Page 172 of Hell Bound

“The fire—”

“Fuck the fire, I’ll build another.” My knees were drawn to my chest, and he placed his hands atop them. “Lily, did he touch you?”

“No!”

He jumped at my shout, but I was desperate for him to know the truth. His wolf wouldn’t allow that to stand, meaning there was every chance he’d go charging back to avenge something that hadn’t happened.

Well, not this time.

“No, he didn’t. He threatened to. Said that once he killed me this time, instead of letting me stay dead, he’d bring me back so he could… fuck me to death.” There was really no nice way to phrase that, so I just put it out there.

As I expected, he didn’t take that well. His claws emerged as he clenched my knees tight.

I didn’t say a word until he pricked through the flesh and drew blood. I’d had enough blood to last… well, how many Liliths were at the bottom of that lake?Thatmany lifetimes.

I didn’t have to say anything, though. The scent of blood caught his attention, and he released me immediately.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” I palmed his cheek, and he leaned into it. “You saved me. He’ll never touch me again, because of you.”

It was left unspoken between us that there was no guarantee of that. The wolves loyal to him and his guards were absolutely on our trail, and we had no idea what awaited us when we crossed into Ossean territory.

Speaking of which.

“The Crone came to me in my cell. She warned me that things were going to be harder than we could have imagined.” I let my hand fall from his face and wrapped both arms around my shins. “I hope this was what she meant, because I don’t know how we’ll make it through anything worse than this.”

I squeaked when I was suddenly in Lucifer’s lap. He was warm and hard with just enough give to make him the comfiest place I’d ever sat.

His strong arms clutched me close, and unbidden tears stole down my cheeks as I nestled into his chest. Lips brushed against my head before he rested his cheek against it.

“Together. The way we’ll make it through everything that comes our way is together.”

Chapter42

Lucifer

Iburst awake at the sounds of scuffling in the darkness.

Lilith was still asleep, curled up near the campfire and breathing deeply.

As soon as I knew she was fine, all of my focus was on the darkness beyond our camp.

On the sound of panting, something clawing at the dirt.

I ran through a mental inventory of the native beasts that prowled the Infernal Court: tarphins, slaughter-crows, firefoxes.

Aside from a rogue tarphin, none that would fuck with a Hell wolf.

Which meant…

I silently stood, prowling away from the fire before I shifted. As hellfire lit my eyes and heated my skull, I could see out into the wasteland.

Where another wolf ran towards us, ripping through the earth.

You made it a long way, Commander. Jovran’s mental voice was dry.

Shock coursed through me for a moment.What the hell are you doing out here?

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