Pandora's Box - Eve Newton Page 0,66

inevitable in my line of work, not to mention there will always be someone more powerful who takes offense at your plain face if not something worse. My predecessor died because Leviathan wanted me as Master Gargoyle. Okay, so it did kind of diminish the honor when I found out, but I have proven myself time and again to two rulers of Hell. No, what I fear is losing Annabelle. The worry that I have for her is clawing at me. It has taken me in its grip, and I can’t shake it off. I’m glad we are acting. I’m glad that I am able to find her down here. She is my everything. From the first time I kneeled before her and accused her of playing a dark and dangerous game, she grabbed my heart and hasn’t let go. I don’t care that I have to share her. All I care about is that she wants me. I know that she loves me, even though she won’t say it. Her actions when I was dying spoke much, much louder and I don’t need to hear the three words. I know how she feels and it’s enough. I saw her fear of losing me and her love swimming in those amazing green eyes and that’s all I need.

We wind our way through an absolute maze of tunnels, caverns, and caves as the time ticks away.

Eventually I sense her.

I stop and hold my hand up. All of the men have been silent while we searched. I turn to them and whisper. “In there,” I point to a large maw in the black rock on the opposite side of the small cave we are in. “We need a plan.”

“I’ll go first,” Shax says. “If she’s Shifted, then none of you will stand a chance.”

I open my mouth to counteract his plan. What the Hell are we supposed to do while he goes off playing hero? Stand here like a bunch of fuckwits?

“I don’t fucking think so,” Elijah snarls and before any of us can stop him, he is racing towards the cavern opening, seconds away from Shifting.

“Wait!” I hiss at him. “Elijah!”

Chapter 33

Annabelle

“You have got some nerve, you know that?” I say to Lucifer. “You don’t get to come here and tell me what to do.”

“But I do, girl. Hell is mine. It always was and always will be,” he replies, his eyes sparking up with flames.

It doesn’t deter me. I am the Devil now. He might have his powers, some, or all, it makes no difference. I know that I have a full working set, Leviathan will attest to that.

“Nope, Hell is mine. You aren’t even the former ruler. You are so far in the past now, no one cares about you anymore. Not even your little bitch, Leviathan. She is currently enduring her own personal Hell and will do so for all eternity for fucking with what is mine. Try it, Great-Gramps and you will see how wrathful I can be.”

My hands are on my hips, but Killian and Xavier haven’t taken their hands off me yet. I try to shake them off, but they aren’t budging.

I hear a scuffle somewhere behind me and know that Killian did as well when he stiffens even more. I swear to myself, if my other males come charging in to rescue me, Lucifer’s won’t be the only ass I’ll kick.

Lucifer’s eyes return to normal and he gives me a big beam. “Oh, you are so precious. You are exactly how I hoped my son would be. It’s unfortunate that firstly, you are a female and secondly, you aren’t my own. That, however, makes no difference in the grand plan. You will walk the Earth and start the Apocalypse. You two,” he indicates War and Pestilence, “will do your fucking jobs with the others and end the World. I want those souls.”

His whole nicey-nice presence deteriorates with those three words. He is starting to Shift and I’m pretty sure my other males are now planning to storm the cavern. They will die. Without a doubt. I won’t be able to save them all.

Killian pulls me back by my hand. “Don’t start this fight on his terms,” he mutters to me.

“Erm, have no choice,” I mutter back. I prepare to Shift and ready myself for the fight of my life.

“No!” Killian shouts and I look over my shoulder to see Elijah, in Hellhound form, charge into the cavern, snarling and fueled with rage.

But it’s too