Page 15 of Premonition of Peace

I stepped closer, my expression softening. “I won’t tell anyone, little witch. Your secret is safe with me.”

Nathalie’s eyes searched mine, looking for any hint of deception. Finding none, she finally nodded, a small, relieved smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Thank you, Luci.”

“What were you doing in there just now?” Cocking my head, I reached out and rubbed a tense spot in her shoulder. “If you tell me, maybe I can help too.”

She groaned as I worked at the tense spots, but didn’t say anything for a bit. I kept massaging, hoping that she would let me in. Breaking through her walls was not going to be easy. It seemed since being back in the flesh, it might have actually gotten harder. Finally though, she spoke.

“I need everyone to go through my childhood memories to find anyone with chaos magic. I won’t say more than that,” she admitted before giving a shake of her head. “I’m not planting a seed in anyone’s head.”

“You have a suspect.”

“It’s speculation.”

“Is it? You can see their magic. What color was it?”

She pressed her lips together tightly, nostrils flaring. “I don’t know. Not-Sasha camouflaged it.” It was clear from the worry lines between her brows that she’d been thinking about this from the moment she realized it.

“That’s . . . unfortunate.” And cause for considerably more concern.

“Isn’t it?” She sighed and shook her head again. “If I’m wrong, people could die.”

“People might die either way. You can’t take that on yourself.”

“Sure, but if I’m wrong and we make certain assumptions, it could kill a lot of people. Besides, that’s not the only thing we were going to discuss. We’re still trying to figure out these murders, and where Katherine is now. Also a way to save Marcel . . .” Her face twisted in phantom pain for a moment before clearing. “It’s a lot I’m trying to sort through, honestly.”

“You know that you don’t have to be the only one who figures out the plan to save the world,” I reminded her, moving my hand to cup the back of her neck. I pulled her closer and her breath caught in her throat.

“Maybe not, but in this case, it feels like a personal attack that I need to defend,” she confessed, eyes flittering away from mine for a split second, seemingly needing an escape from the intensity of my gaze.

“Let others help you,” I urged softly, my eyes flickering from hers to her lips and back again. “Let me help you.”

“Luci,” she murmured, her voice trailing off. I leaned forward and brushed my lips against her. I told myself I just wanted a little taste. But as it always was when it came to this woman, a little wasn’t nearly enough to satiate me. Still, I held back, not wanting to push her any further tonight.

I might be the devil, but I wasn’t stupid. I could recognize she was pushed to her metaphorical edge.

Pulling back, I added, “Also, you need to get some actual sleep. You can’t save the world if you crash. Go get some rest. Not just retreat into the loci. Everything will still be there when you wake up in the morning.”

She made a sound of agreement and began to leave. Unable to help it, I gripped her tighter for a second longer and then Ilet go, allowing her to walk away. Reluctantly, I might add—but I knew my place with her was fragile right now. Everything was happening quickly, between Samhain and somehow entering her most private space—she was bound to run if I pushed too hard or pushed too far. My little witch was not the kind of woman you could force into a position she did not want to be in. Out of the bedroom, anyway. I bit back a smile at the thought.

I turned to leave her room heading back to the guest room that might as well be a doghouse.

“Goodnight, Lucifer.” Her soft whisper broke the silence, and it took everything for me not to go back to her.

“Goodnight, Nathalie,” I said, inhaling her heady juniper and lilac scent as I closed the door behind me.

For a moment, I stood there, gathering my thoughts. Already I could hear her tiny, soft snore and even breathing as she fell into an immediate sleep.

I groaned, wishing I could turn around and go back to her. Nathalie was my only weakness. I’d give her anything she wanted, just to be near her for the rest of my life. She could ask me to relinquish my title as the devil, and if that is what her heart desired, I would do it. For her. She truly didn’t understand the pull she had over me.

That simple fact put us both in danger. Probably more than I was willing to admit.

six

NATHALIE

I slept like shit,but as they say, there’s no rest for the wicked.

Despite my world imploding, the earth kept on spinning. I had no choice but to roll with it. At least one thing was going well. I adjusted my grip on my phone, tucking it between my ear and my shoulder as I made a cup of tea. My contractor, Mick, had called to report on the progress of my new house that was being built. With everything else going on, updates had been on the backburner for a while.

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