They deflated.
“Fair enough.” Haziel sighed, and then giggled. “But if you ever change your mind, let us know.”
Another crash followed, then an ominous creak and a shuddering smash.
Sophia glowered at the door. “Although it won’t hurt Lucifer if we don’t correct the rumor about him being a shit lover just yet.”
Bianca had to laugh. Lucifer’s ego could definitely take some deflating. “You’re both going to wait out here until they’re done?”
“I’m not going in there.” Haziel shuddered. “The last time I got between two pissed off hell princes, I ended up with a shattered wing.”
“We need to talk when they’re done,” Sophia said. “I still haven’t heard the full debrief on what happened when they rescued Leona.”
Haziel made a sound of agreement. “And how they lost Ashe.”
“Ramiel said Lucifer let Ashe go.” Sophia frowned. “That was before he and Raphael had to go and play referee.”
“Why would Lucifer do that?” Haziel chewed her bottom lip.
Sophia studied Bianca. “Oh, I can think of one reason.”
Bianca wasn’t going to touch that inference and turned their attention. “Listen.”
Silence.
The door creaked open, and Raphael poked his head out. “All clear.” He caught sight of Bianca and smiled. “Hey there.”
“Hey.” Bianca stood. She didn’t want to run into Lucifer. For her own good, she needed to stay far, far away from him.
Sophia stood and looked at her. “You coming?”
Shaking her head, Bianca walked away.
The only thing Lucifer could offer her was more hurt.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Eddie stood beside Shade at the hell gate. The Paradise Theatre had been her entire life. Dee had raised her there, and when she’d thought about her future, it had been with the hazy idea that she would grow old there.
A few short months ago, everything had changed, and now it was all changing again. The theatre was shutting down for the foreseeable future. Eddie didn’t know what Dee had told the Paradise Players, but it had worked, and the building echoed with the memories of what had taken place over the years of its existence.
“Will you be okay?” She took Dee’s hands. Leaving her grandmother behind felt like ripping a part of herself out, but Dee had been adamant. She and Daniel were the hell gate guardians.
Dee scoffed. “Of course I’ll be fine. There’s nothing those fuckers want here anymore.”
“I’ll be with her.” Daniel smiled and slung an arm over Dee’s shoulders. “I’ll keep her out of trouble.”
Shade chuckled. “Good luck with that.”
“Hey!” Dee glared at the two of them. When she turned back to Eddie, her expression was tender. “Go, Eddie-girl, be where you need to be.” She glanced at Shade. “And with who you need to be with.”
Shade smiled at Eddie, but waited, not rushing her. “You’ll summon us if you need us?”
Dee patted a small spell jar Bianca had given her. “Without a moment’s hesitation.”
“I can also reach you through the guardians,” Daniel said. “Nobody here is going to be a hero.”
Dee sniffed. “Speak for yourself, kid. Some of us have hero running through the blood.”
That was what worried Eddie the most and she looked at Daniel.
He smiled at her. “I’ve got this.”
Dee nudged Shade. “Get her out of here and keep her safe.”
“With all that I am.” Shade gave Dee a formal, little bow. “This I vow to you.”
Eddie took his outstretched hand and stepped through the hell gate. She was numb inside as they traversed the nothing and arrived in Shade’s demesne.
Fragrant, humid air surrounded her, filled with the sounds of insects and birds flitting through the jungle.
Shade opened his arms. “Ready?”
“Flying?”
Shade’s gorgeous eyes lit from within. “My love deserves wings, if only for today.”
Despite sadness over leaving Dee, excitement stirred in Eddie. Flying was a definite benefit to having a hell prince in her life.
Shade tucked her back into his front and hugged her close. “In the unlikely event of a loss of hell prince altitude, pinch the hell prince.”
Eddie’s laugh caught in her throat as two mighty down sweeps of his wings had them airborne. Wind pushed her hair back as the jungle grew smaller below them. Air rushed past her ears, and Shade’s wings made a soft whooshing noise, but other than that, the silence was absolute.
Below them, the occasional demon looked up. Some waved and others bowed to their hell prince.
“Wrath has set my remaining horde on patrol.” Shade’s breath was warm against her ear. “They are sweeping my demesne for vestiges of the rebel horde.”
“It seems to be working.” No demon had tried to shoot them out of the sky. Eddie took that as a good sign.
From above the canopy, it was hard to see the jungle floor. Occasional clearings broke the verdant monotony, and the thick, green ribbon of the river meandered in lazy arcs.
Shade’s chest was warm against her back, his arms strong around her, and his honey and musk scent had her drawing deep breaths of him. At the heart of all her new adventures was Shade. She covered his hands around her midriff with hers. Despite the fear and uncertainty around them, she was happy. “How much longer?”
“Impatient?” He chuckled.
“Yes.” She pressed her cheek to his. “We’re finally alone.”
