Revealing the Monster (Playing with Monsters #4) by Amelia Hutchins

“I don’t know,” I replied, uncertain if that loaded question would set me up for something sinister.

“Because I’m the Devil?” he countered.

“No,” I answered, cradling his face between my palms. “Because love is selfless, and I’m not sure you have the ability to be that. You are reckless, but you want love so badly that you try to force it, and that isn’t how love works. You can’t take people at face value. Pandora isn’t what you think she is, Luc. If I was yours, and I’d been stolen from you? I’d have moved Heaven and Hell to get back to you, and you’d be the first thing I’d run to when I got returned. She was more interested in opening that damned box.”

“She’s charged with keeping it closed, Lena. You don’t know anything about her, so keep your fucking mouth shut. We’re done now. Do you understand me? When we walk out of this room, I am not your protector. I am your tormentor. I will not be gentle, either.”

He grabbed my arm, forcing me to run to keep up with him. His hold on me ached, biting into my flesh as he pulled me behind him. I didn’t have time to ask him what would happen, but then I’d been wrong about him. I couldn’t trust him to protect me, nor could I depend on Lucian to get me out of here.

They weren’t worried about Lucian reaching us, and that terrified me almost as much as the coldness I felt from Lucifer. He yanked me forward and shoved me toward a stone altar. Candles were lit all around the room, and on the side of it lay a crib, where Makenna slumbered. Gazing at her, I turned a moment before Asmodeus nodded at someone behind me.

Something crashed against the side of my head, and I whimpered as my vision swam. Blood pooled at the back of my head, and I reached behind me to touch the throbbing ache when another blow landed, and darkness swallowed me entirely.





Chapter Thirty-Five




Hell is full once more, but not with demons. Monsters have invaded and have come to play. ~Lena



The sound of men arguing woke me from my pain-filled nightmare. I blinked, staring up at a midnight sky. At least, I’d thought it was the sky. My head pounded, and the arguing got louder, adding to my headache. Turning my head to the side, I peered at the men that were screaming at one another.

Lucian stood outside the room’s barrier, his eyes glowing with anger, and Spyder was beside him, as were Ryder, Zahruk, and the other men. Lucifer and Asmodeus were with me on the other side. I tried to sit up, but hands gripped my shoulders, forcing me to peer up into black, sightless eyes.

“You’re not creepy or anything, right?” I muttered, staring at the demon holding me down.

I was weakened from blood loss, which I was certain had been their plan. I gradually turned my head to find Lucian watching me, his face giving nothing away. His entire form hummed with power, but I couldn’t tell what he felt.

If I had to guess, I was going with him really wanting to say ‘I told you so!’ right now. Not that I blamed him, but I’d been with him when I was taken.

“You will hand Lena over to me, now,” Lucian demanded.

“Or what? You can’t walk through the runes made to lock you out,” Lucifer snapped, crossing his arms over his chest while Asmodeus chuckled.

“You can have her once we’re done with her,” he offered, turning to nod at a demon that left the room.

I coughed, unable to get enough air into my lungs in my prone position. My eyes fluttered closed, and I slowly inhaled, only to cough more as something inhuman filled my nose with the putrid scent of death.

“You think I won’t rip this realm down to the baseboards? Give me my seal back, now. I won’t ask you again,” Lucian demanded, sending a strong buzzing noise of power rushing through the room. “These runes only prevent me from coming in the front door, asshole. I’ll come through that fucking floor if I need to.”

“You know you won’t survive topside, Asmodeus. Let our Kitty go, and we will help you take it over; scout’s honor.” Spyder thrummed his fingers on the barrier, his shadows searching it for any weakness but finding none. “Tick Tock, asshole. You piss Lucian off, and he’ll redo that pretty face of yours right after he fucks it.”

“Speaking of fucking, Luc here fucked your whore. She even enjoyed it, coming for him,” Asmodeus said crassly. “She smells deliciously wicked when that kitty is getting petted. Doesn’t she, Lucifer?”

“She’s intoxicating, Lucian. I see why you want to keep her. The thing is, you don’t need her coherent to fuck her, do you? Because I’m pretty sure that Asmodeus found a certain box, and once it’s opened by Lena, her life cycle of being soullessly driven by the furies ends. It’s a win, right? Asmodeus gets his throne in his own realm, which he was promised. I get Pandora back, along with her box being opened, allowing her to slaughter the worthless humans. You, you get your corpse back with the seal still contained inside of it. I fail to see where anyone isn’t happy here.”

“Minus the fact that Magdalena will be dead, asshole,” Spyder spat out, glaring murderously at Lucifer.

“Semantics, Shadow. She is already dead, isn’t she? Her soul is no longer inside of her, and no matter how hard you fucking try, you can’t figure out how to save her. Now you know how it feels to be helpless. It’s not a nice feeling, is it? Oh, that’s right. You were powerless before when I bashed her fucking head in, and you got to watch her slit that pretty throat of hers.”