Page 82 of Temptation (The Mate Games 4)

“I’m sorry. This level of darkness... it speaks to the work of Lucifer. The only being who has ever been able to best me.”

“Best you?” Alek folded his arms over his chest.

“The fallen took my wings in battle. Nearly ended my existence. So yes. Best me.”

“So Lucifer is in charge, then? God is the bottom in this situation?” I asked.

Gabriel shot me a disparaging look. “No. But my Father is unable to meddle in events such as these. He is bound by destiny.”

“Useless fucking angel,” I grumbled to myself as I took up pacing in front of the large fireplace. “Angels and demons, goddamned witches, Apocalypses. All I wanted was my mate, maybe a baby or twelve. I didn’t sign up for the end of the world.”

Moira snorted, color restored and seeming to have made a full recovery from whatever the fuck that was. She proved me right as soon as she opened her mouth. “Twelve? Good luck convincing Sunday’s vagina about that. Your kids will be walking themselves out at that point.”

“I wasn’t asking for your opinion. Did you miss the part where I was muttering tomyself?”

“Maybe you should try that in a room that isn’t filled with other people then, sweetie.”

“What about your gods?” Thorne asked, interrupting my sidebar with the witch and giving Alek a beseeching look. “There’s more than one deity we can turn to, surely.”

“Don’t you think I would have mentioned it by now if it was a possibility? We may be blessed by our gods, but they have no power in this realm.”

“Balls.”

“Maybe that’s exactly the problem,” Moira offered.

“What?” I asked. “Does this have anything to do with your little”—I waved my finger around to indicate her eyes—“hallucination.”

She glared at me. “It was a vision, dumbass, and of course it does.”

“So what’s the fucking problem?”

“Men. You’re all so focused on the fight, you’re not thinking with anything other than testosterone. This is why you have me around.” She turned her gaze on the angel. “You’re excused.”

Gabriel’s brows rose to his hairline. But he gave her a smirk. “Best of luck to you all. I’m certainly rooting for you. I do so love a happy ending.” Then he vanished, but not before flinging the paperback he’d had straight at my face. I guess he didn’t want to finish now that I’d spoiled it.

“Okay, Moira. We’re all listening. Balls firmly in check. What does team ovary have for us?”

She grinned. “I’m so glad you asked.”

“Well, I’m waiting, witch.”

“Sunday’s mom is probably Lucifer, right? Well, if good old Luci is part of this, as Gabriel seemed to think, why would we go to an angel for help?”

“Because he’s all fucking powerful,” Alek said.

“No, he’s not. He said as much. But you know who is as close to Lucifer as we can get?”

I let out an exhausted breath. “Moira, just spit it out.”

“Lilith.”

“Is that who your vision was about?” Alek asked.

“Yes. I think it means we’re supposed to go to her, that she’s the one with the answers we’ve been looking for. And it makes sense, right? Since sheisthe original demon. I bet she can find Sunday for us if Luci is behind the veil hiding her. Who better to counteract the powers of hell than a creature made by them?”

I smirked, cutting a glance at Cashel. “Hey, pops, can we borrow the plane?”

ChapterTwenty-Seven

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