“Not exactly.” Lucifer wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I stiffened, while he led me into a shady area. “Fallen were originally angels, as I was, but they followed me into Hell and became…something else. Not exactly demons, but not angels anymore either.”
I swallowed, absorbing this new information so casually spoken as if we were discussing the weather. “Do they have wings too?”
“They do, but mine are bigger.” He lowered his shades to give me a naughty wink. “And in case you’re wondering, yes, wing size does correspond directly with other body parts.”
A startled laugh escaped me at that, and my guard relaxed a little. I couldn’t help it. The man was just too damn charming. Not to mention that when I was around him, I felt like I knew him on some deep level. But…how?
A thin, attractive man walked out of the building carrying two helmets, and bowed his head to Lucifer. “My lord, everything is ready.”
“Brilliant.” He waved a hand at me. “Just the helmet for the lady today.”
The man before us raised his eyebrows and glanced at me with thinly veiled curiosity. “She knows?”
“She’s under my protection,” Lucifer said with a hint of a growl in his voice.
“Of course, my lord.” He offered me the helmet and then backed away in a half-bow. “I’ll get the keys.”
After the man had left, Lucifer leaned closer to me. “Another of my demons. A cheetah shifter.”
“A what now?”
“Shifters are another type of demon. They can transform into animals.” He gestured for me to follow, and we walked around the side of the building, where a row of sports cars awaited us. Gleaming, beautiful, aerodynamic cars in bright colors from lime green to hot pink. Some of them looked like they were right off a NASCAR racing track, with huge spoilers and stickers all over them, while others would be right at home in Lucifer’s garage next to his silver Aston Martin.
"Are we going to drive them?" I asked, as Lucifer pulled the helmet over my head. I'd have helmet hair for the rest of the day, but my excitement overcame any apprehension at the realization of what we were about to do.
“We are,” he said, as he led me to the first car, the lime green Lamborghini. He wouldn’t let anyone else but him buckle me into the passenger seat, but he knew exactly what he was doing. Before I knew it, we were off, while Gadreel and Zel watched from the sidelines under a canopy.
Lucifer raced to breakneck speeds like a pro in seconds, zipping us around the track. The force of the acceleration threw me back in my seat and took my breath away, but I hated to admit how much it thrilled me too.
“You’ve done this before,” I said through the helmet’s speaker, but I’d forgotten he hadn’t put one on. It didn’t matter, though. Lucifer heard me over the engine and shot me a wicked grin. Then he went even faster.
I screamed, except it wasn’t out of fear this time but exhilaration, like when you’re on a roller-coaster and go down a steep drop. Even though I held on for dear life, I couldn’t remember a time I’d had so much fun. Excessive speed had always made me nervous since the car accident, but Lucifer had a way of making me feel safe. Like he was in complete control, and nothing could hurt me when he was by my side.
As we finished the circuit and slowed to a halt, Lucifer looked over at me and let out a throaty laugh. It was so sexy it made me melt a little into my seat.
“You liked that, did you?” he asked.
“More than I expected.”
He helped me out of the elaborate safety system and took my hand, lifting me out of the car. His touch sent an unexpected thrill through me as he pulled me close against him. He lingered there, nearly holding me, drawing me in even though his eyes were hidden behind his shades. “I knew you would.”
“How?”
“I’m the devil, darling. Give me a little credit.” He lifted my hand and pressed a kiss to my wrist, like he did the other night, and everything inside me turned to hot, molten lava.
He’s the devil, a voice whispered in my head.
Yeah, but he’s really freaking hot too, a louder voice said back.
Okay, so I was probably losing my mind, but wouldn’t anyone in this situation?
We drove around the track in three other cars, testing each one out, and it was easy to lose myself in the speed and the adrenaline. Every time I glanced over at Lucifer he flashed me a smile, like he knew just how much I was enjoying myself. Like this, he was just Lucas Ifer again, a man with too much money and too many toys.
When we got out of the fourth car, Lucifer asked, “Would you like to drive one?”
“Really?” My pulse raced as I looked up at him. “You have no idea how much I’d like to drive one. Or maybe you do.”
He chuckled softly. “Then choose your car.”
I went with the hot pink Ferrari, not because it was pink, but because it was a freaking Ferrari. I’d probably never get another chance to drive one of those, and I wasn’t missing out on that. Once again, Lucifer strapped me inside, and gave me a brief rundown of everything I needed to know. Nervous energy raced through me, and I almost talked myself out of doing it, but then Lucifer got in the passenger side of the car and nodded at me. I couldn’t back out now.
I gripped the wheel, shifted gears, and put my foot to the pedal. The car shot forward, too slowly at first, but soon I grew more confident and kicked it up a notch. Pure adrenaline raced through my veins and exhilaration ripped a laugh from my lips as the car zoomed around the track, hugging the road like nothing I’d
