Riku squeezed Lucifer’s shoulders. “Of course you didn’t, baby. There’s no way you would’ve left Frost out there to flounder.”
Lucifer grunted.
Riku chuckled. “I know. You’re still terrifying. Would it make you feel better if I added ‘you’re too selfish to do otherwise’ to the end of that statement?”
Lucifer made another noise Frost guessed was him being mollified.
Frost’s chest eased. He knew Lucifer. To his core, he didn’t believe Lucifer would have abandoned him. Like Riku said, he was too selfish, but also, the first time they met, an immediate comfort had washed over Frost. Even after learning Lucifer wastheLucifer, Frost had felt it in his soul that Lucifer would keep him safe. Frost swallowed past his suffocating emotions. He had to remind himself feelings were amplified in Hell.
“I don’t understand any of this. How did this even happen?”
Lucifer smirked at Frost’s question.
Riku snorted.
Frost rolled his eyes.
Gemini snuggled his big furry leopard body even closer. He laid his head on Frost’s lap.
Frost buried his fingers in Gemini’s fur and massaged. He needed the comfort. “I’m being serious. Everyone let me believe my mom was some useless drug addict and my father was a random loser. I don’t even know what to believe anymore.”
A chair appeared, and Lucifer sat. His huge hellhound immediately moved to sit on his feet. Lucifer absently petted him. “My sister created your universe. She allowed me to play there sometimes. That’s where I found a lover that I held above all others. He was a powerful druid.” He took Riku’s hand and squeezed it, as if reassuring Riku he was Lucifer’s one and only now. The gesture took even more weight off Frost’s shoulders.
Lucifer continued. “I know you’re part druid, but how much do you actually know about their world?”
Frost made a helpless gesture. “Next to nothing. No one has tried to help me learn anything about anything since I came here. There are books on druid history, but I don’t know if any of those are accurate.”
Lucifer nodded along, as if he suspected as much. “Don’t be too hard on anyone, including yourself. Next to no one knows anything about that society. They are a hugely secretive bunch. When they die, if they actually do, their souls are reborn over and over again. They answer to no god. Magic is their master and—depending on the druid—they can be terrifyingly powerful. As you’ve discovered, they can cloak their entire existence and live any damn way they desire. Even the gods can’t see them. But when it comes to battle, a druid is no match for a god. You might hold your own, but you can’t survive one if they want you dead. And Jörmungandr wanted Bodhi dead.”
“Damn. Does all this go all the way back to why you’re here in the first place?”
Lucifer pulled an irritated face. “Unfortunately. As I explained, Bodhi’s soul was reborn. Of course, I was here, busy creating a demon army purely from my rage. I didn’t chance visiting my sister’s playground again for countless years. When I did, I met another druid. As much as I hate saying this now, my only reason for seducing her was out of spite. It was proof that no one had power over me. Her aunt showed up, and I was like, ‘I've got no problem with having as many beings as possible involved.’ Except I immediately sensed Bodhi’s soul. The recognition obviously went both ways. The woman grabbed my playmate and vanished before I snapped from my shock. I never felt the pair again. Not that I looked. By this point, Bodhi had been long forgotten. On my next visit, I felt Riku and there was no one else. I had no idea I had a son.”
It hurt knowing how much of his entire life had been a lie.
“You were very well hidden from me.” Lucifer sounded sad. “It took some powerful magic to hide our connection. The kind only someone like Bodhi could perform.”
Frost took a steadying breath. “Well, I suppose I now know why I’ve been so certain you were no danger to me. From the moment we met, you’ve been special to me, and I didn’t know why.”
Riku chuckled. “I’m pretty sure everyone around you thinks you’re totally mad for the way you’ve embraced the literal devil.”
Despite everything, Frost laughed. “Yeah. I’ve gotten that impression a time or two.”
“You’re loyal.” It startled Frost a little when Brownie spoke still in hellhound form. Frost hadn’t known that was possible. His voice was chilling, honestly. He sounded like a beast who killed. Brownie kept going, obviously oblivious to Frost’s surprise. “I smelled that on you at our first encounter. You bleed honor.”
That was actually really touching. Frost didn’t know what to say, especially when things turned weird.
Brownie moved to Frost and sniffed him. His nose was on Frost moving as if hunting for something.
Lucifer suddenly sat forward, looking furious. “What do you mean?” Since he directed the question toward Brownie, Frost assumed they spoke mentally.
Brownie sat. “Did you know you have a dark spell cast upon you?”
Frost blinked. “Dark spell. What?”
Brownie cocked his head to one side. “I thought you smelled different today. It’s no low-level spell. It took me a few minutes to smell it, but yep. Dark spell.” His gaze fixed on Gemini. “Has he been acting out of character?”
Gemini turned human. Thankfully, his clothes were close enough to cover his junk. He knew how jealous Frost was. Frost felt Gemini’s guilt as he responded. “He’s lost confidence in his abilities. Since he came to Wulfe, he’s done so much good simply by believing in his ability to heal people. It’s always been like he sees three steps ahead of everyone. Then he suddenly stopped.” Gemini linked fingers with him. He didn’t want to hurt Frost’s feelings. Frost couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen all this in Gemini’s mind before now. “That’s the biggest reason I took him away and had my mother teach him how to cloak us. Something’s wrong, but I haven’t known what.”
