2. Orion

I didn't want to do this.

The angel twins were supposed to have converted weeks ago, but the stubborn dickwads didn't know how to listen. Not even the stupid collars had done their jobs. Lucifer had all sorts of supernaturals, magic, and even the power of almighty fucking Calamity, and he still couldn't do shit about Azrael's mouth or Samael's damn sense of justice.

It was time to change tactics.

"This isn't the way to the torture chamber," Samael helpfully informed me. That way was even farther down, not up.

"No shit," I growled, yanking the chain around his neck so hard that it made him fall.

I paused, pretending to give him a moment to stand back up when, in reality, I was surprised that little tug had knocked him down.

I'd been around angels for a while. They were stronger than this and the collars were supposed to make them more compliant, not drain them. He wasn't some mortal that required food or water, although that helped. He should have been pissed off more than weakened.

His body was rejecting the collar, as was his twin's. Blisters ran around the metal that scraped against his otherwise perfect skin.

It was a device meant to make him more amenable. Instead, it seemed to be doing the opposite. He glared at me from behind the curtain of his dark hair, which had grown longer over the dragging weeks.

Damn it, Samael.

Why are you and your brother so fucking stubborn?

They fought every attempt to bring them around, leaving me with no fucking choice.

I snarled my frustration, only earning a raised brow from the angel. A red glow washed over his face as I took us up a few more steps.

Now that we were closer to the surface, the fires from outside allowed natural light to filter in. Rambunctious, recently turned supernaturals howled out on the grounds with Lucifer on a throne, surveying the chaos. He tilted his head in approval, his bat-like wings folded behind him as he leaned back in apparent ease. Firelight glinted on his horns, as well as his eyes, revealing little flickers of shadow that betrayed the true source of his power.

Calamity.

He thought he could control it, but it was obvious, at least to me, that he was too easily swayed by power. It manipulated him, making it easy to have him do exactly what it wanted.

Whatever that was. As far as I could tell, it just wanted chaos.

Lucifer swirled a clawed finger, seemingly bored as the air screamed in response. The crowd reared back and wailed, and I wasn't sure if it was a cry of pain or pleasure.

The party would carry on for quite some time. Lucifer was generating sexual energies to convert more humans. Even Calamity needed to eat, apparently.

So I had a few more hours, at least, even though the sun would be rising sooner than that. Bodies writhed in the shadows and music thrummed against the stone walls, reminding me of home.

I came from a family of gods and they knew how to throw a party. Those memories had come back in pieces over time. It was probably Calamity undoing the amnesia that Lilith's power had put in place.

Regardless, Lucifer was smart. Not only did he turn mortals into supernaturals by using the power gifted from Calamity, but he also capitalized on their new needs.

Their hunger.

Their lust and desire were forces so powerful and new that they indulged in them as much as they could.

And Lucifer let them. Or, like tonight, he encouraged them.

I paused at the next window, watching for a moment as I stole a sliver of the growing energy for myself. If he felt it, Lucifer didn't turn my way to acknowledge that I was drawing on my power to resist his command. He didn't know I was fighting it. But he would after tonight.

Break the twins.

I didn't want to break them.

I wanted to fix them.

Lucifer would see his mistake when I brought them around.

Steps down the hall made me curse. No one should be near the exit to the dungeon, but there was the occasional fallen angel who liked to try to get in, just to goad the twins who had tortured them.

I didn't need to stop them. There was no getting in or out of the first room. It was magically sealed, allowing only me or Lucifer himself in, or out.

Pulling Samael by his chain—more gently this time so I didn't make any noise—I pushed his back against the white wall that would match his wings.

I crowded him, pressing my chest against his. His nostrils flared and the fight in his eyes glimmered like little purple embers.

You're cute when you're angry, I thought.

I wasn't trying to intimidate the angel. I just needed him to stay still. When he opened his mouth, I slid my hand over it.

Still, and quiet.

He bit my palm, drawing out a sudden pain I wasn't used to. Not many things could hurt me, but apparently Samael's teeth were sharper than they looked. I swallowed a growl, then focused on my task.

There was a new trick I'd picked up during my stay at Lucifer's headquarters.

I let the darkness take over.

Samael's jewel-like eyes widened when I demonstrated my new power. I was a demigod of sunlight, but Calamity had taught me something unique that I'd never tried before.

The sun, on occasion, was blocked out by an eclipse. I was only half-god, which gave me a whole other genetic component to work with.

Lily taught you that, asshole, a little voice in the back of my head reminded me.

My jaw stiffened so I didn't release a growl. The old me liked to voice his opinions when I was distracted. I'd learned to block him out.

Mostly.

But I couldn't start listening to him now. He was wrong. Following that gut instinct had gotten Lily killed. It had resulted in failure again and again when I was a fucking demigod.

I was tired of losing. I was better than that.

Footsteps sounded behind me. They didn't falter, which meant the intruder didn't see us. I'd spread darkness around us instead of sunlight, leaving me looking at Samael's bright purple eyes encased in shadow as I pressed my chest against his to block the view.

I didn't want him to give us away because of his stupid, striking eyes.

When the intruder ventured down the stairs, I waited until I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore. Even then, I didn't move, just to be sure.

Finally, I let my hand fall. It accidentally brushed against the angel's naked side. His tattered pants hung loosely around his hips, precariously in danger of falling off.

"Did you bring me here to make out?" Samael asked, his tone completely serious. A dimple appeared, though, one that I had a strange impulse to lick.

Shaking it off, I ignored the odd desire. I'd just fed on sexual energies, and Samael was basically a god himself.

He's also the only link to Lily you have, dimwit.

Stupid voice.

"This isn't our stop," I said, ignoring both my inner voice and Samael's jibe as I finally gave him space.

I allowed my sunlight to seep through my pores again until the angel narrowed his gaze. "Hmm" was all he said as I wrapped the chain around my fist and tugged him behind me.

Maybe this attraction to him would work in my favor.

Because I needed a confession for this to work.

I'd intended to torture one out of him, but maybe I could take a page from Kaito's confession guidebook.

He'd gotten the brother to talk in a very different way.

At this point, I'd try anything.

It's not because you want to taste him for yourself. No. That can't be it at all.

"Shut. Up," I growled, ignoring Samael's confusion.

Because he hadn't said anything at all.