Demon King (Claimed By Lucifer #1) - Elizabeth Briggs Page 0,57
didn’t miss a beat. “You ruled alongside me in Hell for many years, though your mother made you spend part of you time in Faerie too.”
That did align with the myths about Hades and Persephone. I closed my eyes and searched my soul for some memory of this, but found nothing. “What happened to us?”
“All good things must come to an end.” Something dark lurked in his expression, something that made me wonder if my memories were repressed for a reason. He stood and held out his hand, as his shadowy black wings erupted from his back. “Come. Let me show you the Canyon the way it’s meant to be seen. At night, in my arms.”
I couldn’t refuse him, even though the thought of flying again made my hands tremble. All I could picture was my terrifying fall off the edge of The Celestial, and the way he’d caught me mid-air with a jolt. But he hadn’t let me fall then, and I knew, deep down, he wouldn’t let anything happen to me now either. The devil was dangerous and deadly, but he would never hurt me.
He lifted me up in his arms, carrying me like he did the other night, as though he was rescuing me from something. I squeezed my eyes shut and clung to his neck as his great wings flapped, sending a rush of cool air all around us, and we launched straight up. He held me close to his chest as we flew higher, and I tucked my face against his neck, afraid to let go.
“I’ve got you, Hannah. Open your eyes.”
His wings kept us steady, and I dared a peek over his shoulder. The sun was very low on the horizon, just peeking above the mountains in the distance. Dusk had never been so beautiful before, as a rainbow of colors reached across the sky, painting a canvas over the entirety of the Grand Canyon. I relaxed my hold on him as I gazed around us, soaking in the wonder of nature.
“It’s incredible.”
He nodded, but his eyes were distant as he took in the moment when the sun vanished and the sky turned indigo. “This is what day looks like in Hell.”
His voice held so much longing, and I wondered if he missed his other home. I wanted to ask him why he lived here and not there, but then we were flying and all thoughts rushed out of my mind. I tightened my hold on his neck as he flew along the cliff walls, through the winding valleys, and dropped down to skim just over the river. His grip on me never once faltered and he was always completely in control. Even when the gusts were strong, he used them to lift us up instead of being buffered. I trusted him, in a way I’d never trusted any other man.
I shifted myself in his arms to see better as he flew up and spun around, before diving back down. Fear no longer seized my muscles and gripped my throat, and instead something new had taken over. Elation. Adrenaline. Joy. It was a lot like when we’d been in the race cars. It felt…natural.
As night fell, it got harder for me to see, though the myriad of stars above us made for a gorgeous backdrop. Somehow Lucifer’s wings were even darker than our surroundings, like they were blacker than night itself. My focus shifted to the man holding me instead of my surroundings, since I could still make out the features of his face. I slid my hand along his neck, up to his stubbled jaw, then to his sensual mouth. “How can you see where you’re going?”
“All demons and Fallen can see in the dark,” he said, his voice easily carrying over the wind.
He flew around a curve in the canyon, but then something shot toward us from out of nowhere. Something huge. Lucifer suddenly dropped, plummeting down to avoid the thing hurling toward us, and my stomach lurched as I clung tightly to him again. There was a huge rush of wind as the thing flew past us, and then Lucifer turned to face it.
Then there was light—no, fire. Coming out of a huge mouth. With giant fangs.
Holy shit. Was that a fucking dragon?
The fire illuminated a winged, reptilian creature the size of an SUV, before flames hurled toward us. Lucifer stretched out a hand and darkness, even blacker than night, shot out and consumed the flames, until the light faded.