Raphael screwed his face up, like a tiger caught in a net. “I cannot go to hell without an invitation.” Inspiration and triumph glinted in his eyes. “Neither of us can go without an invitation.’
She’d already planned for that. If she were dealing with Lucifer, he would have guessed her forethought and been way ahead of her, but Raphael didn’t know her as well. “I know, and I have one.”
“From who?” He squinted at her.
Eddie stepped out of the theatre. “From me.”
Bianca had gotten up early and laid her nighttime rumination before Eddie over a cup of coffee.
Raphael gaped. “You? But…but you can’t…you’re not…”
“A hell prince?” Eddie sauntered toward them.
Shade slipped into the parking lot behind her. “But I am.”
Raphael glared at her accusatively. “You planned this.”
“I did.” And she was proud of her preparations. Laying a hand on Raphael’s arm, she said, “We both know Lucifer is having a massive sulk right now. He picked up his toys and took them home.”
Raphael pursed his lips. “I don’t know if I’d call it a sulk.”
“I would.” Shade chuckled. “Pride comes with those prickly feelings.”
“Regardless,” Eddie cut in. “Leona needs to be found, and Bianca doesn’t stand a chance on her own.”
Raphael frowned and thought it over. His face lit up. “I could help her search.”
“And you should.” Shade clapped him on the back. “But you can’t be on this plane without Lucifer, so you need to take her to fetch him. The three of you working together will shut those fuckers with their amulets down, and the witches will be safe.”
“Argh!” Raphael speared his scalp with his fingers.
“He’s angry with me.” Bianca didn’t enjoy putting her favorite archangel on the spot, but she had to get Lucifer back on the search. “He’s owed an apology, and I’m the only one who can give it.”
“He’s owed a kick up the ass.” Shade scoffed.
Nobody had the right to say rude shit about Lucifer but her. Bianca rounded on Shade. “Hey! You don’t know what went down.” Lucifer had seen all the horrible shit she had and handled it a fuck ton better. “You don’t get to judge.”
Shade’s eyes glowed silver, and he grinned. “Ah! I see now.” His smile sapped the outrage from her. “And you are quite right.” He looked at Raphael. “I think you should get going. Bianca and Lucifer have a lot to…er…cover.”
Eddie threw Shade a hard glance.
Shade smirked at her. “I’m not doing anything. This is all Bianca.”
Bianca didn’t care to decipher his meaning. She concentrated on Raphael. “So, you’ll take me?”
“All right,” Raphael grumbled before his expression grew stern. “But hell is dangerous for mortals. You do exactly what I say, when I say, or you can get Shade to take you.”
“Deal.” First hurdle down. Now she had to persuade her pissed off hell prince to get over himself. No problem.
Eddie’s stare burned the side of Shade’s face as Raphael trailed unhappily after Bianca into the theatre so she could get what she needed for the trip to hell. “What?”
“Don’t try that innocent act with me.” Eddie wagged her finger at him.
Hells below but he loved how she called him on his shit. He grabbed her finger and nibbled it before sucking away the small hurt. “I did nothing.”
“I felt your lust thing.” Her gaze locked on his mouth. Her pupils dilated, and she grew breathless.
Shade’s answering desire surged through him. “That’s hardly surprising as it’s focused on you all day, every day.”
Screwing her eyes shut, Eddie moaned. “Don’t torture me.”
Each day he made up his mind to find a quiet corner and drag Eddie into it. To finally make her his in every way. But every new day brought a new fucking challenge. Much more of this, and one or both of them would explode. He snagged her waist and pulled her flush to him. “This is torture for both of us.”
Her body fit so perfectly into his, like she was created for him. The brief interlude in the costume room had only whetted his appetite. He’d waited centuries for his mate, and now he couldn’t wait another day to have her.
“There’s always your room at the B&B.” Eddie slid her arms around his neck.
There most certainly was. Emma’s power was bound. Sophia was on guard duty with Dee and Daniel. Shade’s cock throbbed. “Flying or driving?”
“Whatever is faster.” Eddie’s face was flushed, her eyes dazed with answering desire.
“Edme!” Rodney Sykes, board member and financial director for the Paradise Players strode into the parking lot. “I’m glad I caught you. We really need to discuss the number of persons currently residing with you.” Sniffing at Shade, he smoothed his mustache with his thumb and forefinger. “Fire safety regulations govern how many persons are allowed to domicile within the facility.”
“Can you make us invisible?” Eddie stared at Shade.
“Afraid not.” Shade tightened his grip.” But I can make him not want to speak to you.”
Eddie brushed her mouth against his. “Do it.”
Rodney produced his phone and swiped it open. “At last count, I identified two adult females.” He jerked his head at her. “You and Dee. And that is as it should be. But I have also—”
“You have nothing to say to Eddie.” Gripping Eddie’s hand, he compelled Rodney. “You want to return to the theatre and count the individual squares of toilet paper.”
Eddie giggled. “Driving would be more discreet.”
Shade’s lust power snapped and snarled at its leash, desperate to claim its mate.
They trotted to Eddie’s car.
Wrath’s power signature announced him stepping through the hell gate.
Eddie faltered and then quickened her pace. She yanked open the car door. “Whatever it is, it can wait an hour or two.”
“More like the rest of the day and night.” He would need hours to slake his thirst for Eddie.
“Eddie? Shade?” Sophia’s voice floated across the parking lot. “Wrath is here, and he needs to talk to all of us. He’s called a gathering.”
