The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,69

he will not be happy."

There was the sound of movement from the other room, as if they were all standing, or maybe moving towards the door. Then Uriel said, "Michael knows I handle my job well. If I say it will take four weeks, then it will take four weeks. With that said, if the lesser choirs slow me down again, it will not be me that has to answer to Michael."

His words dripped with the threat, and it was more apparent in his native language. That was all he said. Evidently, there were no polite words of farewell between angels. The business was done, the men left, and I knew it when I heard the door close. It seemed that Kacira did as well because she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Let me make sure they're gone," she said. "Stay in here, make yourself comfortable - because this is your room, Sia - and try to make as little noise as possible. Please."

I nodded in agreement, and she left, closing the door behind her. For a moment, Luke and I just stood there. I didn’t know about him, but I couldn't have felt more awkward. I couldn’t just go and sit on my own bed, could I? Which sounded like a really stupid question when I thought about it, yet I still hesitated. It was Luke who made it easy. He crossed the room and flopped back onto what I could only call a mattress.

"Come here," he whispered, crooking a finger to beckon me.

I did, but I wasn't sure I wanted to. I couldn't remember this room at all. There were no subtle emotions evoked by looking one way or the other. The childish scribbles that had been attached to the walls reminded me of absolutely nothing. And the letters beneath it were not those that made my name. At least not the one I used now.

But I eased myself down beside him. "Luke, that slave was my ex-boyfriend. Those angels just said they're going to steal a hundred thousand humans from Earth. What the hell is going on?"

"I can tell you that plan didn't come from Michael," Luke said. "He knows better than to harvest from a single location. We've spent thousands of years setting up the religion that allows us to harvest aether so easily on your world. To destroy it like this? For a potential threat and not a verified one?" He just shook his head.

"Unless the failure is part of his plan, right?" I asked.

Luke opened his mouth to answer, then jerked upright as we both heard the door click before it opened. Slowly, almost timidly, it was eased wider, and then Aaron slipped in. He made sure to close it silently behind him, but didn't move away from it. In fact, the look on his face was terrified.

"I was told you might want to see me," he mumbled.

Luke chuckled at him, but spoke to me. "How long do you think he's been on Angelis?"

"Oh, I'd say just about four months. That's how long I've known you guys."

"Well, it seems they've improved their training techniques since I was last here," Luke said, and something about the tone of his voice convinced me that wasn't meant for me.

Because Aaron had turned pale. Now, I had no idea what training slaves entailed, but I couldn’t imagine it was anything nice. Especially from angels. But the last time I'd seen Aaron, he'd been an arrogant and self-centered prick. Back then, I’d told him to go to hell. I honestly hadn't known that sending him to Heaven would be so much worse.

"So," I asked him, "have you learned to stop pushing women around yet?"

He wrung his hands together nervously. "I didn't know that demons existed, Sienna. You have to believe me. If I had known then what you are, I never would have tried such a thing."

That was the wrong thing to say. I pushed myself off the bed and took one step towards him, my tail swishing behind me angrily. "So you think it's okay to hit poor, meek, defenseless human women? That is not any better, Aaron. In fact, it's worse."

His eyes jumped to Luke. "Am I supposed to obey her, master, or is this a new test?"

And then the door opened again, bumping Aaron because he still hadn't moved. He immediately jumped to get out of the way as Uriel walked in. Kacira was right behind him, and the look she cast on Aaron was