knew that and had better keep it in mind.
I conjured clothes for Jamie as I approached. The poor thing was standing among her tattered cloak as naked as the day she was born. She still looked so frail and sort of stumbled forward when the clothing appeared on her body. What happened?” She tried to look around me and I stepped into the path blocking her view. “I feel like I’ve been hit with a brick. Oh man,” she whined and rubbed her head. “Where are the bad guys? What are we going to do?”
I smiled at her and hugged her tight. “Prepare yourself. Okay?” I warned unable to stifle my huge smile
“What now?” Her brows lowered and she eyed me warily.
“It’s okay, James. The Devil isn’t here.” At her frown, I stepped to the side, allowing her to see past me. She cringed back; clearly, she thought Lucian was still possessed. Then she slowly moved forward and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes widened and tears filled her eyes, spilling down her smiling face.
“Luc?” She whispered and Lucian’s head whipped around.
He stood frozen for several seconds. “Jamie?” His voice cracked and he took a step toward her. “My God, Jamie, is that really you?” He walked slowly toward her. “How?” He looked at me then back at her, his eyes filled with tears “How is it that you’re alive?”
“It’s a long story, Lucian, we’ll tell you all about it later, okay?” I laughed, sniffing back my own tears. I backed up, giving them some room and ran into Seth as he came up behind me.
How long till your little golden boy realizes we’re in Hell? Seth’s smug voice filled my mind. How quickly will he crack do you think?
I elbowed him. Let him have some time with his sister and then we’ll tell him where we are, don’t be an ass.
HIS SISTER? Seth spun me around. “The demon had him torturing his sister?” Seth yelled.
“Oh, great, big mouth!” I shouted as Lucian turned stunned eyes toward us. He was in the middle of a very long hug with Jamie and he sort of bent her to the side as he turned to look at us.
“Someone had better start explaining!” He leveled a look at all of us, “Where the hell are we anyway?” He had Jamie in a strong armed hold and she was eating it up.
“Well, my ignorant friend,” Seth began, “We’re buried neck deep in the burning inferno of Hell. Thanks for that, by the way.”
“Damn it Seth, show some class!” I shoved him out of the way. “He wasn’t himself, was he?” The last thing Lucian needed was a reason to blame himself. I stepped further away from Seth and shook my head, annoyed.
“What is the last thing you remember, Lucian?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“Well,” his brows drew together. “You’d just taken off into the desert.” He looked down, clearly struggling to remember. “I was trying to get Lydia to go home. She was pretty excited to help you out; she’s a good kid. ” He smiled and then his skin went pale and he looked at me.
I already had a pretty good idea what must have happened and I tried to curb the shitty feelings brewing just under the surface. Lydia was a bitch-whore of a demon that had used Lucian. She had sex with his body and used him to torture his own sister. Lydia knew that Voltaire was squatting in Lucian’s skin, which made the idea that she still slept with him even more reprehensible. Demon, I reminded myself as I looked at Lucian. He was hopelessly unaware of the horror met out by another in his skin. The knowledge of what must have gone on this entire time would undoubtedly break a man like Lucian.
“Wait.” Lucian was still working it out as we all stood and waited for him to piece it together. “Lydia?” He frowned. “No. Oh, no. She hit me!” He stepped away from Jamie and turned in a circle. “Shit!” he yelled. “She joined Voltaire and attacked me. Grace? I don’t remember anything after the attack.” He gripped my hands. “Oh, Lord, what have I done?” He searched my eyes. “Did I bring you to Hell?” His eyes were panicked and he began to visibly shake.
Jamie went to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. It was all I could do not to push her away and take him into my own arms.