More shambling figures stumbled out from every direction. First a handful, then a couple dozen, then at least a hundred.
“What are we doing here, guys?” Briar asked, her posturing defensive, but her expression tinged with fear.
“We fight,” Kai snarled, black scales rippling down his exposed skin like reptilian armor.
“No,” I said with a harsh shake of my head. “We have to retreat. This is a trap, and we’re clearly outnumbered.”
“But the supplies,” West protested.
“Can wait. We aren’t ready for this level of conflict.”
“I can outrun them. If you guys distract them, Ben and I can make it into the city so we can complete our mission.” Remi was visibly shaking with tension, eyes blazing electric blue with the need to shift.
“N-no. Don’t b-be an idiot.” Ben shook his head.
“What? You’re just giving up?”
“D-don’t make m-me explain to Rosie why y-you d-died.”
Remi’s shoulders slumped. “Fine.”
“We need to go. They’re closing in faster than the last one.” Tor headed for the statue, Lilith’s key card already in hand.
Thorne and I exchanged looks. “Go,” I said. “I’m going to make sure the others are clear before I join you.”
“But—”
“Get the fuck out of here, Noah.”
He gave me a terse nod before he and his brother both popped out of existence. The others were quick to follow, blinking out of sight until only Tor and I remained.
“What are you doing, brother? Go.”
“Not without you. Together, or not at all, remember?”
I sighed at my twin, but clasped his hand just as the first of the walking bombs got in range.
“I hate running,” I grumbled.
“Me too, but there’s nothing cowardly about living to fight another day.”
With a final nod, we each activated our cards and got the fuck out of Dodge.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
MERRI
The moment I stepped into the hall, I heard Lucifer humming from somewhere deeper inside the cabin. I’d been hiding since our confrontation, like the coward I was. But how was I supposed to look him in the face after he kissed me like that yesterday?
I wish I could say I hated it. That I’d instantly pushed him away or drawn blood, but the truth was I’d leaned in. Like the proverbial moth to a flame. I could blame being a succubus all I wanted, but there was a part of me—a teeny, tiny atom-sized piece—that was curious. No, that wasn’t a strong enough word. That traitorous little slutlikedit. But wasn’t that the dangerous part of all of this? Just because we liked something, that didn’t mean it was good for us. Lucifer wasn’t good for me in any capacity. He wasn’t good for anyone.
He was the freaking devil.
That’s the antithesis of good. Well, unless you believed a word he said. Then he was actually the victim. Which felt like Gaslighting 101, or at the very least, some real NPD shit. If you’ve ever dated a narcissist, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Before I was halfway down the hall, Lucifer himself came around the corner, stopping in his tracks with a sly grin spreading across his lips.
