admit, words tumbling out of my mouth on their own accord. “We’re supposed to go on vacation, and it shouldn’t be too much to ask, right? Just a few weeks away from the drama and the fighting? I take one step forward and a fucking mile back.”
“It’s not fair,” Lucifer says, and his expression softens. “You’ve been through a lot, my dear niece.”
“Right?” I throw my hand up and suck in a breath when Lucifer takes another step toward me. My hand goes to my stomach without thinking, and suddenly, I’m ready to throw all the energy I can muster at Lucifer.
Because I’ll be damned before I let him take our baby.
“What do you want?” I repeat. “What do you really want.”
“I’ll tell you want I want, what I really really want.” He holds out his hand again, eyes sparkling with amusement. “But come with me first.”
“No, and did you just make a Spice Girls reference?”
“I was afraid you were too young to get it!” He claps his hands together and then goes totally still, tipping his head up to the sky.”
“I believe you,” I start. “I believe the others are after me…but why are you helping me? I don’t want to owe you anything.”
His face softens again. “You won’t.”
“But…that’s…that’s your thing,” I say, heart racing even faster. “You make deals or do favors, and you always want something in return. You said so yourself when we talked not that long ago.”
“I know, and I’m sorry,” he says sincerely. “It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone other than demons or desperate souls to talk to. Call it pathetic but I was lonely. And you…you’re different.” He tips his head toward me, and I don’t get a chance to ask what he means by that. “Is that why you looked so terrified when I healed your sister?”
He moves even closer, and the moonlight shines in his blue eyes.
“I’m not going to take anything from you, Callie.”
“I…I thought you wanted my baby as payment for helping Abby.” I can’t help the tears that well in my eyes.
Lucifer recoils. “Your baby? No. Babies…babies aren’t my thing. I’ve used the little carrier monkeys in Hell before, actually. You don’t know how torturous it is to be stuck in a room surrounded by crying babies until you kill your own and are forced to listen to their cries for all eternity.” He laughs at the memory of torture and then shakes his head. “Why did you think I’d want your baby?” He shudders. “Changing diapers and dealing with spit-up is a whole other level of Hell. But I’m sure you’ll love the little bugger.”
“It was the way you looked at me, and I thought…I thought you wanted payment.” A single tear runs down my face. “I thought you’d take something from me that would hurt the most.”
The smirk disappears from Lucifer’s face and he actually looks hurt. “I don’t want anything from you, Callie. Nothing other than this.”
“And what is this?”
“Us…talking. Conversing. It’s lonely down there,” he says sullenly. “You know how deep it cuts when your own family casts you out for being different. That’s all I am, Callie. I’m different. I saw things differently. I wanted humans to know we are superior because we are. And if we kept control over them, maybe the world wouldn’t be the cluster-fuck it is right now. You want torture? Try living as a human on this godforsaken planet.”
“I…I…don’t know what to say,” I admit. “On one hand, I agree because the world is pretty messed up. But on the other…who are you to tell me you’re better than I am?”
“I’m not saying I’m better than you,” he presses. “We are better. You are half archangel. You are superior whether you like it or not.”
“I’ve never felt like I was better than anyone,” I say, and Lucifer looks at me like he knows I’m lying. “Not for being a Nephilim at least.”
“You just found out you’re a Nephilim. And while I’d love to continue this conversation, we have to do it elsewhere and we have to do it now.”
There’s a change in the energy around us and suddenly, I’m terrified.
“Put Scarlet’s collar back on,” Lucifer tells me. “And come with me.”
“Not without Lucas,” I tell him and hold up Scarlet’s collar. She comes over, covering a lot of ground in one giant stride.
“Fine,” Lucifer huffs and waves his hand. Lucas shoots up and races over to me.
“I’m okay,” I rush out. “But we have to go.