“Why are you defending him? In case you didn’t hear everything, he was giving as good as he was getting.”
“I’m not defending Darrak.”
“Jesus, Eden, you’re not actually in love with this jerk, are you?” Leena’s dark brows drew together with confusion.
Eden didn’t need this. Not now. Not ever.
“Of course not,” she said as firmly as she could. Her throat felt thick, and her eyes began to sting. The events of the day — Theo, Lucifer, the angel, Andy — washed over her like a tidal wave, and she thought for sure she’d burst into tears any second.
“Eden—” Darrak began.
She turned away and went to her bedroom. “I need to be alone for a minute. Don’t follow me. This is a no demon or werekitty zone for at least a half an hour. Capiche?”
“I’m a were
“I hope you get fleas,” he snapped back.
Eden shut the door and pressed her back against it. She could still hear them, but at least it was muffled now.
Being alone was a good thing, but it didn’t help her relax much. She had things to do.
She embraced the silence for all of five seconds, then reached into her pocket and pulled out the marble Lucas gave her this morning.
Had it only been this morning?
She really didn’t want to do this. Too bad she didn’t have much of a choice.
Clenching the marble in her right hand, she whispered, “Lucifer.”
Bright light blinded her and she blinked. The next moment her bedroom — including her unmade bed and the movie posters that adorned her walls — were gone and she stood on the now-familiar beach again. It was sunset this time, and the skyline was ablaze with red, purple, and pink light.
Lucas stood at the waterline skipping stones across the calm surface. He glanced over his shoulder. “Hello again, Eden.”
“What is this place?” she asked.
“My little piece of heaven. I come here a lot. Too bad it’s not real.” He brushed his hands off on his loose white pants. “Does Theo have the weapon?”
Business first. Sunsets and palm trees second.
She nodded, feeling tense despite the beautiful surroundings. Could have something to do with the company she kept lately.
His expression didn’t change. “What is it?”
She hesitated before she spoke. “A black diamond with angelic energy trapped inside. All the energy of one angel, actually. Theo called it a. . an angelheart.”
Lucas took her chin between his fingers and looked down into her eyes. “You’re telling the truth, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am.” Why would she lie about something like this? There was a bit too much at stake for her at the moment.
A flicker of surprise went through Lucas’s gaze. “Theo’s more resourceful than I gave him credit for.”
“Are you afraid?” She bit her bottom lip. Probably shouldn’t have asked something like that of the Prince of Hell.
“No. But I am concerned.” He studied her for a moment. “I never thought he’d be able to get that close to an angel, but I didn’t account for the fact that you’d be there. Yes, black witches have a certain affect on our angelic friends, don’t they?”
“So I’m learning.”
“I don’t think there’s any reason to wait. Bring the diamond to me as soon as possible.”
A breath caught in her throat. “That might be difficult. Theo can’t stand me and, uh, the feeling’s mutual. It’s doubtful he’ll let me get close enough to grab it.”
“Then have Darrak get it for you.”
She almost laughed. “And how am I supposed to do that?”
“Ask him.”
“What should I say?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe something along the lines of ‘Darrak, I want that weapon. Get it away from Theo, will you?’ ”
“And you think he’ll do it?”
“I think it’s worth a shot. And if you’re denied, well. . then we’ll both know where you really stand with your resident demon, won’t we? But you can’t tell him why you want it. You must say nothing about me or our deal is off. Do you understand?”
“I understand.” Only too well.
“Good.”
She paced back and forth, wringing her hands. “And if I manage to get the angelheart, and I give it to you, you’ll let my mother’s soul go?” Her chest tightened with anxiety as she said it.
“I will.”
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”
“Because I am,” he replied simply. “Once I get what I want, there’s no reason for me to renege on our deal. It’s a very fair trade, I think. Your mother’s soul for the angelheart.”
Was that enough? Lucas was playing this game of give-and-take really well — everything had gone his way so far. He’d managed to intimidate Eden, and she’d given him no argument.
But how often would she get a chance like this? The Prince of Hell himself needed something from her. He hadn’t gone to anyone else. Just her. He’d even moved in next door at her crappy apartment building with faulty plumbing and the occasional infestation of fruit flies in order to get closer to her.
She exhaled slowly, willing some well-needed courage to arrive ASAP. “I want something else.”
Lucas’s eyebrow rose. “Oh really?”
She nodded. “When I give you the angelheart, I want you to fix things between me and Darrak.”
“Fix things in what way?”
She licked her dry lips. “Make it so that he no longer has to possess me.”
“Are you changing the rules, Eden?” Lucas asked, smiling thinly. “That’s not very wise, is it?”
She held his gaze steadily. She wasn’t backing down. If he knew her mother as well as he said he did, he couldn’t possibly believe, 100 percent, that Eden would help her unconditionally. She would, of course, but he couldn’t know that for certain. But her mother was a well-known opportunist. Why wouldn’t her daughter be one as well?
“Is that a yes or a no?” she asked. “How badly do you want that diamond?”
He turned and looked at the sunset.
“Well?” she prompted after a few uncomfortable minutes had gone by. The beach had suddenly grown colder, the wind picking up — more arctic than tropical now. It blew Eden’s hair back from her face and she shivered.
Without turning to face her, Lucas said, “Fine. It’s a deal. If you give me that black diamond, I will release your mother’s soul and also ensure that Darrak no longer has to possess you. Agreed?”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see it at the moment. “Agreed.”
“Now, leave me alone.”
After the flash of light, she was back in her bedroom again. Hope and dread clawed for dominance in her chest.
She’d just made a deal with Lucifer, and he was going to help her.
Something about that sentence just didn’t sit well with her.
