Page 69 of King of Hell

“Yes. Dante was able to be in Hell. He wasn’t there for very long, but ‘not very long’ in Hell is different from how it is on Earth—still a long time.”

“If Adrian wanted that, would Lucifer allow it?”

Paimon grins. “Oh, if he didn’t, I could convince him. I would be very surprised if he refused. And let’s be real as far as Adrian is concerned. They’re a gem, really, but they probably aren’t going to Heaven, darling.”

Darling. Dear. My little vampire.Despite himself, his chest flutters. It feels good to have someone want you enough to call you theirs.

“No,” Lauren?iu admits, “likely not.” In truth, he wouldn’t have it any other way, and Adrian wouldn’t either, despite their fundamentalist upbringing. Adrian would likely be bored in Heaven. Hell presents a challenge.

Paimon rubs his chin. “I’m not exactly the most monogamous person...”

Lauren?iu shakes his head. “I don’t care about that.”

“I could always try. Believe it or not, orgies are fun, but you see pretty much everything after a couple thousand years.”

“I...I’m sorry that we...” Lauren?iu trails off.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. You set a boundary, and I listened.”

“I want to be by your side, your prince consort, but first, I have a very important question that I’ve been wanting to ask for decades.”

Paimon flutters his eyelashes. “Anything.”

“Why do you like geese so much?”

“They cause problems, and I think it’s funny. Such a fearsome creature in a long-necked bird.”

“I figured it was something like that.”

A robust laugh. “You know me too well.”

Lauren?iu sobers. “There is something I’d like to ask, even though I’ve asked so much.”

“Please, Lauren?iu, if I didn’t want to help, I would never offer. But there’s likely nothing you can ask that I’ll deny.”

“Would you help me find my mother? I don’t know if she’s...but...”

“I would be happy to.”

He shuts his eyes. So tired. “I need to think, first.”

“Okay. Did you want to go...”

Lauren?iu takes both of Paimon’s hands. “Can we go to the house?”

Paimon squeezes. “Of course.”

“But first,” Lauren?iu whispers, “rest with me. At least for an hour.”

Paimon hesitates. “I’m afraid I might give you nightmares.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Lauren?iu mutters, eyelids fluttering. It’s been so long since he’s felt pure mortal exhaustion. “Not if it’s you.”

Chapter 23

Lauren?iu

“Don’t be too long,” Adrian tells them at the house.

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