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

“Are you jealous?” I asked, narrowing my gaze at him as my mouth tightened.

“I don’t get jealous, Lena. I get evil, and when that happens, worlds are destroyed. Do you know how close you came to me fucking you right in front of him, inside a sleazy room bathed in other people’s come? You realize that I wouldn’t have stopped, no matter what the fuck happened. So you don’t get to scare me. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you, but I can’t just sit around waiting, either. You expect me to sit down and twiddle my fingers? That’s crap, Lucian. Lucifer isn’t going away, and I am not waiting a million years to be allowed to go outside.”

“Then you’ll go with me. You don’t go out alone. I’m not asking, woman. I’m telling you that you’re not leaving again until we find where Lucifer is hiding. I can’t lose you,” he admitted, swallowing hard.

“I didn’t mean to worry you.” I frowned, realizing he wasn’t speaking out of anger but out of fear, which I’d learned he didn’t handle very well. I guess when you’re a primordial being that controlled worlds and policed the gods, worrying about one little woman wasn’t something he was used to doing. “I do like the idea of you pulling over and fucking railing me, though. Interested?”

His lips jerked into a devilish smile as he slowly slid his hungry gaze over my body. His hand snaked out, grabbing my thigh, pressing it against the flesh between my legs.

“Tempting, but we’ve arrived at the guild.” Lucian exhaled as we pulled into the driveway as close as we could get with the debris and trash around the stairs.

“Pity. I’m wet just thinking about it,” I teased, smirking as his grip tightened on me. “Mmm, all business makes you a dull boy.”

Lucian grunted, grabbing the back of my head to bring my mouth against his. It wasn’t a nice kiss. It was angry and claiming. He pushed his tongue against my lips, coaxing them to open as a growl built from deep in his chest. He didn’t release me, devouring me until I was breathless and rocking against his hand, still cupping my sex.

A knock sounded at the window, causing his lips to curve into a smile against mine. His hand didn’t move from the back of my neck as he turned, rolling down his window, and grinned. I chuckled as Alden cleared his throat, handing Lucian the folder he’d been holding.

“I’ll look into the portals. Keep your fucking hunters and enforcers inside until we know what the hell they are. You should tell Ryder that Zahruk might need eyes on him for now.” Lucian was ordering Alden around like he had the authority to do so. “I will send the boys out to check shit out and get back to you. Depending on what we find, it could take longer to figure out what sort of threat the portals pose. I may be out of reach for a day or so. My club is opening tomorrow night, and we’ll be dealing with that, among other pressing issues.”

“Understood, and thank you for taking it over. Ryder and Synthia have been busy trying to find Kahleena. They don’t need more to deal with, especially with all the shit unfolding within Faery, altering and changing heirs. Last week, they had fae go missing and return with brands, but there are no caste markings on them. Faery is shifting and claiming what it needs from those within it.”

“Are you certain Faery isn’t taking from this world, too? It wouldn’t be the first time it has taken from other worlds to replace what was missing there. Synthia opened the Unseelie prison, unleashing what it held into Faery. It may have seeped into the human world, taking what it wishes to create new Unseelie princes and princesses because not all of them lived. When the Seelie and Unseelie court isn’t filled with the correct number of royal subjects, Faery will make new ones,” Lucian said, causing Alden to frown.

“Ryder doesn’t speak openly about fae politics or what that world is doing. We are aware that with things shifting, and changing that Faery may be evolving. But the shit showing up here—it isn’t something we’ve ever seen before. Not to mention, Zahruk hadn’t either, and it attached itself to him.”

Lucian smirked, lifting his hand from where he’d cradled my head. “We’re going, old man. Thanks for the heads-up that my little monster had escaped.”

My eyes narrowed on Alden, who shrugged his shoulders. “I promised your mother, Kid. I can’t fight half the shit popping up around here, let alone the Devil. Your man, though, he can. So you bet your ass I’m calling him when you show up, especially when I catch the scent of brimstone chasing you.”

“Nark,” I grunted, smirking at Alden.

“Lucian is your shield, Lena. You’re not alone. Not so long as you have him beside you. One day, I’ll be gone from this earth. Some hunt will go wrong, or some shit-show will get out of hand, and I’m off this rock. You, though, you’re here forever or until you go home with this asshole. You and Joshua, you’re part of my family now. I promised your mother that if anything happened to her, I’d do my best to protect her children. I can’t keep that promise when I’m gone, but Lucian can. Let him do his job so that I don’t go out knowing I fucked this up too.” Alden’s voice cracked, belaying his fear.

“Something going on that we can help you with, Alden?” I watched Lucian turn toward me, lifting a brow in a silent question of what the fuck? “Stow it; we’re family.”