I wanted Lucifer and Vyra, I needed to go hunting by myself.
I rubbed ash on the head of the Spear and in my hair, hoping to dim a little of the weapon’s light and the violet tones that stood out like a beacon in this place, and crept out from behind the boulder after making sure the sky was empty. My spine prickled in warning, but there was no sign of Lucifer in the gray clouds overhead.
That didn’t mean much; he could be above them, and he was fast as Hell when he attacked, but I couldn’t sit here while I had time.
The shelf I stood on ended on a chasm, but it was empty. There was no rotting Dragon corpse at the bottom, and I turned back the other way, climbing over several ridges and occasionally daring to fly over impassable rocks. After each short flight, I’d crouch and wait, anticipating a comet smashing into me, but it never came.
The sun overhead never moved. I felt like I was trapped in the same few seconds of time, constantly ducking down when I came upon sudden ridges, ever careful to keep the Spear’s light from blazing out into the dreary sky.
Then I heard a voice from over the next ridge. A voice so familiar it was like music to my ears, even though it was hard and cold.
My mate’s voice.
26
Melisande
“You heard his orders.”
I slid behind a new boulder, burying the Spear’s head in a pile of ash. The ground dropped off only feet in front of me, a ten-foot plunge to another broad ledge.
Two figures walked out onto the shelf overlooking yet another endless chasm, their backs to me. I took a deep but silent breath, tasting a hint of rot in the air, but the wind was carrying the smell away from me.
The Dragon’s corpse was down there. I was sure of it.
Lucifer’s dark wings framed his chiseled body, tattoos a brilliant crimson. Despite the angry red of the soul-bond, he was here, in person, only feet away. I wanted to fly down and touch him so badly the longing actually ached like a physical sensation.
He looked down at the white-haired figure at his side.
Vyra was wrapped in a dark robe, looking smaller than ever. “Please don’t leave me here with him. Please, Lucifer.”
He just looked at her coldly. “It’ll be done soon enough. Make your peace with it.”
What the Hell were they talking about?
“He’ll hurt me. You know he will.” Vyra tugged her robes tightly around herself, as if it would shield her from whatever Satan had planned. “Lucifer, what would Melisande think?”
He stopped, turning back to look at her. I quickly dropped down face-first, getting a mouthful of ash in the process, but I was sure he hadn’t seen me.
“Melisande?” His voice was tentative, the faint recognition in it stabbing me in the heart. Even with the soul-bond consuming his mind, my name still had some effect on him.
“Your mate. She loves you, Lucifer, and if she knew what you were going to do… she’d be so ashamed of you.”
There was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and I flinched as Vyra cried out.
“I don’t know a Melisande.” Lucifer spat the words at her. She’d laid it on too thick, and any recognition in his voice was gone. “This isn’t a fucking democracy, succubus. There’s no choice in the matter. You’re just meat for our King. Now get back in there and make yourself presentable for him. They’re bringing the new one now.”
I frantically crawled under the edge of the boulder as the sound of wings rustling overtook their voices. A moment later, Lucifer shot into the sky, his shadow rippling over the mountains.
I barely breathed, slowly counting to a hundred in my head before I dared to move again.
Vyra was still standing on the shelf, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. I remained cushioned under piles of ash, but Lucifer didn’t come back. No light ripped through my back and tore me apart.
She wasn’t turning around to return to the cave. I was going to have to reveal myself, because this was the only chance I might get.
I scrambled up onto my feet and dropped down silently, catching a breath of wind. “Vyra-”
She shrieked like a siren, and I clamped my free hand firmly over her mouth. Her eyes were wide as saucers over my filthy hand, tears cutting tracks through the dirt on her cheeks and pooling on my fingers.
“It’s really me,” I whispered. “I’m