Page 102 of A Witch-ish Guide to Protectors and Pendulums

“This is Luc, known better as Lucifer,” I said, snickering in anticipation of his coming. My cousin didn’t disappoint.

Karro started coughing. “Lucifer—liketheLucifer?”

Luc threw out one of those smarmy, used car salesman smiles. “I see you’ve heard of me.” I half expected him to cluck his tongue and shoot a finger pistol at the man.

“Luc, brother, leave him alone,” Connor said. Luc turned a ‘sit your ass down’ look on my mate. Shaking his head he replied, “Everyone has heard of you.” Luc’s looks didn’t appear to bother Connor one bit.

“You always ruin my fun.”

“I’ll tell you what, you can have fun antagonizing Kimaris if you get the wards set before he wakes up again.”

Luc rolled his eyes at my mate but grabbed a white crystal from my hand, ramming the point into the floorboards. Next he did the same with the pinkish one, followed by the gray crystal, ending with the second white one that was diagonal from the first white one, forming a square.

“That’s it?” I asked.

“You’ll see. He’s stirring now.” Luc dropped on the sofa, man-spreading his legs to get comfortable and draping his arms over the back of it. He gestured with his head for Shafira to sit next to him. She walked over to him but put a bit of space between them and she took up as little space as possible. It was actually pretty funny to watch. I got it. She was in the presence of greatness. Andheknew it.

Karro raised his hands, ready to throw down if necessary. As Kimaris roused, he lunged for Karro but hit the invisibleshield, cracking his face—well, his whole body—and throwing him backward onto the floor.

“The fuck?” Kimaris raged, and Luc, looking completely bored, sighed heavily for Kimaris to hear him.

Luc never looked up from picking the imaginary dirt from under his fingernails. “Calm your tits. You’re not getting out unless I let you out.”

Kimaris snapped his head around to look at Luc and I kind of had to feel bad for the guy. He turned green before our eyes and I got it. One really didn’t want the fury of Lucifer coming down on them. “Lucifer,” he whispered.

“Kimaris… tut, tut, tut… you’ve been bad. Everyone in Hades knows that Connor here is my righthand man, and you tried to kill him with black salt?”

“I didn’t—” he started, but Luc raised his hand to stop him.

“Don’t embarrass yourself. We all know what you did. Now I need to knowwhy. What’s Satan’s endgame? Why is he attacking the witch covens? What’s his beef with Connor and his mate?”

“Satan has no beef,” he replied and that was so the wrong thing to say. I was used to the loveable Luc. Kimaris’s lie released the power of Lucifer.

As he rose from the sofa, I’d swear in a court of law he grew by like a foot or more. He loomed over us. A red glow engulfed his skin and his eyes turned to fire. “Do not lie to me.”

This version of Luc, the fallen angel, the creator of Hell, scared me enough that I was on the brink of spilling every secret I’d ever kept to the man. Kimaris cowered like a sniveling rat. “We need the Lilium. Word has it she possesses power to rival even yours.” He used his head to gesture to me. “And there are two.”

“Why is he starting shit now?” Connor asked, well, demanded.

“It’s been in the works for some time. I don’t know why. I only know that I’ll be handsomely rewarded for my compliance.”

“Or…” Luc paused for dramatic effect—the man was such a diva. “You can die and we’ll go on with our lives as if you never existed.” Kimaris swallowed, looking about a second and a half from getting sick all over the floor. But when Luc raised his arm, Kimaris shot his hands out in front of him.

“Please,don’t—” he begged.

“Thentell mewhat Iwant to know.” A pissed-off Luc got me a little hot and bothered. Damn, I was a mated woman. He seriously needed to dial back the pheromones or whatever he used on the ladies because if Connor knew the thoughts going through my head right now, he’d go ballistic. “What is Satan up to?”

“It’s not Satan. I swear.”

Luc, not being a demon, had no trouble reaching through the wards. He lifted Kimaris up by his shirt collar until the usually intimidating man’s feet dangled off the floor.

“Who is behind this?” Luc spat, giving Kimaris a shake for good measure.

“I don’t know. I received an envelope with instructions—I swear. There’s a liaison, a man—Cain—he contacts me. He promised that if I helped, I’d be handsomely rewarded. I was told that it was in my best interest not to tell Satan about this or I’d bring revenge down on his entire quadrant.”

“And you accepted?” Connor asked.

“I’m a demon. Who’s going to turn down an offer like that? I keep my boss safe and get a big payday? I’m evil, not stupid.”

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