Page 28 of Crimson Devotion
“For some godforsaken reason, a lot of witches love the Sacred Seven, worship them, even. And some have put a protective barrier around this place, which is the reason I was unable to locate it, even with all my powers. Without knowing who the witches are, it’s useless.’’
Everything clicks in place with that one, simple statement. My eyes widen a fraction, mouth opening slightly. Yvonne looks at me with something akin to guilt, but she swallows it down before it’s there to prove my theory correct.
“The necklace you gave me wasn’t a protective one, was it?”
“It was.’’ Yvonne’s quick to defend herself. “But it wasn’t just that. The moment it was ripped off your neck, the magic inside broke the barrier around the castle, and I was able to find it.’’
“But to what end goal? To wake up Lucifer?”
Yvonne nods. “I’ve found a way. But that way will take some time, so in the meantime, I’ve left him a little gift to wake up to.’’
A frown etches onto my face, and Yvonne smiles.
She pulls out a small piece of paper from her pocket — yes, all of her dresses have pockets because she sews them herself — and folds it twice. Then, she carefully puts it on the inside pocket of Lucifer’s blazer, smoothing out the fabric to perfection.
“What did you do, Yvonne?”
“Once upon a time, before his womanizer time, Lucifer was head over heels for a human girl. It was long before I put himto sleep, and would you believe it, he actually married the human girl?”
“What?” I blink, completely immersed in the story.
Yvonne hums. “Yes, but after being unable to feed for quite some time, his wife ended up cutting herself. Well, he went berserk and killed her while feeding on her. Isn’t that just ironic? He was the one who taught his siblings how to control their thirst, only for him to kill his wife because he couldn’t control his urges. Well, the curse I put on him also has the dream aspect.’’
“He’s dreaming right now?”
Yvonne smirks. “Having a nightmare, to be precise. The night when he killed his wife, over and over again, without being able to prevent it, or to wake up. And in the meantime, I’ve taken hostage the only thing he holds dear.’’
“What did you take, Yvonne?” My voice comes out more accusatory than necessary, but she chooses to ignore it.
“The last thing he has left of her — her locket. With the only picture of the two. Undoubtedly, when he wakes up, he’ll want it back, and he’ll come looking for it.’’
Yvonne’s a fucking ruthless, callous witch.
The fact that he put Lucifer to sleep, forcing him to relive what I could only assume is the darkest part of his life, to be trapped in his own trauma for the past two hundred years is unimaginable. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought, and for a moment, I’m glad I’ve never pissed Yvonne off enough to do something similar to me.
“I’m shocked you managed to sneak in past Ophelia,’’ I murmur. “You do have a specific smell.’’
She chuckles. “One that I can hide well. Now, I’ve done what I came here for. I’ll be leaving, and do not dare utter a word that I was here.’’
I swallow, the threat behind her words not going unnoticed. I nod and stand up from the chair. Yvonne approachesme, then takes off her golden earrings. She holds them in her hand for a couple of seconds, a soft, white glow illuminating from her palm. Then, she opens it, looking at me.
“Take them. They’re for the Sun. And give Lucifer his bracelet back; he’ll need it.’’
My eyebrows narrow in suspicion, and without questioning her, I take the pair of earrings from her, holding them tightly in my hand.
“Oh, and Faith?”
“Yes?”
Yvonne’s whole demeanor shifts. She’s serious, and she’s looking at me like I’m the enemy. “I know you didn’t want this, but the moment I even so much as hear about you killing a human, or feeding on one, I’ll kill you myself.’’
“I won’t. I promise.’’
“Good.’’ She nods. “If you need anything, you know where to find me.’’
“What should I do about the agency?”
“I’ll say you died. That’s the only way. Otherwise, they’ll come for you.’’
