Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
“I think we might have covered all the books in the Academy besides these,” Naomi says, motioning to the books that Devin just brought over. She’s right since we went into research mode hard after Julian died.
“Fucking Paimon,” I huff. “Really. Fuck that douche of a demon. I cannot wait to get my hands on him and kill that motherfucking fucker once and for all.”
“Did we forget about language?” Kristy gives me a pointed stare. “Not just the swearing but the D-word talk. And don’t say it,” she quickly adds.
“Say what? Dick?” I whisper-yell and Kristy smiles. It’s a fleeting reprieve from how bad things are around us at the moment. “All right. Let’s go through these.” I divvy up the new books on the table and start flipping through pages. This one is more of a history book, explaining how the Gods lost some of their power when mortals stopped worshiping them. Lucifer said something similar, that he liked when people wrote spells just for him. The more souls he acquired, the more power he had to tap into as well.
My mind starts to wander as I flip through the pages. Paimon let the Horsemen out and he almost executed his full plan. Two things got in the way, with the main one being stuck in Hell. But he still bested us in astral form. How the fuck am I going to beat him when he’s standing in front of me?
The Horsemen are powerful. Lucifer might have been onto something when he said he planned to use them. Though control them? I don’t know if I can. But again…that requires me getting my ass down to the Underworld, freeing Lucas, and then what? Find someone else to take his place? Can I pick just any random person off the street and force them into the saddle?
“Fuck,” I grumble and lean forward, head in my hands. I have so many damn questions and need to focus my attention on one thing.
“Maybe we should take a break,” Kristy suggests and looks at her watch.
“It hasn’t been that long,” I counter, not wanting to leave without a solution. Because we have to find something I can work with.
“Really?” Nicole raises her eyebrows and eyes my chest. I reach up and feel my breasts, which are engorged.
“Dammit. Fine. Lunch for us and Juliet and then we’ll come back to it.”
My friends exchange looks, no one wanting to say that this isn’t worth the effort. We didn’t find anything helpful the first time we looked through the books, and we’re not going to find anything helpful now.
“Okay,” Kristy says, forcing a smile on her face. “Let’s get lunch.”
We close all the books and put them away. I stop by Tabatha’s office on the way to get food. She’s sitting on the couch holding Juliet, and three other professors are all gushing over her. My heart swells when I see her, propped up in Tabatha’s arms, curiously looking around.
“Perfect timing,” Tabatha tells me, smiling as she stands. “She had a nice nap, and I just changed her diaper.”
I take my baby and sit where Tabatha had been. Juliet immediately turns her head in, wanting to nurse. I’ve never been particularly shy, but I wasn’t sure how I would feel about breastfeeding in front of others without covering myself up. When I suggested a nursing cover, Lucas looked at me like I was crazy.
“Why cover up our child when you are doing what your body was meant to do?”
His words echo in my head and I have to work hard not to let my eyes fill with tears. He’s given me so much I never thought about before. His love is obvious, of course, and I never stopped to realize how much confidence he’s instilled in me without even meaning to.
I don’t want to do this without him. I don’t want to raise our daughter with only photos and memories of her father. Paimon won the battle, but he’s not winning the fucking war.
I’m getting Lucas back, and if anyone gets in my way, blood will spill.
Chapter
Five
“He’s not coming back,” I say, looking out the window. We’re in Evander’s office and the sun is starting to set. I just want to go home. “When Lucifer leaves, he’s gone for a while.”
“There could be archangels waiting for you. You did use a lot of power,” Kristy reminds everyone. “Maybe stay one more day.”
“We don’t even know for sure if I’m fully hidden here,” I counter, looking at Nicole, Naomi, and Evander’s faces.
“We don’t,” Evander agrees. “But you can’t say it’s not safer here.”
“Lucifer just popped in,” I go on, probably not helping my case. “He didn’t have to open the door or anything. The others can do the same.”
“They’d have to find you first,” Nicole tries. “I agree with Kristy. One more day. And if Lucifer doesn’t come back and give the all-clear, then…I don’t know. Let us try to seek out their power.”