Page 141 of Lustling

And he smiles, shattered but blissful. “I don’t want to be.”

Just then, an unfamiliar voice cuts through my mind, smooth as silk and sharp as glass.“I know you are near, little one.”

My body jerks upright. Cassiel follows instantly, wings half-flaring as if he can shield me from something he can’t see. “What’s the matter?”

I don’t get the chance to answer before the voice coils through me again, louder, insistent.“Why has my brother been staying away? Bring your angel and come to me.”

Heat prickles over my skin. Raziel.

A laugh bubbles out of me, startling and breathless, breaking the tension as I stand from the bed. A smile curves my mouth as I glance back at Cassiel, whose frown deepens with every heartbeat.

“Get dressed,” I tell him, tugging a slip of fabric over my skin. My pulse thrums with something equal parts thrill and dread.

I don’t know how I know where I’m going, only that I do. The pull is undeniable, thrumming in my chest. Raziel is sending mesome kind of beacon—paranormal, psychic, whatever it is—it’s guiding me straight to him.

Cassiel shadows my steps, every muscle coiled. “I don’t think this is a good idea. We should wait for Deimos and Bastion to return.”

“It’s fine,” I say, brushing off the edge in his voice. “I trust Raziel.”

“I don’t,” he mutters darkly. But I ignore him, following the pull to an old, crumbling mansion on the edge of the city. Its facade is scarred with time, windows broken and ivy strangling the walls.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Cassiel asks, his hand hovering near mine like he’s ready to drag me back out at any moment.

I nod and push the massive doors open. The hinges groan in protest. Dust swirls in the pale light, but Cassiel steps in front of me the moment we cross the threshold. Protective. Always protective.

“Cass,” I sigh, pushing at his shoulder. “It’s fine.”

The words barely leave my mouth before a heavy bass reverberates through the mansion, vibrating in the walls. My head snaps toward the sound. A set of double doors ahead glow faintly at the seams, pulsing with light and sound.

I grin, heart thrumming faster, and shove them open. Stairs descend into shadows, and I don’t hesitate. The beat grows louder with each step, until the space opens up into a cavernous underground club.

Music thrums like a heartbeat. Neon light spills across stone walls. Above the archway we pass under, a massive sign glows in blood-red script:Hellbound Hollow.

Cassiel tenses beside me, but I barely notice. The tether pulls me forward, straight to the bar where a man waits.

Raziel.

He leans against the counter as if he’s been waiting for me all along. His hair is shorter now, cropped just enough to frame his sharp cheekbones instead of spilling loose around his shoulders. It makes him look cleaner, colder, as though he shed the wildness with every lock he cut away.

But his eyes—those eyes—still gleam like embers in the dark. When he sees me, his mouth curves into a smirk sharp enough to cut.

“There you are,” he drawls. “A succubus and an angel walk into a bar…”

A startled laugh bursts out of me before I can stop it, the absurdity of his delivery cracking the tension. Cassiel groans, rolling his eyes hard enough to hurt, but I slide onto the stool at the bar with a grin. He follows reluctantly, wings twitching, his scowl firmly in place.

Raziel pours two drinks without asking. His gaze never leaves me as he slides one across the counter.

“Welcome to my Hollow.”

EIGHTY-FIVE

As soon as we step back into the house, I can tell it’s empty. Too quiet. Too still. My gut twists. “Where are they?”

That’s when I feel it—the tether. Not just Lillien, but Raziel too, thrumming like a warning bell. Rage ignites in my chest. “For fuck’s sake. She can’t ever do as she’s told, can she?”

Bastion frowns at me as Velora lingers by the doorway, eyes darting around like a scavenger sniffing for scraps. “What is it? Where is she?”

“With my brother.” My voice is flat, deadly. I tear open another portal. “Come on.”