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

“The moment you told me you loved me, you began to die, Lena. Katarina had cursed me to murder anyone that I ever fell in love with again. I acted badly, I admit. But then you died before I could protect you from that curse. I explained to Kendra what would happen when she had Makenna. She would allow us to end the pregnancy to save her life, or we would start working to save you from what you’d done. I wasn’t accepting that you were gone, so we went through the motions because it was all we could do. I worked on this plan that would have been perfect, except you allowed Nyx and Hades to put the furies into your corpse.”

“Because I didn’t know what else could be done to stop death from occurring,” I stated, watching as his lips curled into a smile.

“You didn’t trust me, and I don’t blame you. You were trying to protect me while I was protecting you. I should have known you were selfless and pure and that you would stop at nothing to keep those you loved from harm. You surprised me, but you also taught me a few things too. Now, there’s an entire room of people below waiting to make sure you’re okay. Name our son, because when we present him below, I prefer to give them his actual name. Not the one his mother screamed in rage as she broke apart, fulfilling her end of a promise.”

“Benjamin,” I said without hesitation. “Benjamin Harbinger Blackstone,” I murmured, kissing his dark curls. “Did he get anything from me? He looks like you, which I’m not complaining about, but he could have at least looked a little like me.”

“He has your attitude when he’s hungry,” he offered, watching as my mouth opened. “And I’d like to think he’s as pure and perfect as you.”

“I’m not putting him down,” I whispered.

“You have to put him down so we can get you showered.”

“I’m not letting him out of my sight,” I argued.

“Lena, you are. Because I really need to kiss his mother and hold her for a moment. I watched you get stabbed—again.”

“Because you freed a freaking prince of Hell, which wasn’t very nice,” I grumbled, hiking an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t give me that look. Only Asmodeus could unlock the furies from inside a body. Killing the host and removing every trace of its soul was the only other way. I did what I did, and I’m not fucking sorry.”

“Not even a little?” I asked, watching his lips tip up at the corners.

“No, because you’re here, and you’re holding our son, Magdalena Blackstone,” he whispered thickly, leaning forward to kiss Benjamin while I looked at them. “I wouldn’t change a single thing that happened. It all brought us here, together in the end.”

“I love you even if you’re the most stubborn, pig-headed male in the entire universe.”

“Remember that, woman. Now hand me our son. He’s still growing and requires rest.”

I peered down at Benjamin, smiling as he looked up at me. “I told you I’d find you and bring you back. Your daddy is pretty amazing, but don’t tell him I said that. He’s already got a head big enough that he needs his own realm to house it.” I kissed my son’s forehead, gently handing him to Lucian. Silently, I watched as he stood with Benjamin, carrying him to the incubator, where he cried loudly and appeared back in my arms.

Chuckling, I glanced at his father, who tilted his head, hiking one eyebrow to his hairline. Lucian turned toward us, crossing his arms, watching me rock the chair with our son snuggled close.

“I’ll tell the others that you are cleaning up,” Spyder muttered from the doorway, observing us together. “He may look like his father, Kitty, but that boy has claws like his momma. I’ll see you guys in a little while. I’m sure no one will complain too loudly when I pull out the good stuff to drink and celebrate our victory.” He winked, vanishing from the room as Lucian walked to the bed, sitting in front of us.

“Now, this is a home I want to come back to.”





Chapter Thirty-Nine




He’d saved us. Lucian was the master at games, and while I’d been trying to find my footing, he’d been saving me from the things trying to consume me. He’d rescued our son and freed me from what I’d done. He’d kept his word and given me everything I wanted. ~Lena



I’d never expected to escape death a second time. I saved Makenna from Asmodeus, knowing that the dagger he held could kill me, but it didn’t. Instead, it had broken the hold the furies had on me. Lucian knew Asmodeus was the only one who could remove the furies from within me. He’d freed him from Erie’s mansion and ensured he gained access to Lucifer.

Lucian had been plotting to get my soul from Thanatos this whole time. He’d used the debts owed to him by other gods, making sure everything was in order. Lucian even had my coven here, minus Kat and Dexter, to do the spell to bring me back from the brink of death.

Lucian saved and protected our son and never let on that he had him back, even when I’d grieved for Harbinger in his arms. He hadn’t been able to save Kendra, but he had ensured her soul would be reborn, and no longer cursed from what Katarina had done to it for her to be free of the spell that was bound to her.

The man seriously knew how to keep a secret, which was honestly refreshing and terrifying at the same time. When I’d fallen in love with him and whispered those words out loud, I’d unraveled a curse that had started to play out. One Lucian realized would end with my life, only it wasn’t by his hand, but mine.