Page 26 of Unrestrained

Lucifer’s brow furrowed. His confusion was on display for everyone to see. “No, really. I killed you.”

Now Bodhi looked extra annoyed. “No. You didn’t. Don’t you think I’d know better than anyone who killed me? I was there. You weren’t.”

Lucifer’s gaze turned inward. “But…” He stood and moved toward Bodhi. He touched the man’s forehead.

Bodhi jerked back. “Damn, dude. I don’t want to see that. It was bad enough being ripped to pieces without you showing me what I looked like afterward, and so what? So you found me afterwards. That doesn’t mean you killed me. Now, it was definitely all your fault.”

Lucifer rallied at the claim. “If you’re sticking with the claim that I didn’t kill you, then how in the hell is it my fault? Literally, we are in Hell. How is it my fault?”

Bodhi blinked and then blinked again. “Are you being serious right now? I ended up in a hundred pieces because you couldn’t keep your dick to just me.”

“There’s no way. You have to be fucking with me. Are you really going to rage at me for sleeping with other people when you were too? In fact, you were also with Jörmungandr. You got your damn self killed.”

“Why does it matter?”

Everyone turned Tam’s way.

Tam had Brownie on two legs, dancing with him while Brownie’s mate visibly smothered his laughter.

Tam didn’t stop moving to the music only he could hear. “Your current form is very beautiful. I can hear your mate's thoughts. He thinks you’re super sexy and can’t wait for you to feed him again, so this entire conversation is really not needed.”

Bodhi looked horrified. “Shit. I didn’t get to feed him. You interrupted us before I could.”

Tam shrugged. “He’s a fairy. River can easily find food elsewhere.”

“The fuck you say,” Bodhi growled and then vanished, leaving the ropes and chair behind.

Lucifer shot an annoyed look Tam’s way. “Why did you send him away? We weren’t finished.”

Tam giggled when Brownie hopped, getting into the spirit of the dance. He was still smiling when he looked at Lucifer. “I didn’t do anything. He always had the power to leave. I hate to be the reminder of bad news, but nothing or no one controls druids. They belong to no god. Celeste literally did nothing to affect him other than give him a mate. She’s no fool. She knew how to bring an end to all this nonsense. There’s no point in violence. Even if you destroyed this planet to get rid of Bodhi, he would just be reborn on another. You know this. He stayed in that chair exactly as long as he wanted to. Now he doesn’t. Want to stay, that is.”

Lucifer swiped his hand across his eyes.

Tam turned into a gorgeous white fox and jumped on Brownie’s back.

Frost reclaimed his spot next to Gemini.

Gemini took Frost’s hand and lightly squeezed it. “Well, at least that’s over.”

Lucifer shot Gemini a look that screamed he thought Gemini was an idiot. “Were we listening to the same conversation we were just in? Bodhi hates me and wants Frost far away from me. He won’t stop.”

Gemini shrugged. “Well, I mean, he was right here. He popped out of the ropes like smoke. My guess is he could have taken Frost on his way out. We don’t know the extent of his powers, but he didn’t try to harm anyone. He just left. That doesn’t sound like he’s really that bent on revenge.”

Riku nodded. “Agreed. Eternity is damn long, especially without a mate. It’s more likely he’s just been hyper-fixated on this to endure yet another tiresome lifetime. Celeste finally led him to his mate. Problem solved. At least now you know you weren’t the one who killed Bodhi. It sounds like Jörmungandr set you up.”

Lucifer sat. He eyed the room as if everyone had lost their collective minds. “What is happening?”

Celina patted his face as if reminding Lucifer she was there. His gaze fixated on her, and everything about him softened. “What is it, baby? How may I serve you today?”

Celina laughed. She kept patting his face, bordering on violent. “Pa, Pa, Pa.”

Lucifer’s gaze shot to Frost. “She said her first word, and it’s Papaw.” He lifted Celina and held her a little above his head. “Yes, baby girl. You’re so smart. Papaw love you so much.”

Frost sat, mouth agape, doing his best to pretend shock. She had started saying dada a few days back, but Frost loved letting Lucifer believe he got all the firsts. He had missed this with Frost. Frost understood his rage. If anyone took Celina from him and hid her away, stealing years of firsts from him, he would be just like Lucifer. He would easily toss them to the demons and let them torment his soul. But those years were gone for Lucifer, and he had a family now. Frost wanted him to let go of the past and focus on the now. That was what they all needed to do. It was time to let go.

River sang a little song while playing with his new friends, Pip and Evan. They were so adorable and fluffy. He couldn’t wait to tell his neighbor all about meeting a Werefox and Werewolf. The song he sang died on River’s tongue. He supposed he would never see Oaks again. He had no idea how he had come to be in this position. There was no way River could have predicted he would hand flowers to Bodhi and fall in love. River smiled at the images that played through his head at the memory of that moment. He had so shyly confessed that he thought Bodhi was pretty. Just picturing that day made River hot all over again.

River fanned his face, just as he had done then. He was definitely sweating at the idea of being beneath all the lusciousness that was Bodhi. He was such a big guy. River wondered if Bodhi would let River top him. He fanned faster.