up to undo his cuff links.
“That’s unfortunate.”
Lucifer frowned. Nathalie’s nails bit into my skin. The second my blood welled beneath the black dress, both demons froze. Their nostrils flared. They looked at me.
The hunger in their gazes was enough to scare the shit out of me.
All hell broke loose.
Nathalie tried to pull us to the side, off the couch. Lucifer was faster. He grabbed me roughly, pulling me into him. My waist twisted and body contorted as my face was pressed into his collarbone. The arms around my shoulders became a steel band, keeping me there whether or not I wanted it.
“You made a mistake coming here, Brother,” Lucifer spat the familial term at Ronan. “I’ve been on earth a long time. I’m not the weak angel you remember.”
I couldn’t see much with the way my face was smashed against his chest and trying to pull away wasn’t getting me anywhere. My heart started to race, and this time I didn’t attempt to calm it. I just had to hope my other self was enough to get me out of here.
If the crash didn’t claim me first.
I writhed, and the arm tightened further, threatening to crush my ribs.
“Just remember, Luci, I gave you a way out.”
Magic thickened, and I knew I had seconds at most to make my move before Ronan and Lucifer would fight. Resorting to the only action I had left that might work on him, I opened my mouth.
Then I bit him.
My teeth sank deep into his flesh.
The scent of his blood hit me as the first drops welled against my teeth. Lucifer groaned, but it wasn’t in pain.
Blood touched my tongue, and the ichor consumed me. It tasted different from Ronan’s. Like bliss. Like the best sex of my life. Desire clawed at me.
Heat enveloped me as ice tried to crawl through my veins. My inner fire fanned hotter. Brighter. It started to burn with a dull ache in my chest.
I shuddered, taking another long pull from his neck. My senses heightened, and the feel of him pressed against me blurred my racing heartbeat with the sounds and smells of the club.
It thumped in my ears. Faster. Faster. Fa—
Silence.
My heart stopped.
And then came the rage.
I shuddered as magic poured through my veins. Strength that no human or supernatural could compete with filled me. Fire touched my vision, staining it red.
I reeled back and Lucifer couldn’t stop me.
Despite my great efforts, his blood called to me, making me pause, not even for a full second. I didn’t have a chance to process the all-consuming need I saw in his expression. A hand grabbed at my own and pulled.
I looked away, and the trance was broken. Nathalie stood there tugging at me, like I was an immovable statue, but by god she was going to try anyway. I jumped to my feet and ran like my ass was on fire.
Like the beasts of Hell itself were chasing me.
They kind of were.
We darted around the couch, and my longer legs and enhanced speed quickly overcame hers. The club was packed, but no one seemed to notice us. They were all facing toward Ronan and Lucifer.
We only made it to the first raised platform when magic erupted.
It’s a strange thing not seeing something but feeling it in the air.
It shouldn’t have a scent, but it smelled like darkness and light. Fire and ice. Chaos and desire.
Lucifer said that humans and supernaturals couldn’t smell magic. Only demons.
I tried not to think about that as I dodged a waitress dressed like a pinup girl. There was just one tiny little problem.
The goddamned heels.
My ankle twisted, and a snap took me down. I dropped to one knee, and a shadow of pain lanced through me. It was there, but also distorted, as if I were feeling it through a barrier.
I reached down to take the heel off, and Nathalie dropped to her knees beside me, pulling at my other one.
“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do when we get out of here,” she said under her breath. She was faster at undoing the straps. I got frustrated and pulled, the thin strip of leather ripped in half, and I wrenched my foot out of it.
“If we get out of here,” I corrected.
Nathalie snorted. She tugged at my hand, and I clambered after her, better now that my own two feet were on solid ground again.
I swore right then and there I was never wearing heels again.
Ever.
Roaring filled my ears even as we