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

I turned my head, peering across the room where Makenna had been placed into a medieval highchair. Turquoise eyes watched me, and she smiled, making the purest sound of joy that was out of place in the horror show playing out in front of her. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I made a soft sound to her in reply, causing the demon behind me to slap me.

He lifted his hand to assault me again. But Makenna made a gurgling noise, and then the demon let out a shrill cry before he imploded. The babe laughed, waving chubby arms while I gawked at her.

Holy fucking shit! Someone needed to get Jake from State Farm on the phone for this child because she was going to leave destruction in her wake.

I opened my mouth, but the screaming returned as the men argued. My wings itched, forcing me to free them, cutting through the rope holding me in place.

Slowly, I sat up, staring at Lucian while Asmodeus and Lucifer faced away from me. My body felt wrong, and the back of my head ached so much that my vision swam with each subtle movement. The demon that had been sent away reentered the room, turning to look at me where I was perched on my elbows, doing my best to get upright.

Eyes the color of a dark well slid to the remains of the other demon that bathed the wall with goo. The demon shifted his attention to Makenna, who continued making sweet noises. He bared his sharp, elongated teeth in her direction, and she waved her hands in the air, oblivious to the demon that was looking at her as if she was dinner.

The demon slowly made his way to where the Prince of Hell and the Prince of Lust stood, arguing over stupid shit while my head felt as if it once again had fluid escaping from it. I pushed up from the altar, using my wings to help as I fought to get my feet beneath me.

No one looked at me, even though I knew Lucian, and those who had come with him saw my movement. I stumbled forward as Asmodeus turned, smirking while he watched me through narrowing eyes.

“I don’t remember giving you permission to move. Do you? I must say, your perseverance is something to acknowledge, but we’re not to the part where you get to play with us yet, Magdalena.”

“Gods, you’re an asshole,” I muttered crossly, leaning back against the concrete altar that had markings all over it, along with dried blood. “I don’t know who does your housekeeping down here, Luc, but you should get a refund. I think the last victim’s blood is still crusted to this thing.” Cold violet eyes slid to mine, his lips curling inside a snide smile.

My bravado wavered, and a violent shiver snaked down my spine. I just had to make it past Lucifer and Asmodeus to reach Lucian, right? Makenna cooed and my heart sank. I wasn’t leaving her here.

I’d been wrong about Lucifer, and I couldn’t leave her behind. Swinging my gaze toward my sister’s daughter, I swallowed down the tears, knowing that both of us wouldn’t be getting out of here.

If I ran for her, Lucifer would be on me in seconds. That meant I’d have to throw her through the barrier, which left me behind.

My eyes swung back to Lucian’s, finding him shaking his head, reading my mind. I stepped forward, and Asmodeus made a tsking noise as he palmed the dagger in his hand.

“You know, I knew there was something different about the furies the first moment I sensed their arrival. My girls wouldn’t be fighting so hard against me. You’d be helpless to do anything other than what I demanded. Yet you fight me, don’t you, little girl? You’re not entirely soulless, after all. Are you? Nah, someone has been feeding you slivers of their soul but also something else. Lucian has been slowly bonding them inside of you, and no one was aware of it, were they?” Asmodeus asked, gradually making his way to me. “No matter, you see, I always have a backup plan. I had my men fish this dagger out of that prison where Lucian tossed it months ago.”

Lucifer moved closer, smirking wickedly while Asmodeus spoke. My eyes slid between them, holding Lucian’s stare while the two Princes of Hell walked toward me.

“Do you know what one little prick of this dagger will do to you, Magdalena?” Asmodeus asked, his dark blue gaze sparkling with laughter.

“I have a pretty clear picture of what it will do.” I didn’t move a single inch from where I stood, holding onto the altar as my feet refused to hold me up.

“Do you know it is the one dagger that can kill a Nephilim, too? It was actually made to do that, which will rid Lucifer of that pesky creature left behind by your sister. Once you and she die, your line is gone, isn’t it?” he continued. “I guess we should make that happen, shouldn’t we, Lucian? Lucifer has been distracted by the monstrosity that he created, neglecting what’s really important. And you, Lucian? You're supposed to be inside your own realm. Your time is finished here, and with this soulless bitch out of the way, your reason for remaining has disappeared.”

“Fred, you’re so fucked if you think that shit will work,” Erie snorted. “You’re getting duct-taped to the freezer this time.”

“You’re just in time to watch me slaughter this bitch, imagining she’s you, Mórrígan,” he chuckled.

“You’ve been naughty, Fred. Do you honestly believe if you kill Lena, you get to walk away from this? I promise you; you don’t. There’s too many of us and not enough of you left to try your hand and think you have a winning one.”

“Let’s see, shall we?” Asmodeus lunged toward me, but something else slammed into my body before he could reach me. I gasped at the agony in my chest, staring into violet eyes that widened in pain. “You fucking idiot! You weren’t supposed to die yet!”