I couldn’t help but feel a bit shell-shocked at seeing so many powerful people, and I didn’t fail to notice that these were all the Archdemons who might be responsible for the attacks over the last few days. A whisper of fear trickled down my spine, but I had to trust in Lucifer. He wouldn’t have brought me here if he thought I would be in any danger. Besides, Azazel would be protecting me from the shadows all night long. Only that knowledge made me feel a tiny bit better.
Closer to the throne, Lucifer stopped in front of a woman who was more beautiful and alluring than anyone I’d ever seen in my life, even with a red leather mask on her face. Her dark hair was in an elaborate coif that suited her bone structure, and she had green eyes that rivaled Lucifer’s.
He gestured toward her. “Hannah, I’d like you to meet Lilith, Archdemon of the Lilim.”
“It’s good to see you again,” Lilith said, and even her voice was sultry. “But you don’t remember me, do you?”
“No, I don’t. I’m sorry.” Should I remember her? Was she another person who’d been close to me in one of my past lives?
“No matter.” She leaned in close, as though sharing a confidence. “I’m incredibly grateful for your part in rescuing my son, Asmodeus. He should be around here too somewhere, and I’m sure he’d like to thank you himself.”
I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrows. “You don’t look old enough to have an adult son.”
“My dear, you flatter me.” She made a dismissive gesture, her fingers fluttering. “It’s but one of the benefits of being an immortal.”
“How are your daughters, Lilith?” Lucifer asked. I sensed he was closer to this Archdemon than any of the others.
Lilith’s face showed genuine affection as she spoke of her children. “Olivia is settling in nicely as mediator between angels and demons. Thank you again, Lucifer, for helping her get that position.” She looked around and then smiled toward a couple talking to a tall man with long black hair. “Ah, Olivia and Kassiel are over there with Baal now.”
The woman named Olivia looked a lot like Lilith, with the same seductive beauty that was hard to take your eyes off, but the dark-haired man beside her, Kassiel, sparked an odd reaction in my body. My heart beat faster, almost painfully, tugging inside my chest in a physical reaction I couldn’t explain. I lifted my hand and rested it over the bodice of my dress as I waited for the response to the man to die away. Then it vanished as quickly as it came upon me. How odd.
“And your other daughter?” Lucifer asked, as if he was genuinely interested.
Lilith inclined her head slightly. “Lena is still recovering from her time with that awful cult, but she improves every day.”
I had no idea who they were talking about. What cult? But I didn’t ask. Lucifer had been a good sport when I took him to that seedy dive bar, so I figured I owed him this. I could smile and nod along with these people, even if their conversation did make me feel like a child at an adult party.
“Excuse me.” Lucifer pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I must speak with Fenrir. I’ll return in a moment.”
He headed over to speak with a large, bearded man with wild gray hair who stood in the corner. The long-haired man named Baal joined them a moment later.
“I have no idea who any of these people are,” I muttered.
“Fenrir is the Archdemon of shifters, and Baal is the Archdemon of vampires.” Lilith cocked her head. “You know, I think this might be the first time all the Archdemons have been in one building in decades. Lucifer demanded our presence here tonight. I wonder if he has something planned for us.”
Had he summoned them here because of me? But why?
Lilith slipped her hand in the crook of my elbow as she led me to the buffet. “Don’t worry about the others. They’re all jealous. Who wouldn’t want to be on the arm of the Demon King?”
Maybe she was right. Tonight’s sin was supposed to be envy, after all. I watched Lucifer as he prowled across the room with barely restrained power in every one of his movements, and noticed the way everyone responded to him. Treating him like a king.
And me?
I was Persephone being claimed by Hades, and I had no choice but to enter his underworld and become his dark queen.
23
Hannah
Lilith and I grabbed a few fancy appetizers to eat at the buffet, and I was grateful to her for sticking by my side even though she didn’t know me at all—at least, not in this life. As an introvert, parties were hard enough. Add in the fact that I was the lone human at a ball full of demons and it was hard not to run back to the penthouse as fast as I could.
“Ah, there’s my son now,” Lilith said, raising her hand to wave him over.
The man who approached could only be described as sex on a stick. With dark hair, bronze skin, and muscles galore, he looked like some kind of international model on a billboard somewhere. He wore a plain black mask and a black suit, oozing sex appeal with every step, although he didn’t make my heart flutter the way Lucifer did. He looked like the kind of guy you had one crazy, unbelievable night with, and then never saw again. In that Fuck, Marry, Kill game he’d be Fuck every time.
Unless you’re Brandy, maybe.
“Hannah, this is Asmodeus,” Lilith said.
He reached out to take my hand, then bowed a little and brushed his lips against my knuckles, sending tingles through me. I hoped Lucifer wasn’t looking, or Asmodeus might be flying against the wall soon. “An honor,” he said, his husky voice sliding along my skin like silk.
I nearly fanned myself. Shit, I needed a cold shower after five seconds in his presence. How had Brandy withstood a week of this? No wonder Lucifer had said there was no way she could have resisted leaving the bar with him.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” I said, after extricating my hand.
“All bad things, I hope?” he said with a wink.
I laughed, unable to resist his charm. “Things I had a hard time believing until now.”
Lilith pressed her hand to Asmodeus’s face. “Have you been feeding? You still look a bit weak from your ordeal. I’m sure any number of demons here tonight would be happy to help.”
He pulled away. “I’m fine, mother.”
“All right, dear.” She ruffled his hair with obvious love, then excused herself to speak to someone else, leaving me alone with the incubus.
“You’re Brandy’s friend.” He said it as a statement, his voice becoming more serious. “I’ve heard a lot about you too, and it seems I owe you my thanks.”
I shrugged, the action making my shimmering cloak flutter. “All I did was nudge Lucifer in the right direction.”
“You’re a good friend. Brandy is very fond of you.” The way he said her name made me think he cared for Brandy too.
I remembered how she spoke of him at the spa. “I’m not the only one she’s fond of…”
His shoulders stiffened and pain crossed his green eyes. “Brandy is special, but it’s impossible for the two of us to be together. She knows that.”
“Maybe, but I know Brandy better than anyone and she’s never backed down from a challenge. She’s also never spoken of any other guy the way she spoke about you.”
He studied me. “May I tell you a secret?”
Err…me? I’d met the guy two minutes ago. But I nodded. “Of course.”
He closed his eyes as if in pain and let out a shuddering breath. “I haven’t slept with anyone since meeting Brandy. My parents want me to feed, and I know I need to, or I’ll die. But I can’t. I don’t want anyone but her.”
“But you can’t have sex with her?”
“Only once, and then never again. Not without killing her.”
“Is there no way around that?”
“No, there isn’t. Unless…” He trailed off and looked across the room, his gaze landing on his mother. “There might be a way. But I’d have to give up everything. For a human I barely know.”
I spread my hands. “I can’t tell you what to do. All I know is that Brandy would love to see you again. Maybe all you’ll have is one crazy, wild night together that you remember for the rest of your lives. Or maybe you both decide you want more and find a way to make it work. Either way, you should go to her.”
“I think you’re right,” he said, his voice distant. Then he took my hands and bowed slightly. “Thank you, my queen. I always did appreciate your wise counsel. It’s good you’re back.”
My mouth fell open. “You’re welcome?”
He straightened the cuffs on his shirt. “I have a long drive ahead of me. I better get going.”
“Give my love to Brandy.”
With a nod, he vanished into the crowd, and I hoped I’d done the right thing. There was obviously something there between the two of them, and if nothing else they needed to get some sort of closure. Hopefully they’d be able to find a way to be together too.
And now I was alone again. I scanned the crowd for Lucifer, but didn’t see him anywhere. Plastering a pleasant expression on my face, I worked my way to the edge of the room, nodding at people I didn’t know and shaking more hands than I wanted to think about. The darkness along the walls was deeper, but there was also an area with tables. My feet throbbed in my heels, and I collapsed gratefully into the chair closest to the wall, then slipped off the expensive, sky-high heels.