Page 86 of Demon's Mate
“Whatever. I don’t care.” Lucifer took a step toward him. “Tell me why Ash is so obsessed with you, or I’ll slit your throat.”
Harper blanched, his stomach heaving.
“There you go,” Lucifer sneered. “You finally remembered who you’re talking to. So, explain. Now.”
“Will you kill me after I tell you?” Fuck, why even ask? It wasn’t like Lucifer was going to be honest. He’d only give the answer that suited him.
Lucifer stalked closer, wings outstretched so they curved around Harper, brushing his back in an unwelcome embrace, trapping him. “If the next thing out of your mouth isn’t an explanation, I’ll kill you, so it really doesn’t matter what I’ll do after you tell me, does it?”
Harper swallowed, his throat parched. He almost choked. Sweat broke out on his palms and forehead. He tried his magic again, hoping for any kind of shield, but came up empty.
Fuck this. Harper hadn’t survived his miserable life for it to end this way.
“Ash will kill you if you hurt me,” he said barely above a whisper, his tone harsh despite the low volume.
Lucifer snarled, grabbing Harper around the throat and squeezing. He raised his opposite hand, the nails lengthening into deadly points. “That wasn’t an explanation.”
Lucifer struck Harper, slicing his cheek. Harper cried out, his voice strangled, but the sound died as Lucifer placed his deadly claws at Harper’s throat like a knife.
Harper’s vision swam, his heart beating a desperate rhythm against his ribcage. “I’m his mate,” he croaked as Lucifer’s other hand squeezed him tight. “I’m Ash’s mate. He’s not obsessed with me. It’s the mate connection.”
Lucifer wouldn’t kill him if he was Ash’s mate. Right? Not when he’d once been as desperate to find his mate as Ash had been.
The Devil narrowed his eyes. “Bullshit.” He loosened the hand crushing Harper’s throat, but didn’t retract his claws. “Ash is telling you fairytales to get you to bend over.”
Harper shook his head as best he could. “He isn’t. I’ve felt it. We have a connection. I didn’t understand until he told me what was happening, but it’s been there since I first saw him.”
“Liar,” Lucifer growled, spit flying from his mouth and landing on Harper’s cheeks. “There are no mates for the Fallen.” His eyes burned red. He shook Harper, his hand squeezing, crushing Harper’s windpipe. “Liar,” he hissed again, heat flaring around them like it was linked to his anger.
No. Fuck.
Harper clawed at Lucifer’s hand, gulping in air that wouldn’t come. Lucifer’s grip was too tight, relentless, and as hard as stone.Shit. Harper kicked. His chest tightened, lungsburning. He clawed at Lucifer’s face, going for his eyes, but the Devil didn’t even flinch.
He needed air. No, no, no. It burned. His lungs, his head. His throat pulsed, blood fighting past Lucifer’s deadly grip.
Harper’s vision flickered, darkening around the edges. The tunnel closed in and Harper’s hands slipped from Lucifer’s face, falling limp. He tried to scream. This couldn’t be the end.
Feeling like he was weighed down with sandbags, he clawed at Lucifer’s hands but his fingers were weak, barely moving where he wanted them to.
He couldn’t see.
Spots of white appeared in Harper’s blacked-out vision. He screamed for Ash within his mind, but there was no answer.
It was over. His world went black and nothingness took over.
28
ASH
Ash paced backand forth along Dante’s balcony, taking a brief break from tracking Arthur Nightingale. He scowled. The witch proved elusive. Of course he’d be easier to track if Ash had a sense of his magic firsthand rather than through his similarity to Harper, but there wasn’t anything Ash could do about that.
Nearby, Dante leaned against the railing, his eyes clouded a milky white as he connected with his flock. He blinked, his gaze clearing. “Everything at the complex is quiet and no one at the port or library is doing much.”
“Good.” Ash scrubbed his stubble-lined chin. “I’m grateful your birds can keep watch for us.” Without the shearwaters, Ash wouldn’t be able to keep tabs on every witch, especially while searching for Arthur.
“Wow, you’re finally acknowledging their merit,” Dante teased before saying more seriously, “Anytime you need my birds, let me know. I want Harper to be safe as much as you do.”
“Thank you, Dante.” Ash clasped his shoulder, their folded wings brushing. “We need to figure out what’s been killing yourshearwaters. I wonder—” Ash’s throat tightened, and he choked on a cough.
