Page 23 of How to Accidentally Become the Devil

Of fucking course, she notices me before I can pull my head out of my ass and run away.

“You didn’t have to come look for me. I was going to come back,” she grumbles.

Hmm trouble in paradise?

Just as I open my mouth to flay her with words meant to hurt, Luc’s familiar power slams into me. I don’t know what I did this time, to earn his ire, but I know instantly it’s Luc suffusing through my body. My breath hitches and tears pour from my eyes.

What the fuck kind of punishment is this?

“Zeph!” Maddy cries.

Yeah. wrong twin Sweetheart.

Arms wrap around my waist as my legs give out and she lowers us to the floor.

I haven’t let anyone touch me since Luc let me go. I’ve felt so much resentment and self loathing, I couldn’t stomach the thought of anyone touching me.

Of course, now, I don’t have much say in the matter. Which only serves to piss me off more. Until her arms tighten around me, squeezing me in a tight hug.

She thinks I’m my brother, her mate. Of course, she’d try to comfort him.

I haven’t felt comfort in decades. I forgot how good it feels. As tears slide down my cheeks, I let myself soak up her compassion even if it’s not forme.

Something shifts when I stop fighting. Stop pretending I don’t feel the mate bond pulling us together and just give in to the solace her touch brings me. My body heats where we’re touching and the warmth seeps into me until I feel it spreading, chasing the chill of Luc’s power until all I feel is Maddy’s fire.

“I’ll fix this, Zarreth. I promise,” she whispers, shocking the hell out of me.

She knows it’s me.

My tears dry and I tip my head back, looking at her in awe.

How did she do that?No one is more powerful than Lucifer.

I slowly sit up, pulling away from her. “What the fuck was that about?”

Her eyes widen and her mouth drops.

I arch a brow. “Might want to close that pouty mouth before you swallow a fly,Sweetheart.”

She scowls at me before her face morphs back to shock. “You’re okay.”

“Shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, you were just sobbing like a baby, so no,” she snarks.

Damn her mouth. Why do I suddenly want to kiss it?

“Yeah, care to explain that?” I already know it was Luc, but I want to know what she knows. And more importantly, if she’ll even tell me.

“Turns out Luc’s not taking the revelation that his kids killed his mate too well. He’s currently in some sort of comatose state in his closet while his powers are making random demons cry.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal. Just another day in Hell.

“You’re telling me, Lucifer has lost control of his powers? And you’re acting like everything is fine?”

“No, I’m not acting like everything is fine! God, you’re such anasshole. I’ve been doing everything I can to try to fix it. I put a ward up to contain his unruly magic to his closet. That’s been working while we search his library for something to help.”

“Well, it’s not working anymore, is it?” I know I’m being a dick, but all this is too much. I don’t know what she did to me, but I’m clinging to the self-preservation devices I’ve relied on these past few years. Even if I’m starting to forget why they were so necessary.

“Right. You’re welcome.Asshole,” she huffs before standing and walking away.

---