Page 149 of Dragon Her Heels

“Did she want to?”

“No.”

I frowned. “Did she have a way out of committing the murders without cost to others?”

“No.”

“So, if she didn’t kill these mothers and children, someone she loved would be murdered, possibly brutality?”

Lucifer met my gaze, and he nodded. “That is correct.”

A tension I hadn’t realized had formed deep in my chest eased. “Did the mothers and children suffer?”

“No. She took great care making certain her victims had no idea they were about to die. My father escorted them all through the valley personally along with Azrael, so their passings were as peaceful as the circumstances allowed.”

“I’ve come to learn I’m not most people, Lucifer. I would open the doors of my home to her without hesitation so she could begin working on that hole in her soul and begin the healing process. If you say she had a reason to do as she did, I choose to believe you. If she needs a place to go, I can provide one for her. It’s not like I have a shortage of dragons around to keep everything nicely in check.”

He raised a brow. “The dragons might be less inclined to forgive her compared to you.”

“Unless she’s asking me for forgiveness, I don’t see the problem. We weren’t the ones wronged, and nobody can bring back the dead. All I did was convince a dragon to come out of the shadows and give life a second try. If she needs a place to land when she gets out of that situation she’s in, I can provide her with a place to land. If she didn’t want to do it, she was forced into doing it, and has a hole in her soul as a result, then she should get the help she needs. And, well, I can’t say anything about the justice part of things. It sounds like she’s a victim, too.”

“She is, worse than you could ever know.”

“Can she lead those assholes who forced her to justice?”

“Yes, one day.”

“I’m sure, if we work together, we can make certain she quietly disappears and lives happily ever after once she makes certain that justice is served by those who victimized her. What kind of life would she like to lead?”

“A quiet life on a farm would suit her nicely. She loves children.”

I winced. “No wonder she has a hole in her soul, then. I can start her on baby horses, and we can then find a man who can accept her and everything she has done. The man better be able to deal with dragons, though. I’m drowning in dragons.”

Lucifer laughed at me. “You really are. But yes, that would work nicely. You leave the man part to me. Just make sure you have a room ready for two at any point.”

“How about Ashley’s old property? We can tear the old building down, put in a cozy place, add a stable for mini horses, and she can work with really baby animals.”

“That would be an eloquent solution to that problem. As I have foisted many property problems your way, you leave the building and the man to me. I wish you the best of luck convincing everyone living under your roof to give her a chance. Not everyone is nearly as forgiving as you.”

“I’m sure you’ll change your opinion of my forgiving nature as soon as those who shot me show up. Mercy and forgiveness are not on the agenda. Ah, speaking of which. My children are not all here.”

I turned until I faced my property, drew a deep breath, and whistled for Mr. Magic the Bold and the rest of my alligators.

In addition to my alligator, I drew more than a few winged visitors, Yuless included.

“Aw, we’re busted, Lucy,” I complained while smiling, holding up my new baby alligator for my fiancé to see. “I love you enough you can play with my new alligator son. Lucifer gave him to me.”

Shadows enveloped Yuless, and a moment later, he reformed as a human, raising a brow at my new pet. “I thought you were going to the store. I’m not precisely surprised you have kidnapped more wildlife. It seems I cannot take my eyes off you for a moment. Fortunately, I do not mind this. At least when you get into trouble, I can help you get out of it. So, what are you doing?”

“I did go to a store. It’s very specialized. I went shopping for some shooters, and I spent Lucifer’s money to make it happen,” I reported. “And I may have abused one of your friends to make certain the shooters will show up. You can serve as my eye candy while the rest of my scaled guests make the evidence disappear.”

“You bought shooters?”

I mimed shooting a finger gun. “I didn’t like getting shot, and these fuckers will hurt others if they aren’t taken care of. I want them to be permanently taken care of, so that’s that. I’m also getting some revenge for Belinda. She won’t know I went about it, but I will. I plan on sleeping quite well tonight. Lucifer, it is fuckers, right? Not a fucker?”

“There are six men involved, and they are all coming, as they are devoid of ethics and all want to see your corpse. One of them has rather… unpleasant… interests.”

When Lucifer thought something counted as unpleasant, I wanted nothing to do with the man let alone his twisted interests. “Ew. I’ve changed my mind. Yuless, I recommend that you do whatever it is dragons do when planning on killing singular entities rather than entire cities. You have some people to help my alligators dismantle. I’ve decided these assholes have one fate ahead of them, and that’s a trip straight to Lucifer’s dungeons. I’m giving these fuckers to Darlene and Kanika.”