“Come on,” he says. “Time to face the music. The apocalypse waits for no-one.”
I crawl towards the edge of the bed and drop my feet to the floor, wincing, because I ache everywhere. Archan gasps from behind me. I spin, ready to tell him that whatever marks are on my body are his fault. Multicolored feathers lay strewn around Archan’s naked body, making my heart thrash against my ribcage. I look over my shoulder, finding my beautiful wings tattered and withering. I snap them closed and sink them beneath my skin.
“The curse,” he seethes.
With a shrug, I blink back the tears. “It’s okay, they are just wings, I’m still here.”
He runs a hand through his hair. “I want you to have everything in this world. Your face lights up when you spy your wings.”
I walk towards him and cup his face. “I have everything I ever want right here in front of me,” I mutter, kissing the corner of his lips. He grips my hips and holds me tight.
“Natia, I know you are hiding something from me,” he says. I freeze against him. “It’s okay. You can tell me when you are ready. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid without discussing it with me first.”
I squeeze my eyes closed. The coming battle would be hard enough without telling him all of what I planned. “I promise.”
Fun fact about being reborn as a goddess—all the laws that once bound me no longer apply.
33
Chapter Thirty Three
Natia
A Taurus identifies with the Eat, Pray, Love philosophy. They live to eat, are spiritual in nature, and love like a lioness.
“So you forgive Mr Tall Dark and Brooding, but me and the devil get to sit on the naughty step for longer?” Jed muses with a pout as he crosses his arms. He’s covered in love bites, whilst Zee hasn’t fared much better, yet his lips are twisted in a smirk. Nathan looks, well, like Nathan; unhurried, calm, a quiet strength.
Duncan and Marsha stand so close they are rubbing shoulders. Meanwhile the devil is leaning against the wall in the hut we’ve congregated in looking like the cat that got the cream. His hair is a wild mess, his lips are swollen, and he’s dressed like he’s about to do the walk of shame.
“He apologized,” I explain.
“With his cock?” Zac asks as he strolls in. Seems everyone got their rocks off last night.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Zee gasps.
Zac grins. “Frances, Liza, Rachel, and Terri.” Two identical pretty redheads shove their heads in the hut and drop a kiss on Zac’s lips before darting out again. “And the twins, Zoe and Holly.” He looks like he’s had a fight with a lion and lost.
I blink in surprise. Zac’s got game.
Jed tips his head as he studies me and Archan. His eyes narrow, then dart to Archan’s. “You are…”
Archan shakes his head. He warned me other primordials could sense the soul bond we’d completed. But it’s better if the others don’t know. For now. “Violence next,” I state. “With no Lawrence, will they still be holding the realm?”
“There are enough defectors that supported Lawrence to cause us a problem,” Lucifer states. “But we should be able to get through.”
“Zeus and The Duchess are basing themselves in the mansion,” Marsha states. “The monsters are still pushing against your kingdom,” she nods at Lucifer. “And whilst your forces push back the main crowd, there are those working under the foundations to infiltrate your castle.”
“I’ve sent word to my people to be on the lookout,” Lucifer says.
“So we avoid this mansion, pay the tax and get through Violence?” I check.
Lucifer narrows his eyes at me. “Unfortunately not, Natia, the area where we need to pay the tax is in the mansion’s basement.”
“What clever sod put it there?” I demand.
Lucifer’s eyes flash red. Ah, post orgasmic haze doesn’t last long when you are the devil having your flaws pointed out to you. “Do you need another lesson?”
I smirk. “Try it, let’s see who loses something they own two of this time.”
