“I don’t know. Never had to, but I also never want to,” he chuckles.
“You don’t because if you do, you die.”
“He wouldn’t killyou... would he?” he growls.
“No.” I shake my head. “But...” I look around, making sure no one can hear us. “Every single person sees my dad as the most evil person to ever exist. And in some ways he is. But when it comes to me, I’m his whole world. The only other person he ever opened himself up to was my mom. She broke his heart, and he's been cold to everyone but me ever since. I’m all he really has. How do I tell him I don’t want to be the Queen of Hell?”
“Breathe, Little Bird,” Zed says in a calming tone, sensing my impending panic attack. He pulls me into his arms, and I snuggle into his warmth, inhaling his scent. It’s like a drug, and I instantly feel relaxed. “Everything will work out, you’ll see. We have three years. We will find a way out of this, together.”
“Zed?” My voice is barely a whisper. “Thank you.”
“For what?” He puts his forehead to mine, and I close my eyes, letting out a sigh.
“For thinking I’m worth fighting for.”
“You are worth more than the moons and stars, Little Bird, never forget it.”
Leo
IFUCKING HATE MY LIFE. The only good thing to ever happen to me is gone, and I’m stuck in Hell. School is out, and there's no college down here, so my parents have been hounding me to start doing what they say I was born to do.
They know I don’t want to, that I have no interest in having my life revolve around sex or feeding on peoples’ sexual energy. I don’t care if it makes me seem weak. I’m not sex crazy like they are. I don’t have the need to be around it.
Okay, that's only partly true. When it comes to Abby, my powers demand I let them loose on her, to please her, bring her to ecstasy. I know she keeps saying she wants to wait until she's older, but I think she’s just afraid that once we take the step from friends to lovers, everything will change.
She’s meant to take the throne of Hell alongside her father, and she might act like it's not a big deal, but I know she hates it. Neither one of us wants to be our parents, but she loves her dad, and I don’t see her telling him no any time soon.
I miss her like crazy. I went from seeing her every day, to not seeing her for months. She’s going to be gone for three years, only coming back for summers. I don’t want to wait until the summer, I need to see her now, or I’ll fucking go insane.
“Leo!” my father booms from the lower part of the house.
Sighing, I put my book down to go see what he wants.
“What?” I ask as I round the corner to his office. My eyes go wide when I see Lucifer himself standing tall, power oozing off him in waves.Fuck, that man is scary.
“Leo, we have company, show some respect,” my father hisses.
“My apologies, your Highness.”
“Leo.” He nods, then looks to my father. “You're dismissed. What I have to talk to him about is between him and me.”
My father looks between the two of us before getting up out of his desk and leaving the room. Lucifer waves his hand, slamming the door shut.
“What can I do for you, Sir?” I ask, trying not to shake like a leaf. He’s never tried anything with me when I’m around Abby, but she’s not here right now.
“You're my daughter's mate.” It’s a statement, not a question. My eyes widen slightly.Had Abby told him?“You think I’m blind, boy? You look at my daughter like the sun shines out of her ass. I’m no fool.”
“To be fair, I’d be in love with your daughter whether we were mates or not. She’s everything I could hope for in a partner.” She’s my whole world. I don’t need any bond or higher power to tell me that.
“And that's why I haven't killed you.” My stomach flips, and I feel less safe the longer I’m in a room with him. “Listen, I don’t like Abby being up there, but I know she’s craved the freedom to see the world outside of Hell. I allowed her to go up there to get it out of her system before she is down here, ruling with me. But I don’t trust the people she’s staying with. Her mother is anything but a mother, and the man she's married to kisses God's ass so hard I'm surprised there's not a ring of shit around his lips.”
I choke on a laugh, and I could swear I saw his lips twitch. “Anyway, I don’t want her alone up there. I know those pompous, pure blood pricks won't accept her, and I need you to help her feel safe and happy while she's there.”
My pulse starts to race as I process his words. “Sir, are you asking me to go to Earth to watch over Abby?” I ask with so much hope, I feel like I might explode.
“Yes, that's exactly what I’m asking you to do. I know you haven't been embracing your demon side,” he holds up a hand as I stand to defend myself. “Don’t, I’m glad you haven't.”
“You are?” I ask, my brows furrowing in confusion. Why would the Devil be happy that one of his demons is... well,notbeing a demon.
“Do you really think I want the man my daughter is fated to to be with off having orgies and feeding off random strangers? If you ever did that, I’d have to kill you for hurting her.”
“I would never, sir. Abby is the only one I want or need.”
“Then it's settled. I have talked to some of my contacts and got you accepted into Angelic Academy's scholarship program. You will be attending school with Abby for the next three years. You will protect her, not that she needs it, but you will also be responsible for keeping her happy, and helping her to live her best life up there. Then, when those three years are up, you both will return to Hell, and you will support my daughter as Queen and you as her mate. Do you understand?”
I WILL NOT break out into an excited dance in front of the big and scary King of Hell.“Yes, Sir.” I can barely contain my excitement.
“Good. I’ll have my men bring you everything you need at the portal. You will be staying at their student housing, but I want you at her house as much as you can be. The less time alone with them, the better.”
The moment he leaves, I start jumping around like a crazy man. I get to see my Starbright, my heart and soul, my best friend. If God wasn’t the enemy down here, I’d be thanking him.