Page 366 of The Spider Queen

He set his glass down and moved his leg so one of his knees brushed mine. He was wearing a three-piece suit. In his glamour, he looked like a successful, sexy businessman.

“Why did you wait so long to contact me?” he inquired. He reached out to brush a piece of hair behind my ear.

I shivered at the contact. “I had to take care of some things first. I needed time with my parents. I needed to learn how to master glamour. Needed to learn how to fly.”

“I could’ve taught you all that.”

“I wanted to do it myself.” I inched my chin higher. “And I wanted to make sure I really wanted you.”

His eyes darkened. “Explain that to me.”

“I wanted to give the lust time to die. I wanted to know if I felt something deeper for you.” My wine glass was empty, so I reached for his glass of scotch and took a sip. I held the peaty amber liquid on my tongue before swallowing.

“And you summoned me here to tell me—what exactly?”

My mouth quirked into a smile. “Summoned? I doubt anyone could summon you.”

“You sent your gargoyle with a message,” he growled.

“Only because you didn’t answer when I asked through our link.”

“No, I didn’t,” he admitted.

“Where did you go?” I asked. “After the…after.”

“I went back to Hell. Licked my wounds. When that didn’t work, I got angry. Very angry.”

My body froze. “What did you do, Lucifer?”

“I went to Texas.”

I blinked. “Texas? Because you were jonesing for some barbecue and a pair of cowboy boots?”

“I was jonesing for some evil souls.” He smirked. “Caught a few big ones. Corrupt oil men who were responsible for some of the biggest oil spills in the eighties.”

“Wait. You went after men who were already evil?”

He nodded.

“You mean, youdidn’tcorrupt anyone? Get someone to barter away their immortal soul?”

Lucifer let out a breath. “Why do I need to do that? There’s enough evil out there, I don’t need to corrupt anyone.”

“But—but then why did you barter with my father? Why did you want me?”

“Your father isn’t the only one with a future-telling priestess, Stella.”

I shook my head. “I don’t—”

“There are prophecies with endless possible outcomes, right? You know that. Long ago, my soothsayer told me I would find a woman who could ease the loneliness within me. Who would not only alleviate my burdens, but also share them. My true counterpart would choose to heal when I would choose to harm, and would love me regardless of my nature.” He paused. “When Poppy was dead on the bank of the River Styx and Thane begged for help, I went. I felt you even then. I knew you were the woman my soothsayer foretold.”

“And in true Lucifer fashion, you demanded instead of asked. You bartered and manipulated.”

“You don’t sound angry.”

I grinned. “Because I understand you.” I took another sip of scotch before setting the glass down. “We cancel each other out, huh?”

He nodded and placed his hand on my knee.