Page 3 of Burn in Bliss

Whatever that was. As far as I could tell, it just wanted chaos.

Lucifer swirled a clawed finger, seemingly bored as the air screamed in response. The crowd reared back and wailed, and I wasn’t sure if it was a cry of pain or pleasure.

The party would carry on for quite some time. Lucifer was generating sexual energies to convert more humans. Even Calamity needed to eat, apparently.

So I had a few more hours, at least, even though the sun would be rising sooner than that. Bodies writhed in the shadows and music thrummed against the stone walls, reminding me of home.

I came from a family of gods and they knew how to throw a party. Those memories had come back in pieces over time. It was probably Calamity undoing the amnesia that Lilith’s power had put in place.

Regardless, Lucifer was smart. Not only did he turn mortals into supernaturals by using the power gifted from Calamity, but he also capitalized on their new needs.

Their hunger.

Their lust and desire were forces so powerful and new that they indulged in them as much as they could.

And Lucifer let them. Or, like tonight, he encouraged them.

I paused at the next window, watching for a moment as I stole a sliver of the growing energy for myself. If he felt it, Lucifer didn’t turn my way to acknowledge that I was drawing on my power to resist his command. He didn’t know I was fighting it. But he would after tonight.

Break the twins.

I didn’t want to break them.

I wanted to fix them.

Lucifer would see his mistake when I brought them around.

Steps down the hall made me curse. No one should be near the exit to the dungeon, but there was the occasional fallen angel who liked to try to get in, just to goad the twins who had tortured them.

I didn’t need to stop them. There was no getting in or out of the first room. It was magically sealed, allowing only me or Lucifer himself in, or out.

Pulling Samael by his chain—more gently this time so I didn’t make any noise—I pushed his back against the white wall that would match his wings.

I crowded him, pressing my chest against his. His nostrils flared and the fight in his eyes glimmered like little purple embers.

You’re cute when you’re angry, I thought.

I wasn’t trying to intimidate the angel. I just needed him to stay still. When he opened his mouth, I slid my hand over it.

Still, and quiet.

He bit my palm, drawing out a sudden pain I wasn’t used to. Not many things could hurt me, but apparently Samael’s teeth were sharper than they looked. I swallowed a growl, then focused on my task.

There was a new trick I’d picked up during my stay at Lucifer’s headquarters.

I let the darkness take over.

Samael’s jewel-like eyes widened when I demonstrated my new power. I was a demigod of sunlight, but Calamity had taught me something unique that I’d never tried before.

The sun, on occasion, was blocked out by an eclipse. I was only half-god, which gave me a whole other genetic component to work with.

Lily taught you that, asshole, a little voice in the back of my head reminded me.

My jaw stiffened so I didn’t release a growl. The old me liked to voice his opinions when I was distracted. I’d learned to block him out.

Mostly.

But I couldn’t start listening to him now. He was wrong. Following that gut instinct had gotten Lily killed. It had resulted in failure again and again when I was a fucking demigod.