Page 54

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jagger

Roxy opened the door, her gaze sliding over each one of us, then landed on Zuri, still being carried by Rome, and her eyes widened, filling with relief.

“Who is it?” Lucifer called from behind the wooden door.

We’d walked for hours, finally making it to Lucifer’s quadrant of Hell, and I wasn’t leaving until I got some fucking answers.

“The whole gang’s here,” Rox said and pushed the door open, letting us in.

Lucifer sat on his chair, his cat, Mini, sitting on his shoulder. He looked up as we strode in, his gaze slicing to Zarriah instantly, then flying back to me.

He placed Mini on the couch and strode over to her, taking her face in his hands. “You’re okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine. Beelzebub had me chained and collared like a dog, and I couldn’t get away.”

Lucifer reached out to take her, and Rome looked to me, not relinquishing her until I gave him a nod, something that obviously pissed off Lucifer, but I didn’t give a fuck right then.

“Everyone but Jag, go with Rox.” He tilted his head to the dining room that was always stocked with fresh and plentiful food. “You all must be hungry.”

“Sutton stays,” I said. “Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my mate.”

Lucifer’s yellow eyes darkened, but he inclined his head. “Fine.”

He handed Zuri back to Rome, and Roxy took her hand as everyone left the room. The doors were closed behind them, leaving the three of us alone.

“You told me my pup died, that my son died. Instead, I had a daughter, and she’s very much alive and well.

” My fists clenched, and it was hard, but I held myself back when all I wanted to do was plant my fist in his fucking face.

“You kept my daughter from me for five hundred years.” The handmaids’ quadrant was inaccessible to anyone except those they allowed in.

If Lucifer didn’t want her found, that was the best place to hide her.

Lucifer slid his hands in his pockets. “She may have been created with your seed, Jagger, but she was my experiment. Zarriah was always mine.”

“But Kurgan is mine? The experiment you deemed unsuccessful?” I bit out. “I have taken care of him his whole life, and you’ve ignored him.”

Lucifer’s eyes flashed. “I have never forgotten him, he’s one of my children, like you all are. With how unstable you were after?—”

“After you made me believe my pup was dead? Yes, my lord , you are correct. I was lost to emotion.” My fangs had elongated, my eyes now red.

“And I took it away for you. I allowed you to raise Kurgan?—”

“You arrogant, fucking?—”

“Watch your tone,” Lucifer said, low and deadly. “You are my child, and I love you, Jagger, but I will not tolerate disrespect.”

Sutton squeezed my hand, her fear reaching out and wrapping around me. It was enough to get my anger in check, or at least prevent me from doing something stupid.

I would give him a few home truths though. “Respect goes both ways, and you have shown me none.”

Ursula stood. She’d been sitting in the corner, and I hadn’t even seen her there. “Okay, everyone needs to take a breath.” She strode across the room and stopped beside Lucifer. “You owe Jag,” she said to him. “You know you do.”

He turned to her, fury in his eyes. “The fuck I do.”

“He’s right. You lied to him. You made him think his pup died and let him think he was the reason. You let him think he was defective, Lucifer.”

His jaw clenched. “You know I had my reasons.”

She shrugged. “Your reasons don’t mean shit to Jag.”

“What reasons?” I bit out. “What reason could you possibly have for doing what you did? Is it something to do with why Beelzebub took her? How does Zuri play into his plan to overthrow you?”

Lucifer slid his hands into his pockets. “That’s not something I’m willing to share at this juncture.”

I growled.

“But I suppose Ursula makes some sense.” His gaze slid to Sutton, then back to me. “I do owe you. Tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.”

Hot rage throbbed through my veins. “That won’t change what you did?—”

“Don’t be a fucking idiot,” Ursula said to me, her head tilting to Sutton. “Tell Lucifer what you want.”

It hit me, hard, exactly what I could ask for, what I could have. “Immortality, for my mate.”

“Fine,” Lucifer said, his yellow eyes darkening. “Anything else?”

His tone was dripping with sarcasm, but I took advantage anyway. “I want to get to know Zuri. I want her to spend time above ground and to stay at the compound whenever she wants.”

“No—”

“Please, let me.”

Lucifer spun around as Zuri walked back in, and he shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous. I just got you back. I won’t risk you being taken again.”

“It was the hounds who saved me. You can’t tell me they aren’t capable of protecting me. Besides, they’re my pack. I have a pack.” Her eyes brightened. “I’ve felt their absence my whole life. I belong with them.”

He shook his head. “You can spend time with the hounds below ground.”

“I want to get to know Jagger, and I want to leave Hell. You’ve kept me down here since I was born. You need to let me go.”

“One of us will go with her,” Ursula said.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” he fired at Urs.

She shrugged. “I am. I’m also on Zuri’s side. She’s been coddled far too long. Let her live a little.”

“Fuck. Fine, but if anything happens to her?—”

“It won’t.”

His gaze came back to me. “We cool?”

Not by a long shot, but I’d have to be. “We’re cool.”

“Good, now tell me what you know and how I can find that fucking traitor Beelzebub.”

“Tarrant made moves above ground, setting up Beelzebub’s takeover,” I said and explained what they planned. “Beelzebub escaped through a gateway before we could get to him.” Lucifer knew what that meant as well as we did. He wouldn’t be easy to find.

“First things first,” Lucifer said. “Stop those morons from killing thousands of humans and setting the fucking angels off, then bring Tarrant to me. I want him alive.”

Which meant that Poe was fair game.

Good, because that fucker was mine.

Sutton

Jagger looked up from his phone. “Rune thinks one of his scouts spotted Tarrant. We need to go.” His hand tightened on mine as everyone headed for the door.

Before we reached it, though, he stopped, blocking Kurgan. “You have to stay here, son.”

He studied Jagger, then the massive hound pulled Lenny tight to his side. “I’ll protect Lenny in my den.”

Pain slashed through Jagger’s eyes as Lenny tried to pull away, looking alarmed.

Lucifer stepped forward. “Kurgan and Lenny will stay here with me and Zuri until you finish this,” he said, holding Jagger’s gaze, then looked back at Kurgan. “You can watch me build Fender a prosthetic. I have something stunning in mind.”

Fender was on the couch behind him, Ursula at his side. She punched him in the arm and called him a fucking pussy, which I assumed was her way of comforting him, going by his rough laugh.

Lenny was shaking her head when Roxy bounded over. “We’ll have fun, promise.”

Trying to take Lenny from Kurgan now wasn’t an option. The hound would fracture, he’d need Jagger with him, and Jag was needed above ground.

I took Lenny’s other hand. “We’ll be back as soon as we can. Everything will be okay.”

She nodded, but terror filled her eyes as Jagger led me from Lucifer’s quarters, the other hounds with us.

We rushed along several caverns, then Jagger opened a gateway. Only Lucifer could open one close to his quarters. But when we stepped through, we weren’t in the city, we were just beyond it.

It was dark and Rune along with several of his demons were there to greet us. Warrick stood beside them.

“What’s going on?” Jag asked.

“We followed their trucks from a warehouse just beyond Seventh Circle,” War said. “They’re loaded up with barrels.”

“It’s poison,” I said. “They’re going to drug the water system in an attempt to control the humans in the city.”

Rune’s hands curled into tight fists. “That would explain why we’re by the river.”

A short field stood between us and the large building on the other side.

The sound of rushing water came from somewhere close by.

A water treatment plant. They were going to dump the drums in at the source.

There were several huge trucks, and I spotted at least a dozen demons moving around outside, hauling barrels. There had to be more in the building.

“Would they really have enough in those barrels to poison the city?” Rune asked.

“More than enough.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “If the drugs in those barrels gets in the water, it will poison the whole system.”

“Tarrant’s working for Beelzebub,” Jagger said to his alpha.

“Beelzebub got away, though, and he’s angling to overthrow Lucifer.

This is part of his plan. His demons will take over the city, make humans their cattle, and cause an all-out revolt here and in Hell.

He mentioned some forgotten prophecy, that they need humans to willingly offer their flesh to start some alternate path, then Beelzebub can take over. ”

War bared his teeth. “That fuck isn’t taking over this city.”

There were grunts and growls of agreement.

“Tarrant may look like a weaselly piece of shit, but he is Beelzebub’s nephew,” Rune said, his face a mask of hatred. “He’s more powerful than he looks. He and I, we’re closely matched, if you can, leave him to me.”

Jagger nodded. “Lucifer wants him alive, so try not to kill him. And Poe? He’s mine.”

War and Rune didn’t argue, then Jagger turned to me. “Stay here with Brick. I want you safe.”

“I can help. Let me fight,” Brick said, stepping forward.

“You’re needed here,” War said and gripped his shoulder. “Jag’s trusting you to protect his female.”

Brick puffed up a little, nodding to his alpha.

I had no desire to throw myself into the middle of this, but worry filled me. I couldn’t lose Jagger, not when we finally worked things out, not when he was finally mine. “Promise me you’ll be careful,” I said to my mate.

“I promise.” He leaned down and kissed me hard.