Page 14 of Demon Demands

For some reason, I wasn’t quite ready to admit that while I hated clowns, they weren’t my biggest fear. I felt like if I didn’t acknowledge said fears, then they weren’t tangible things that could stop me.

Grim grinned at me, teasing me out of my souring mood. “I thought you didn’t have any fears, Lo. Whatever shall we do with you now that we know you're a scaredy cat.”

He knew. Grim shared my fear, and we were trying not to live in it, not to let it swallow us up whole.

I rolled my eyes at him, my default setting of sarcasm kicking up a notch. “I never said I didn’t have any fears... It’s just that most of them are totally irrational.”

And that wasn’t completely a lie. The only fear that I currently worried about was losing someone that I cared for. Since that list had grown exponentially, I had constantly tried to push it out of my mind.

Any nightmare half as strong as Dolyn would be able to read into my fears, and I’d be damned if I let them try to expose me when I knew my guys could put up one hell of a fight. Jack and Grim, my family, Dolyn and Hyde, even Franklin, they could all defend themselves more than most.

I listened to Lucy and Papi attempt to make plans for my hunt, but I’d already made my mind up. I had a team picked out, and after flashing the images to Dolyn for his consideration, I straightened my shoulders, ready to take over.

“Fuck all of that. I want instant gratification,” I growled to Papi, waving my hand over the computerized map that Dolyn had laid out, dissolving the image they’d built.

“I’m not playing games with Hannibal. We’re going to hit his numbers in a quick attack, take Jack, and get the fuck out. If I can kill him while we’re there, then so be it, but that’s not my immediate goal. Before I leave Hell, Satan and Hannibal will both be dead. Their souls have reserved cases on my shelf.”

Yeah. I was definitely putting Satan in one of my little glass boxes. I’d keep his soul forever, like a signed baseball on the mantle for everyone to see. Jack had already called dibs on Hannibal, but I didn’t mind that loss.

“Lo, my monster,” Lucy started. Lilith appeared at his side with a perfectly timed entrance. Lil might stand at Lucifer’s side, but she’d always back me up, even if she’d just stepped into the conversation.

“Lucifer, darling. You know she’s got both the brains and the balls to work this out for herself. Let us go back to Hell and be a buffer for her, keep the masses at bay until she’s done. You’ve taught her and Jack as much as you can. Let them grow up, darling. You and the boys can’t shelter them forever.”

Hearing her call my parents boys would never get old.

I gave her a grateful grin. She always knew what to say to ease the tensions. That was part of what made her the perfect First Devil’s Equal.

She had just as much power and authority as Lucy did, but she wielded it differently. She could and did lead legions, but she would forever be feared for her knowledge of information.

Lilith had a wealth of dirty details that would make the most gloriously righteous demons bow at her feet. The more heinous the demon, the more they worshipped her to keep their secrets.

Lilith, mother of the demons, the First Devil’s Equal, and my grandmother. She was a gorgeous Asian woman with big brown eyes and a short, slender figure. Her flowing red gown seemed out of place while the rest of us were dressed so casually, but that silk on her body wouldn’t stop her from throwing her weight around.

She was formidable and terrifying, while graceful and elegant. Lilith was who taught me how to use my stilettos as a weapon.

“What’s the plan, O. Tell me what I can do since Lucifer isn’t planning on going to Hell right away. It’s been ages since I’ve fought, and I’m ready to stretch my claws.”

O. Only Lil called me by my middle initial. Osiris was my middle name, but most days it never crossed my mind.

Lilith had blessed me with that name, saying she owed it to her old friend, the Egyptian god of death. She wasn’t wrong in her choice. I had taken to death quite nicely. A grim reaper stood by my side, the grim reaper once I took the title of the Third Devil.

I’d handed out more deaths than one could comfortably count. Maybe if I’d been named something different… Nahh… That was a dumb thought. Looking at my family lineage, I’d been bred for death to be my best friend.

“There is no real plan, Lil. When I make plans, they tend to go wayward. We’re going to wing it. Again.” I shrugged my shoulders, trying not to think too hard about the details.

“Grim and I are going to track Jack. I’ll send the hounds out to scout ahead and guide their directions until we’re close. Then, we’re going in swords high and guns blazing.”

She scoffed at me. “Sloane Osiris King. Don’t insult me. I don’t need guns. I intend to deliver all of my kills by my hands or katanas only, like I always have. These talons haven’t seen fresh blood spilled in many years.” She glanced at her nails, imagining them covered in the blood of her defeated opponents.

Right. I didn’t look like Lilith at all in human form, but my demonic nature, my demon herself, was Lilith on steroids. She wanted blood under her nails and on her hands.

My demon wanted to be unrecognizable under the rivulets of crimson that ran down our ivory skin. A creamy complexion that we’d gained from Lilith. Angel wings that we’d gained from Lucifer, except devoid of feathers and flesh.

“So,” Dolyn drawled, “all that leaves me with is two questions for you, Lo.” He lifted his fingers as he spoke directly to me. “Do you want to take Hyde with us? And are you shopping for what we need or am I?”

“Hyde would be an asset,” I grumbled, knowing that she could turn the tides of a fight but dreading how my demon would react to her being in said fight. “We can leave that decision up to her, though.”

“And shopping?” Dolyn asked again, grinning at me like the fool he was.