mug to his lips. “Argus is expendable.”
“Good. I’ve got my warriors covering the situation. They will take him down, make no mistake.” Lucifer ignored her statement, instead choosing to fuss with his suit and lament the lack of modern day quality. She waited until she’d regained his attention before continuing. “My vaults were breached. Several items were taken. Do you know anything about the thefts?”
He squinted at an overturned trashcan nearby. “Bad girl. You should be above stereotyping. If you must know, someone’s been snooping in my private lair as well. I thought maybe one of your boy-toy Scion might have been assigned the task.”
Divinity snorted. “Hardly, Devil. If you had anything I wanted, I’d simply take it.”
Lucifer stared, his lips spreading into a decadent grin. “You know how I love it when you get rough.”
She fixed him with a hard gaze. Storm clouds raged above their table and lightning flashed all around. Lucifer wiggled on his seat and adjusted his French cuffs, appearing completely undisturbed by the surrounding tempest. He relented only after a gale force wind dislodged his carefully tucked kerchief and sent it hurtling through the atmosphere in a streak of billowing crimson silk. “Fine, you have my word I won’t break your precious Agreement.”
She stood, her smile ripe with satisfaction. “Your word isn’t worth a damn, Devil. But I have the answers I came for.”
“I haven’t told you anything.” His long, black claws emerged to dig into the metal tabletop.
“You didn’t have to,
dearie
.” She strode away. The weather improved with each step she took. Before she disappeared, Divinity turned to face him one last time, her expression serious and her tone final. “Stop tormenting the girl. I know about the nightmares.”
“What nightmares?” He flashed her a guilty-schoolboy smile. “You can’t blame me for wanting to know my own spawn.”
• • •
“Mira! Mira, wake up!”
She squinted into the bright light.
“C’mon,
piccola.
It’s me, Kagan.” He studied her, his expression unreadable as she shook off the remnants of the nightmare.
“What the hell’s going on?” Her voice sounded groggy, the words clumped and sticky. She pushed into a sitting position, and the golden expanse of Kagan’s chest filled her vision. Her eyes fell to the odd mark below his navel. Not a tattoo, more like a brand. She faltered and he gave her one last, brisk shake, rattling her teeth. Her irritation levels soared. “Stop shaking me, dammit! I’m not a rag doll.”
“You were having one hell of a nightmare, Mira. I tried to wake you gently, but you didn’t respond.” His hands now rubbed the chilled skin of her arms. She warmed beneath his narrowed gaze. “What were you dreaming about? Your screams could’ve woken the dead.”
“I don’t remember.” Mira stared at the white sheets.
Liar
.
She remembered, all right, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him. He’d only mistake her dream for another sign of his delusional mission. She pushed farther up in the bed and pulled the covers to her chin. He crossed his arms and she glanced away.
“Hmm.” He reached to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, and she flinched, her gaze trained on the safety of the sheets. Kagan ducked down and caught her eye with a smile. “I’m glad you’re all right. You are okay,
si piccola
?”
“I’m fine.” Mira scowled, her tone snapping with frustration. The damn tingle reappeared to spread like a flame in dry tinder. His heat enveloped her and his rich scent tickled her nose. The gentle prod of his kindness ignited a desperate want for more. His weight pushed off the mattress and she closed her eyes tight, clenching her fists to stop from reaching out for him.
What the hell was happening to her?
“
Bene
.” Kagan retreated. He was halfway across the room when he turned back. “You were dreaming of Lucifer?”
“What?” Mira’s hands bunched
“Good. I’ve got my warriors covering the situation. They will take him down, make no mistake.” Lucifer ignored her statement, instead choosing to fuss with his suit and lament the lack of modern day quality. She waited until she’d regained his attention before continuing. “My vaults were breached. Several items were taken. Do you know anything about the thefts?”
He squinted at an overturned trashcan nearby. “Bad girl. You should be above stereotyping. If you must know, someone’s been snooping in my private lair as well. I thought maybe one of your boy-toy Scion might have been assigned the task.”
Divinity snorted. “Hardly, Devil. If you had anything I wanted, I’d simply take it.”
Lucifer stared, his lips spreading into a decadent grin. “You know how I love it when you get rough.”
She fixed him with a hard gaze. Storm clouds raged above their table and lightning flashed all around. Lucifer wiggled on his seat and adjusted his French cuffs, appearing completely undisturbed by the surrounding tempest. He relented only after a gale force wind dislodged his carefully tucked kerchief and sent it hurtling through the atmosphere in a streak of billowing crimson silk. “Fine, you have my word I won’t break your precious Agreement.”
She stood, her smile ripe with satisfaction. “Your word isn’t worth a damn, Devil. But I have the answers I came for.”
“I haven’t told you anything.” His long, black claws emerged to dig into the metal tabletop.
“You didn’t have to,
dearie
.” She strode away. The weather improved with each step she took. Before she disappeared, Divinity turned to face him one last time, her expression serious and her tone final. “Stop tormenting the girl. I know about the nightmares.”
“What nightmares?” He flashed her a guilty-schoolboy smile. “You can’t blame me for wanting to know my own spawn.”
• • •
“Mira! Mira, wake up!”
She squinted into the bright light.
“C’mon,
piccola.
It’s me, Kagan.” He studied her, his expression unreadable as she shook off the remnants of the nightmare.
“What the hell’s going on?” Her voice sounded groggy, the words clumped and sticky. She pushed into a sitting position, and the golden expanse of Kagan’s chest filled her vision. Her eyes fell to the odd mark below his navel. Not a tattoo, more like a brand. She faltered and he gave her one last, brisk shake, rattling her teeth. Her irritation levels soared. “Stop shaking me, dammit! I’m not a rag doll.”
“You were having one hell of a nightmare, Mira. I tried to wake you gently, but you didn’t respond.” His hands now rubbed the chilled skin of her arms. She warmed beneath his narrowed gaze. “What were you dreaming about? Your screams could’ve woken the dead.”
“I don’t remember.” Mira stared at the white sheets.
Liar
.
She remembered, all right, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him. He’d only mistake her dream for another sign of his delusional mission. She pushed farther up in the bed and pulled the covers to her chin. He crossed his arms and she glanced away.
“Hmm.” He reached to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, and she flinched, her gaze trained on the safety of the sheets. Kagan ducked down and caught her eye with a smile. “I’m glad you’re all right. You are okay,
si piccola
?”
“I’m fine.” Mira scowled, her tone snapping with frustration. The damn tingle reappeared to spread like a flame in dry tinder. His heat enveloped her and his rich scent tickled her nose. The gentle prod of his kindness ignited a desperate want for more. His weight pushed off the mattress and she closed her eyes tight, clenching her fists to stop from reaching out for him.
What the hell was happening to her?
“
Bene
.” Kagan retreated. He was halfway across the room when he turned back. “You were dreaming of Lucifer?”
“What?” Mira’s hands bunched
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