Lucas protectively wraps me in his arms. “You trust him?”
“It’s either that or take your chances,” Lucifer says and looks at his watch. “We really must go.”
“I can feel them,” I tell Lucas. “Other angels. They’re getting close.”
“Then let’s go,” Lucas says, tightening his hold on me.
“My familiars—” I start.
“They’ll be fine,” Lucifer interrupts and picks up Scarlet. “Not out of the ordinary for this town.” He holds out his hand again. “We have to go.”
My eyes meet Lucas’s in question. Staying here is a death sentence, Lucifer was right about that. I’ve set off an alarm I can’t turn off, and the only option is to get the hell out of here. But with Lucifer?
“What choice do we have?” Lucas keeps one arm wrapped tightly around and extends his other hand.
“It’ll be okay,” Lucifer says, and closes his fingers around Lucas’s hand. The world spins around us, and I cling tightly to Lucas, praying we made the right decision.
Chapter 21
“Where are we?” I ask as soon as my feet hit the pavement. We’re standing in a parking lot, and the smell of cigarettes and smoke hangs heavy in the air. The night is warm, and talking and laughter fill the air, drowned out only by the distant hum of music.
“Dallas,” Lucifer tells us, letting go of Lucas’s hand. It’s the first time Lucas has been transported via angel, and Julian warned me that anyone who doesn’t have angel blood might have a hard time with it. It threw me for a loop the first time Michael transported me from my bedroom to that beautiful beach in Australia.
Lucas’s arm is still around me, and his eyes are wide, but I think it’s more from shock than from feeling physically ill. Vampires don’t feel ill, though now I’m wondering what would happen if I sat one done in an office chair and spun them in circles for an hour.
“You okay?” I ask him in a low voice.
“I’m fine,” he replies. “Are you?” Flashing his fangs, he moves between me and Lucifer—who’s still holding Scarlet.
“Why did you take us here?” Lucas demands, and I never thought anyone could look terrifying while staring down the devil, but, damn, Lucas does.
“Things are bigger in Texas, right?” Lucifer points to the neon sign behind us. “And what a better place to experience that than here!”
“We’re at a strip club?” My eyebrows go up.
“It’s an adult bar, employed by entertainment engineers.” Lucas lets out a snort of laughter. “Whatever you have to tell Dad, right?” He sets Scarlet down and starts walking to the entrance of the strip club. “Come on. We can talk over a drink.”
“I can’t drink,” I grumble, and Lucas loosens his hold on me, taking his hand from my waist and lacing his fingers with mine.
“Oh, right.” Lucifer dramatically sighs. “And this one only drinks blood. Leave it to me to finally leave Hell and end up drinking alone. You sure you can’t have just one?”
“I wish,” I sigh. “Seriously, I fucking wish.”
Lucas keeps a steady hold on my hand as we follow Lucifer into the club. There’s a bouncer outside, only letting a few people in at a time. He’s a big and burly looking man, whose brows furrow when he sees Lucifer waltzing up.
“Hey,” he says, eyes narrowing at Scarlet. “You can’t take—” The man stops mid-sentence, face glazing over almost as if he’s been held spellbound. “Go right in, Mr. Morningstar.” He unclips a velvet rope and motions for us to come in.
“How did you do that?” Lucas asks.
Lucifer turns around with a smile on his face. “I’m the devil.”
Lucas’s face tenses, but I don’t think it’s from concern…no, it’s almost as if he’s jealous. The club, thank goodness, is nonsmoking, and we get a table right by the main stage. This place is surprisingly full for how late it is, though I suppose a place like this is probably busiest late at night.
“Three Old-Fashioned,” Lucifer orders.
“Wait,” I say, looking around the club. There’s an interesting mix of men, probably traveling for business, in expensive suits, and men, in worn-out jeans and dirty shirts, who have probably been here since the club opened. “I thought angels couldn’t eat or drink.”
“Why would you think that?” Lucifer asks.
“Another angel told me.” Lucifer knows Michael is my father, but does he know there’s another angel on our side? I don’t want to out Julian or anything.
“Another angel like your father?”
“No, but I’m not telling you anything more,” I say