Cipher (Demonica Underworld #8) - Larissa Ione Page 0,24

consequences of her rash decision, and as long as she got what she wanted out of the deal, she’d consider her choice well made.

Probably.

The three fallen angels turned as a unit to face her and Cipher.

As she held out the flash drive, Bael grinned, his fangs glistening in air made smoky by the torch sconces. He had access to the best technology demons could devise or steal from humans, but his taste in decor ran medieval drab.

“Finally.” He pinned Cipher with an intense stare. “You’re ready to serve me.”

“Serve you?” Cipher laughed, and Lyre cringed. Bael didn’t appreciate being mocked. “You don’t deserve my loyalty. I’ll serve Sheoul’s cause, but not yours.”

Bael’s lip curled, revealing wicked, lion-sized fangs. “Sheoul’s cause is my cause.”

“Then tell me how my list is going to be used.” Cipher’s deep voice was calm, steady, but his gaze smoldered with hate. “I can’t imagine that hurting Azagoth’s children is in Sheoul’s ultimate best interest.”

“That,” Bael said, “is none of your concern.” He fingered the drive. “If this is a trick, I’ll kill you.”

“Fuck you,” Cipher growled, and this time Lyre nodded in approval. Bael might not like being mocked, but he respected good, old-fashioned aggression. “Those are the names of all Azagoth’s children who remain in the human realm.”

Bael tossed the drive to his brother Moloc, who plugged it into a tablet on a nearby table. After a moment, Moloc looked over. “There are only forty names here. How can there be so few?”

“Most of the children have already been gathered and taken to Sheoul-gra.”

“If you’re lying—”

“Yeah, yeah.” Cipher tucked his hands in his jeans pockets, all casual, as if he wasn’t standing in a nest of vipers. “You’ll kill me.”

Moloc’s dark eyes went as black as a poisonous Sheoulin rose. Of the two brothers, he was the calmest, the one least prone to irrational actions. But he was also the smartest, which made him far more terrifying than Bael.

“Killing you will only be the beginning,” he said as he shoved the tablet aside.

Rancor eyed Cipher the way Lyre eyed a juicy burger, and the creepy eyeballs dangling from her bracelet and necklace matched her hungry stare.

“What do you plan to do with him now?” Rancor licked her lips, and Lyre bristled. “Come work for me, and I’ll treat you well.”

“He’s mine,” Bael snapped. “I risked a lot to steal him from Azagoth.”

“I belong to no one.” Cipher looked each of the three fallen angels in the eye, and Lyre had to give him points for bravery. Or stupidity. Time would tell, she supposed. “I’ve given you what you want. Now give me what you promised. My freedom.”

Bael reached for his favorite cup made from the skull of an angel. Looked like it was full of blood. “Until you’ve proven your loyalty, your freedom will be limited.”

The anger smoldering in Cipher’s eyes sparked blue fire. His growing ire shouldn’t be sexy, but it was. It was that same intense but quiet fury that she’d found attractive in Dailon before he went vigilante on someone.

“That wasn’t the deal, Bael.”

“You didn’t come to us willingly,” Moloc said, sounding all reasonable and calm. “You have to earn your freedom.”

Bael lowered the cup from his mouth and licked blood from his lips. “Worry not, worm, I’ll find a use for you. One befitting your cyberskills.”

“Yes,” Rancor purred. “With your fallen angel powers, you could wreak havoc through the demonweb and human internet, and the viruses you could create, ones that can infect living creatures...yes, you’ll be invaluable.”

For a moment, Lyre thought Cipher would balk, but then he shrugged. “Sounds fun.”

Bael watched Cipher over the rim of his cup as he drank, and when he lowered the vessel from his mouth, blood dripped from his lips. “I’ll give you more freedom, only with Lyre by your side. Betray my goodwill, and I’ll eat your intestines for breakfast.” He flicked his wrist. “Begone, worm. Lyre, stay.”

Lyre bowed her head in acknowledgement and said to Cipher under her breath, “Wait outside for me. Go. Before he changes his mind.” Bael was likely to do breakfast now if Cipher didn’t get the hell out of there.

With one last glare at everyone, including her, Cipher left. And she might have watched his retreating backside a little longer than appropriate before turning back to the three regional bosses.

“I did what you asked,” she said. “What Flail failed to do. I want to talk about how I’m going to get my revenge.”

“This again?” Bael curled his lip