Page 40 of To Crave Madly
“I know.” I grimaced. “He was trying so hard to get me to focus on finding the threads of my magic, but I could never seem to clear my mind in order to do it.”
“Too distracted by Fenris, I’ll bet.”
“What? No!”
“Hm-mm. I know you, Lori. You can’t lie to me.”
“But –”
Rae held her hand up to stop me. “Lori, it’s okay. I know this whole liking more than one guy thing may seem odd, but it really isn’t. If it feels right for you, then that’s okay. You’ve got a big heart and so much love to give, so why not give it to more than one person? What’s so wrong about that?”
I mulled over her words. When she put it like that, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to do. And she was right. It did feel right, so why was I putting myself under pressure to be something I wasn’t?
“You’re right. But I don’t think Fenris is interested in me like that anyway.”
She pursed her lips and let out a soft hum. “We’ll see.”
I scoffed. When Rae got the bit between her teeth about something, she didn’t let it go until she was happy with the outcome. And it was always the outcome she wanted. She was stubborn like that. I’d even go as far as saying she was completely bull-headed and mulish with a dash of obstinate thrown in. Thank God I didn’t tell her about almost kissing Cassian. I would never have heard the end of that one.
“Right, you need some rest. You have the world’s largest black circles under your eyes, and no one is going to find that attractive.” She hopped off the bed with a cheeky grin and I rolled my eyes at her.
“Love you too, babe.”
“I know,” she chirped merrily before blowing me a kiss and leaving me to fall into a fitful sleep full of shadows, white corridors, and deep Celestial voices.
Chapter 11
JASPER
I made it back to the base with Lucifer in tow. Fuck knows how long he was going to grace us with his presence, but one thing was for sure, he certainly knew how to make his presence known. De Santis had left with his tail between his legs after a serious beat down by the man beside me. I was a little bit in awe of him. He radiated power like a volcano radiated heat. Intense, terrifying, and unpredictable. The sheer energy of it drifted from him in a way that pulled you into his magnificence and drew you to him like a moth to a flame. It was overpowering and uncomfortable like you were constantly under scrutinization from a man who could snuff out your life in the blink of an eye. I had to tread carefully, but I also had to make sure he didn’t find an excuse to exert his authority over anyone here. That was my role and I wanted to make sure he knew it.
We were currently standing in the room that had become the main common room. The entire team was here, but there was a definite tension in the room. It hung heavily in the air as every single pair of eyes focused on the man who seemed to be able to command attention without any effort at all.
Lucifer stood next to me with his hands casually sat in his trouser pockets, looking for all the world like a King surveying his lands. I didn’t know how he did it. How he could look so laid back yet threatening and formidable all at the same time?
Saskia was sitting with Rae’s witch friend on one of the sofas, while Fenris and Alec occupied the other. Cassian stood in front of the fire maliciously glaring at Torsten, who was making his way towards his King. I didn’t like Shadow Fiends, especially ones with a Master. They would stop at nothing to enact their keeper’s will and they were fucking hard to destroy if their sights were set on you. If you were the target of a Shadow Fiend, you were a dead man walking and there was no escaping your fate.
Lucifer bent his head towards Torsten’s to whisper something in his ear. The Shadow Fiend bowed, clicked his heels, and then faded into shadows. Those bright eyes of his were the last thing to disappear and they were fucking eerie. Like two stars blinking out of existence in the dark night sky.
I rolled my shoulders, shaking off the weird feeling the Fiend left behind and faced my team.
“I’m sure you’ll all be glad to know Lori is fine.” There was a definite mixed response to my statement. Most were relieved but Cassian… he looked like he was chewing glass. I had no idea what his problem was, but this kind of friction in the team was going to be a major fucking problem. I was going to have to pull him to one side and get him to explain whatever was going on with him. But right now wasn’t the time for this. I had missing witches and fucking Celestials to deal with. And on top of that, the Devil appeared to be stuck here with us.
“Why the Hell is he here?” Alec asked bitterly, no doubt still pissed over being killed by him.
I didn’t understand how Alec had come back from the dead, or why Fenris seemed to be the only fucking person on my team who knew about it. That was something else on my list to come back to.
“Lucifer is staying with us until the power holding him here is depleted.” Silence greeted my words. Silence and narrowed eyes. I didn’t blame them. I didn’t want him here either. “He’s also been investigating the attack that occurred in the alley. I think he could be a useful addition while he stays with us.” I didn’t think that for one second. He’d probably get in the way and fucking meddle, but I needed my team on board and I needed Lucifer to do as he was fucking told.
Lucifer smiled back at me smugly. “I promise I will try not to get in the way. Cross my heart.” He mimed the action to go with his words and I restrained the urge to roll my eyes. This one was going to be trouble with a capital fucking ‘T’.
I needed to get the team focused again. “Cassian, have you gotten anywhere with the interrogation?”
He looked back at me, his eyes cold, hard and unfeeling. “No. The only thing I know about them is that they were mages. Whoever they were before, well… they aren’t that now. It’s almost as if their minds have been erased. It doesn’t matter what I try; I can’t seem to get anything useful from them. They just keep chanting the same thing. Unto the dark, surrender the spirit. Unto the shadows, send the Fallen’s heart.”
More fucking riddles. “Is it from the Witch’s Revelations book?”
Cassian nodded. “It’s from the second volume I think, but I don’t know the rest.”
