Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

SAM

**Hi, so this is not a trigger warning…this is just a little note from me to help y'all out while reading. This book has some non-English lines, you won't be missing anything if you don't translate them (I promise) but if you want to know then highlight the words and click translate - Kindle has this nifty little tool for ya and it's pretty good! ALSO ALSO, this book is spicy like book one was. If you want to read the PG13 version then all you gotta do is email me proof that you purchased THIS version and I'll send you the cleaner version. HAPPY READING!

The marble floor was solid black. There was no furniture, no decor, just a few benches carved into the onyx walls surrounding the pedestal holding the orb made of demon-glass.

Lilith's orb.

I had no business being in this room. Nothing good came from this room or from that orb. Myself included. Never in my worst nightmares had I ever expected this to be my future. When Jackson Lancaster had found me on my boat and escorted me to the secret safe house, I hadn't known what to expect or what role I would play in the upcoming war. I wasn't stupid or naive enough to think I wouldn't have to play a role, not with an actual Coven member locating me. And not just any Coven member either—a Lancaster , the first line of arcana. That meant I was somehow important enough to get their attention. I'd always suspected that the safe house was full of special witches with a destiny too honorable to be told outright.

Oh, how foolish I had been.

Finding out that I was Lilith's granddaughter had not been on my bingo card.

This was not the role I wanted any part in. Past, present, or future.

Which meant I had no business being in here. Especially without Everest.

Especially with them.

Asmodeus chanted with that deep voice of his, and I hated the effect it had on me. He spoke in Lilith's demonic language, and despite being her granddaughter, she hadn't thought me deserving of knowing it. So, I stood there, a pawn in whatever game they were playing without knowing what was happening even while I knew exactly what we were doing. Then again, maybe that ignorance would be my salvation one day. Because I knew what we were doing, and I was terrified it was a crime punishable by death all by itself just for agreeing to participate. I prayed there'd be enough mercy left over for me when this was all over.

Unless she won, then I prayed I would not survive the victory.

Asmodeus's chants grew so loud that the marble vibrated beneath my bare feet. Sharp pulses shot up my legs and continued all the way up to my shoulders and down to my hands. Azazel chuckled deep in his throat. He was about to get what he wanted, and he damn well knew it. Green smoke drifted from my palms down to the black marble floor and swirled around the base of the pedestal. When it touched, bright red demonic runes flashed within the marble. My stomach rolled. I bit down on my cheek to stop myself from gagging.

Five of us stood at the points of a pentacle drawn in smoke on the floor. Queen Sweyn stood at the single point on the bottom to my right. But I did not dare glance in her direction. Every moment she looked at me I feared she'd see through my display of loyalty. Nor did I look to my left where Asmodeus and Azazel stood at the top of the inverted star symbol. For Asmodeus, I wanted the ability to feign ignorance. For Azazel, well, anyone who held eye contact with him for more than a few seconds found themselves in his bed . . . and under no circumstances did I want that.

Instead, I focused on the only person in the whole entire kingdom of Avolire who I thought might be stuck in the same hell I was, someone who'd been an innocent human plucked from their lives and thrown into war: Pierce Fenn. Something in my gut told me he wanted out of this place as much as I did. Neither of us had asked to be here. Neither of us had asked to be turned into a vampire. Neither of us could stomach Sweyn. I felt bad for Pierce on that part. He was her toy, her handsome British trophy she all but kept on a leash for pleasuring her whenever—and wherever—she pleased. I just prayed he was someone I could trust to help get out of here. Actually, I wanted to take him with me.

Azazel purred.

Pierce's green and red eyes shot over to the fallen Angel of Sin instantly. His cheeks flushed. I watched as the tips of his fangs pressed into his bottom lip. I knew he'd been in Azazel's bed, but until this moment, I thought it had also been against his will. He'd never looked at Sweyn like that, which meant his days behind closed doors with the fallen angel had been voluntary.

My heart sank. There goes that idea. My pulse quickened as panic tried to creep in. I closed my eyes and tried to think happy thoughts, tried to focus on the hope for escape and not the fear threatening to swallow me whole.

I had to get out of this place.

I had to get to The Coven.

But I just wasn't strong enough. There was no way I'd manage to escape on foot by myself. More than that, I didn't know how to keep Lilith out of my head. She'd slide in like the worst kind of intrusive thought. She was literal poison to the brain. Everest knew how to keep her out, but he had not shown me how to do it. He said I was not yet strong enough.

"Is Lilith's little princess not strong enough to do this?" Queen Sweyn said with acid in her voice.

Azazel chuckled so low it sounded like thunder. "She looks strong enough for a lot of sins, my Queen."

"I thought you two were strong enough to summon faster than this." I opened my eyes and held my chin high without looking at either of them. "I am just waiting."

Strong enough. The words haunted my every thought. There was only one way I would have a chance at getting stronger . . . Lilith had told me so herself. I refused to let myself think about the rituals she had performed on me after Everest stole me from the safe house. But it was impossible to block out my orders. She insisted I would play an important role. For now, though, I had one mission. Once I completed that task, I would get a new one.

That task? To make myself and Everest stronger.

And there was only one way to do that.

"We have already started, little princess. Have no fear," Azazel purred. I felt his gaze slide down my body like the hot rays of summer sunshine.

Pierce cleared his throat. "I thought Everest wanted to wait?"

Sweyn growled. "I thought I was Queen."

"My apologies, my Queen," Pierce whispered quickly. "I meant no offense, was merely curious."

"The only curiosity you serve is in my bed," she snapped. I did not miss the threat in her voice. "Angels, summon quicker."

My bed. That was my mission. I had to let Everest take me to bed. I had to sleep with him. Lilith demanded it. She'd said something about the mixing of the sins in our blood would give us each more power. More magic. More strength. It made no sense to me, but it wasn't my place to question the why or how of magic. That much I knew for certain. If the only way to get stronger was to consummate this betrothal, then consummate I would.

When I'd first arrived here, I'd thought that wasn't too horrible of an obligation. Everest was gorgeous. And he'd seemed as eager as I was to gain the strength his mother promised it would provide. Except he hadn't touched me. Not once, at least not in private. Everything he'd done in court, or in front of Sweyn and his mother, appeared to be an act. The moment we'd be alone he'd keep his distance. This confused the hell out of me. But worse, it gave me hope that perhaps Everest wasn't on his mother's team after all. Like maybe his heart lay elsewhere.

That witch's face flashed in my mind. The pretty one with pink hair that stared at Everest like he was the oxygen she needed to breathe. The first time I saw him look at her was the first speckle of hope in my soul. If he held the same passion for a mortal witch that she clearly held for him, then perhaps there was a chance. And then there was his fury over Saber hooking up with Azazel . . . Surely, if he was on Lilith's side, he would not have cared. Or at least, that was what I told myself in the sunny hours of the day I was expected to sleep.

Regardless of where Everest's allegiance lay, I knew where mine went: with The Coven. With Heaven. With Earth. I wanted to celebrate in the ashes of Lilith's demise, or at least be part of the reason she lost.

That meant I had to seduce the ancient vampire lord.

And I prayed helping them summon another fallen angel into the realm would get Everest's attention. For good or bad. I would either use sugar or spice to lure him into my bed. I had no other choice. I had no idea how it was going to happen, but my window for getting out was shrinking by the hour. I needed to break through the ice-wall that was Everest. I needed to provoke him. The only times I'd ever seen him lose control were when he was seething with rage. That was my plan, that was why I was in this room in the first place. Because Pierce was right, after all, Everest had wanted to wait to summon another fallen angel. All it took was me batting my eyelashes at Asmodeus and then showing a little cleavage when I leaned over in front of Azazel, and I had their attention—and Sweyn's. She loathed when another woman got the angels' lust in front of her. Then it'd only taken a simple question about the other fallen angels and all three of them fell right into my plan.

It was all kinds of wrong, but I was desperate. And if I had to be Lilith's granddaughter, then I would use the evil in my blood for good.

My target was Everest.

Call it women's intuition, but I knew anger was the only way to his bed.

Asmodeus chanted, his voice echoing around the room. Those red demonic runes flashed all around us. I ground my teeth together and stood up straight. Please, Goddess and Heaven, forgive me for this sin I am about to cause. Help me get out of here, and I shall see her fall forever.

Asmodeus's chanting in the demonic language grew faster and sharper, the words sending chills down my spine. ". . . Astaroth. "

Red smoke burst from the center of the pentacle like a volcanic eruption. I gasped and almost leapt back, but I knew I had to stand my ground. I could never show fear or weakness in front of this group.

The figure of a person with broad shoulders emerged from the red fog. He stood barefoot about the same height as the other angels, but where their hair was dark, his was a dirty blond. And where their eyes were green, his were jet-black. He wore a black leather jacket over what looked like a black toga. Big, black angel wings spread wide as if he was stretching. He threw his arms wide and his head back. Snakes the color of red in Lilith's runes emerged from the angel's shadow. They slithered like smoke around his ankles and hissed.

Azazel quickly chanted the same demonic words Asmodeus just used but ended with ". . . Soneillon."

" Azazel," Asmodeus growled, but it was too late.

Lilith's runes flickered like flames all around us.

"Did I . . . sin, my brother?" Azazel cackled.

Asmodeus sighed. "Welcome to Earth. Astaroth . . ."

A second figure emerged from behind the other.

And it was a woman.

Well, not a woman—that suggested she was part-human. This was a female fallen angel. I hadn't known there were any. The only female angel I'd heard of while at the safe house had been Jophiel. Something told me this chick was the opposite of Jophiel. She was the same height as the males and had the same black angel wings as Astaroth, but that was where their similarities ended. Pointed ears the color of midnight stuck out from her long black hair that swayed down by her hips. Large red horns curved backwards almost like a ram's. Her eyes were bright-red. The orbs hanging from her ears glowed like neon lights. Black demonic runes ran down the sides of her arms and legs.

". . . Soneillon, " Asmodeus finished with a growl.

She made a show of closing her eyes and inhaling as she rolled her shoulders. When she opened her eyes, she looked first to Asmodeus and the black runes on her body flashed bright red. He instantly turned to glare and growl at Azazel, the green orbs of his necklace glowing and green lightning shooting from his eyes. Without pausing more than a second, Soneillon turned her gaze to Azazel. They locked eyes, then he turned to snarl at Astaroth. She pressed her palm to the new angel beside her and his red snakes hissed back at Azazel.

Soneillon giggled and those runes flashed brighter. She turned toward Pierce and had barely glanced in his direction when he turned to openly glare at Sweyn, his fangs bared. My jaw dropped. I wasn't quite sure what was happening, but I'd never seen Pierce display such blatant hatred for her. I'd suspected it but this was unfathomable. It was a death sentence for sure. I braced myself for Sweyn's reaction, yet a few seconds passed without one . . . and then I glanced sideways at her. My eyes widened. Sweyn beamed with excitement as she watched the males around us crumble beneath their own rage.

Sweyn giggled like a little schoolgirl.

Soneillon winked at her.

Sweyn gasped, her red eyes widening for a split second before they narrowed into little slits. Like the flip of a switch, the Queen went from excited to seething with rage. She turned to Lilith's orb with her fangs bared and her hands balled into fists at her side. Smoke began to billow from behind Astaroth and Soneillon. Sweyn spun around and growled right at the spot Everest usually stood.

Then she turned and those glowing red eyes aimed their rage right at me.

I gasped and took a step back before I caught myself. In sheer desperation, I looked away from Sweyn. I saw it happening in slow motion, my gaze lining up with Soneillon's, except at the last moment, Asmodeus moved behind her and my eyes went to his instead. He arched one eyebrow and smirked at me.

Laughter filled the room like it was being played through a speaker. That smoke covered the floor like fog. A man wearing a black suit stepped out from behind Soneillon's black wings, grinning and clapping his hands. His blue eyes danced with giddiness. The freckles and strawberry blond hair did not match the evil pouring out of his aura.

Asmodeus growled.

Soneillon let out an evil chuckle.

Astaroth shook his head, then shoved her hand off of him.

This new man in the suit spread his arms wide and stretched like a cat. "I can always count on Azazel for his inability to be satisfied in his sins."

Asmodeus cracked his knuckles. "We did not summon you, Mammon."

"You should have kept your greedy little pet on a tighter leash then." Mammon spun in a circle with a wide grin. "For you know better than anyone, the only thing that summons me . . . is greed. And even faster when it's an angel's greed."

My stomach sank. Oh fuck. What have I done? How will I explain this to The Coven?

Asmodeus put his hands on his hips and turned to Azazel.

If he expected Azazel to feel remorse, he was let down, because he just rubbed his hands together and wagged his eyebrows. "Did you see how much fun she is, my brother? Just think of the sins we can stir up together."

What have I done? Foolish, stupid girl. This is what happens when you play with fire. My plan to use Everest's rage over this to seduce him had a better chance of getting me killed at this point. And if it didn't, there was hardly a reason for The Coven to take me in now. I deserved their justice. I could not be the reason Lilith won. I could not let Heaven think I was their enemy.

I closed my eyes and sent a prayer to the Goddess and Heaven. But not just any prayer. I sent my silent oath of loyalty and just hoped they were listening. By the Goddess's magic I shall be heard, with mine heart's power I give my word. For in darkness or in light, I pledge myself to Heaven's fight.