Page 9 of Letters to Satan

“Um...” I begin, careful to choose my words correctly. “On an average day, we usually get around five hundred letters, but that amount triples during the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.”

Cadbury chooses that moment to enter with a tray full of hot chocolates, and I raise my brow with a small huff of a laugh. He’s gone all out. Steam rises from the mugs of cocoa, each topped with fluffy marshmallows and a candy cane leaning against the side, ready for stirring.

“Thank you, Caddy,” I say as he places our cups in front of us. I pull mine to my lips and blow over the surface, but Lucifer takes a long swig without even giving it time to cool.

“Careful!” I reach for him as he raises a brow in my direction. What was I going to do, exactly? Swat away the offending drink like a knight in red armor? “You’ll burn yourself,” I add weakly as his eyes light up and he upends his mug, drinking half of it in a single gulp.

“Aww, are you afraid I’ll be hurt?” Lucifer purrs as he flutters his eyes at me, those thick lashes curtaining over his chestnut eyes. “That’s cute. Don’t worry about me, Daddy Christmas. Hell is hot.” He pulls the blistering drink back to his mouth and takes another long swig, completely unaffected.

Oh, that’s how it’s going to be, is it?

“Daddy Christmas, huh?” I ask, trying not to let it show how much I love the sound of that. As his tongue flicks out to clean his lips, I can’t help the way I stare.

Simply checking whether it’s forked, of course.

It isn’t.

Just pink and soft as it darts between his pouty lips.

He hurls me back to reality as he thunks his mug onto the desk and opens his mouth. “Alright, about the problem at hand. How do you intend to handle these letters that keep finding their way to me? I cannot spare any time for such trivial matters.”

“There aren’t that many, and theyareaddressed to you.” Leaning back, I arch an eyebrow at him, puzzled by his inability to simply place the letter in the outbox to be picked up along with his mail. Xalreth growls low under his breath, and I canalmost see Lucifer’s hair stand up on end in his indignation.

Little fury cat, showing his claws.

“They are obviously not intended forme,” he shouts, standing as he jabs his finger into the stack of letters. “Who in their right minds would askSatanfor a new car unless they want one for their enemies, already rigged to explode? No, this isyourproblem to fix.”

He leans forward over my desk, bringing his face perilously close to mine as he taunts me. “And I’m not leaving untilyouhandle it.” A quiet, indignant laugh leaves me in a rush of air, because I knew he was a brat. It took less than thirty minutes for his true colors to come out to play.

To prove my point, he swats at the stack of letters and sends them scattering into the air to flutter to the ground.

My palms slam onto the desk and I stand, and a fire flares bright in his eyes as he tilts up to look at me. It’s the first time he lets me see it—the predator that lies beneath that adorable disguise. The thrill of a challenge burns over his expression, but if he expects me to bow to him, he has another thing coming.

“Your little temper tantrum isn’t winning you any favors, Lucifer. Sit. Down.” Shock paints his face as his pupils eclipse his eyes, and his tongue flickers out again.

Is that from nerves?

Or excitement?

I wonder if anyone’s ever put him in his place.

Xalreth charges me with a snarl, but I reach out and grab him, not taking my eyes off Lucifer as I hold him by his neck. “You are inmyhouse, inmydomain, and you will be respectful. Now sit down before I come over there andmake you.” My voice is low, calm and quiet, but the threat is there, and it hangs heavy in the air.

We’re so close our noses are touching, and Xalreth’s struggling breath comes in wheezes.

“What will you do?” Lucifer is breathy, his eyes darting around my face.

Oh, this is interesting.

Fascinating, even.

A smirk slowly spreads across my lips as I tilt my head in amusement. “Don’t sound so eager to be punished, Your Highness.” That tongue moves over his already shining lips again, and I lower my gaze to track the movement before returning to his eyes, molten honey as they lock on mine. “Now, call off your pet and let’s have a civil conversation like gentlemen.”

“Xalreth, sit.”

I release my grip as he sucks in a long inhale, furious as he twirls towards Lucifer. “Damien, you cannot allow—”

“Sit!” he commands, louder this time, not ending our stare-off as Xalreth fumes, dropping into his chair with a gush of air and a lot of grumbling.

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