as much as my body. “What? I have to go to Hell? You guys are swapping turns?”
Kase lifts me up and drops me on his shoulder. “We’ll discuss it inside. You need a clear head to look over everything, and Andre won’t help with that.”
“You bastard! Bring her back! I’ll die without her!” Andre shouts, setting the world behind us aglow in flames. He’s already consumed with Hell, far more than Micah was, and it opens a hole inside me, knowing he won’t be here to fill it.
I hang like a ragdoll, not bothering with fighting. I should be used to these kinds of decisions being made without me, but it doesn’t hurt any less. I’d have never agreed to freeing Lucian. I know my devils had their reasons, but are they more important than mine not to want him around? I have no idea.
“Make room. Our soul needs some serious attention,” Kase says, drawing my attention to the living room.
Elias leans on the armrest, his heavy lidded eyes struggling to remain open. Dante sits beside Micah, and I can’t help frowning at him.
“I’m sorry, Raven. It wasn’t my place to intervene with Lucian. It would’ve been worse had I fought him.” Micah’s words trickle into my mind, his apology doing nothing for the wild heartache coursing through me. He purposefully left me at Lucian’s mercy. How could he?
I ignore him and wait for Kase to put me on my feet. Without looking at any of the devils, I stroll to Elias and get him to shift enough to slide beside him, using him as a shield. My emotions run all over the place. I’m still in shock. I don’t even know how to deal or if I can.
“Here’s the deal, Raven,” Kase starts, kneeling on the floor in front of me, not allowing me to avoid him. “We’ve made arrangements with Lucian to stop an impending war within Hell. I know he’s a dickwad douche, but this was the best way to stop him from trying to destroy everything we’ve worked hard to accomplish.”
I keep my gaze pointed at the floor. “You couldn’t leave me out of it? How can you expect me to live like this? He’s going to try to break me, and—I’m fucking scared. He’s going to get fed up if I don’t give in to his unwanted advances.”
“We felt you were strong enough to keep him in line, and it’s clear in the arrangements that none of us can force you into anything you don’t want,” Dante says, his voice coming out quietly. “I can assure you that if he tries to do what he did to you tonight again, I’ll fucking seduce him only to bite his cock off.”
I pout my bottom lip. “I don’t want his dick near your mouth.”
“Then Micah will do it,” Kase says, smirking. “You’d do anything for Raven, right?”
Micah cocks an eyebrow. “I have my own methods of punishment and will handle Lucian how I see fit.”
Groaning, I hang my head, wishing this was all just a hallucination brought on from Dante’s bite. A cool arm rests over my shoulders, and Elias leans into me. I hug his side, wishing he’d wrap me completely in his arms, but something holds him back.
“We’ll find a way to get through this. As soon as I crap out and claim my throne, I’ll throw Lucian into the pits of Hell for you, okay? This is these assholes’ contract, not mine,” Elias murmurs, kissing my cheek.
“Don’t go trying to be the hero, jizz-master. You don’t know what you’re up against,” Dante says, flicking out his tongue. “Leave it to us.”
