Page 71 of All's Hell That Ends Well

Denying it would be useless, even if strategically, it would be more sensible to downplay my devotion to Zoe so she wouldn’t make a clear target to hurt me while she was under someone else’s control. I’d already very publicly pledged my love to her, and the string of challenges and battles I’d fought on her behalf eight years ago when I’d needed to push back against othersdisrespecting her had proved beyond a doubt how attached I was to her.

I’d made it common knowledge how much she meant to me, but that didn’t mean I had to rise to Ashtaroth’s goading.

“The way I hear it,” I said, scratching my jaw, “she put Samael squarely in his place. Shoved him clean through a wall, with him scrambling to pick himself up. I sure hope your son has recovered.”

From the physical injuries? Sure. From the slight to his ego and reputation? Doubtful.

“Quite curious how she came to be so powerful,” Ashtaroth replied, sidestepping my jab with Machiavellian elegance. “And even more curious the question as to what Lucifer wants with her. For it seems to be more than just to aggravate you. What is it that she does for him?”

I laughed. “Naive of you to assume he’s made me privy to his thoughts.”

Which wasn’t a lie.Luciferhadn’t told me about the mission to find Lilith’s reincarnation—Zoe had. And while I could lie and deceive with the best of us, I’d found it better to stick to half-truths or twist my words such as to obfuscate, because adept as we all were at speaking falsehoods, we were just as excellent at sniffing them out.

“He’s keeping her close, I hear.” Ashtaroth pursed her lips, a sardonic smile taking over her face. “Veryclose. In his private wing even, near his chambers. Treating her with the kind of care befitting someonemorethan a mere high-ranking member of his court.” She clucked her tongue and shook her head in mock sadness. “It sure seems like he’s takenallof your claims on her.”

The only reason my blood wasn’t boiling at this moment was the sure knowledge that what she insinuated wasn’t true. Zoe had told me in detail about all of her encounters with Lucifer, aswell as those with Samael, who’d implied the same thing—much to Zoe’s obvious horror and disgust.

If there was one thing I was certain of in this world, it was Zoe’s unshakable loyalty to me and what we shared.

“Oh, Ash,” I purred, letting my lips twitch up in a derisive smile. “It’s unlike you to be grasping at straws. Can’t you make up a more credible lie? You used to be so creative. Or is it an error in your intelligence that makes you jump on a falsity believing it to be true, to be wielded against your opponents? I’d have expected your spies to be better informed. As it stands, their negligence makes you look the fool.”

Ashtaroth’s eyes flared with an inner fire, but before she could toss me her repartee, Abaddon spoke.

“As much as I enjoy you two at each other’s throats,” he said, rising to his feet, “this meeting has run its course, and I do have better things to do than to watch verbal sparring.” He waved a hand. “Now, if you were to disrobe and go at it in a more physical way, that I would watch. Otherwise, you have overstayed your welcome and I’ll bid you all to leave.”

Ashtaroth bared her teeth at me but didn’t immediately discount the idea of taking our argument to the sexual level. Even were Zoe not in my life and my body not pledged to her alone, the idea of hate-fucking that bitch made my skin crawl.

Which was why I didn’t even have to act to mimic throwing up in my mouth.

Tamiel laughed, Baal chuckled, and Daevi smirked. Ashtaroth’s power vibrated darkly as she stared daggers at me, then she got up from her seat and swept out of the room.

The meeting adjourned, all participants going their separate ways, and Daevi and I left together with the respective entourages we’d brought from our courts. We flew in silence until we neared the spot where our paths would diverge, our territories lying in opposite directions.

Let us speak, Daevi said, sending her thoughts directly along the link we used for mental communication.

My wings beating the hot air, I asked point-blank,Will you tell Lucifer what Ashtaroth said?

If he’ll see me.

I sent her a curious look.Are you not still close to him?

Her light brown face drew tight with concern and frustration.We barely talk. I bring him news of Naamah, but that is the extent of our meetings. Oftentimes, he won’t even face me, will demand I slide the letter Naamah wrote him underneath his door.Her red-and-brown eyes were hard as she met my gaze over the steady beating of our wings.He didn’t leave that room, or at least the private wing, for years, Azazel. From what I heard, the first time he’d been seen outside of it was only recently, in the company of a large hellhound.

That would be Vengeance, I said. At her questioning glance, I added,Zoe’s hound.

Her brows rose ever so slightly.

Apparently, he’s been taking care of the dog personally during Zoe’s travels on Earth. That’s what she told me.

Her brows rose even more.He seems to hold her in high regard indeed. What Ashtaroth said?—

Is false, I interrupted her firmly.Zoe would rather voluntarily lay herself underneath the glass floor of his entrance hall to be eaten alive by rats than be intimate with him.I sent her a challenging look.And have you ever known him to force himself on someone who didn’t want his touch?

Because while one could accuse Lucifer of a lot of things, being a rapist wasn’t one of them.

No, was her immediate reply.He would never take pleasure without consent.

Contrary to other things he takes without permission, I murmured.

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