"And here I thought we couldn't possibly add more cosmic fuckery to our plate," Emily sighs dramatically. "First we're collecting magic stones like they're Pokémon badges, now we're caught between vampire Satan's ex and shadow boy. What's next—is the Easter Bunny secretly harboring the Infinity Gauntlet?"
"Don't give the universe ideas," Lucian warns with a smirk. "Though I'd pay good money to see a rabbit try to snap with those fuzzy little paws."
"In all our time with Lilith, she never once mentioned this... connection." Erik's gaze shifts between his brothers. "Did either of you know about this?"
"To be fair," Lucian drawls, "most of our quality time with Mommy Dearest involved either torture, compulsion, or her favorite pastime—watching us tear out throats while she sipped champagne and critiqued our technique."
"Great," Emily mutters, flipping another page with enough force to nearly tear it. "So our options are either let Psycho Vamp use the Soul Stone to unleash literal Darkness or potentially unleash Satan on our world. Fucking fantastic choices."
"Let's be real," Lucian says with exaggerated casualness. "Lilith wasn't exactly a paragon of mental stabilitybeforewe learned about her hellish ex." He shoots a glance at Rhyland. "No offense, brother, but your taste in women has dramatically improved."
"Keep talking shit, asshole. I'm sure Seraphina would love to hear about your Amsterdam phase."
Erik clears his throat, cutting off what promises to be an entertaining but unproductive sibling spat. "The tactical advantage is clear. Lilith fears this entity—"
"Satan," Lucian corrects. "We're on a first-name basis with the Devil now."
"—enough to flee across realms. That fear can be exploited." His silver eyes lock with mine. "However, we should consider that anything powerful enough to terrify Lilith may not be something we wish to encounter."
"So what you're saying is," Brax chimes in, having shifted from Will Ferrell to a perfect copy of Samuel L. Jackson in a Santa hat, "we're stuck between a crazy bitch and a motherfucking devil?"
Lucian pinches the bridge of his nose. "I swear to whatever deity is currently laughing at us, if you keep cycling through my favorite actors, I will stake myself." He eyes Brax's new form with reluctant appreciation. "Though I gotta admit, Samuel L. Jackson in a Santa hat is peak aesthetic. Ten out of ten, no notes."
"What should we do?" Sable asks. "Summon him or something? Can we even do that?"
Emily snorts so hard she nearly chokes on her energy drink. "Oh, brilliant idea! Let's just draw a pentagram, light some black candles, and invite Satan over for tea and crumpets. Maybe afterward, we can all hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya' while the world burns. Fucking hell, Sable."
"No summoning rituals," I interject before this derails further. "We have to go there anyway—to the Fire Realm. I'll speak with Abaddon directly, negotiate for the Fire Stone, and dangle Lilith's whereabouts as an incentive." I shrug like I'm discussing weekend plans instead of a diplomatic mission to literal Hell. "It's a win-win. He gets information about his runaway ex. We get another stone."
Rhyland
78
We're nocloser to extracting Adrian from Lilith's clutches, and now it's Christmas Eve. But we're taking the girls out anyway—I refuse to let that psychotic bitch dictate our lives.
Last week's news hit hard—another massacre, this time at both St. Mary's Home for Children and Hope Haven Youth Center. Lilith's signature work. Her preference for children's blood makes my stomach turn. The fact she did it in broad daylight is a deliberate taunt, a message that she's growing impatient.
The intel from our contacts is even worse. She's weaponized Seraphina's blood. The vampire underground is buzzing—she's dealing it like some twisted narcotic, promising three days of day-walking per dose. Vampires fight each other for a taste, and the body count keeps rising.
Seraphina's been devastated since finding out her blood is being used this way. Dani too. Watching that angel cry over what Lilith's doing with her stolen blood... Let's just say my patience for Lilith's power play is wearing dangerously thin.
The bitch wants a war? She's about to get one.
I head to our bedroom, where Dani prepares for Lucian's Christmas party at Karma. The club's secured, with Dani controlling who enters. We're done hiding—let Lilith try something. My mate's power simmers beneath the surface, and I'm eager to fuck shit up.
Pushing open the bathroom door, I freeze. Dani bends over the counter, applying mascara poured into a skin-tight emerald dress that barely covers her curves. Silver chains cross the open back, and the material catches light with every movement. Her legs extend endlessly in stilettos, and the plunging neckline makes my mouth water.
My cock hardens instantly,straining against my zipper like it's trying to break free and claim what's mine. The animal part of me—the part that's been alive for centuries—wants nothing more than to hike that dress up and bend her over that counter right now.
Mine. Every fucking inch of her is mine.
I stalk up behind her, my hands gripping her hips possessively as I press my hard cock against her barely covered ass. "You trying to make me lose my fucking mind, woman?" I growl, nipping at her earlobe. "Walking around like a goddamn invitation for every male in the club to imagine what's mine?"
Dani smirks, applying her mascara with a steady hand despite my grip. "Aww, is my Fjord Fluff feeling threatened by a little dress?"
I snarl, one hand sliding down to squeeze her thigh. "Threatened? No. But you've lost your mind if you think I'm letting you out of my sight tonight."
She meets my gaze in the mirror, sunkist eyes sparkling. "Careful, Rhy. Your caveman is showing."
