Page 145 of Lucifer's Redemption

“Remember what I said? Family vacation with mates and children once things settle down,” Mom reiterated.

Vulcan’s mate, Tamera had given birth to the triplets just the day before. and busy was pretty much an understatement in our family right now. The two girls and one boy were dubbed Amaryllis, Alexandra, and Angelos. I loved the names instantly and couldn’t wait to cradle at least one baby in my arms. The way gods healed so quickly after birth, Tamera was more than happy to bring the new family of five to the bonding ceremony today. Now I could finally meet my new sister-in-law at the party and play with the babies to my heart’s content.

“Watch out, you might give Uriel baby fever,” Mom warned. “I’m not sure she is quite ready for that.” Mom eyed me warily.

That was true. I wasn’t ready to have a baby, just yet. But having fun with other god’s babies made me feel all gooey inside.

“I only want to be Luci’s good girl right now,” I said absentmindedly, trying to look out the tent flap and listen to the music playing outside. “He tells me all the time what a good girl I am taking his—” Vulcan slapped his hand over my mouth, I still tried to mumble the word though.

Mom’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?” she choked.

Vulcan removed his hand, shaking his head.

Hanging my mouth open, I glanced back at my parents who were visibly disturbed. “Umm,” I patted my lips with my fingers, trying to figure out something else to say—but I had nothing.

Mom continued to stare at me until Ember broke the tension. “It’s starting,” she whispered, ushering Vulcan out of the tent.

Mom and Dad silently stood on either side of me, my arms hooking in with both. “She’s mated now, Hera,” my dad whispered to her. I smiled, remembering that I was already mated.

Luci was mine and I was his, and there was nothing, or nobody, to ruin it.

“Yes, we are definitely mated. We mated like…” I held my hands up trying to count just how many times, but Father shoved my hands down quickly with a nervous chuckle.

“She doesn’t need to know. Your mother is always going to see you as her innocent little girl, so let’s not remind her so much.”

I shoved out my lip. My mom was still tense at the thought that I was mated. Dad is the one who should be more over-protective—that was how it worked in all the stories and movies I had watched. Dad looked at Luci with such pride now though. Maybe it was because Luci had saved me, and he knew we matched each other so well. Mom, even with Kronos influencing her decisions, deep down always thought of me as hers, and hers alone.

I shrugged my shoulders.She just has to get over it.

“Ready?” Ember whispered, opening the white leather flap.

The salty air filled the tent, and the beautiful lull of the ocean sent a calming wave of ease as Mom took a breath. Squeezing my arm with hers, we stepped out into the light and the privacy of the Isle of Dragons.

The rows of beautiful, white, padded seats held not only the gods but most of the werewolves from Ember’s home pack, including her parents—former Alpha Wesley and Luna Charlotte.

Enormous white and red flower petals lined the aisle, the smoothness of the petals mixing with the grainy sand sent a rush of happiness through me. Before we took the next steps to meet my mate, who I had yet to see, four little hands pulled at my dress.

To my surprise, Thalamere and Alyssa, the prince and princess of Atlantis whispered my name. “Goddess Uriel!” Their faces lit up like a thousand stars. Letting go of my parent’s arms I hugged them both tightly.

I never even thought to invite them.

My eyes, which had been firmly planted on the sea of rose petals in the sand, glanced at the end of the aisle. Luci, who normally is in black attire, was wearing sandy-colored dress slacks and a white button-up shirt with the top button undone. His face was clean-shaven, and his hair was gelled back to perfection. My eyes watered, looking at how handsome he was. He graced me with his handsome smile as he stared.

“We have to go back now.” Thalamere pointed back to the row with his parents, the King and Queen of Atlantis.

“Kiss him good!” Alyssa kissed my cheek while I giggled watching them meet back with their friends, Manta and Scurry, on the seats that were far too large for them.

Standing back up and taking my parent’s arms for support, I looked to my God of Destruction once more. The darkness that had surrounded him when we first met was completely gone. His hand left his pocket, holding it out for me as my parents, knocking me out of my stupor, pulled me down the aisle. But my eyes never left my Lucifer.

Chapter 63

Lucifer

Shepaused,kneelingonthe soft sand, finally looking up from her thick lashes as the Atlantean prince and princess got her attention. It was the first time she saw me. She was too busy looking at her parents and thinking about how happy it made her that they were there, and alive.

It had been a long week, with most of it spent in our room. When we did eventually emerge, I had to pacify the soon-to-be in-laws by convincing them that I would forever take care of their daughter. Michael must have seen something inside me—that I would lay down my life for his daughter, my mate—because he pulled me into a hug without hesitation. Hera was still leery of me, as anyone should be. However, I was Uriel’s mate, and in the end, I helped save her, sucking the evil that dared try to taint her soul of innocence using the bond we shared.

As much as she put on a brave face for her family after her near-death experience, she reverted to her child-like ways during the three days we spent together huddled in our bed. I spent a significant portion of that time constantly reassuring her that she was fine; she was safe, and that never again would the prophecy rear its ugly head, because she had saved us all. Uriel’s craving for sweets and decadent chocolate increased during that time as well. Of course, I was happy to spoil her until her cravings subsided. Luckily, it was only for those few days, just her way of coping as she worked through the turmoil of almost losing everything—her parents, me, the life of all the innocent—if she had died. It was a lot to handle, for any goddess.

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