Chapter 5

I felt numb with the wretched crystal in my backpack. I didn't want to keep the awful thing, but I also didn't want any of my Virtues to have the burden of carrying it and feeling its wrongness.

The second I had taken it from Seth, it bit into my palm and drew blood. That was part of securing my soul into my mortal body, apparently. I kept my fist closed around the strap of my backpack so none of my Virtues could see the brand it had left behind.

It had linked me to the damn thing. I could hear it in my head. Not words, thankfully, but this painful overlapping keening of a thousand disembodied souls begging for a taste of power.

They whispered and coaxed me to obey, sounding randomly in either of my ears without warning. It was fucking eerie.

The first dose from my Virtues would be due within twenty-four hours and right now it felt like it was screaming in my head.

"Don't let it hunger for too long or it'll take what it needs by force," Seth had warned us before Hendrik had portaled us out.

We had made our deal. We had no need to stay in that gods-awful place a second longer than necessary.

But we weren't going back to Fortune Academy, not when I was human. No telling what Hell would do to me, even with Seth's magic keeping my soul in place. At least, not until we formed a plan for how we were going to free Orion, Azrael, and Samael next.

I knew once I had all my Virtues in one place, and especially this unresolved thread with Orion taken care of, I could awaken the goddess soul inside of me.

I could re-create everything that Balthazar had taken from me. I didn't even need to try to win it back. Then I could finally face not just Lucifer but also the real problem. I could deal with Calamity.

I could finally win.

Being a goddess sounds pretty fucking cool, I thought smugly as I kicked a rock down the street.

Hendrik had helped fashion some clothes for me for our new destination—Earth. Instead of my tattered outfit, he had given me knee-high boots, tight leather pants, a silky halter top, and a scrunchie to pull up my hair.

I didn't have my wings anymore, but I was still used to halter tops. I appreciated Hendrik being considerate like that.

Although, he could have given me a bra.

He grinned at me as he glanced over his shoulder, somehow reading my thoughts even though he couldn't technically hear them right now. He led the way to an apartment in one of the high-rises—at least, that was the plan.

Balthazar's plan, to be precise, which made me pretty fucking anxious. Apparently, the only demon better than Lucifer at making deals with humans was good ol' Balthazar.

Balthazar had been playing me from the beginning. He'd lodged a Death Lotus bloom in my childhood home, linking us together before I'd even been born. He'd sought out another realm that no one had even known existed, which had been something far more than even he could handle.

It had killed him, but thanks to Seth, he'd found a way to come back.

I wasn't stupid. I knew Balthazar was a selfish demon with only his own interests in mind. So far, those interests had aligned with mine, but what would happen when they didn't?

A problem for tomorrow, I decided grimly.

Hendrik had taken us to Chicago, said it would be safe for now. Most of the major cities were overrun by the hubs Lucifer had created for conversion centers.

Chicago had had one for a little while. It was now a steaming pile of rubble and the smoke still drifted into the sky. Hendrik said the fire had been burning for weeks. Conveniently making it the safest place for me to hole up.

Not everyone was on board with Lucifer's plans, it seemed. At least there was that.

Even if it was because Balthazar had been stirring the pot, convincing some not to go along with the conversion. I knew none of this was a coincidence.

"Please let me carry that," Asher whispered as if no one else could hear him, indicating my bag.

Of course, all my other Virtues were powerful supernaturals with enhanced hearing. I hadn't let any of them take my burden, and for good reason.

I gripped the straps tighter, also to keep hiding the brand on my palm. "I got it," I said quietly.

He gave me a subtle nod, causing his dark hair to fall attractively over his face. He was so pretty. That little gesture made butterflies flutter in my stomach.

He had a huge effect on me and I was doing my best to ignore it.

It's probably because he's an incubus, I told myself.

And given that I was currently mortal, playing with an incubus spelled out death. So I fully intended to keep my distance.

"Why didn't you just portal us into the apartment instead of making us walk down the street?" Dante asked, eyeing the few other people who were balking at us.

I was sure we were quite a sight. There I was, a tall blonde boasting a backpack holding a magical crystal they could probably hear screaming, surrounded by a growling wolf shifter, a handsome-as-sin incubus, and a Hunter and Kami paired with an ancient demon flicking his pointed tail that completed the entourage.

Nothing to see here, I thought, waving at one of the staring strangers with my hand that didn't have the brand on it.

He widened his eyes and then scurried off like he couldn't run away fast enough.

Hendrik sighed, stopping at one of the taller buildings. "Because my realm magic is rusty, okay? I knew the general building and area, but I didn't want to drop us inside of a wall. Unless you prefer death by concrete."

Dante simply glowered at him while Cole pushed the Dark Mage aside. "I know the code," he said. "Not sure how Balthazar found this place, though, when he's been holed up in Hell's Heart all this time. It's one of my hideouts." He punched in a series of numbers and a light turned green on the heavyset main doors, followed by a click.

I tilted my head, wondering what Cole would need a hideout for. I hadn't pestered him for information on his past. I knew he was Lucifer's brother and had a penchant for tormenting humans and supernaturals as his pastime. It wasn't exactly his fault. That was before I'd helped him grow a conscience.

But maybe he'd made some enemies before having a conscience.

Asher, ever the gentleman, opened the door for me. "I, for one, do not care how we find a bed. Only that we have one for our lady here," he said, giving me a wink.

My stomach flipped.

Kaito cleared his throat and hooked his arm in mine, guiding me through the open door. "And that's a bed you'll be going nowhere near, incubus. Don't think I don't know what you did to her at dinner."

A blush rushed over my cheeks, my body betraying my guilt as some of my Virtues eyed me.

Logan gave me a feral grin. He was the only one who seemed to approve of Asher. It was hard for the wolf to share, so that said a lot about the incubus to have his approval.

And it also heightened my suspicion that Asher was another one of my Virtues.

Like I need more on my plate.

"What did he do?" Dante asked with quiet lethality. He'd somehow drawn his blade.

"Nothing!" I shouted, slipping free of Kaito's arm and running for the elevator.

I pressed all the buttons, desperate to get to the room and lie low for a while.

Alone.

Preferably with a snack and something strong to drink.

And pillows. Lots of pillows.

Cole chuckled as he gently removed my hands and typed in another code. The elevator dinged and he guided me inside.

There was only room for the two of us as he released a wave of magic that seemed to unfurl behind him and kept the rest of the males out. He ignored their complaints as he wound his tail around my leg.

"I missed you, little queen," he said.

I blinked up at him as the elevator doors shut us in. My stomach dropped as it shot up, but all of my attention was on his dangerous ruby eyes that seemed to perpetually glow from within. His forked tongue snaked out as if to taste the air, but I knew he was scenting me.

Seeing how I reacted to him, now that I was mortal.

I should be terrified. Anyone in their right mind would be. But I had bonded Cole before he'd left for Hell's Heart.

Winding my arms around him, I couldn't reach all the way, but I grazed my fingers over his skin, finding the indents where his wings used to be.

He'd sacrificed those. He'd paid the price—absorbed Calamity and had Azrael cut off his wings.

All to save me.

One of those I'd used as a donor. I hoped I could re-create it when I awakened this goddess power that was inside of me.

"I missed you, too, Cole," I said, flicking my gaze up to his. "You scared me, just leaving like that."

I wanted to be angry with him, but so much had happened.

He chuckled, the sound a low rumble against my chest, as he pressed a kiss on the crown of my head. "You're one to talk, temptress."

I'd done a lot worse than leaving without warning.

I'd died.

I'd made a deal with Balthazar.

I'd done a lot of questionable things and I sure hoped it was going to pay off.

When the elevator dinged, he backed out into the foyer, then stepped aside, leaving me to draw in a sharp intake of air.

"This is one of your hideouts?"

It was more like a mini-mansion stuffed into the top floor of the impossibly tall building we were currently occupying.

Cole chuckled at my reaction. He followed me as I explored the main room, running my fingers over the expensive plush sofas and gorgeous furniture.

There was an open kitchen with an island stove, the entire area large enough to hold all of my Virtues and then some.

Then the hall sprang out, and a quick tour revealed various bedrooms, all of them with incredible panoramic views.

It took a while for the elevator to ding again, and it occurred to me that only Cole would have known the code. But that wasn't something that would keep a group of supernaturals stumped for long.

It made me wonder about the security of this very mortal location, but I felt safe when the living room filled with all six of them.

Taking it all in, I would have been content had I not so desperately missed the twins and Orion, too.

I'm going to get them back, I told myself, forcing my heart to listen.

Because that was how this was going to work from now on. I had to stop doubting myself.

I had to start believing.

I just hoped that my conviction would be enough to make it true.