Page 22 of Premonition of Peace

I was losing him, and I was powerless to stop it. If I were a healer I could close his wounds, but I was no white witch. I wasn’t even sure I was gray; all I knew was that my magic was busted. Broken.

I could steal the magic of others, but I couldn’t generate that kind of power on my own.

And he was going to die because of it.

His golden eyes held mine, steady despite the blood oozing from his wounds. He watched me with an intensity that should have scared me.

Instead, I was scared I’d never feel it again because somewhere along the way, my ghostly stalker had gotten beneath my skin. He’d become a staple in my life. A fixed presence that I wasn’t willing to let go of.

“Lucifer . . .” I whispered. “I lo?—”

“No!” Sasha yelled, falling to her knees on his other side. Warm brown hands cupped his cheeks. “You don’t get to die, devil. Not now.”

Her green eyes flared. A colorless magic skated down her skin, but before it could touch him, Lucifer brushed her hand away.

“I’m fine,” he said stiffly.

The holes in his chest began to shift. Silver peaked out of each one and a half-second later, the bullets popped out, tinkling to the ground.

“Let me?—”

“I said, I’m fine,” he repeated, a hard edge to his tone. Lucifer sat up, brushing off his suit. “What was it you were saying, little witch?” A twinkle entered his eye.

“You’re impossible,” I muttered, shaking my head as my chest finally expanded.

He’s okay. He’s okay. He’s okay?—

“We get the fucking point, Prime,”Bad Nat said, rolling her eyes.“He’s the devil, and a demon. He was never in any danger.”

Peace stopped searching, collapsing in on herself and crying. Caretaker wrapped her arms around my sensitive side, holding her tight as she fell apart in relief.

I’d barely noticed that the gold stopped pouring.

It settled on my skin like a fine sheen before sinking beneath the surface.

Lucifer watched intently, missing nothing as he stood up. He offered me his hand, and Bad Nat snorted.“See? He’s helping us. Not the other way around. Chill with the theatrics.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked, eyes scanning every inch of his for further damage. It was hard to tell beneath the bloodied clothes.

“I promise,” he assured me, motioning with his hand for me to take it. “But I will need a change of clothes before we go anywhere.”

I gave him my hand and he pulled me to my feet, settling me against his hard body as he scanned the area. I followed suit looking around to see if the assailant or person running were still there, but they’d both up and disappeared while I had been having a panic attack over Lucifer.

“Needlessly,”Bad Nat added.

“We get it,”The Warden yelled down the hall.“Keep the comments to yourself.”

“I should hunt that imbecile down to give him my cleaning bill, though.” Lucifer touched one of the holes in his suit.

“I just don’t understand,” Not-Sasha murmured quietly from where she still kneeled on the pavement. “You loved me in your last life.”

“Much has changed. Me. You. Our relationships. I thought you wanted to solidify things with your mate? You told Nathalie as much when you warned her away.”

“After my ordeal in the veil,” Sasha began in a clipped tone, “I decided that I don’t want him anymore. He’s not worthy of me and clearly, you make each other happy. She looked in my direction. “You should explore that. Just that.”

“Wow, okay.” I cocked my head at her, trying to see through her mask. “Thanks for the memo, I guess.”

“Hmm,” Lucifer hummed. “Quite some timing there. The veil must have really done a number on you.”

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