He heard them all.
There had been a time when he would have sought out the more desperate souls for his father. Damn shame they weren’t on speaking terms. He was really good about bargaining and delivering souls that made his father proud.
But those days were over.
He would never damn another human. Never make another bargain. Even if he regained his status, he wouldn’t be his father’s pride anymore.
Fuck him.
If only he could purge the voices, Luke would be thrilled.
“What did that bitch want with you?” A pair of bright red eyes glowed in the shadows between his couch and the far wall.
He’d know that sultry, growling feminine voice anywhere.
Luke closed the door and locked it. “What are you doing here, Mum?”
“I smelled Delilah in human form. Given her history with you, I had a feeling she was harassing my favorite child.”
“I’m your only child.” Luke used his powers to turn on the lights. As he did so, the black Xolos hound turned into his tall, elegant mother. Her amber gold eyes stood out against her dark skin, making them appear to glow. She wore a bright silver crescent moon amulet suspended between her intense eyes.
With a tender smile, she approached him and reached up to gently cup his cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“Miss you, too.” He pulled her in for a hug.
She yanked playfully at his hair before she took a step back. Her long black gauzy robe rustled with her graceful movements as she entered the small kitchen. “This place is beneath you.”
“You say that every time you visit.”
“It’s true every time I visit. I weep to find you in such a state. How do you stand it?” With a wave of her hand, she tidied up the counters he’d left a bit crowded. The one truth about Senka…she couldn’t stand clutter of any kind.
Turning back toward him, she pinned him with that glare that usually caused demons to wet themselves. “What did that bitch want?”
“She said Sorath knows something about my banishment.”
Scoffing, she waved those words away dismissively. “Not true. Sorath has nothing. If he knew, he’d have told me so.”
“How about you?”
“Your father won’t discuss it. Sammy is still quite angry at you. He won’t even allow me to mention your name in his presence. Worthless bastard.”
Only his mother could use that nickname for Samael Lucifer. She got away with things no one else would even dare because she was the only creature alive his father fully trusted.
“I will find the one responsible for this and when I do?—”
“You will let me deal with them,” Luke reminded her.
Senka screwed up her beautiful face. “If you insist.”
“I do.”
Helly appeared at the door, then pulled up short as she saw his mother. She bowed respectfully. “My lady.”
Senka inclined her head to the imp. “At least this one is loyal and knows her place. Something I won’t forget when you’ve returned to your standing. I will make sure your imp is well rewarded.”
If only she knew what Helly said about her in her absence, she might think differently. Thankfully, none of it had ever gotten back to his mom.
And he definitely would never tell. He liked his imp in one piece.
