Demon King (Claimed By Lucifer #1) - Elizabeth Briggs Page 0,86
Gadreel told me he’d tracked down a human who might be Adam.”
“Where?”
“He didn’t say.”
I took the chair across from Samael and stroked the rough stubble on my chin as I considered this news, my gut telling me something wasn’t right. I scoured my memories, including the ones Jophiel had just returned to me.
When Eve had been reborn as an angel, I’d believed only Samael knew about our relationship, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe someone else knew too. I’d never found Adam in that life—normally I tracked him down and killed him as retribution for what he’d done to my mate, but Jophiel intervened first and took my memories. I never even knew what he looked like. Could he still be alive?
In every life, Adam was reincarnated as a pair with Eve. If she was born human, so was he. Except when she was Lenore. The one who’d killed her was an angel, according to Gadreel. When I’d found them, there’d been a dead angel beside her, his sword covered in her blood, and I’d simply assumed that the curse didn’t differentiate between an angel and a Fallen.
But what if it did?
Now someone had lured Hannah to Las Vegas, for the sake of bringing her back to me. Why? Just to take her away again, knowing it would hurt me more now that we’d found each other. But how?
My mind followed the trail of clues. Asmodeus said he’d received a text from Samael ordering him to seduce her, but Samael claimed he’d never sent it. It had to be someone close to us, someone who knew too much, who had access to everything.
Someone like Samael’s assistant.
Someone who spent too much time chasing both Lenore and Lilith.
Gadreel.
Could it be? Could Gadreel be Adam? Had he somehow defied the curse and stayed alive when Eve was reincarnated again and again?
I leaned forward, anger simmering under my skin. “Where is Gadreel now?”
Samael’s mouth tightened. “I haven’t seen him since the ball.”
Darkness swirled around me. My fury couldn’t be contained, and with it came fear for Hannah’s life. She was in more danger than I’d realized. “Find him, and bring him to me. Now.”
30
Hannah
The drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas took way longer than I expected, and even with only a few quick stops, it took me the entire day to get there. By the time I rushed up to Lucifer’s penthouse, night had fallen and The Celestial was waking up. Vegas truly was a perfect city for demons, where most of the action happened after dark.
I found Lucifer in his library sitting behind his desk, a glass of whiskey beside him and an ancient-looking tome in his hands. He rose to his feet as soon as he saw me, and my heart skipped a beat as our eyes met and I was hit with the full force of his magnetic presence. Then he quickly crossed the room in a few long strides and swept me into his strong arms. Before I knew what was happening, his mouth came down on mine and he kissed me hard, as if he hadn’t seen me in years, while his fingers tangled in my hair like he was never going to let me go. My hands gripped his soft white shirt while his tongue swept against mine and I wondered how I ever thought I could live without this man.
My mate.
“You came back to me.” He pulled back just enough to study my face. “You had us all worried.”
I was still dazed from his kiss and it took a second for his words to register. “Worried?”
“Jophiel texted me when you drove off with her car. Nice choice, by the way.” His lips quirked up in amusement as his thumb idly stroked my cheek. “Both of our people have been looking for you ever since. You shouldn’t have driven all that way without anyone protecting you.”
I shook my head. “Lucifer, I can’t live in fear all the time. I may be cursed to die, but I’m ready to accept my life by your side. For however long we have.”
“Even though I’m a villain? A monster? The root of all evil?” His eyes gleamed red as he spoke, as if he were challenging me to run away again.
I reached up to stroke his eyebrows and the dark stubble on his jaw while I gazed at him, accepting him completely, red eyes and all. “I don’t care how the world sees you. You’re not evil. Not to me.”