“There’s only one way to end this. If it were up to me, I’d send you as far away from Lucifer as I could.” His words snapped me back to reality. I opened my mouth to argue, but he continued before I had a chance. “But that won’t work. He caught us near River’s home, and he suspects we’ve hidden the truth about who you are. If I take you away from here, it will only confirm his suspicions. We’re going to have to play along with his little game, Mia.”
All the blood rushed out of my face and pooled in my gut, heavy and thick like lead. I’d had a hunch we’d have to go this route, but hearing it aloud made it all too real.
“If he really thinks I’m…well,me, then why hasn’t he just taken me straight to Hell already? Why dance around it like this?”
His dark gaze swept across me. Tension rocketed between us. “This is Lucifer, Mia.Everythingis a game to him. And if we want to win, we’re going to have to play.”
8
Valac peered out at us with bleary eyes, his front door swinging open. He wore a wrinkled black t-shirt and loosely fitting sweatpants. Just past his muscular frame, a yawning penthouse glistened beneath the pink sunrise streaming in through a bay of massive windows. Turned out Valac had a penthouse, too, only two blocks south of Az’s building. Damn, these demons were rich.
“I’m going to need Mia to stay here for a while,” Az said by way of greeting. “Her apartment is off-limits now.”
Valac rubbed his eyes. It was odd seeing him like this. So odd it almost made him seem normal.Almost.
“If that’s what you need, then of course. But is there a reason she can’t stay with you?”
“Lucifer knows Mia and I were...involved. He’ll expect her to stay with me. If she doesn’t, it throws off his game.”
Shrugging, Valac stepped aside and motioned us through the doorway. “Very well. Come on inside, Mia.”
Frowning, I trailed into the apartment, Az following close behind. His logic made sense in a very demonic game kind of way. But I still had questions.
“I’ve got to be honest. I don’t see how this is any better. Couldn’t he still find me here?”
“Sure.” The whites of Valac’s eyes bored through me. “But I already have a couple of roommates. Dancers from the club. It makes more sense for you to stay here than at Az’s place. There’s a precedent in place. This doesn’t give Lucifer any ammunition.”
“Sure. Alright.” I closed my eyes, weariness tugging at my bones. “This is ridiculous. You know that, right? It sounds he’s just going to bide his time and wait for us to take one wrong step.”
“Yes,” Valac replied, his voice harsh and full of darkness. The sound reminded me that, of all the demons, he unnerved me the most. The others, while strong and powerful and edged in danger, could almost come across human at times. Not Valac. There was something so otherworldly about him. The haunted look in his eyes told me he’d seen things that had shattered his soul.
And now I had to live with him.
“What about Hendrix?” I asked, twisting to Az. “He’ll be all alone in my apartment.”
His lips twitched. “Already taken care of.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Poor thing. I hate that I keep shuttling him around New York every few weeks.”
“He doesn’t mind,” Az murmured, his eyes flicking across my face. “As long as he’s with you.”
Something inside me squeezed tight. An overwhelming urge churned my gut. All I wanted was to wound my arms around his neck, press my face against his chest, and feel him surround me, blocking out everything else. The past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind, and frankly, I felt fried to a crisp. I didn’t want to stay here. I wanted Az’s apartment. His bed. His arms. All of him.
Nothing against Valac, of course. He was kind to let me stay with him. But let’s be honest, he wasn’t Asmodeus, the First Prince of Hell.
Az’s fingers twitched by his sides, and for a moment, I thought he felt that same impossible tug between us. We’d forget about tricking Lucifer and give in to this connection while we still could. He’d collect me in his arms and take me home. Damn the consequences.
“I should go,” he said in a hoarse voice, ripping his gaze away from mine. “You’ve had a long day, and you should get some sleep. We’ll have an assignation in the morning.”
Assignation.I couldn’t help but smile fondly at that. Just another one of his little word quirks that gave him away as someone far older than what he looked. An immortal demon. One, I had to finally admit, I had feelings for. Dammit.
We said our goodbyes, and Valac led me into the living room. His place was sparser than Az’s, giving it an echoey, vacant feel. There was a single stone-grey sofa facing the windows. A tiny round table sat just beside it, holding a stack of well-worn books. My boots clicked against a floor that looked a lot like stone.
I hugged my arms around my chest as I gazed down a skinny hallway. Several shut doors lined the wall.
Valac saw me looking. “Bedrooms. The girls are both asleep. Long night at the club.”
His eerie voice echoed in the looming space. He turned his gaze on me, and for a moment, fear rattled my heart. It felt like he wanted to peel back the layers of my skin. He would burrow into me and shatter my bones. After a moment, he shook his head and glanced away.
