full attention. “Lucifer has had his demons. Are you waiting for angels?”
There was a slight flicker in Gabriel’s eyes, but it was the devil who moved first. He grabbed Kayley by her long red hair and dragged her toward him. Wrapping his hand around her throat, he lifted her until her feet dangled in the air.
Her entire body jerked as she struggled, her long red nails digging into his skin.
“Stop.” Morrigan surged past him, but he caught her around the waist and yanked her back. He couldn’t allow Lucifer to have two pawns. One was bad enough.
“Let her go,” she demanded even as she struggled against his hold. “Let me go.”
“No. She deserves whatever she gets. Your sister is the one who trapped you into the life of a bounty hunter, not to save herself, but to gain power. And the devil always gets his due.” Harsh words, but she needed to hear them.
“She’s my sister.” She kept trying to pull away, but he wasn’t letting her go.
Kayley was starting to turn blue. This was more than a ploy. He was actually killing the woman. Maccus couldn’t work up an ounce of outrage or regret.
“Please.” Morrigan stopped fighting him and instead turned in his arms. “I have to. She’s my sister.”
The pleading in her green eyes, the concern on her face, ripped at what little remained of his soul.
“No. She betrayed you.” Why did she care so much? Why was she so loyal? As much as he admired such devotion, he didn’t understand how she could believe she owed her sister anything. She’d given up her life for the girl.
Lucifer loosened his hold, allowing Kayley to suck in a huge breath. Her eyes were glazed over and slightly wild. She blinked as though coming out of a daze. “Morrigan? Why are you here?”
Then she got a look at who was holding her, and her entire demeanor changed from confused to fearful.
What was going on?
“No.” She tried to get away, but Lucifer jerked her back, using his hold on her hair. He twisted it so the thick mass was fisted in his hand. “Run, Morrigan,” she screamed.
“What did you do to her?” Morrigan demanded. The devil’s smile was pleasant, but his eyes promised retribution.
“I do whatever I choose.” He brought the girl close to him and licked the side of her face. The younger woman cringed away. It was such an about-face in character, Maccus questioned his earlier assessment. Had the girl been under some compulsion the entire time?
And why wasn’t Gabriel doing anything?
Kayley wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering in spite of the warmth of the summer night. “You have to go,” she pleaded with her sister.
“I can’t.” Morrigan stroked his arm, the pleasure of her touch seeping into him in spite of the precariousness of their situation. “I can’t leave her,” she told him.
As he lowered his arm, a sly expression crossed Kayley’s face. The younger woman reached out her hand to her sister. “Help me. I need you.”
“No!” But it was too late. She’d already taken several steps away from him, away from his protection, when it happened.
Lucifer thrust Kayley aside, drew a dagger, and threw it. Maccus dove for Morrigan.
For the first time in his existence, he wasn’t fast enough. His fingers brushed her arm just as the blade slammed into her chest, driving her back with such force she flew through the air and hit the wall before sliding to the ground.
Kayley laughed.
Something inside him broke free. He threw back his head and roared. The world around him shook with the force of his anger. The buildings swayed as though rocked by an earthquake. The other three were all tossed aside as the percussive aftershock of his fury hit them.
Morrigan was dead. They’d killed her. No, he’d killed her by allowing her to step away from him.
His head snapped around when he heard a low, pained moan. She was still alive.
Breathing so hard he was practically panting, he started toward