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“You’ll never see me again,” she said hastily, putting up her hands. “I only wanted Lillian and Maxwell back. It seemed you were on Lucifer’s side, content to imprison us. But you’re not? And you’re saying you both have mates? How? Were you really going to release us all?”

Dante pushed past her and wrapped Ollie in a tight embrace. “I don’t have the time or the desire to explain. We have to attend to Onyx.”

To Ollie’s surprise, Pamala nodded in understanding. Ollie expected her to make a quick exit, but she remained still as everyone turned away.

“Make sure no one comes down here,” Nico said to her, almost as an afterthought.

Pamala agreed and went to guard the front of the alley.

Nico’s attention settled on Onyx, concern cutting creases around his eyes. “What happened to him?”

“A curse.” Ash laid Onyx on the pavement. “Between Dante and I, we should be able to counter it.”

“I can help,” Pamala called.

Ollie frowned at her. “Is she seriously going to act like she didn’t try to kidnap me?”

“I think she’s trying to prove she’d never have kidnapped you if she knew you were my mate,” Dante said, simmering anger traveling through the bond despite his outward calm.

Ollie’s head spun and he leaned hard against Dante, desperate to ask what the hell had happened, but not while Onyx was lying there so helpless.

Dante and Ash bowed their heads over Onyx. After a long moment, the blue-haired demon began to glow with a mix of orange and black magic. Dante and Ash murmured in low tones, words unrecognizable. The longer it took, the more tense Ollie became.

With a sudden gasp, Onyx’s eyes popped open. His gaze darted around, catching on each of them.

“ Ugh . Too many live witches to be in Hell,” he muttered dazedly. Then, like he’d remembered himself, he snapped, “Move! You’re crowding me. Get out of my way.” Onyx leaped from the ground and cracked his neck. “What did I miss?”

He swayed like he was drunk, and Nico caught his arm. “Careful.”

“Hands off.” Onyx pulled his arm away. “I don’t need your help. Where the fuck is my miserable brother? What did he do to me?”

Dante clasped Onyx on the shoulder, steadying him, and explained how Lucifer had escaped in the rush as all the other demons flooded into the Human Realm.

Ollie’s heart pounded. There were hundreds of demons on Earth. Lucifer was here.

Nico looked as pale as Ollie felt, his gaze locked on Onyx in a strange mix of emotion. “It’s going to be chaos,” Nico muttered, maybe not to Onyx, but it was hard to tell from the way he was staring.

“Not necessarily,” Pamala butted in. She’d inched closer without anyone noticing. “Many will want to blend in—as we once did—and live their lives. Most of us never caused any problems in the first place and were imprisoned anyway. We aren’t going to squander freedom.”

“I don’t know,” Ash rumbled, sounding skeptical. “It only takes a few demons to cause chaos in the magic community.”

Speaking of the magic community, Ollie noticed the ground behind Pamala was clear. “Where’d the vampires go? ”

“I woke them and sent them on their way, memories wiped. Figured being attacked wasn’t the best way to reveal demons were back.”

“No, I’d much rather be able to discuss this with Rowan.” Nico looked questioningly at Dante. “If that works for you? Because we can’t keep him in the dark now. Not completely.”

“Can you hold that thought for tonight?” Dante asked, sounding exhausted.

“Sure.” Nico seemed almost relieved. “But let’s not put off dealing with the increased demon population long.”

“Well, I’ll be going.” Pamala pointed over her shoulder. “Sorry, Ollie. I hope there are no hard feelings. I was never going to hurt you.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.” Ollie’s cheeks flamed.

Wasn’t forcing him to do things against his will a form of hurting him?

Or was this not a big deal to demons? Was kidnapping and hostage exchange how they operated?

If that was the case, Nico was right. They couldn’t put off telling everyone demons were back.

“No, it doesn’t make it okay,” Pamala said to Ollie’s surprise.

“I’m sorry. I wish I’d waited to act. Lillian and Maxwell would have come back if I’d done nothing, but I didn’t know that, and I was so mad.

I was afraid I’d disappear too if I didn’t get the upper hand.

” She glanced at Ash and his arm around Harper.

“Anyway, congratulations. I never dreamed I’d see another mated pair.

You have no idea how much this changes things.

Actually, you probably do. All the best for mated life.

” She gave a regal nod and was gone in a flash of inhuman speed.

“Who the fuck was she?” Onyx asked, and Ollie snorted with laughter.

“Ash and Harper can explain.” Dante squeezed Ollie around the waist, warmth filling Ollie to the brim from the inside out. “ Let’s go home.”

Ollie nestled into him. “Best idea I’ve heard all night.”

“Me too,” Harper agreed, and Nico seemed to take that as his cue to head back toward the casino.

Ollie grabbed Nico’s arm, and he paused. “Thank you. I’m sorry this was such a mess.”

Nico smiled. “Not a problem at all. Like I said, call on me any time. Especially now.”

“We will,” Ash promised.

Nico’s posture slumped somewhat. “I think I’ll call it a night. Leo has some witch-brewed bourbon with my name on it. Unless you need anything?” He turned to Onyx, who still seemed unsteady on his feet.

Onyx looked at Nico like he was the most baffling thing he’d ever seen. “Me? Why would I need anything from you?”

Nico shrugged and disappeared through the club’s service door.

Ollie sagged into Dante. “Take me home?”

“I’d love to.”