“You feel amazing,” she murmured against his mouth.

  And he would feel even better inside her.

  Hooking a leg over his hips, she angled her body until he was pressed against her core. Trick stroked his length over her, up and down, making her want to scream. Then he slid within her, stretching her, becoming one with her.

  She came again.

  Trick swallowed her scream, began to move quickly, faster, harder, as their tongues danced to an age-old rhythm. Pleasure overloaded her senses, and she angled her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust. Trick became the center of her focus; every movement, every breath only served to heighten their pleasure.

  Trick’s head fell back and his eyes shut, a low groan filling the air as he reached his climax. The feel of him within her made the pleasure spiral out of control, and she came, squeezing about him so hard he cursed his way through a second orgasm.

  When it was over, they stood wrapped about each other, her head on his shoulder.

  Sex had never been that good before, and they hadn’t even made it to a bed.

  Trick picked her up in a smooth lift, then deposited her on the mattress. He joined her there, lying on his back, breathing hard.

  “That was—”

  “Amazing.”

  “We should do it again,” Trick said. “But in another ten minutes or so.”

  She laughed.

  Joy, she realized. He gives me joy.

  “While we’re waiting, why don’t you tell me about yourself.”

  Trick turned his face to look at her. “There’s not much to know.”

  “Humor me.”

  “All right. But only because you just gave me two mind-blowing orgasms.” He raised his arms, resting his head on his hands. “I was the middle child. I have an older sister, and a younger brother. My sister was perfect, powerful and disdainful. My parents had decided to pair for my birth, so that they would get the optimum offspring. Instead, they got me.” He flashed her a look, which she met. “When I failed to rise to the appropriate level of power, my father left, and my mother married, having another son. He wasn’t powerful, but he hadn’t been bred to become the ultimate weapon, either.”

  Bred to become a weapon? What kind of demon was he?

  “My brother was unbalanced. My mother said he was just spirited, emotional, and that he’d mature with age. But I knew better. I watched him. And then one day, I found he’d captured and tortured a demon, keeping this female as a sex slave. In his little hideaway, I found the bones of many others. This wasn’t the first time he’d done it.”

  She bit her lip. “Do many demons care about these things?”

  “No, but I did.”

  Truth.

  “And so I helped the demon girl. I got her free, got her to safety, and then my brother told my parents. They believed him, and they disowned me.”

  Truth.

  “What about your sister?”

  “Neemah has always been too quick to judge. She believed what my brother and mother said, never asked me.”

  “And so you set up your own mercenary guild.”

  “And so I did.”

  “I bet they regret their actions now.”

  Bitterness swept through his brown eyes. “I doubt it. Money and my kind of power don’t mean much to them.”

  “What happened to the girl?”

  “She joined the guild for a while. She left a few centuries ago to pursue her own interests. She has a thing for vigilante justice.”

  Sadness for Trick’s past made her throat ache, but apart from the slight moment of bitterness, he hadn’t seemed too upset by it.

  “What about you?” he asked.

  “I was an only child. My mother and father doted on me. I thought I was in love, just before I fell. I even got engaged on the day.”

  His mouth thinned. “But the fucker left you when he found out you fell, didn’t he?”

  She nodded, but there was no pain with the thought. Just anger.

  “The part that upsets me the most? I didn’t get to say goodbye to my family. To explain what happened. And that I didn’t wise up to my former lover’s nature before now.”

  “Ah, we were both played.”

  Peace settled over her. We were. But she wouldn’t be a fool again.

  On impulse, she tugged the feather over her head. “Here.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Giving it to you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because everyone deserves something given freely to them, at least once in their life. This is my gift to you.”

  He took it with something almost like reverence in his expression. He tugged the chain over his head and patted it when the feather settled over his heart. “Thank you.”

  Rolling onto her side, she gave him a saucy grin. “Now, what can you give me?”

  “How about I surprise you?”

  “Mmm, I do like surprises.”

  Chapter 32

  Sheol’s barriers had dropped. They could leave.

  Trick stared at his phone for a few moments, then looked at Seraphina. She slept, one arm over her eyes, sheltering them from the burgeoning daylight.

  Last night—all of yesterday, really—had been amazing. Better than amazing. He still couldn’t feel his toes, or his balls. But it had been worth it. He’s never had a sexual partner who fit him so well.

  I could spend the next decade with her, and it wouldn’t be enough.

  But even if Hades didn’t kill them in the next few hours, she was going to leave the guild as soon as she could. And he didn’t blame her. He’d do the same.

  He played with the feather around his neck. He shouldn’t have taken it, but she’d offered, and the tiny piece of Heaven against his heart was welcome.

  He placed a gentle hand on her bicep. “Time to wake up, princess. It’s our last day.”

  Seraphina’s arm moved to the side whip-fast, and she had a hand around his throat before he could blink. He held still, not wanting to trigger any other lethal reflexes.

  She was a warrior before she fell. Idiot.

  He just hadn’t realized her reflexes were that fast, even for an angel. He wasn’t entirely sure he could take her in a fight.

  Awareness crept into her eyes, and she let him go with a jerk. “I’m so sorry.”

  “No harm done.” He fought the urge to rub his abused trachea.

  She clenched her fists. “I left a mark.”

  “It will heal. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The barrier around Sheol is down. We can leave.”

  Excitement gleamed in her eyes, before they turned dull. Was she disappointed their stolen interlude was about to end?

  Probably not.

  She only viewed him as a temporary situation, anyway.

  “We don’t have time to search both his houses,” she said. “What if we’re wrong? What if it isn’t even in the Human Realm? We only have one day left.”

  One day.

  He’d fought for every day of his existence for the past thousand years. He wasn’t about to give up now.

  “We ask for an extension.” He doubted Hades would grant it, but there had been extenuating circumstances.

  “I’ll get dressed.” Seraphina reached for her phone, skimming the messages waiting for her.

  She froze. “Oh, my Lord.”

  “What? What is it?” He tried to read over her shoulder, then recalled that he’d told her off for doing the same thing previously.

  “Rowan’s found it.”

  “Who?”

  “Dora’s granddaughter. She found the spear.”

  “How?”

  Seraphina stared at her cellphone, horrified. “She went to Lucifer’s in person. Dora is going to kill us.”

  “What? Who cares about Dora? Rowan will have given us away! Now Lucifer and Hades will want us dead.”

  “She told him she was a researcher.” She lowered her arm. “Trick, she doesn’t believe in magic. And she met Lucifer himself.”

  “Fuck.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “But you know what this means?”

  She met his gaze. “We might live to see tomorrow.”

  He grinned. “We might indeed. But first, I need to see Hades.”

  *

  “You fucked up, Trick.” Hades’ glower would have made a more sensible man tremble. Trick just shrugged.

  “You’re asking us to steal from Lucifer. The job has inherently more risks.” Trick sat down on the rickety chair opposite Hades’ desk. The god’s office was as cluttered as Trick’s was fastidiously neat, crammed floor to ceiling with books, and with a gargoyle statue shoved in one corner. Someone had put a party hat on its head.

  The god crossed his arms over his massive chest. “You only have one day left. I’d be out looking for the spear, rather than wasting time here.”

  “About that...”

  “I am not giving you an extension. The deadline is tonight, midnight. Or you’re dead.” Something like regret glittered in the god’s yellow gaze, before quickly vanishing.

  It was probably a good thing Trick had left Seraphina back at the guild. She wouldn’t be impressed with their unchanged deadline. As it was, she’d spluttered with annoyance that she’d been left behind. He’d told her to track Sylvester down and get as many breaking-and-entering spells as possible.

  Trick leaned forward. “We know where the spear is.”

  “You do?” Both of Hades’ eyebrows rose.

  “I just need a small favor.”

  “What kind of favor?” The eyebrows arched down again into a frown.

  “A metallurgical kind.”

  “Hrm.” The god rubbed his chin. “I may know a guy for that.”

  Trick smiled, smug. “Thought you might.”

  Now, he just needed to call in another favor.

  *

  Trick teleported Seraphina and himself into the alley behind the Cat on a Broomstick. It was deserted and smelled of old vomit and urine. Wonderful. And Peony had said Tartarus stank.

  They only had an hour. They had to make it to Lucifer’s house and daylight was wasting.

  Hurrying around to the front entrance, they were greeted by a glaring Dora Broome. “You dare show your face here?”

  Seraphina held up her hands. “What did we do?”

  The Crone wagged a finger. “Do you know who my granddaughter went and introduced herself to?”

  “We didn’t tell her to do that. We never would have suggested it,” Trick replied. It exposed them to too much risk. Especially since the girl didn’t believe in magic.

  “Hmph.” Dora turned on her heel and marched along the rambling pathway through the shop.

  They followed her to the small room at the back of the store, where Trick sat on the sofa, Seraphina next to him. Dora paced the room. “She has met Lucifer. He invited her back to view his collection again. He flew her to Miami in his private jet.”

  “Why didn’t you stop her?” Trick asked.

  Dora whirled on him. “Me? She didn’t even tell me!”

  “You’re going to have to wipe her memory.” The deep voice made the Crone start, and they all turned to see Hades, who had suddenly appeared in the room.

  Dora eyed the god like he was a piece of candy, then scowled. “What is a god doing here?”

  “This isn’t just any god,” Trick said. “It’s Hades.”

  Dora glared at the god. “So what does he want? I’m not dead yet.”

  “Bring the girl here.” Hades waved a hand.

  Dora’s mouth set in a thin line. “I don’t have to do anything you say.”

  “You’re not dead yet, but you will be one day. You might regret not assisting me now.”

  “Are you threatening my soul?”

  Hades grinned. “Yes.”

  The witch murmured a number of unflattering comments, but plucked out her cell. A few minutes later, the young redheaded woman entered the room. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her face when she spotted Hades.

  He was rather spectacular looking, especially for humans.

  Rowan met the Crone’s gaze. “Gran?”

  Dora nodded. “Do what this gentleman says.”

  Hades pulled out a metal rod and handed it to the girl. “Take a seat, then hold this, and picture the Amenonuhoko very clearly in your mind. The look of it, the feel, the weight.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Because I asked you to.”

  Rowan took the rod reluctantly and sat down on a chair. “I really don’t see what this will achieve.”

  Dora turned to her grandchild. “Please, Rowan. Do what he says.”

  With a sigh, the redhead closed her eyes and concentrated. As she did, the rod changed, morphing in her hands. By the time she opened her eyes, an exact replica of the Amenonuhoko lay in her palms.

  Seems a bit small. Had she remembered it correctly?

  “What the—?” Shock suffused her face.

  “Thank you.” Hades snatched it from her.

  “I don’t understand.” Rowan turned to her gran beseechingly.

  “I’m going to wipe her memories now.” Hades played with the miniature spear.

  “Wipe my—you can’t do that!” Rowan jumped to her feet. A second later, she thumped back into her chair, rage and confusion warring on her face. “What’s happening? Why can’t I move?”

  “Poorly done, Theodora, keeping your kin ignorant.”

  Dora glared. “It wasn’t my choice. And it’s rude of you to tie her up.”

  “Ignorant of what?” Rowan cried, struggling against her invisible bonds.

  Hades squatted down in front of her. “Magic.”

  She laughed. “There is no such thing.”

  The god sighed. “Such a stubborn mind.” He twisted the spear in his hands. “Which memories should I leave?”

  “Just take out Seraphina and Trick,” Dora said, mouth set in an angry line. “Leave anything to do with the Amenonuhoko as if it was her own idea.”

  Wild green eyes sought out Dora. “Gran! You can’t allow them to do this. I’m not a lab rat. You can’t do this to me!”

  “This is beyond my choice. You got in over your head.” Dora looked sad, but resolute.

  “I just looked at some artifacts!”

  “If only it were that simple,” Hades said, reaching for the girl’s head. He glanced over at Trick, then handed him the spear. “You get moving, I will clean up this mess.”

  “Mess? What mess?” Rowan demanded, still struggling, dodging the god’s palm.

  As Trick teleported them out, he felt a moment of pity for the human girl. Life had a way of shitting on people, and she’d just learned that the hard way.

  Chapter 33

  They were inside Lucifer’s Miami home. It had taken a battery of spells that Seraphina had ‘liberated’ from Sylvester—she’d beaten him in an arm-wrestling match, to the delight of the guild members present—and a few acrobatics, but they were in.

  It was a spectacular mansion, light and airy, and put Raze’s palatial dwelling to shame. Seraphina didn’t want to stare, but she found it hard to keep her eyes from the priceless artworks and artifacts.

  They still hadn’t found the spear.

  “According to my sources, Lucifer is back at the Tower of Tortures.” Trick’s voice was soft against her ear.

  “So, let’s keep hunting.” The sun was already beginning to set. They only had a few hours left before their deadline.

  Invisible, they swept through the mansion, careful to keep out of the way of the demon staff. Trick was constantly talking to Sylvester through an ear-piece. The other demon wasn’t with them, but had decided to watch the action ‘live’. He was giving Trick updates on the technological defenses and how to get past them.

  Seraphina was coming to realize that the two demons were friends, and Sylvester was the best thief she’d ever encountered.

  He should be doing this. He wouldn’t screw it up.

  They had reached the third and top floor of the mansion before they found it. It was...small. Only about a foot long, it rested on a stand in a glass case. Rowan had been right in her recollection of the artifact’s dimensions.

  Now I know how humans feel when they view the Mona Lisa.

  It was amazing, but it was also a little bit of a letdown.

  Carefully, they crept toward the glass cabinet. It was in the middle of the room, in a line of display cases marching toward the end of the gallery. Lucifer’s house is like a museum. More space was dedicated to displaying his ornate collection than for living purposes.

  Trick leaned over to her. “Sylvester says there are likely to be pressure sensors near the cabinet.”

  They studied the spear in its protective casing. It glittered with magical spells, most written in angelic.

  “How many alarms do you think we’ll set off?”

  “Too many,” Trick replied. He glanced around the room.

  “Give me the fake.” She held out her hand.

  Trick stared at it for a moment. “Not just yet. I want a closer look.”

  She clenched her fist. “We need to be quick.”

  “We will be.”

  They approached the cabinet, Trick holding the bogus spear Hades had created close to his torso. He dropped a neon-glowing crystal on the floor, stepped over it, then drew a series of counter-spells on the glass. Finally, he threw a bag of powder on the cabinet, which dissolved. “There.”

  He had the spear in his hand when dust was thrown in her face.

  Coughing, Seraphina looked around wildly, instinctively filling her hands with knives.

  Power slammed into her, shoving her to the ground. Her knees slammed into the floorboards. She gritted her teeth and fought against it the force, but she was trapped.

  “Thief!” The word was snarled.

  Lucifer.

  He stood ten feet away, his brown hair loose around a face so exquisite it put even the archangel Aurora to shame.

  A dagger launched through the air toward her. She struggled against the invisible bonds, but it was hopeless.

 

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