Anger swiftly replaced every other emotion until all I knew was glittering black rage. Around me, the facade of the cabin fell completely, the earth rumbling beneath my feet.
The horsemen tensed, waiting to see what I was going to do.
But before I could give them the ending they so clearly deserved, Merri’s eyes found mine. “Please,” she whispered.
The word landed like a dagger to my heart.
She was choosing them.
Shewantedto leave me.
The truth stared me in the face as she stood there, surrounded by the four of them, asking me for mercy. She was never going to love me like she loved them. I was the monster she ran from. They were the monsters she chose.
Everything I thought we shared was nothing more than a lie.
Except the mate bond.
That voice in my mind stabbed at the wound Merri had already dealt to my chest. The mate bond was very real, even if she wouldn’t admit it.
I had to let her go.
For now.
But Iwouldget her back. The devil always got his due.
Without a word, I spun on my heel and stalked into the cave, using what power I still had to seal it with a stone before leaving Merri and her horsemen behind.
Chapter
Forty
MERRI
We arrived in an empty, sparsely decorated suite I’d never seen before. A small living area with a hallway that I assumed led to bedrooms. Upon further inspection, it was more like an apartment. All I knew was I recognized Auntie Lilith’s magic at work.
“Where are we?” I breathed as Grim pulled me close.
“Lilith’s secret lair. All of us are here, building an army.” This came from Chaos, who gazed at me with yearning in his eyes.
“You found them?”
Sin chuckled. “More like they found us.”
“There’s much to discuss. We will bring you up to speed after you get settled in,” Malice offered. He moved until he was at my side, running a hand down my hair. “I missed you, hellcat.”
“I missed you too,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist and squeezing.
“We should let the others know we’re back,” Chaos said, clapping Sin on the shoulder while discreetly gesturing to the door.
I knew what he was doing, and I appreciated it. He wanted to give Grim and me some time alone. We were the ones who needed healing. The others and I had done the repair work already, and until the bond Grim and I shared wasn’t at risk of breaking, we had to prioritize it. Now more than ever. Who knew when Lucifer would strike next? We needed to be strong, united. There was no room for any cracks between the five of us, or he’d exploit them.
It was impossible to know what having Lucifer as a mate meant. For me. For them. For this apocalypse. But I knew better than to underestimate him. This wasn’t the end of anything.
They left us alone in a heavy silence, our breaths the only sound in the room. Grim turned me to face him, his jaw tight, eyes anguished as he took me in.
“I thought you’d never let me near you again, wildflower.”
“I’d considered it.” He winced right before I added, “But it proved harder than I thought.”
