That Old Black Magic - By Michelle Rowen Page 0,43
to smoke this morning for a horrible moment. If he did that and wasn’t able to possess her, wasn’t able to take form again, he’d be swept away to the Void. She’d lose him forever.
She wouldn’t let that happen.
Eden had failed to send Brenda to Lucas for his hellish job interview, but she had to see him. She had to get him to help her. Help Darrak. She couldn’t think of another answer.
Her hand closed on the marble just as Darrak’s grip clamped around her wrist. She looked up into his now fiery eyes.
He was pale and looked ill, but he’d dragged himself out of bed in order to stop her. “Don’t do this. I don’t want to owe him anything.”
She shook her head. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“No, Eden, don’t—”
She squeezed the marble. “Lucifer.”
Bright light flashed in front of her and her apartment disappeared, replaced by the familiar beach. However, it was darker this time and a cold breeze blew across the sand. The sun could barely be seen on the horizon. Instead of a wash of pink, purple, and orange, it was indigo and black.
Something felt wrong here.
But this place didn’t really exist. It was made up out of Lucas’s imagination. A pleasant getaway compared to his usual home base in the fiery pit.
A chill went through her as she turned, trying to see where he was. If she was here he had to be, too. Somewhere.
Eden spotted a form on the sand fifty feet up the beach. She swiftly moved toward it to find that it was Lucas, lying on his stomach. She gasped and dropped to her knees next to him.
“Lucas!” She tentatively touched his shoulder.
He didn’t move.
What could have happened here? She rolled him onto his back so she could inspect him better. No wounds. No blood. She wiped the sand off his face and felt at his throat for a pulse, even though she knew he wasn’t human. There was a faint pulse, but his skin was cool.
Had he somehow been affected by what had happened to Darrak? It seemed impossible, but she knew they were connected. After all, Lucas had been the one to create Darrak in the first place.
Her hands trembled. If she had to guess, she’d say Lucas was dying. But the Prince of Hell couldn’t die, could he?
“I don’t know how to help you.” She grasped hold of her amulet and squeezed it. “I can’t heal, I can only destroy with my magic.”
Eden didn’t like him, didn’t trust him, but the thought that he was hurt or gone forever bothered her. If he was gone he couldn’t help her fix Darrak.
She pressed her hands to either side of his face. “Please, don’t go. I need you. Wake up. Say something.”
Faster than anything she’d ever seen before he grabbed her arms and twisted her over to press her against the sand. His hands closed around her throat.
Lucas’s eyes didn’t blaze with fire like Darrak’s did. Instead, his were filled with bright white light. This, strangely enough, was much scarier.
“You defied me, Eden.” His voice was calm, but filled with menace. “Didn’t you? And now you come here looking for my help? Are you gutsy or just plain stupid?”
Definitely stupid; she knew that coming into this but she’d done it anyway. She struggled to breathe. “Lucas, let go of me!”
“Why should I? I know you didn’t follow my orders. You failed me, yet again. And what am I supposed to do now? Forgive and forget?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to try to lie, but she knew it was futile. “You must have known I couldn’t go through with it. Maybe you’re the one who’s stupid.”
Oh, that was smart of her. Call Lucifer stupid. Great.
She must have a death wish.
Time to be proactive. She clenched her fist and tried to summon her magic, and was surprised when nothing happened.
Lucas smiled. “Remember, this is my domain, Eden. Your magic doesn’t work here.”
“So I’m at your mercy, is that it?”
“I’ve never really been known for my mercy.”
“Then why haven’t you killed me yet if I defied your undefiable order? Because I’m right, aren’t I? Because you didn’t think I’d be able to do it at all. Besides, she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “She?”
That was right. He didn’t know anything about the person named on that card. Brenda had been cloaked to him and still was. “Let’s just say, she’s not interested in working for