Demon King (Claimed By Lucifer #1) - Elizabeth Briggs Page 0,74

but who didn’t at some point? And Gadreel had always been ambitious. It was one of the reasons I’d thought he was interested in Lenore too.

I rose to my feet and people hushed around me as I scanned the crowd. Where was Hannah? Earlier she’d been sitting at the side tables, but she wasn’t there now. Nor was she with Gadreel and Lilith, or Samael in the corner, or at the buffet or the bar. I didn’t see Azazel either, who was meant to stay on Hannah’s tail all night.

My chest tightened in panic. Where could Hannah have gone? Had someone taken her? Was I about to lose her again?

Clenching my fists, I strode through the crowd. They parted in front of me, out of respect or fear, and a quick search confirmed Hannah wasn’t in the ballroom anymore. I went to the elevator, wondering if she’d retreated to the penthouse, but it wasn’t working for some reason. Someone was going to pay for that later.

My heart beat faster as I launched through the door to the stairwell and took the steps two at a time, up a few flights to the parking garage. I looked left and right as I reached the top, taking in the empty space, and spotted a tiny crystal on the ground in the distance. From Hannah’s dress. She’d definitely come this way.

Maybe she hadn’t been taken. Maybe she had run away.

Was she upset by what she’d seen in there? Killing enemies was par for the course among supernaturals, but she still thought like a human. Dammit. I’d forgotten she was mortal, and how sensitive humans were to death and violence. She remembered nothing of her previous lives, which meant all of this was new to her. I’d only known her for seven days, and that wasn’t nearly enough for the truth about who she was to sink in. No wonder she’d panicked. She’d started the week meeting Lucas Ifer to beg for help in finding her lost friend, and she’d finished at a demon’s ball where Lucifer himself had killed traitors in front of her.

Before I could tame my thoughts, Azazel ran around the corner, wearing a short leather dress with blades strapped to her thighs. “Hannah!” She stopped and sucked in a breath, her eyes wide. “She’s been taken!”

“What happened?” I grabbed her shoulders and held her firmly at arm’s length as I searched her wild gaze. Azazel never panicked, but there was definitely something that had her spooked.

“I kept my eyes on Hannah all night, staying close to her from the shadows. When you executed those traitors, she freaked out and split. She ran for the elevator, but it didn’t come.”

“Then what?” I tried to keep my own panic from increasing. There weren’t many places I couldn’t rescue Hannah from. Except death.

“She ran up the stairs and took off walking through the alley. I followed in the shadows from a safe distance. She clearly needed to be alone, and I tried to respect that.”

My grip tightened on her shoulders. “And then?”

“An angel swooped down and picked her up before I could get close enough to stop them. I tried to go after them, but I was hit with a blast of light, stronger than I expected.” She ripped herself out of my arms, her eyes furious—and upset too. “It knocked me back, and I lost them.”

“Tell me exactly what you saw.” Perhaps I could work out which of my Heavenly brethren would be so bold. Why would they take Hannah? Were the angels making a play against me?

“Copper wings. Female. I couldn’t see any other details.” She shook her head, her face tormented. “I’m sorry, my lord. It was my duty to protect Hannah and I failed. I accept whatever punishment you deem fitting.”

I stepped back, seething. Copper wings… I knew an angel like that. What I didn’t know was why she would want Hannah.

Azazel kept her head bowed, awaiting my command. She’d been ordered to guard Hannah and she’d failed, and now my mate had been kidnapped. She should be punished for her failure, and she knew it. But Hannah wouldn’t want that. I felt that in my gut.

I turned away from her. “You are dismissed, Azazel.”

“My lord?”

“I think I know who took Hannah.” My eyes narrowed as red hot anger pulsed through my veins. “And I will handle this myself.”

25

Hannah

My head swam as I tried to pry my eyes open, but they were so heavy. Eventually, I managed to get