Adrian pulled up sharply, hovering ten feet away, his chest heaving. He looked at me—a towering demon prince ready to tear him limb from limb—and then at Ember, who was armed and holding the source of ultimate power.
Cowardice won.
He threw his hands up, summoning a massive gust that launched him into the night sky, faster than should have been possible.
I roared at his retreating figure and sent a blast of fire after him, but it dissipated in the clouds. Slowly, I allowed the hellfire to recede. My chest heaved, and I turned to my witch. “Are you okay, my love?”
“I’m fine.” She looked at the amulet in her hand, her eyes filling with wonder. “I’ve actually never felt better.”
She cut her gaze between the pendant and me, pinching the chain with her fingertips and holding it away from her body. “Here. You’d better take this.”
I accepted the necklace and pressed the broken ends of the chain together. It repaired itself instantly.
She threw her arms around me, burying her face in my chest, and I wrapped her in my embrace, holding her so tightly I feared I might break her. But I couldn’t let go. She was safe, and she was mine.
“You used its power,” she said, her breath warm against my skin.
“As did you.” I kissed the top of her messy, tangled hair. “If the others’ reactions to the magic are any indication, it will linger inside you for a while. Use caution.”
She laughed. “Sure. You too.”
“I see your point.” I chuckled. Ember wouldn’t temper this newfound power any more than I would. “Let’s go home. It is time to summon my brother.”
8
CINDER
I nipped my bottom lip between my teeth, my gaze wandering over Discord’s perfectly sculpted form. Logic said we shouldn’t get frisky right now. Not when the veil was shredding, the world was ending, and my parents were in the next room. I should jump in, recharge my vim, and hop out so we could save the world.
Then again…
Knowing my dad, he was laser-focused on my mom again. Plus, the roar of the waterfall sounded like a white noise machine on steroids. We had privacy.
As for saving the world…? There wasn’t much we could do until my sisters summoned Discord, and that could happen at any moment.
Why not take advantage of the time we had?
I stripped and padded to the pool, rinsing my clothes and laying them next to Discord’s before stepping in. The warm water felt effervescent on my feet, bubbles tickling my skin as I waded in deeper. Discord’s eyes smoldered, his gaze never straying from mine, the adoration in his expression making my stomach tighten and my pulse quicken.
I couldn’t fight my grin as I stepped beneath the waterfall and tipped my head back, letting the stream wash away both the grime and my exhaustion. A gentle mist clung to the pool’s surface, swirling around us as if the steam itself recognized the importance of the moment. This could be our final chance at intimacy. Every second that ticked by could be our last.
I let myself drift, the tension in my shoulders melting away, the burdens of my mistakes lifting for just a heartbeat. The chaos outside felt distant—a background hum compared to the heat building between us, and as I turned to my demon, he smiled slyly, stepping back and disappearing behind the waterfall.
Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes and focused on the sensation of the water flowing down my body, the magical properties seeping into my skin and recharging my vim. This had to be the only water in Hell that didn’t smell like sulfur, the first time I’d felt truly refreshed and clean.
Discord cleared his throat, and I opened my eyes to find his hand reaching toward me, palm up in invitation. I accepted the gesture and stepped through the stream, into a small chamber with walls made of smooth, pure obsidian. The water deepened, rising above my waist as we moved farther into the alcove.
“How are you feeling, my love?” His voice was rumbly, thick with emotion.
“Better. You?” I rested my hands on his chest, and his skin turned to gooseflesh.
“I feel like my old self again.” He lifted a hand, and his fingers morphed into talons before returning to their human state.
I drew in a quick breath, lacing my fingers through his. “Your powers are back?”
“Everything but my crown, it seems.” He lifted my hand to his lips, softly kissing it. “The waterfall truly is magical.”
“Too bad this wasn’t the first stop on our quest.” I trailed my fingertips up his chest and slid them behind his neck. “It would’ve saved us a whole heap of trouble.”
