Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
“Like it would go to you,” I said under my breath.
“You’re afraid. I get that. Liv, whatever you say to me now, it doesn’t count because you’re not you. You’re the scared child part of you. The traumatized part that can’t process another moment of terror.” His expression had gone sympathetic. “I understand that. Just remember when I do find that piece of you and you’re whole again that you don’t have to ask me for forgiveness. It’s yours. My love, my forgiveness, they’re always yours. I hope you find it in you to forgive me, too.”
“For leaving me? For always thinking the worst of me?” I wanted to push him. I felt bad about what I’d done to Kelsey, and here I was doing the same to him.
I was a live wire of anger and hate, and I couldn’t stop myself.
They were the reason my world crumbled twelve years ago, and they’d done the same fucking thing to me when they’d taken me prisoner. I’d been strong, and they’d made me weak.
“Yes,” he replied, not reacting at all to my bile. “For all of those things. For not seeing how much you needed back then. For not fighting harder to find you that day. For being angry when there was no place for that between us. I’ve thought about this, Olivia. I’ve pretty much done nothing but think about this for the last few weeks. I love you. That is the truth of my life. I can’t force that to be the truth of yours, but I will ensure that when you decide, you’ll be whole.”
“Fuck you, Casey,” I said and started to move for the doors. I would go back to my room and maybe get totally lost. Anywhere was better than here.
When the house moved, I would be ready, and they would never see me again. I wouldn’t go back to Myrddin. I would do exactly what I’d just thought. I would move to the outer planes and live alone. No one would make me feel anything again.
My escape was stopped by the little demon who’d been around so much. She burst into the room.
“My lady?” She looked around the salon, obviously out of breath.
“She’s already gone, Crizzelo,” Casey said, dropping to one knee so he was roughly eye level with her. “Has something happened? Lord Sloane and the rest have left for Lucifer’s realm.”
The hellhounds perked up all of the sudden, as though they’d caught a scent and it was something they liked. Even Hercules got to his feet, his tail starting to wag.
“Tix is gone as well?” Crizzelo asked, biting her bottom lip.
“He went with them,” Casey acknowledged.
Crizzelo wrung her hands together, anxiety obvious. “But his mother is here.”
The hounds started to bounce up and down.
“Hello?” a feminine voice said.
And then the doors were opening, and I felt my jaw drop.
I knew that woman and her name wasn’t Lilith.
Nimue. Nimue walked in and dropped to her knees in her flowing gown. Her hair reached her waist, and a smile broke over her as the hounds nearly tackled her. “My babies. What happened to you? Oh, my loves. Who did this to you?”
You. You did this to me. You did this to all of us.
The world seemed to narrow down to her familiar face as I remembered the day Nimue woke up. The day my world broke again.
“Baby?” I heard Casey say.
I was lucky vampires moved fast because I was in his arms as everything went dark and I was taken back in time.
* * * *
Kelsey
I didn’t like the idea of rooms moving around seemingly on their own, but I didn’t have a chance to register my discontent before I was suddenly in what looked to be a massive stone castle.
Lucifer knew how to do medieval chic, that was for sure.
The only lighting I could see came from big torches attached to the stone walls, the flames orange and red and casting wild shadows everywhere.
“Lord and Lady Sloane, welcome to my realm. Such a pleasure to have you here.” The Lucifer I’d met before walked down the hall, clapping his hands together in obvious delight. He wore a three-piece suit, his dark hair slicked back. Everything about the male in front of me looked sleek and modern compared to the old-school surroundings. He looked so solid it was hard to remember this was merely an “aspect” of the being. From what Gray had said, Lucifer was really all around us since he was the realm.
It was all very mystical and magical, and all I could think was I hoped this part of the realm was like his foot or something and not his stomach.
I’m not a mystically oriented girl. I wasn’t filled with wonder. I just worried how would Lee trick the man if he was everywhere?