5. “What are you doing here?”

CHAPTER FIVE

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"Who decided bow ties are a necessary article of clothing?" I wiggle the damn thing, but it won't stay straight. Much like its wearer.

"Come here," Jace says and swings me around so fast I almost see stars.

"Okay…" I say with narrowed eyes as he adjusts my bow tie like nothing happened.

I watch him struggle with it too, but only a few moments later, he raises an eyebrow and drives me back to the mirror.

"There."

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

He's never manhandled me like this before. If anything, I've gotten into the habit of controlling him to ensure he stays healthy and on schedule.

"So much for thank you," he answers, and his eyes turn to slits.

I wait for him to laugh, but I break first, and he follows suit.

"Thank you." I smooth the suit jacket and take a deep breath.

The black suit looks okay on me, but I know someone who will look much, much nicer in it, and he's across town, waiting for me. Or he will be soon. It's not quite time yet.

"Do I look okay?" I ask.

Hell, even my butt looks flat. Agh. So much for tailor-made suits. At least the bow tie is special, although I wish I'd picked something else that was blue because my idea of something handy isn't something that chokes me, but considering I sold out of everything else, it'll have to do.

"You look great, dear."

I glance at Jace, who gives me a once-over and stares back at me.

"If you say so," I tell him.

I'm trying not to stress. There's no reason to stress. We're having a low-key, intimate wedding with just the three of us—four if you count Brim, which I certainly do.

There's no pressure to do this or that, to spend time or money on anything we don't want. So why the fuck am I this nervous?

Maybe it's got something to do with getting married to my soulmate. Although…

One would think that'd be the easiest part. Tying the knot with the person you know you want to spend the rest of your life with. But there's something niggling at me.

When I look at my reflection, I know exactly what it is. I see her before me as if it was just yesterday. Lilith. Lucian hasn't been able to find her, and she hasn't made another move or threatened me again. What's the point of doing all that if she's not going to act on her threats?

Not that I want her to, but…

I guess I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It's our wedding day. Surely, something's bound to go wrong. It's my life we're talking about, after all. I was born unlucky.

"Hello! Are you all right? What are you thinking? Don't tell me. You're dreaming of some hot demon cock, aren't you?"

I roll my eyes but don't deny anything.

"I…I think I'm ready." I turn around, but Jace stops me and pins a small flower to my lapel.

"Now you are." He smiles and gives me the once-over again. "I'll just run to the loo, and we can get going, okay?"

I nod, and he retreats to the restroom when I realize what he said.

"Since when do you call the restroom the loo?" I shout toward the door, but before I get an answer, the windows slam open and Lucian dives through, wings, suit, and all.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as he composes himself and walks right up to me.

His eyes are beautiful and gorgeous as usual, but there's something…different about them. I can't put my finger on it until he grabs me by the waist and pulls me into his arms.

"Where are your glasses?"

"I thought I'd do the wedding without them," he answers and kisses my forehead. "Is that okay?"

I nod and close my eyes, taking in his warmth, his wonderful scent.

"That's weird," I say.

"What is?"

"Is that a new cologne?" I ask.

It's very floral, which is usually my go-to scent profile. I can't say I dislike it. It just takes me by surprise.

"I thought I'd try new things for our big special day. You don't like it?"

"No." I shake my head. "That's not it. It…it doesn't matter. I thought we were meeting at the church."

Why is everyone acting so strange today? Or are pre-wedding jitters putting me on edge and making me feel strange?

"I couldn't wait one more second to see you," he answers, moving a hand to the back of my neck and dipping down for a kiss.

I part my lips to receive him, bracing myself to sigh with relief at the sweet, smoky flavor that can put me at ease no matter what, but…there's something off.

He even tastes different. Bitter and sticky.

"Did…did you have something before you came?" I ask as we pull away.

Lucian smiles.

"No, baby. Why do you ask? Are you trying to tell me my breath smells?" He runs the back of his hand across one cheek, then over the other, and I shiver.

He's never touched me like that before. Then again, he's never touched me in all sorts of ways before, and I always—always—enjoy it, but this one… I can't quite put my finger on it.

"No. No," I say and turn around to grab my phone. "Jace will be right o—" I stumble.

Thankfully, the table is right there to support me, but even as I use it as a crutch, the whole room spins.

"I don't feel well," I say, closing my eyes.

A tingling sensation flutters around my head and makes my pulse quicken.

Shit. I know what's wrong.

The magic in the room…

It's different.

"Oh no, baby. Whatever are we going to do now."

I turn as Lucian's lips turn black and his hair changes from black to blond and grows longer.

"Lilith!" I mumble, trying to keep upright, but it's impossible.

Lilith, in her full demoness glory, is standing before me. Lucian is nowhere to be seen.

"What have you done to Lucian?"

I launch myself at her with a deep breath, but instead of my tail and wings coming out, I just fall on her. She grabs me with a laugh. More like a cackle, really.

"Lucian? Oh, dear sweetheart. Lucian is waiting at the church with your friend, just like you told them to."

I look up at her. Her blue eyes look almost white. Evil. If that's possible.

"How's that possible? I never told them to…"

My knees give out, and I fall to the ground despite her holding me, which only tells me she's not really trying.

"Oh, yes, you did. You called them both and reassured them you'll be there in no time."

What is she talking about?

"Jace was just here…"

"Oh yeah. He's just gone to the loo, hasn't he? He's taking long, isn't he?" Lilith stares at me as she lays me down on the floor and laughs hysterically.

Jace…

I knew there was something off about Jace. The way he manhandled me, the way he talked. Hell, even the way he smelled. The same way Lilith does now.

I've been duped.

For fuck's sake. What is wrong with me? How could I fall for this trap?

"You! You!" I can barely hear myself. I only know I'm speaking because of the vibrations in my throat, but I'm not even sure of that anymore.

"Yeah, yeah. Me. Now sleep, little mutt. Sleep, and Lilith will take care of everything."

I hate doing what she says, but I can't help it. My eyes close without my volition. I blink a few times, but the fourth or fifth time, they close and don't open again.

I take a deep breath and open my eyes. Red light floods my vision, and I force them shut again.

Where the hell am I ?

"Aw, look who's awake. Good morning, sleeping beauty."

What? Is it really morning? How long have I been asleep?

Lilith appears in front of me with her wings out in full glory. Behind her is darkness.

No. Not darkness. A desert. The sand is red and the sky above is orange. Clouds of smoke fill my vision everywhere.

"What is going on? Where the hell am I?"

Lilith giggles.

"Ding, ding, ding. You got it. You're in hell, sweetheart."

Huh?

I try to get closer to her, but my entire body slams back on something rough and hard. A rock. My hands are bound in chains, as are my legs. The fucking bitch abducted me. On my fucking wedding day!

I bite my lip and take a deep breath, willing my wings and tail out.

Nothing.

I take another breath, focusing my energy on my tailbone and shoulder blades. But nothing. The familiar tingle I always feel with my new eldritch appendages isn't there.

"What have you done to me?"

"Do you like it?" She chuckles. "Who knew lead would be a weakness for you, sweet boy. But I guess that book was right."

Said book materializes in her hands, and I immediately recognize it as the volume Ryan used a few weeks ago to take control of my eldritch powers.

"H-how?"

I look at my chains closely. They're dark, like the abyss. They must be made of lead, an element eldritch creatures are weak against, according to that book. But I've never tested it. I guess Lilith is testing it for me.

"You're a bitch."

She saunters up to me, and as she approaches, I realize her red dress isn't actually red. It's white and is reflecting the light of the sky.

"I told you you'd pay if you didn't leave him alone. I've always wanted a pet." She runs a long red nail across my temple, down my cheek, to my bottom lip. "I can have my fun with you, for sure."

Images of Kevin and Mason flash before my eyes, but before I can say anything, before my body has the chance to fill with dread, she removes her fingers and puts her face close to mine.

I stare at her the best I can when I feel something wet across my cheekbone. Her tongue. The bitch is licking me.

"Yum." She hums and pulls back. "But we'll leave that for later. I'm gonna be late."

She smirks and turns her back to me.

"Late? Late for what?" I shout at her.

When she faces me again, she looks exactly like me.

"My wedding day, sweetheart," she says and vanishes in a blaze of fire.

That's when I see them circling up above in the orange sky. Up there, flying in the distance, are creatures with two wings, two hands, and two legs. A whole myriad of them.

Fuck! I'm truly in hell, aren't I?