Page 96 of Hunted By Fear

“Do you know what it means to be the King of Hell?” I stay quiet because I don’t, but I also don’t feel like he expects me to. “I can do so many things, have so much power, but somehow I can’t save my mate! Rome! Of all the little, no-good pieces of shit, it had to be him!”

He’s seething, so mad he’s shaking, and I feel it in the ground beneath my knees.

“He should be dead! I should have ripped him apart the moment I learned she was my mate, but he’s safe up in Heaven, hidden away. He knows better than to answer my calls, but I’ll find a way. Mark my words, Bast, he will die by my hand, and when his soul finally ends up in Hell, I will enjoy torturing him for all of eternity.”

“So no, I’m not cuddled up with my mate, warm in a bed the way I want to be, but until he’s handled, I can’t stop. She deserves to be safe, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her.”

I rub at the raw skin of my neck, only now realizing he’s fucking shredded it.

Well, that’s going to take a little while to heal; usually it would only be a matter of moments, but with him being the devil…

“She misses you.”I see him flinch before he turns to leave, once again heading out to stand on the wall, his eyes falling closed in concentration.

I’m slow to follow, unsure if I’m doing the right thing with pushing him the way I am. But something tells me I am, and I’m doing it for Aeri. If he wants to rip out my throat in a tantrum, then so be it.

“She misses Ruin, too.”His growl is the only sign I get that he heard me. I stand, leaning against the bricks, dripping blood, waiting for something as I feel the magic of the realm begin to mend the skin of my throat.

I blink, and he’s gone, and as I step out of the hole in the tower, it mends itself behind me.

Where the fuck did he go?

“I’ve requested an audience with Father. Until then, I can’t do much else, but I’ll bring Ruin back.”He doesn’t comment about being around more, but if he brings Ruin back, that might be enough to distract her for a few, so I’ll take it.

“There was no reason to rip my throat out, you know.” I have no idea if he can hear me, but that’s fine; he knows he’s an asshole, he doesn’t need me to tell him.

“Tell her I made it for her.”

It takes me a second before I realize what he’s talking about, but once I do, it’s impossible to miss.

Moonlight.

Ididn’t realize Lucifer had Lea here, but I probably should have. I killed her topside, which means she came back and would have to crawl her way out again. She isn’t as powerful as us, and it takes us a while if we’re doing so without permission. I just assumed that’s what she would be doing for the next fifty or so years. If she dared show her face again at all, that is.

But she also wronged Lucifer’s mate. As one of his own, there should be repercussions for her actions even if they weren't mated then.

I hope she’s suffering, tortured, and maybe even a chew toy for the hounds.

Teach her to double-cross me, especially to someone like Rome.

Why I have to be the one to bring the mortal down here is beyond me. Talian said it was because I could keep her the safest, but Lea isn’t fallen; she’s hell-born, which makes all of us stronger than her.

Lucifer should be the one bringing her down here and assuring her safety. That’s his job as her mate, yet somehow he’s missing…

He constantly seems to find something to do away from the castle for the last few weeks.

This is the last time I’m his errand boy, though. Being near the mortal is… confusing

Looking down at her, wrapped in Talian’s arms with Bast at her back, stirs something in me that I don’t have a name for, but it makes me uncomfortable.

“Talian!”

He wakes with a start, jostling Aeri and waking her as well. Bast blinks his eyes open behind her, and his eyes instantly find mine before narrowing.

He’s right to be apprehensive.

I’m here and willing to help save her from Rome, but seeking her out isn’t something I’ve done. In fact, I’ve been trying my damndest to avoid her altogether.

If I had it my way, I’d continue to do so.