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

“Sane people, that’s who,” Lucian grunted.

“She’s wearing a leather top that appears to have Callaghan’s chest piece on it and a matching hoodie, similar in color to his hair. I do believe she added her name on it right above the heart, though. She’s also dressed in a Hawaiian skirt and thigh-high boots with actual witch charms on them. The whole ensemble screams crazy.”

“Will she be sensible enough to ward off anyone attempting to take Lena?” Lucian asked, his stare sliding out through the crowd, not finding the one in which he was searching. “Lucifer is gone for the moment, but I don’t put it past him to try for her after we head below.”

“Erie seemed sane of mind, but the outfit says otherwise. Maybe she’s trying to mislead her prey?” Spyder offered, shrugging his wide shoulders. “I did explicitly tell her to protect Kitty with her life, and she fully agreed to castrate anyone and defile them with their penis if they touched our girl.”

“That’s good enough for me. You’re to stay beside Erie, Lena. Do you hear me? Do not leave her sight or even step out of her reach. It would take Lucifer mere moments to get you, and while I’m certain my wards would prevent him from escaping with you, we don’t want to chance him hurting you.”

“I get it, Lucian. I’ll be a good pet and stay put, okay?” I growled, narrowing my eyes on him, and he glared at me with an uncertain gaze. “I won’t do anything stupid. I promise.”

“Be good for me, and I will handle that issue between your legs once I’ve finished my meeting,” he promised, kissing my cheek, allowing me to stand as he joined me.

Lucian yanked me against his body, showing me exactly how he intended to fix my problem. Resting his forehead on mine, he cupped the back of my neck to trace his mouth over my collarbone before brushing his lips across mine in a whisper of promise.

“We may not see him, but Lucifer isn’t gone, Lena. Be careful and don’t disobey me. Not tonight, please,” Lucian pleaded in my ear, barely loud enough to be heard. He stepped around me, leaving, as Devlin and Bane walked up beside me.

I exited the room with Spyder and Lucian close at hand until we reached the staircase that led onto the top floor. I silently watched their backs as they walked down the hallway, vanishing into thin air, which meant they’d gone into the lowest level of the club, where I’d been forbidden to go. Nothing down there was safe, apparently. Or Lucian didn’t trust me enough to let me know what lay beneath, in the darkest part of Club Chaos.

Lucian had claimed me openly, making it known that we were exclusively involved. It should have settled my fears, yet it didn’t. Lucian hadn’t said how he felt or what it meant to be claimed openly to immortals. I didn’t need him to tell me he loved me, per se, but I did need to know how the asshole felt. Were we a forever-together thing, like he’d said, or a just until he tired of me thing?

I needed the security, which was important to me after losing everyone and everything I loved because of him. Did I need to keep myself at arm’s length? The one time I’d opened myself up and told him how I’d felt, he’d lost his shit and moved out of the room we’d shared. Now he felt fine with declaring me his and that I’m off-limits to others, but he had that before I’d dropped the L-word, and he’d been okay with that arrangement, too.

My entire life was up in the air, and knowing how he felt about me wasn’t asking that much. I wanted to know if I should plan on what comes after he catches and locks Lucifer up and makes sure I’m safe. Perhaps it was asking too much because he didn’t feel the same about me?

I’d died. And that had shaken him, but maybe that was playing into his emotions? I just needed him to cement where we stood so that my foundation could stabilize, and I’d feel better understanding the situation surrounding my family and coven.

I searched the clubbers until my gaze halted on Erie. She was dancing like no one was watching, her eyes wide with wonder, while her body twisted and gyrated to the song. A frown marred my lips as I took in her outfit, shivering at what was left of Callaghan this time.

“Holy shit, she’s literally wearing him,” I whispered, jumping when Devlin hooted with laughter at my side.

“That’s disturbing and strangely hot,” he grunted, pushing his long fingers through his dark hair. “I don’t know if I want to put my dick in her or hide it from her,” he admitted, shaking his head while a small smile played in his full mouth.

“Hide it,” Bane snorted. “On a scale of crazy from one to ten, she hit bat shit a millennium ago. Let’s get closer so Lucian will stop stalking Lena.”

I glanced up the stairs, seeing Lucian staring down at me. “That isn’t Lucian. It’s Lucifer,” I swallowed, dropping my gaze to find Erie peering up at him, giving him a one-finger salute. “Let’s go.” I walked to the goddess, watching Lucifer, who once again glamoured himself to appear as Lucian.

This time I could tell them apart. Whatever the furies were able to hear from the immortals, it alerted me to Lucifer by echoing the sound of cries mingled with the chime of strumming harps.

The closer we got to Erie, the louder the sounds of war drums and the clanging of swords became. The furies sensed Erie’s and Lucifer’s true identity and blasted their sounds within me. Wide, vivid blue eyes dropped from the male to land on me, a smile playing on her lips as she held her arms out, wiggling her brows.