Page 122 of Lucifer's Redemption

“We will not hurt you.” The little satyr—who had the top half of a human and the bottom half of a goat—put his hand on my arm. His eyes looked like those of a goat with funny slits in them and he had curved horns coming from his head.

“He’s right, we would never.” The minotaur’s gruff voice was muffled by the huge ring in his nose. His eyes narrowed, appraising me. “She’s quite small. Do you think Silas was right, and we are to have one of these as a mate? I think I would break one.”

“Oh flower,” I whispered. “I—I have mated already!” I chuckled nervously at the hisses from the snakes and the loud goat neigh from the satyr

“Not you,” the minotaur boomed.

“Silas found out what mates were, and once we are allowed to go to the surface, we will all find ours!” the satyr clarified hurriedly.

The minotaur said he was friendly, but he looks absolutely terrifying. I can’t believe those poor women had to be mated to these monsters.

“Come now, we are celebrating. Why don’t you join us?” I gulped as the Satyr pulled my hand. “I’m Rhos.” He flashed me a fanged smile.

Why does everyone need fangs?

“I’m Uriel,” I muttered as they pulled me down the hall.

Everyone was so excited to see me, their names came to me in a blur. The minotaur said very little, he just clopped his hooves against the ground while some snake-like creatures sat near him. The rest of the creatures—the nicer-looking ones—stayed near me trying to comfort my beating heart.

“Thanks to you, we get to leave this place. Not that it is terrible here. We love working here, but we always felt like something was missing.”

The monsters hummed in agreement as they brought me into the room I peeked in earlier. It had televisions, pool tables, a food buffet, and games spread out on the tables.

“We were celebrating!” Rhos pulled me to the couch and sat me down. The snake people used their massive tails, which began at the waist of their human-like torso, as a make-shift chair. Their slitted eyes on their human faces looked me up and down as their forked tongues slinked out of their mouths.

I covered my mouth with my hand.I’m going to puke.

Rhos laughed, bringing me a plate of food piled with raw meat and grass. “I was not sure what you would like, so I got a little of everything.”

I stared at the plate, taking much too long to take it from him, causing an awkward silence before I finally accepted it. I forced out, “T-thank you,” and put it down on the table. “I just ate though, I’m very full,” I lied, rubbing my stomach. It rumbled, betraying me at just the right time, and the Minotaur chucked in the corner with his bulging arms crossing his body.

“She eats like Master, not like us.” The spider we saw earlier squeezed his legs through the door. His dark exoskeleton clicked as six of his legs alternately hit the floor, two of the shorter legs were nestled near his body, and his arms were almost as long as his legs.

I froze, watching his sharp chelicerae which clasped in the front of his face horizontally. He could open and close them like pinchers. “Flowers,” I whimpered.

Rhos sat close to me, and at that moment, I really wanted Luci here. I knew they would not hurt me, but they gave me the heebie-jeebies!

“Goddess Uriel?” The spider came closer, and I leaned back into the couch as best I could.

“Uh, huh?” I hummed, barely.

“Master has yet to give me a name, and with the new information about gaining a mate, I would like to have a name that would attract one.” His chelicerae pinched together; his mouth barely moved, but the hint of teeth on the inside of his mouth made me think he was smiling. “Will you give me a name?” The other monsters in the room quieted. One even dropped the bucket he was eating out of in the corner.

“A name?”

The spider lowered himself to my level, leaning over the table. He was certainly different and exuded no ill-intent as he rubbed his hands together. “Please?” he twilled.

“That isn’t fair,” one centaur said. “He will get the upper hand with a better name!” He threw his hands out. The monsters growled for him to hush as the room went silent again.

A name so special it makes his mate want him?

I don’t know one woman alive that would want to be mated to this creature. My mom hated spiders; in fact, she had a special ward cast around our house to keep the creepy crawlies out.

As they all patiently waited, I ran through names in my head, searching for something that a woman would find attractive. It was all on me. My hands went to my face, feeling the burn as everyone watched.

“Little goddess, I will not blame you if my mate rejects me.” His long arm stretched to touch my shoulder. He pulled it back after using his finger to test my skin. “So soft,” he muttered as the door burst open revealing my fuming mate.

His wings extended from his body and there was a fire in his footsteps as he entered. The room grew dark, and Loki stood at the doorway in awe.

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