“Should we be concerned about the Undead?” Jax asked, finally breaking his silence. “The other Lords have been leaving us alone –”
A growl, Kace banging his fist on the table.
“For the most part,” Jax continued.
Lucifer leaned back against the wall, looking between the Guardians. “I have a feeling you’re going to be seeing more of them soon enough.”
“Why?” Axel asked, ignoring his brothers’ scrutiny as it crawled across his skin, sharp as hornets. Except Titus, who purposely kept his gaze on the table.
Lucifer clicked his tongue, a smile spreading across his face. “What are you going to offer me for this information?”
Grumbles and shouts erupted, only quieting when Riley held up his hand. “What do you want?”
Lucifer didn’t hesitate. “I want to join you boys on some hunts.”
“You’re not a Guardian,” Axel said.
A harsh laugh. “Neither are you.”
Axel froze for the barest second before rage ignited, his beast snarling to the forefront of his mind. His chair toppled as he shot to his feet. “You mother fucking –”
“Enough!” Riley barked, and Axel felt a hand settle on his shoulder, pushing down.
Axel sucked in a breath, shaking the hold before moving to lean against the wall. Anxiety buzzed across his skin, and his hand shook as he dragged his fingers repeatedly through his hair. Xander moved to stand beside him, a heavy presence.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“I don’t want to be a crappy Guardian,” Lucifer continued, stepping forward to plant his palms face down on the table, leaning forward. “I’m bored.”
“You want to kill Daemons with us?” Sythe asked. “Because we don’t invite them to tea parties to discuss the weather.”
Lucifer’s eyes narrowed, his fingers clenching on the wood. “Tell me again when you last caught a Daemon? And not a hound or human twat stupid enough to get possessed?”
“If you were to join us on our hunts, you would be one of us,” Riley said. “Which means you follow our rules.”
Lucifer set his lips into a stubborn line, shoulders rigid. “I’m not a fucking idiot, I understand what you’re saying, and I agree. I will put down my kind like dogs, because that’s what they deserve. Right?” Resentment poisoned his words.
Riley’s smile was sad. “Why do you believe we’ll be seeing more of the Undead?”
“Because the skull heads that attacked Sam were Lessers.”
“There are no Lessers, we killed them all,” Jax said.
“Well, clearly not,” Lucifer said, rolling his eyes. “Daemons are no longer stuck down in The Nether, which means they have all the time in the world to dodastardlythings like creating Lessers. Even ones as basic as those I sensed back in that alley.”
“Councilman Edwards has put out a precaution to protect druids under the Order,” Riley said as he leaned back in his chair. “Which makes me believe he probably knew of this before us.”
“What about the druids who don’t follow the Order?” Axel asked with a frown, ignoring the stares. “What happens to them?”
“What do you think?” Riley shook his head, and Lucifer chuckled.
“And you call my kind soulless bastards. Your own councilman couldn’t give two shits about your Breed unless they’re the ones he has control of.”
“Your kind are soulless bastards,” Jax said.
“Technically the same kind if we’re going to be pedantic about it,” Sythe added with a shrug. “What?” he said when everyone turned to him. “It’s true.”
“If Edwards has regimented those under the Order to take precautions,” Xander said to keep the conversation on track, “it probably means he believes druids are being taken again.”
