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“Talking about him hurts,” Brenden adds, moving closer until he’s practically wrapped around me without releasing his hold on my hand.

If he were to do that, we could lose him in the shadows. I don’t know if I’d be able to find him, and he can’t shadow walk himself.

“We’ll just have to make him understand it’s not a topic to be discussed then.” Wren squeezes my hand until I meet her gaze. “We don’t need him. All we ever needed was Mom and each other. If he won’t let it go, then we’ll just cut him out of our lives.”

I scoff, knowing it won’t be so easy to cut him out, but I love my sister for being willing to give up our father for me. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”

Knowing we’re likely to be the last to arrive due to me taking this moment, I step out with them at my side and stare up at the house we grew up in.

Now we get to confront our mom about her lies.

The day just keeps getting better and better.

Chapter Four

Audrey

It looks just like it always has. As if my life hasn’t changed irrevocably since the last time I stood in this exact spot.

I’m not sure if that makes me happy or if it crushes me a little bit more.

“What took you so long, troublemaker?” Wraith asks from where he, Donovan, Cassian, and Lucifer stand on the porch.

I shrug, releasing my hold on my sister and Brenden, walking up to join them. “I just needed a moment.”

Pushing past them, I grab the doorknob and hesitate for a second, wondering if it’s okay to just walk inside. After all, Mom thinks both of us are dead. There shouldn’t be anyone elsewalking into her home right now. I don’t want to freak her out.

Although, I guess seeing her dead daughters is going to freak her out, regardless.

Fuck it. It’s my home too.

I step inside, listening for any sounds as the others follow me inside. I don’t hear anything, but Mom’s car is parked outside. She should be home.

“Mom?” I call out, forgetting for a moment that she thinks I’m dead.

Well, I guess I’m still dead. Undead? I have no fucking clue.

Footsteps hurry down the stairs, and Mom stops at the bottom of the stairs. Her eyes are wide as they find me and then Wren. Her face pales, and she leans heavily against the wall.

“How? I…” Mom shakes her head, stepping off the stairs and starting toward us, pulling up short when she realizes there are others with us. “What’s going on?”

She’s just as beautiful as I remember, and I don’t know how we never questioned what she was. She hasn’t aged a day since my first memories. Her red hair falls around her shoulders, much like Wren’s. Her face is still unlined, andshe probably looks more like our sister than our mom.

We probably should’ve noticed this sooner, but how were we to know she wasn’t what she said she was?

Shaking my head, I force myself to focus on the question she asked. I don’t even know how to begin to explain this to her.

“Ana?” Lucifer steps forward.

Mom’s eyes go even wider when they find him. “Luke?”

“Lucifer, actually,” he says with a shrug.

“I slept with Hades.” Mom snorts. “Wouldn’t Dad be so proud?”

Lucifer hums. “That’s part of the reason we’re here. Is there somewhere we can all talk?”

“First, I’d like to know how my babies—who I buried six months apart—are standing in front of me. Second, I’d like to know who the hell the rest of you are and why you’re here.” Mom straightens, her I’m-taking-no-shit look on her face.