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Every word was said with smooth surety, his voice like a rich, velvety wave over my ears. “I can go tell them you’re here.”
There was a frantic knocking on the door. “Ms. Carey? Please open this door instantly.”
“Oh, I think someone knows I’m here.” Lucifer’s lips curled up again. He enjoyed freaking everyone out.
“Fine.” It was Tix behind that door. “I shall do it myself.”
There was a snapping sound and then the big dresser was gone and the door was coming open. Tix stood there, his head nearly scraping the doorjamb. He bowed his midnight blue head, a hand over his heart. “My lord, Lucifer, I welcome you to the House of Sloane.”
“You’re no fun, Tix,” Lucifer said with a sigh. “I was only talking to them.”
“I was surprised you did not announce yourself to the master of the house.” Tix managed to say the words with a hint of rebuke.
Lucifer shrugged. “Well, the master and mistress and their pet were quite involved this morning. I sent a polite aspect of myself, and I chose not to interrupt. You know for a demon, Lord Sloane is quite uptight about sex. Not like his father at all. Now if the old Lord Sloane had been the one fucking his lady, I would have simply joined in.”
“My master would cause trouble should you try that,” Tix replied. “He is a possessive lord.”
“He spent too much time on the Earth plane and will likely make the same mistake with his son.” Lucifer waved a hand as though such things were far beneath him. “Let him know I am here and requesting an audience.” Lucifer leaned toward the butler. “How is…” He stopped and shook his head. “I require sustenance, Tix.” He sniffed the air around him. “Is there a satan here?” A gasp had Lucifer smiling again. “The Hunter’s butler. Yes. So entertaining what he did to the old Sloane. I’ve heard he makes the most delicious muffins. Tell him I want some. I’ll dine in the great hall in, say, an hour. I suspect the lord and lady will need some time to ready themselves. Until then, I’ll be in the garden.”
Tix nodded. “All shall be in readiness.”
Lucifer walked out the door, and my heart sank. He hadn’t said a word about saving me, though he knew everything there was to know about me.
Casey moved to my side. “You have to be more careful, Liv. He’s a dangerous creature.”
“Not to me, he isn’t.”
“That is the most naïve thing I’ve heard you say in years.” He shoved his big, dumb, weirdly sexy feet into his loafers and pulled back his hair. It was like he’d put on his academic costume and was ready to play his part. “I think you should stay here.”
I was already walking out the door.
“My lord, Lucifer.” I wasn’t willing to let this chance go by. Something deep inside me told me if I stayed here much longer, I would lose some essential piece of myself, something I wouldn’t be able to fix again.
That’s the funny thing about delusion. We make up excuses to stay in the safe place we’ve made. We change the meaning of words to suit our purposes.
I wasn’t truly afraid to lose a piece of myself. I was terrified to get one back because that fucking demon lord was correct. I’d tossed away my humanity because it hurt.
I didn’t want to hurt.
The Lord of Hell stopped at the top of the landing. “You wish to speak with me?”
“No, she doesn’t.” Casey had caught up.
“I do,” I corrected.
Lucifer snapped his fingers, and suddenly we were in the middle of the garden, the softness of the night all around us. Somehow the moonlight felt like morning to me, like all of this world was beginning to wake. We were in the middle of what looked to be a large hedge maze. There was a white marble fountain at the center, and Lucifer lounged on it, looking up at me with what I could only describe as mischievous eyes. “Are you looking to cuckold your vampire husband? That could be a bit of fun.”
He was far more impish than I would have believed. “No, my lord. I wanted to ask if Myrddin sent you to rescue me.”
His head fell back, a long laugh issuing forth. He sat up, putting a hand to his gut, and I couldn’t miss the way those dark eyes teared up in pure glee.
I stood there, a pit in my stomach, humiliation washing over me.
“Oh, dear. Thank you for that.” Lucifer took a long breath as though savoring the air around him. “For both the laugh and the delicious shame that just went through you. You are extremely open for a dark witch with a piece of her soul missing.” He stared at me for a moment. “Ah. He didn’t take the piece you wanted him to take. That’s the funny thing about making deals with a creature like Myrddin Emrys. You think you control it, but you almost never know exactly how to maneuver around him. I bet you didn’t even call in a lawyer to advise you.”
“I don’t need a lawyer. Myrddin is my master.”
“Yes, and a slave is always so well protected,” he replied with that odd smile that held no humor. “He must have been thrilled when you got caught on his side of the war. You must have looked like a sweet treat to him. Why did the vampire let you go?”
