Page 8 of Undesirable (Devilish #3)

Riku had never consumed a god’s blood. Power coursed through him.

He felt so dumb, thinking he could possibly hurt Lucifer with something as simple as his venom.

He had just been such a fucking mess since learning he was Lucifer’s mate.

Everything had felt so damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.

Their pairing could endanger the world, no matter which way he went.

So he spent months wrecking his sanity and hurting this god he loved with every fiber of his being .

Everything looked so simple now. Riku had lived long enough to know how to adapt. All it took was a bit of communication and a change in location. Riku didn’t give a fuck where he lived.

“It’s warmer here.” The laughter in Lucifer’s voice had Riku smiling. It was obvious Lucifer stayed in his head, always reading every thought.

With a wave of Lucifer’s hand, his clothes disappeared.

“Warm is a nice change.”

Lucifer eyed his body in a way that had Riku fully invested. “Good. You should never hide any of this ever again.”

“I love you.”

Lucifer’s chin lifted. His sky-blue eyes glimmered.

If he had any thoughts, he kept Riku shut out.

As mates, his thoughts were Riku’s right, but Lucifer was too powerful.

He couldn’t force Lucifer to let him in.

Sometimes, with Lucifer, it was probably for the best he could hide from Riku.

He had a bad feeling Lucifer would hurt his feelings.

They had claimed each other. He had his other half.

Riku fought the urge to fall into another soul-sucking depression.

He had purposely never thought about this part—the part where Lucifer would never love him.

Riku was property. Coveted as such. That was all.

His throat swelled. He didn’t think mates were supposed to feel this way.

There weren’t supposed to be pieces missing .

Lucifer’s mouth touched his and Riku forgot to overthink. Riku was powerful too. He had Lucifer nude with a single thought. Lucifer chuckled against his lips. “That’s a first for me.”

It was ridiculous how happy it made Riku to be the first at anything. “You’ll get used to it.”

Riku found himself on his back. Lucifer had thrown him through the air, tossing him on the bed like he was nothing.

Riku bounced. His gaze raked the golden beauty he had been blessed with.

He was obsessed. No one knew how he had suffered without his other half.

He longed and died a little more every day.

Now he was here. He had no idea what his life would look like now and he gave no fucks.

They were together. He was complete. Lucifer wasn’t moving.

Riku growled in frustration. He wanted what belonged to him.

Lucifer’s irresistible eyes landed on him. They turned black. Even the whites of his eyes disappeared. Fangs appeared. “I don’t feel right.” Lucifer hit the floor with a loud thud.

Riku scrambled from the bed.

Lucifer was in a full-blown seizure.

Riku jumped on top of him and did his best to keep Lucifer from hurting himself. He didn’t know what to do. Riku didn’t know anyone here. He didn’t know where to go for help. It wasn’t like he had a way out of Hell to get someone he knew. He was trapped—helpless .

Finally, Lucifer went still. His eyes were open and still solid black. Even though he didn’t seem lucid, Riku still babbled in panic.

“I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.”

“Frost.”

The word was weak, but Riku understood. “How? I don’t know my way out.”

Lucifer weakly tapped the floor. A huge dog-like creature crashed into the room. He looked like a Rottweiler except he was five times the size and twice as fluffy with terrifying teeth.

“Brownie will take you. He’ll protect you with his life.” Every word sounded like it hurt like hell. “You’ll have to bring Gemini. The leopard won’t—” Lucifer lost consciousness, sending Riku’s panic through the roof.

He shot to his feet and focused on Brownie. “How do we get to Frost?”

“Hold on to my collar.”

Riku was more than a little surprised by the deep, almost demonic-sounding voice that came from the hound. He had never heard a Were speak in its true form, but he didn’t hesitate to obey.

In a single leap, Brownie was on the bed, dragging Riku with him.

With another, they were through a mirror on the ceiling.

He spotted Frost inside an examination room with Yuri, inspecting the wounds that hadn’t healed.

Riku magicked clothes on before they broke the surface, so Frost wouldn’t be uncomfortable.

Frost scrambled for cover as Brownie broke through first. “What the fuck? Celeste said—”

Riku followed, killing the words on Frost’s lips. “I need you. Well, Lucifer does. We have to go.”

Hi, Riku.

Riku managed a faint smile for Yuri. “Hey, Yuri.”

“Go where? Hell?”

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. You’re not going to Hell.” Gemini shot into the room.

Riku didn’t have time for this. “Lucifer told me to bring you too, so you can protect Frost.”

“I’ll be there as well.” Lire, a demon personal guard of the Americas king, stepped through the mirror, carrying a bag. “This is a medical kit from Celeste. You’ve been called to duty.”

“In Hell?” Gemini screeched the words. “No. We did not sign up for this. I have to put my foot down this time.”

Riku pinched the spot between his eyes while everyone argued amongst themselves. His mate suffered, and they squabbled. He had never been closer to the edge of snapping. Riku was scared and confused and just fucking terrified. He didn’t know what to do.

Yuri watched the various creatures argue while doing his best to stay out of the way.

The entire scene made him see how much having a mate ruined lives.

All they did was stress and fight among themselves.

Yuri had truly only wanted peace when he finally submitted to Waylon, the town’s alpha, and tried to fit in.

He didn’t fit, though. That made him sad and a little angry, but whatever.

Hey .

The deep, demonic voice in his head pulled Yuri from watching the drama. A huge beast of some kind sat beside him, looking as tired as he was.

Hi.

What happened to your fur?

Yuri’s shoulders fell. He really must look terrible still . I jumped into a magic fire to save Riku.

The beast’s head bobbed.

Yuri studied him. He also had fur missing near his throat and a deep scar showed. How’d you get that scar?

Bar fight. They’re pretty hardcore in Hell. It was honorable of you to save Riku.

Yuri felt dumb. Actually, it was idiotic. Riku can’t be harmed by fire. He didn’t need me.

Did you know that?

No.

Another sharp head bob followed his answer.

Yuri kept talking, and he didn’t know why . Frost has been trying to heal me, but whatever magic was in that fire really messed me up. I hurt my foot. He lifted his front paw . It just won’t get better. He tried setting it back on the floor and winced.

The beast turned human.

Yuri forgot to breathe. He was every bit as big and scary as a human. That scar was dangerously close to a major artery. Oddly, he wore a collar.

“Let me see that paw.”

Yuri lifted his foot again so his new friend could inspect it. While he did, Yuri studied him. There was a name tag on the collar. Brownie.

Why do you wear a collar?

“It’s a sign of my position. I’m the personal guardian for the dark one. It is a great honor.”

Does that mean you’re not a free Were?

A scary-looking smile touched Brownie’s lips. “I’m not a Were. I’m a hellhound. I wasn’t created by Odin. Lucifer is my creator. My only god.” He brought Yuri’s paw to his mouth and licked .

Yuri couldn’t look away as Brownie’s tongue slid across the wound. Goosebumps skirted his skin. He was transfixed, and it got a little harder to breathe. His wound healed beneath Brownie’s tongue. The shock saved him from humiliating himself.

Oh, my gosh. How did you do that? Thank you!

“We have the same fire in Hell. Easily healed by the right person.”

“Let’s just fucking go! Lucifer might be dying right now, and you won’t shut the fuck up and move your feet. Get in the goddamn mirror or I’ll make you.”

Everyone froze, and all heads turned Riku’s way.

Brownie smiled. “He is a worthy mate.” He looked Yuri’s way and turned back into a hellhound. Are you coming? While they work, I will groom you. You’ll have your fur back by the end of the day.

Yuri didn’t hesitate. He hadn’t been groomed since he was a pup.

Admittedly, he had very different reasons to want it now, but he would die before he said no.

He just hoped he didn’t expire from embarrassment, since he had no idea how long he would last under that tongue.

It was whatever, though. He would go to Hell for this—literally, and he did so with a smile.

Everything was on fire in a way he had never experienced. His blood boiled inside him, eating away at his organs. He healed repeatedly, but it wasn’t enough. The internal attacks didn’t stop. If Frost didn’t hurry, he would die.

The mirror above him swirled. He had dragged himself into bed and now he regretted it. Lucifer had forgotten exactly where his visitors would land. He didn’t have time to move before Frost fell, landing solidly on Lucifer .

Frost scrambled away. “Sorry. I didn’t expect to fall from the ceiling.”

Before Lucifer could respond, a massive leopard landed on his chest, followed by a familiar demon and then a wolf.

“How many more goddamn people plan to assault me?”

Brownie burst through the mirror, but he was smart enough to aim for the edge of the bed. Riku was next. Lucifer gathered every ounce of his strength and caught him, bracing the blow. “Hey, sexy.” Even Lucifer heard how awful and weak he sounded.

“Hey, baby. How are you feeling?”

His strength gave out and his arms fell away. “Terrible. I don’t know what happened. It’s like… I don’t know. ”

“Jormungandr’s weapon has been activated.”

Riku and Lucifer’s gaze shot to the demon, Lire.