Sera threw out a hand, and Roxy flew back against the wall, hitting it hard before she was pinned there.
Every muscle in my body went rock solid, and Zenon’s nostrils flared, but thankfully he saw Roxy’s subtle headshake, telling him to let it go.
“You will be silent,” Seraphina snapped at her.
“I know you hate him, Zen,” Roxy rushed out. “But think what unseating Lucifer would mean. Please, don’t listen to her.” She was playing her part perfectly.
Sera hissed and swiped her hand through the air, and Roxy’s belt was torn from around her waist, flew up across her mouth, and wrapped around her head. Sera turned back to Zenon, waiting to see what he’d do, if he’d rush to Roxy’s aid or leave her to suffer.
Zenon didn’t move a muscle. Didn’t try to help Roxy, and I knew it had to be killing him, but nowhere near as much as it was killing me.
“You have my attention,” Zenon said, turning back to Sera. “But if you want to do this, you better have a solid plan. Taking that fucker from his throne won’t be easy.”
Sera smiled.
“How am I supposed to sleep with that still going on?” Roxy muttered on the other side of the cottage.
Several hours had passed since Zenon’s visit, and we’d spent that time chained on opposite sides of the room while Beelzebub and Sera celebrated their win.
Unfortunately for us, the walls were paper thin. I screwed up my face when Sera barked another order at Beelzebub, then moaned wildly.
I lifted my head so I could see Roxy, something I’d purposely avoided doing, and as soon as I laid eyes on her, all I could manage was a grunt. I’d filled her in on our plan, then I’d avoided talking to her. I was afraid if I spoke to her again, I might say something I shouldn’t—like, maybe we should talk? Or please just tell me why you chose Lucifer over me?
What a fucking fool. How could I ever trust anything she said?
Laughter came from outside. There were demons out there drinking around a fire pit. Beelzebub had ordered them to guard the cottage. If anyone came for us, they’d be utterly useless, and the blessed-silver manacles and chains we were wearing had drained us of power, leaving us weak and without the ability to protect ourselves. The mating bond humming in the back of my skull wasn’t helping the feeling of helplessness, and making the small distance between me and Roxy more than I could take.
The circumstances of our mating didn’t matter to the beast. A newly mated hound was ruled by his protective instincts, and seeing Sera hurt Roxy today had shredded me. If I hadn’t already regained control over the beast, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from attacking the bitch, and more than likely would have gotten myself killed.
A hound forced to be parted from his mate physically fucking hurt, and having her so close but not being able to touch her made the beast very fucking unhappy.
I rubbed my hands over my face, dropped back down to my pallet and shut my eyes. If I didn’t look at her, then maybe I could ignore this knot in my gut? I drew in a breath to calm my racing heart and got a lungful of her perfect, drugging scent.
“You’re going with the silent treatment, now?” Roxy said. “Really?”
Fucking hell. “Not in the mood to talk, Roxy.”
She blew out a long breath. “I get that, I do, but how the fuck can you say nothing when Beelzebub and Sera are getting freaky in the next room and are spouting some of the most bizarre dirty talk known to man?”
I smiled before I could stop myself. She wasn’t wrong.
“He called his own dick a flaming hot Cheeto, Lothar. I mean, dude, say you have a little red, weirdly shaped, finger dick without saying you have a little red, weirdly shaped, finger dick.”
A laugh rolled from me, taking me by surprise.
“The shudder I shuddered when she told him to ‘eat mommy’s ambrosia,’” she added.
I barked out another laugh. “I’m still trying to work out what was happening when he was making that fucked-up noise?—”
“Like a happy seal,” she finished and giggled.
“That’s the one.” Another laugh rumbled from me. I didn’t laugh, not like this. It was a good feeling, though. Really good. Roxy’s giggles were like music and made my chest feel warm, my belly tight—and made my dick hard as fucking iron. All humor vanished, and I listened as her giggles died down.
“That’s a good boy,” Sera cooed from the other room. “That’s my very good boy.” Then all noise in the other room finally stopped as well.
A shudder slid through me, something about her tone lifted the hair on the back of my neck, and my skin felt as if a million ants were crawling all over me. A feeling, a moment, that I couldn’t see or reach flashed in my mind for a split second, then it was gone, out of reach, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t call it back. What the fuck was that?
“Lothar?” Roxy called, breaking the silence.
