“Well, all I really need from them is the sword, really. But first, we must convince Gabriel to give it to us. Which might prove a difficult task considering he’s been brainwashed by the celestials his entire life. He still thinks me the big-bad devil whose probably holding you hostage. If he sees we’re in love, and hears our story, he might change his mind.”
I chewed my lip, nodding. “I think he might. Do you think the sword will be enough?”
“Unfortunately not. It takes a powerful celestial to wield the sword and I’m afraid I won’t be able to brandish it without my wings, at least not properly.”
“So that’s why you want to get married. So that your father will give you back your wings, giving you the power to wield the sword and kill your evil twin?”
“I want to marry you because I love you. Murdering my brother as retribution for taking away the love of my life once before and trying to do it a second time is just the cherry on the cake.”
The knock sounded again and Lucifer invited them in. A second later the door pushed open and a familiar head pushed through the door.
“Cerberus!” I exclaimed, pulling up the sheet to cover myself. My mouth began to water as my attention went straight to the tray of food he held in his hands. “Damn. That smells delicious!”
The chef beamed with pride, carrying the tray over to me. “Oh, My Queen, I’m so glad to see you back among us. I can now address you by your actual title! It was horrible having to address you below your station at Canlis.” His nose wrinkled in self-disgust as if addressing me as “My Lady” had been some great offense worthy of capital punishment.
“It’s alright, Cerb. I told you to call me Jess anyway.”
“Oh, um, yes, of course, J–J–Jessica,” he stuttered, finally managing to pass the name with all the effort of passing a kidney stone.
I frowned, and Lucifer snorted as he buttoned up his shirt in the periphery of my vision. “Oh, just let him call you whatever he wants, Kitten. Otherwise, you’ll give him a nosebleed.”
I laughed, picking up the knife and fork to begin digging into the delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon the hound had prepared. “Well, you did sav my life, Cerb, so you can call me whatever you want.”
The shifter’s cheeks bloomed with heat, and his eyes danced with joy. “You honor me, Queen Jessica!”
“Oh, I actually kinda like that one.” I grinned through a mouthful of pancake.
Lucifer chuckled as the chef dismissed himself from the room with a twitchy series of bows. “You’ve made him very happy.”
“Good. He’s a good friend. Though someone should probably be monitoring his caffeine intake. I wonder what Greek historians would say if they knew the terrifying three-headed hell hound was more like a hyperactive poodle puppy who broke into a Red Bull manufacturing plant and went wild.”
Before Lucifer could dignify my ridiculous analogy with a response, there was another knock at the door. Nyx appeared in the doorway a moment later, and my jaw fell open in surprise when I registered that my sister had chosen to appear in her demon form.
Her skin was a soft, dusty lavender color, just as I remembered. I remember stroking her scales at night when we’d curl up to go to sleep in our den and being jealous of her coloring. Her hair was long and dark like mine used to be, but in her demon form, it seemed even longer, silkier. Her horns were as delicate looking as the rest of her, but they were deceiving. I knew for a fact that she sharpened them just in case she needed to stab any overly handsy males. I wondered if she still did that, or maybe these days she opted for the more modern convenience of mace.
“My King, may I have a moment alone with the queen?”
Lucifer looked between us with a softened expression and nodded. “Of course.” He finished pulling on his suit, ran his hands over his hair to slick it back like it had been that night at Siren’s, and stuck me with a heart-melting smile. “Catch up with your sister, Kitten. I have some errands to attend to. I’ll come back in a few hours, and we’ll head to Siren’s for drinks as discussed. And after that, I’ve got a surprise for you.”
There was something in his gaze that I couldn’t discern, but it made my chest squeeze. He was up to something, and something told me it wasn’t the kind of surprise I was going to like much. “Don’t I get to know more?”
“I’m afraid not. But I want you to look expensive. Nyx will help you find something suitable. Wear something—”
“Red,” I said, finishing the thought for him with a teasing wink. “Satan’s favorite color. Got it.”
He leaned over the bed to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth and left the room, leaving my sister and me alone for the first time in... Well, I didn’t really know how long it had been.
“I’m almost afraid to ask, but how long has it been, Nyx?”
She shook her head, her sleek, threaded brows knitting together. “I’m not really sure. Too damn long, Lil.” Her cheeks bloomed with twin stains of pink. “I mean Jessica.”
“It’s alright. You can call me whatever you want.”
She moved into the room and closed the door behind her. “But the king calls you Jessica. I think he does so because he understands that you’re not the same person you were before. We both loved Lilith, and now we will both love you as Jessica. The name doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I have my sister back.”
Not caring that I was still naked, I flung the sheet away and threw myself off the bed and into her arms. She laughed as tears welled in her eyes. “I fucking missed you, Queen of Hell.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Don’t start with me. You know I never really cared about being queen before.”
