Page 365 of The Spider Queen
I spent time with my parents and was there the moment my little brother connected mentally to my mother.
I went to Aloysius and eased his people’s burdens. It turned out I didn’t need eight months with them at all. Apparently, my change had only enhanced my empath powers.
When I felt like I finally had a handle on my emotions where Lucifer was concerned, I mentally asked Jax to deliver a message.
Nervous trepidation raced through my veins.
“This was a stupid idea,” I muttered.
“Did you say something?” the bartender asked.
I shook my head. “Talking to myself.”
Why did I think Lucifer would come? Just because I asked?
I continued to sip on my glass of wine, my eyes glued to the ornate clock. When my glass was nearly empty, I swallowed a lump of defeat.
He wasn’t coming.
I reached for my purse with the intention of throwing down some bills and then calling Herron so I could curl up on her couch and wallow in misery.
The air crackled with tension, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
“Stella,” he said. His voice was cool, dispassionate.
It was his tell. I knew that’s when Lucifer felt the most.
I swiveled slowly so I could mentally prepare. But no matter how much time I gave myself, I could never stop the hitch in my breath when I caught him in all his magnificence.
His glamour was in place—I now knew that when he’d come to me all those months ago—he’d been showing me a vision appealing to the eye. Meant to capture, ensnare.
And though the muscular form, the indigo eyes, the dark hair and fair skin appealed to me, it had been his heart that had eventually won me over.
He could’ve shown up in his devil form, and I would’ve felt the same way.
We stared at each other and I saw the mask fall. He looked at me with naked hunger, like he wanted to spread me out onto the bar and lick every inch of me.
I wouldn’t have been opposed to the idea. Lust had never been our problem. But we had other things we needed to sort out first.
“Get you something to drink, sir?” the bartender asked.
Lucifer didn’t take his indigo eyes off me when he replied. “Lagavulin 16. Neat.” He paused. “Please.”
My smile was wide.
After the bartender set down the glass of scotch, Lucifer waved his hand. The bartender’s gaze slid over us and he frowned. Shaking his head, he moved away.
“Now we can speak freely and no one will hear us. Or see us.” He raised his glass to his mouth and took a sip. “You look good, Stella.”
“Which part of me?” I taunted. I fluttered my bat wings. I flashed my devil yellow eyes. My forked tongue snaked out to graze the back of his hand.
His indigo eyes suddenly turned yellow but quickly went back to blue. “All of you. When did it happen?”
“The transformation?”
He nodded.
“Hard to know. I left the island and went to Purgatory to see my parents. After I left them and came back here, it started. It happened quickly.”
