Page 29 of Premonition of Peace

I bristled slightly, instantly feeling annoyed at myself for the hint of jealousy his question stirred up. I had no reason to be jealous. I knew that. It wasn’t even my place to be jealous. He wasn’t mine. Finally, I shook my head. “I don’t know. Honestly, that’s the answer to just about everything right now, but I don’t know if she’s capable of coming back.”

I waited, thinking he was going to turn this into a conversation about the aurae bond.

He nodded a few times, thinking about what I’d said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Before I could respond, we both lifted our heads to the obnoxious sound of a chair dragging across the floor. My mouth hung slightly open as Lucifer plopped down between us in a chair stolen from the occupied table behind us.

“I think it’s time we officially met,” he said, holding out his hand to August. “Lucifer Morningstar.”

August didn’t move, just looked between Lucifer and me. I’d caught him up on every detail . . . except one.

“He was dead,” he said flatly. His jaw sharpened like he was clenching his teeth, and the hand holding mine squeezed a fraction tighter.

“Was. I’m not anymore,” Lucifer replied smoothly, tucking his hand away.

“Did you bring him back?” August asked, his voice laced with surprise and a hint of accusation.

“No—well, yes? Sort of, but not on purpose, and not in the way you think,” I explained quickly.

“How many ways are there to bring someone back from the dead?” August asked. “I thought the only way a witch could is through resurrection.”

Running my free hand through my hair, I pulled at the tangles that had managed to appear in the last half an hour since brushing it. “Um, usually, yes. This situation is a little different, though. Lucifer is a demon and feeds off desire. He used Samhain to cross the veil.”

“She’s shortening the story,” Lucifer butted in. “Leaving out all the best parts aren’t we, little witch?”

I cut my eyes to him in a way that absolutely screamed,“Shut the hell up.”Lucifer looked completely unbothered in the face of my ire and August’s irritation. Of course he would. Fucking devil.

August’s thumb brushed over my hand gently in a calming manner. Lucifer leaned forward, his eyes locking onto August’s.

“We need to have a talk,” he said, ignoring my death glare. “Since we’re both going to be with Nathalie, everyone should be on the same page.” He said it like it was the most normal thing in the world, and I wished the booth cushion would just swallow me whole. August looked at me, my face undoubtedly red.

“This isnot,” I emphasized in a lowered hiss, “what I had in mind for how to tell August.”

Lucifer shrugged. “I’m saving you the stress of the conversation and ripping the band-aid off.”

August didn’t react outwardly. He kept stroking my hand as if Lucifer didn’t drop a bomb on him. “What’s there to get on board with? We’re both with her—well all three of us, if we’re including the kid.” I lifted my eyebrow at the way he addressed Marcel.

“You do realize he’s three years older than me, right?”

“Physically. You’re an old soul and wise beyond your years,” August responded.

“Sharing isn’t in my nature. My little witch is quite attached to you, though, so for her, I’ll make this work.” Lucifer pointedly ignored me until he tacked on, “So long as things are kept fair.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I demanded, feeling my face heat up even more.

“I’m not sure yet. It can look many ways. We could always trade off days or nights with you,” Lucifer replied.

“No,” I said firmly, pulling my hand gently from August’s so I could get my point across. “I’m not a toy you can schedule time with. That’s not how this is going to go. I still have free will, and if I’m pissed at someone”—I shot a pointed look at Lucifer”—then I’m not spending time with him just to suit a stupid schedule. This alsoisn’t a priority right now.”

Lucifer’s expression softened slightly. “It’s my priority,” he said, then turned to August. “What about you?”

August met Lucifer’s gaze, his resolve clear. “Nathalie is my priority,” he said simply. “Which brings us back to my original question: can I help you at all, Nat?”

Lucifer scoffed. “She doesn’t want help. She thinks she should go it alone.”

“I was speaking to the lady,” August said, keeping his cool as he spoke curtly to the devil. “When I address you, you’ll know it.”

I gritted my teeth, not liking Lucifer’s tone, or his presence. Before he could respond to August, I laid into him. “That is not what I said. I said don’t wantyourhelp because you have a tendency to act without thinking.”

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