Page 40 of Hell Bound

He circled me like a shark, taking in its prey from every angle, searching for the perfect point to strike.

“Then again, it wasn’t. Watching you try in vain to escape, again and again…” He trailed off and lifted a tangled lock of my hair. “It’ll be delicious. Such a change from the sullen waif who used to skulk around my castle with her head down.”

The need to slap the taste out of his mouth was becoming unbearable, so I crossed my arms to prevent the impulse from taking over.

If I had been this demon’s wife at some point, what had made him like this? Cruel and anxious to see me suffer?

Sure, maybe the political alliance had been the reason for our marriage, but that happened all the time. Had he always been so sadistic?

My list of questions kept growing, and I was determined to find answers. Hana or Deasley were my best bet, and I wasn’t going to stop until they provided the information I needed.

Without it, I was walking blindly through this minefield.

“Do you know what will make it even sweeter, Lilith?” He stopped when he was in front of me again, an evil glint in his eye. “Watching Lucifer die a bit more each time you fail. Hearing his howls when you finally push me too far.”

The taste of copper in my mouth almost made me gag. I’d bitten my tongue so hard to keep from speaking, I was pretty sure there might actually be a piece missing.

“Ah, I see you’re relearning your place, pet. I have to admit, I’ve been enjoying this new incarnation of yours, breaking you would have been so much fun.” He leaned in close to my ear, the heat of his breath tickling my lobe and making my pulse race with revulsion. “But I’ll still have fun parading Lucifer’s bitch in front of him when she isn’t yapping.”

I shoved him. Nothing in Hell or on Earth could have stopped me. Both hands planted in his chest, I pushed with all my strength.

Unfortunately, when he moved back, it was of his own volition. Looked like I’d be needing that training from Deasley and Pyp more than I thought.

Asmodeus grinned, full of excited malice.

“Get some rest, my wife. I’ve got a big evening planned for you tomorrow, I wouldn’t want you to be too exhausted to enjoy it.” With that, he turned and strode to the door, throwing it open and disappearing from view.

I slammed it behind him, but there was no satisfaction in it. He wouldn’t give a damn as long as it wasn’t being slammed in his face.

No, I was going to have to find other ways to claim small victories against Asmodeus.

If he kept defeating me like this in every encounter, he would break me, no matter how strong I thought I was.

First, I needed to find out the truth about the ridiculous notion that I was some reincarnated queen.

Second, I had to get stronger so that I could survive long enough to get out of this place.

And third, I had to find a way to deal with Lucifer.

He was the key to everything, my gut was screaming it. He’d gone out of his way to protect me at every turn.

If I could get him to drop the attitude, we could work together to plan my escape.

And maybe he’d come with me.

Whoa, where the hell did that come from?

Sure, he was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and something inside me ignited every time we touched, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a stranger who’d brought me back to this place.

He may have saved me tonight by bringing me back to the castle, but he could have left me in Miami. He could have pretended he never heard from Deasley and let us both escape this hellish fate.

Even as I thought it, I knew there were probably things I didn’t understand, but I didn’t care.

I couldn’t think about it anymore. There was nothing to be done tonight, and all I wanted to do was bathe and pass the fuck out. Hopefully I would finish with the former before the latter came knocking.

Speaking of knocking.

A light tap on my door was the only warning before it opened and three women swept inside. Hana led Tavila and Sveva, who shut the door once they were inside.

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