The flames spread up my arms as my fangs sliced my bottom lip open, along with a sting, followed by the familiar warmth of healing. “It’s not just Gabriel! It’s all the fucking lies.” I spun toward my father, flames creeping up, flickering on the ends of my hair. “Why did you leave me with Mom when you fucking knew who I was? That was dangerous for them. Did you know I’d be turned into a vampire too?”
Dissatisfaction plowed his brow, and he took a step closer to me. “I wouldn’t put them in danger. Nobody but Aziel, the seers, and a witch knew who you were. I didn’t know they would turn you into a vampire until a couple of years ago, and even then, it was speculation.”
“Speculation?” I gathered the ball of static anger inside me and grew it until it smothered everyone in the clearing. They stiffened. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? You put Aziel under a blood oath! All for what? I was working as a fucking phlebotomist. I had a human boyfriend who ended updyingbecause of me! I had an ordinary human life for twenty shitty years when you knew I had my original demon-created soul with memories hidden away in that damn locket!”
Words spat in a rage tasted bitter. The immediate heat scorched my tongue, and I worked my mouth to savor the gnarled edges as my anger tightened around us all. There was something so delicious about the passion of anger that made me want to spread it around the living realm.
Anger always had a source, and my source was betrayal.
“Lilith, stop projecting your anger sin onto us. You’re behaving like a new demon. There’s a lot more in the works than you realize,” Dad said, his cool and collected voice sliced through the fury surrounding us. “The coven of seers has foreseen a lot more than they’re telling. They were the ones that helped me reincarnate you.”
My heart thumped a strong, pulsating beat against my breastbone, and I narrowed my eyes at his calm gaze.
Aziel wrapped his muscular arms around me, pulling me into his solid chest. The fire consuming my body spread to him before the flames withered away on his tanned skin.
Aziel had a knack for controlling my hellfire so beautifully.
My eyes fluttered closed as I concentrated on his ash and brimstone scent. His chin set between my neck and shoulder, breathing me in as his warm horn brushed against my temple.
The anger sucked back into me like a black hole before evaporating altogether.
I blinked a few times before sliding my hands around his forearms. “Reincarnate how? How long has it been since Gabriel killed me?”
“It’s been half a millennium since your death.” A twinge of anger enlaced his voice, but not from my influence.
My heart thumped again—hard, and it clogged my throat.How has it been that long?
“I’ll explain more in Hell.”
“Hell?” I perked up, turning toward him and stepping forward as Aziel dropped his arms from around me. “What do you mean by that?”
He scoffed. “Surely you don’t think you’d stay here? With the vampires.”
My heart lurched up my throat.
“With all due respect, King Zelek, but we have grown accustomed to having her around.” Thaddeus stood, and the others followed suit. They met Dad’s gaze, refusing to back down. “She’s been a big help in keeping the balance in the living realm.”
“The abandoned have grown out of control. Two or three abandoned escape the gate every night, and they vary in color,” Kai said.
“Lilith can obliterate them now,” Blaise added. “She’s bloody amazing out there.”
He brushed off their claims with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Draven clan, you’ve done your part. We need Lilith in Hell.”
Frustration gnawed at my gut. I may be pissed at them, and I am, but the thought of leaving them made my heart twist in ways I couldn’t explain. “I’m not leaving them behind.”
His gaze bounced to mine. “Your duty is in Hell.”
A growl reverberated from my chest.
An infinitesimal twitch in his lips told me I irritated him, but I didn’t know what he expected. I was the same Lilith I always was, after all.
“What if they came to Hell with us?” Aziel asked.
“Out of the question,” Dad snarled.
“Why?” I took another step forward.
“Their duty is in the living realm.”
