Page 155 of Viper

“The answer is still no,” Viper told the scruffily dressed fallen angel in front of him. “Go home.”

Lou—or Lucifer, as some called him—planted his hands on the compound gate. “Oh, come on. I thought we were friends.”

“Why?”

“We used to hang out once upon a time, remember? Back before we both fell?”

Viper hadn’t spent time with himwillingly. Plus … “That was a long time ago.”

“Neither time nor space can impact the strength of true friendship.”

“We neverhada friendship.” They’d been work associates, no more. “You were asocial then, and you’re still asocial now.”

Lou frowned. “Hey, I have lots of buds.”

“Your only real ‘bud’ is a six-year-old kid.” Knox Thorne’s son, Asher, to be more accurate.

“Age is just a number. Now come on, let me see her.”

Viper sighed, and his entity rolled its eyes. Three times a week since his daughter was born a month ago, Lou had turnedup at the compound asking to see her. But Viper wasn’t really keen on having the devil anywhere near his baby girl.

Not that Lou was the pure-evil, all-powerful figure that humans imagined him to be. In fact, he was a mercurial, finicky, emotionally immature individual who—though on the psychopathic scale for sure—was more interested in getting high and annoying people than causing actual destruction.

“You don’t think I’m going to kidnap her and deliver her to the big G or something, do you?” asked Lou, incredulous. “Because that’d be dumb of you. And I never took you for dumb. Callous, vindictive, cynical, and devious, yes, but not stupid.”

“You sure have flattery down.”

“You want flattery? Let me in, you big sexy thing, you.”

“Jesus, Lou—”

“Don’t bringhiminto it.”

“—just go home.”

Lou pouted. “It’s not fair that everyone gets to see her but me.”

“Actually, barely anyone has seen her.” Neither he nor Ella had taken the baby off the compound yet, not even using teleportation. You could say they were a little paranoid for her safety, as were their inner entities, but it wasn’t without reason. They were only allowing Ella’s family and Luka access to the babyfor now.

No celestials had come for the child, nor had any demons. But if they were going to, then now—while she was at her most vulnerable stage—would be the time to do it.

Ella’s kind hadn’t exactly welcomed the idea of another half-demon half-celestial, but they’d been more bothered by how the Uppers had targeted Ella, Mia, and Joe. So bothered, in fact, that they’d gone after Earth-bound angels in retaliation, just as Viper had predicted they would. All Earth-bounds had since then beencalled back to the upper realm for their own safety, which they were probably thrilled about, since most weren’t fans of Earth.

“This is the thanks I get for being courteous enough not to barrel right past all your security measures,” Lou huffed. “You know I could. But I pressed the buzzer, all polite and shit. That should earn me greenie points.”

“Brownie points.”

“Them, too.”

Door hinges behind Viper creaked, and then … “You’re hereagain?” asked Jester, his tone far from welcoming.

Viper peered over his shoulder to see Ella, Jester, and Darko filing out of the clubhouse.

“Hey, little bro,” Lou called out to Jester, grinning. “Still not a smiler, huh? That’s all right, I’m not taking the lack of warmth personally.”

“You should,” said Jester.

As the trio walked toward Viper, Ella looked from Jester to Lou, her eyes wide. “Wait, you two are brothers?”

---