A smug grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. “He doesn’t know about this ability.”
“He does not,” she confirmed. “He only believed they would revolt if I were killed, so he kept me alive. If only just. If he knew I could influence the lesser of my children, he wouldn’t be so quick to gather them into his little army. There was a hell of a fight when the Fallen caught sight of us, but he helped me escape before they tore him to shreds.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Lilith was as devious as they came, and Abaddon had clearly underestimated her ingenuity. A shortcoming I hoped to take advantage of one day soon, when we were better prepared to make the most of it. For now, though, she needed to go. Preferably where demonic activity was lesser. Her influence only reached into the weakest demons’ minds, but presumably the stronger they were, the less effective it was.
Lilith looked toward the television, though the look in her eyes was too distant to be focusing on the movie that was still playing quietly. “I teleported here as soon as I got out. Salem has always been a safe haven for me, and I prayed it still was, but I hit something strange on my way in that sapped the last of my strength, and I passed out.”
“Wards.” I nodded vaguely to the walls around us. “They weren’t designed to keep things out, only to warn of potential intruders. Anything more powerful would’ve drawn Abaddon’s attention immediately.”
Her lips tilted up a fraction. “Wise decision. I must’ve triggered them on entry. You have a lot of allies in Salem, then? Is that how you found me?”
“There are tons of paths between where you were being held and the nearest exit,” I said, avoiding her questions for now. “On your escape, did you see anything unusual?”
She frowned, eyes darting to the floor as she thought for a moment. “Before the Fallen discovered us, I saw an angel. One I didn’t recognize, but the Fates know I couldn’t remember them all if I tried. He was injured, or dead—I couldn’t tell from where I was—and he was being dragged by a couple of the Fallen. I overheard one of them say something about the Sanctum, so I think that’s where they were taking him, but I was a little preoccupied with my own escape to give it any more attention afterward.”
Two thoughts came to mind. Michael had mentioned not too long ago that angels were going missing from the field, and his latest report said they were now finding bodies. Abaddon, or at least his underlings, were capturing and possibly testing their unholy weapons on the angels, using them in an attempt to find a way to kill higher beings permanently.
My other thought revolved around the timing. Why would he have let us know he succeeded? Pride? To force us to react? Make us fear him for the power he now held? He would be sorely disappointed.
“Lucifer.” Lilith’s soft voice drew me back. Her eyebrows were tilted up with worry, an expression I’d never seen on her before. “I might move around a lot for fear of dying from boredom, but Hell holds a special place in my heart. I can’t just sit back and watch this time, not after what that bastard did to me.”
She had a good point, and I normally wasn’t one to deny revenge, but that nagging feeling in the back of my brain just wouldn’t leave well enough alone. Nothing she’d said triggered my internal lie detector, but that alone was suspicious. It was impossible to get past that unique skill of mine.
But “impossible” had bested me once before.
Caution was for cowards, but I’d been at a disadvantage for too long. I needed every edge I could get in this fight, even if I fucking hated it. And Lilith, my old friend and companion, was triggering some nameless instinct that had my guard up, even as our familiarity had another part of me fighting it.
Could I trust her to be on my side?
What was I willing to risk?
“Let me help,” she pleaded again. “It could be just like the old days again, you and me against the world. None shall know mercy for the pain they put upon us.”
Lilith had moved closer and an alarm went off in my head. Whether because it was old and familiar or she’d just caught me off-guard as my thoughts spiraled, I didn’t move fast enough to avoid her mouth crashing down on mine. I could admit my initial reaction was hesitation, but Lexi surged to the forefront of my thoughts. She deserved better than the petty betrayals she could get from any of the countless, faithless males in this wretched world.
Then the door opened.
“—don’t understand why we needed to—”
My arm shot out, knocking Lilith across the couch, where she flipped unceremoniously over the arm and crashed to the floor. But the damage was done. Lexi’s mouth hung open, her wide amber eyes darting between me and the groaning pile of limbs attempting to right itself. Behind her, Nathan looked the angriest I’d ever seen him, his green gaze blazing as bright as the trickster at his side.
Loki’s lips thinned and he shook his head, disappointment rolling from him in waves.
“The actual fuck, Lucifer?” Lexi’s fists were balled tightly at her sides, orange licks of flame escaping from between her fingers.
Oh yeah, she was pissed.
Without looking behind me, I got to my feet slowly. “Let’s talk somewhere else.”
She bared her teeth at me, and for a moment, the air around me vibrated dangerously. I quickly lowered the hand I’d been reaching for her with as she fought to keep her power in check. She wasn’t some wild animal to be soothed; Lexi was a force of nature. Her eyes burned and the Hellfire in my chest responded. Loud pops filled the space between us as the limited food in the fridge exploded, and the small dining table split in half with a harsh crack.
“No, it’s fine,” she spat, the flames thickening around her clenched fists until it looked almost like lava dripping from her hands. “Please, don’t stop on my account. I just remembered that I also have something else to do. With Nathan. Come on, let’s go.”
The anger in his eyes flickered to uncertainty as Lexi dragged him away, the flames around her fingers sputtering out as she grabbed his thick forearm. Fury surged to the forefront and I started after them, but Loki lingered in the open doorway, blocking my path. She needed to know what happened. My pride wouldn’t allow such an egregious misunderstanding.
“You fucked up,” Loki said bluntly, pressing a hand to my chest. My shirt frosted at his touch, and he kept his voice low enough for only my ears.“I warned you nothing good would come of this. Give her space and see if she feels like hearing your explanation after she’s cooled down.”
I growled in his face, but he didn’t back down. “This is between me and Lexi. Move.”
