Onyx’s eyes flashed. “Way to bury the lead.”
“It’s complicated. Letting him go might kill me.” Luc’s voice cracked, and he coughed to cover it.
Fuck. Why was saying it out loud far more painful?
Onyx grabbed him, fingers digging into his arm. “Then don’t let him go. Don’t stop with freeing witches. Create a world where you don’t have to lose Dex.”
Luc laughed bitterly. “Create a world?”
“Yes,” Onyx growled. “You believed you could change the world once upon a time, when Dex was merely an idea. Now he’s real. So, what are you going to do?”
The challenge hung in the air.
It was true, he had believed he could change the world back then. And he had, just not the way he’d hoped.
Luc’s fire sparked. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Then stop saying you’ll lose Dex. Believe you can do this. You’ve believed stupider things with ten times the conviction. Get your shit together.” Onyx glared with fire in his eyes, his cheeks red and feathers standing on end.
Fire roared to life in Luc’s chest. Not in anger. Love flooded him, burning away his bitterness.
He had to stop acting like he was doomed.
Luc ruffled Onyx’s hair, eliciting an indignant snarl.
“Thanks, brother. Good thing I’ve got you keeping me in line. Feel free to slap me next time I get like this.”
“Gladly,” Onyx muttered, frantically fixing his hair.
Luc turned to find Nico staring at them fondly.
With a smile, he led them toward a service door. “Rowan and his coven are meeting us on the top floor.”
“I hate to ask, but they aren’t the kind of coventhat worship me, are they?” It was usually witches who worshiped Satan, not vampires, but it was better to be sure.
Nico snorted. “Fuck no.”
“Thank goodness.” Luc detested his followers.
He’d never asked for their devotion. Thinking they owed him for their magic was one thing, but there was no need to take that belief and use it as an excuse to harm others or commit vile acts in his name.
They went inside and headed along a hall to an open door. Nico entered first, Onyx at his heel. Luc followed, his wings and other features tucked out of sight, same as Onyx.
The room was bare and windowless. Luc couldn’t imagine what it was used for. A tall, slim man in a suit with long black hair stood in the center, his hands resting casually in his pockets.
“Nico, you continue to astound me with the company you keep.”
“I’m full of surprises. Let me introduce you to Lucifer.”
Luc resisted rolling his eyes. “Please, call me Luc.”
One of Rowan’s dark brows rose. “Pleasure to meet you, Luc. The Valero Coven welcomes you.”
He didn’t introduce the dozen vampires surrounding him. Not even the three standing closest—two large men and one tiny woman with a formidable air—who were hovering behind him like shadows.
Luc got straight to it, explaining his plan to gain entrance to the Eternal Realm for witches and vampires.
“The council claims to be altruistic and will be loath to admit otherwise. They’ll have to concede when faced with the fact they’ve punished innocents, or risk upsetting the balance of power in the Eternal Realm,” he concluded.
