His father respected nothing but power, brutality, and his usefulness.
Loki raised a dark eyebrow. “Would you prefer to walk alone to your first class, Celeste?”
“It’s too late to not be seen with you now,” I said. “Plus, you said not to give them an excuse to take me out if I can help it, and I’d hate to ask those ugly demon guards where my class is.”
I studied the horned guards who patrolled the area. They were glaring in our direction, axes and chainsaws in their clawed hands.
The vast iron gate behind them looked just as vicious as they did.
“Don’t trust anyone,” Loki said.
“I don’t even trust you,” I said.
“Especially those who pretend to be your friends, but will stab you in the back the first chance they get.”
And I turned to give him a once over.
“I didn’t mean me,” he said exasperatedly.
“You want to rule Hell,” I said coolly. “You don’t really want to destroy Earth. You don’t hate humans as much as your father, though you disdain them to no end. And you still have an ounce of humanity in you. I can work with you until our common enemy is done with, cousin. But don’t expect me to ever end up in your and your dukes’ beds, no matter what you promised them. And if they want to keep their dicks—”
“Their dicks are very important to them.”
We bantered as if we weren’t going to my battle class, and I tried not to get all worked up for the upcoming battle call.
A howl rose in the distance, and my hair all stood up. A massive, two-headed black hellhound, blacker than midnight, charged out of the gate toward us.
A red tongue rolled off each of his two jaws, exposing fangs longer than my hands. His two pairs of eyes glowed crimson, fixating on me. The hellhound was even more formidable than the demons.
Had the demon guards set a hellhound on me?
In an instant, I drew my swords as I calculated my moves. I’d duck at the last minute, then send my blade sailing toward one of his heads. How would the hellhound react to having only one head left? While he wailed and brayed, I’d jump onto his back, stab my sword into the skull of his remaining head, and claim my victory.
I’d probably spit on his corpse just to show my contempt toward Lucifer and his demons.
The hellhound, however, changed direction and slammed into Loki.
Well, then, I’d let the prince display his skills. I stood by, my swords ready.
Loki rolled on the sand with the hellhound, wrestling with the beast, and then he let the hound pin him down and lick his face in affection.
“Cerberus,” Loki said, “that’s enough. I don’t have time for this today.”
The hellhound rolled his tongues over his fangs, stepped away from the prince, and grinned at me.
I didn’t grin back but stared hard at the beast to warn him not to come near enough to take a bite out of me. I didn’t want him to lick me either.
“Is he yours, or is he Lucifer’s pet?” I asked, my hands remaining tight on the hilts of my swords. “According to mythology, Cerberus also serves as a spy.”
Both Loki and Cerberus rolled their eyes at me.
“This isn’t the original Cerberus,” Loki said. “He’s the second generation, and he grew up with me. I think he also likes you.”
“Like hell he does.”
“Do not give him attitude,” Loki said sternly. “Do not hurt his feelings. He’s extremely intelligent and sensitive.”
“You said that about Smoky, too.”