Page 94 of Legendary

“She wants what she’s always wanted. For that angel infested realm to pay. I have no quarrel with Heaven’s Gate, but I’ve gotten an idea of what I could have, and I want that. I watch you, relay messages to you, I provide her with whatever she needs from Hell, and I get a piece of whatever she’s got in store for the new realm she wants to make, just like I was always owed. She’s even willing to let you end Isabel’s life yourself once she’s fully served her purpose. Poor thing has been trying to work around your High Priestess’s wards for some time now.”

“And of course, she can’t because Isabel is superior garbage. I thought your father wasn’t a fan of Lilith, so why would he be providing her anythingfrom Hell.”

Dimitri chuckled. “He isn’t, but I don’t need his permission to bring her the things she wants. Once she succeeds in taking over Heaven’s Gate, she’ll need the dark magic that Hell caters to. It’s all quite simple, we just need you to start playing your part. Choose her, Dani. I mean honestly, sweetheart, you aren’t doing them—” He pointed towards Nick. “Any favors by trying to play the side of good and being a hero. It’s not your style and quite frankly it’s no fun.”

“I won’t get pushed into a corner.”

He held up his hands. “No pushing. Just stating facts. I can taste that dark fire in you waiting to be unleashed and creating havoc like you used too. That’s all she wants. It saddens me to know you aren’t aiming to reach your full potential.”

“It saddens you. Do you hear yourself?” I saw Nick's hands go to the very ends of the arms of his chair and they twisted underneath them. He squeezed, his fingers flexing over and over again.

“I only speak with honesty. She told me that she knows you can’t resist the edge the darkness brings; that altercation with that Enchanter child proved that. She wants you to put yourself out of your own misery and head home. That castle that’s waiting for you, waiting for you to unleash all that real power. You come to her, and she’ll let your friends go, so long as she has you.”

“That place isn’t my home.” He knew about Yuri. How much more was Dimitri aware of?

Dimitri raised his eyebrows. “Oh really? Where then? You think grassy, light filled Heaven’s Gate is your home? That is too sweet that you also believe that. It very well could have been, I assume, and without Lilith, you would have been some weak, virtuous creature.”

“Are you going to say anythingworthsaying anytime soon?” Nick piped up, tilting his head to the side.

Dimitri rubbed his lips together, clearly annoyed. “She hasn’t told me all her details, but she said you would put all her voided demons to shame. You know where to find her, you always have. I will tell you that Isabel warded it a while back so if outsiders tried to storm it and Enchanters who tried to escape, like your little necromancer friend and his family, would be quite literally obliterated if they tried to pass through on either side. So, if you’re thinking about ambushing her I wouldn’t.”

I never wanted to just go into that castle without any sort of plan, but now the options were severely limited. Isabel must have filled him in about Garrett and Leah. Lilith hardly came to Devil’s Playground unlessshe absolutely had to. “There are always ways around things, Dimitri. If Purgatory has taught me anything, it’s that there is likely always a loophole. And if not, then you make one.”

“Resilience at its finest. And here I thought you couldn’t get any more beautiful.”

My eyes had never rolled so hard in all of my existence. “I won’t choose her.”

“Then she will force your hand.”

“She can try.”

“I told you I would inform you of what we spoke of and that was it.”

I got up from my chair, placing my hands on his desk and leaning over. “You always came to Lilith at her castle. She made you come to her; she always likes to make creatures work for her. Why in the hell would she come to you all of a sudden? Meet with you here?”

Dimitri got up as well, mimicking my movements and eventually my exact stance. “Because, pretty girl, despite it seeming like Lilith makes the rules, I am allotted my own demands. Lucifer and my father still and will forever rank much higher than her around here. I don’t like to make a fuss, but I am allowed to refuse the queen of darkness every now and again. Sometimes she does come tome.” He lifted his hand and stroked my face, his thumb caressing my skin. I didn’t lean into the touch, nor did I move away. I just stayed still. Dimitri gave me a small smile.

“I’m a pretty simple man to please. Lilith wants what she wants, and I want what I want. I don’t want to hurt you Dani, but I can’t stop her from doing what she must. Her kindness is fleeting, and your friends won’t be able to protect you when the time comes, nor will you be able to protect them.” He drew a line from my jaw, up to my mouth and traced my bottom lip. “We would make a powerful team. Everything andeveryoneelse are technicalities.”

I felt Nick’s tall, looming presence before he spoke. He had gotten out of his chair and stood next to me, so close that our bodies almost touched. “I’m pretty sure she said no.” He reached his hand out and grabbed Dimitri’s wrist, yanking his hand away from me. Dimitri curled his finger back and his eyes flared. His pupils dilated and his irises turned a bright, neon red. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that his men were starting to move in closer. They were surveying their master, making sure they didn’t need to intervene.

Dimitri’s red eyes bore into Nick’s brown ones. “I will refrain from ending your life because I have high respect for this woman who seems to like parading you around, but also understand I could rip those pretty wingsI know your kind has right off your back and throw you into the fiery pits of my home.”

Nick held onto the wood of the desk so hard that I heard it start to make a creaking noise. Ugh, men. I slapped my hand down on the desk, grabbing their attention. “Her kindness is not my concern and just like her kindness, my patience is fleeting. It is funny though that you are so forthcoming with all this, almost like she wanted you to relay everything back to me.”

Dimitri shrugged. “My meeting with her wasn’t a secret and perhaps she did wish for me to explain your options to you. Better it come from me than if she sent more hellhounds to your door and had Isabel do it.”

“You damn near acted like you were doing me some kind of favor when all you were doing was her bidding just like everyone else. So please, let’s not pretend like you are any more useful to her than Isabel, Markus or even Cullen was.”

Dimitri adjusted his suit jacket. “Ah, Cullen. You did quite the number on him.” He ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing down a few of the pieces. I let the memories of the Ethereal Bastille run through my mind for a moment and then they were gone. “She underestimated how involved you’d gotten with certain individuals. Clearly your tastes have changed, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t choose the right side.” His still raging red eyes zeroed in on Nick who looked back at him, unnerved and unmoved.

“I can’t be charmed into submission, so this meeting was a waste of my time and speaking to you has clearly been a waste of my breath,” I said, annoyed that I thought that he would be more useful than he actually was.

He laughed, his eyes glowing a bit as he held his stomach before he collected himself. “It’s funny that you think that you aren’t already being pushed, inch by inch. Resistance gets you nowhere.” He looked over to Nick. “And angels are feeble creatures that will only ever bring you down, case in point.” Before I knew it, Dimitri reached out towards Nick's arm, his fingernails extending out to razor sharp black tips. His nails scratched Nick's arm, the sound of ripping skin ringing in my ears. Nick cried out, immediately pulling his arms towards his body as blood leaked out from the gashes. Dimitri brought his nails to his lips and tasted Nick’s blood. He let the dark, red liquid settle on his tongue before he swallowed. His red eyes sparkled with intrigue.

“Pathetically weak,” Dimitri taunted as Nick held his arm to his chest. “But there is something deliciously dark. You should really consider—” he started but before he could continue Nick grunted and brought his good arm back throwing a stream of light at Dimitri’s direction. I hadn’t seen angelic magic used that often, unless I counted Jonah and them using it during ourfight during the briefing room ambush, but from Nick it was surprising. Without his weapon, he had to result to other things and, as much as he didn’t want to rely on his magic, decisions had to be made.

The light was white but had a golden outline that made it look as beautiful as it was potentially deadly. Given the right amount of force and effort, that kind of power could do some real damage. Nick didn’t want to cause infinite problems, so I had a feeling he had held back. It was bright enough that Dimitri flinched right as it flew towards him, landing along the side of his face and dispersing off onto his shoulder. When the light dissipated, the entire left side of his face was scorched red and the skin along his jaw was bubbling from the heat damage. The fabric of his jacket had charred off on his shoulder and every time he took a breath, small black remnants fell to the ground.

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