Page 96 of Endless Terrors
More silence. Unsurprised, I returned to the ledge. A necrool shrieked overhead, swooping alarmingly close to the tower. Lucifer didn’t react, but the fact he hadn’t responded made me think my theories about Goody were right.
But there were other pieces of the story I was missing. Sometimes, the motive could only be found at the beginning, and Lucifer had led a long, long life. Getting kicked out of Heaven had just been the prologue. I refocused on him and asked, “What did you do after Persephone died?”
Another small gust of wind carried Lucifer’s scent past me, but we were standing so close now that it brought some of his warmth, too. I prayed he didn’t hear how I held my breath, trying to stop my body from reacting to his proximity.
“That was the first time I experienced true grief,” Lucifer answered. His shoulder brushed mine, but he didn’t seem to notice. “I felt powerless. Angry. I couldn’t travel back to the Maker’s realm, and I sought another way to strike at Him. To make Him feel the pain I felt. There was only one creation He truly loved.”
“The humans,” I said. Lucifer’s silence confirmed that I was right.
“I can’t travel between worlds, but I can still communicate across them. After the Fall, I taught myself the art of possession. I discovered that, other than our kind, there was only one form that could bear my presence long enough to suit my purposes—the creature you call a snake. I went back to the Garden, and I waited until I could speak to one of God’s favorite humans alone. I seduced her. I persuaded her to eat one of the apples He’d forbidden.”
Apparently seduction was a regular technique of the devil’s, I noted silently. Eve, Goody, Fortuna … no wonder he was always calling me my lady. Lucifer probably couldn’t keep all our names straight.
“Seriously? The Eve story is true?” I said out loud. None of my thoughts leaked into my voice.
Lucifer scowled. “Vapid little idiot. With those genes, it’s no wonder the human species is destroying itself.”
I didn’t respond. I was still processing everything. It was strange to think that, technically, my kind were descended from humans. Nightmares were not truly Fallen. There was no more angel blood in my veins than there was in Emma’s or Danny’s.
As I kept mulling over what I’d just learned, Lucifer shifted even closer. His hand rested beside mine on the stone barrier. My guard shot up. My mental wards thickened.
“So this is your plan, huh?” I asked casually. I felt him looking at me, and my voice became mocking. “Poor Lucifer. So tragic. So misunderstood.”
“That is not my name.” The devil sighed and turned his face away. “Humans are consumed by good and bad, but the truth is, there is no such thing. I’m not trying to convince you of my innocence. What I do wish you’d believe is that you have nothing to fear from me.”
“Then why am I here?” I asked. Now I was the one to turn. “Why hold my brother’s soul hostage and force me to come to Hell? Those aren’t the actions of someone who doesn’t mean harm.”
But Lucifer kept his gaze on the horizon. “Do you still plan to leave the tower?”
It was the same tone he’d used the other day, when I’d asked him what was behind that closed door. Something you’re not ready for. Lucifer wanted me to think he was so honest and transparent, and yet he shut my questions down with the skill of a faerie. “I do,” I bit out.
“What if I accompanied you? I’ll take you wherever you want to go. To any part of the First City, or beyond. If you want me to step away, I will, no questions asked.” Lucifer was looking at me now, and there was tension in the line of his shoulders. Red lightning flashed, revealing his expression in stark, fleeting detail.
Even without my power, I was a Nightmare, and I knew real fear when I saw it. My eyes flicked between his. “Why is it so important that I don’t see your city on my own?”
“I can give you several reasons, my lady. First off, there are the Tanar’ri, an ancient demon race that comes from the Waste to gather souls and take them back. Souls that are never seen again. There’s also the risk of being touched by someone with the Peeling, which is a sickness that affects nearly every species in Hell. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Oh, and we mustn’t forget the powerful bloodlines and courtiers vying for any scrap of power they can get in this city. You’d make a good bargaining chip, should your identity come to light. Then there are the millions of broken souls endlessly roaming—just one of them could kill you, and they don’t need a reason. Some will do it just because they can.
“I don’t want you to leave this tower alone because I am invested in your survival,” Lucifer said bluntly. “And if you leave this tower without protection, I can’t guarantee you will.”
We stared at each other, and after a few seconds, I realized I believed him. Looking away, I pulled a strand of hair from the corner of my mouth. None of the things Lucifer had mentioned sounded like fun, but the Peeling in particular had gotten my attention. Fuck. I felt the familiar weight of defeat settle on me. I cleared my throat and said, “Fine. We leave in the morning. Or when everyone goes to bed, I don’t know how this place works.”
“We call it ellarian urileth,” Lucifer said. On his lips, Enochian sounded like music. “In the angelic tongue it roughly translates to ‘the brief surrender.’”
It’s beautiful. I didn’t say the thought out loud. I couldn’t open myself to Lucifer in any way, no matter how harmless it seemed. I moved my hand away from his and stepped back from the ledge. “I’m tired.”
It was still too early to sleep, and both of us knew it. But Lucifer just smiled and said he’d take me downstairs. A minute later, we arrived at the door to the guest suite. The devil didn’t try anything, and he didn’t linger. He bowed and said, “Until tomorrow, Fortuna. Don’t worry, I’ll stay out of your dreams.”
I gave him a cold, thin smile. “Good luck keeping me out of yours.”
When I saw the faintest light of unease in his eyes, triumph streaked through me. Before the devil could respond, I stepped back and closed the door.
A bone-chilling sound yanked me from my dreamless sleep.
As I snapped back to consciousness, it took my mind an extra beat to realize what I was hearing. Screaming. Male, hoarse screaming. I recognized Lucifer’s voice immediately, even if I’d never heard him make that sound before. My instincts sharpened, and before my feet hit the floor, I was considering what I could use as a weapon. None of the furniture had legs I could break off, and the bathroom was devoid of anything pointy or sharp.
“No!” Lucifer shouted.
I abandoned my search for a weapon and ran to the door, pantsless.
