Demons Prefer Blondes

by Sidney Ayers

  One thing was different. Lucy certainly wasn’t the one doing the charming. Hauling herself up, she stared her in her slitted eyes. “I did that on purpose.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you did.” Lamia’s forked tongue darted out and whipped Lucy’s nose. “Belial won’t like this.”

  Lucy’s eyebrow quirked up. “I thought you didn’t give a shit about Belial.”

  Lamia’s scaly tail lashed out and wrapped around her neck, pulling her closer, the grip tightening. “If it weren’t for the treasures he was offering, I’d kill you right now.”

  She opened her mouth to offer her usual bit of sarcasm, but only managed an intelligible gasp. Wow. Lamia finally found a way to shut her up. Score one for Lamia, much to Lucy’s chagrin.

  Lamia’s tail loosened its grip and slithered away, returning to her slightly improved, human form. Crimson curls cascading down her head, she spread her lips into a wide smirk. “That got you to shut up, didn’t it?”

  “Yes, mistress,” she coughed out.

  Her red-black eyes flickered as a snarl revealed two very long pointed fangs—fangs she’d used to suck the souls from innocent children. She’d show her where to stick those fangs.

  Up Larissa’s pert little ass.

  As if knowing Lucy was thinking about her and that body that would make a model jealous, Larissa shifted in the passenger seat, a soft sigh escaping her too-plump lips. Why did the evil ones have to be so damned cutesy sounding?

  “And, so you know, my dear Lucia.” A wry smile curved Lamia’s lips, her arm stretching and snaking around her. With absolutely no effort, she hauled Lucy up and flung her against the backseat. “Nothing you say or attempt to do will stop us. The Infernati will prevail.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “Oh, yes we will.” Her greenish-gray tail slinked and slithered across Lucy’s cheek, the cool smooth skin sending shivers of revulsion coursing through her. Lucy fought with every fiber of her being to keep the bile from rising to her throat.

  The trilling of a cell phone broke the silence. With an aggravated huff, Lamia pulled her appendage away from Lucy’s face and snatched up the phone, her body slithering back into its human form.

  She clicked the button and jerked the phone to her ear. “Speak.” A mortified gasp blew from her mouth. “My apologies. I didn’t realize it was you.” She flashed a warning glare.

  Tool, indeed.

  Lamia continued her conversation. “There’s a slight delay.”

  Slight delay, my ass.

  Peering over the car seat and out the cracked windshield, Lucy attempted to survey the damage. Steam rolled from beneath the hood as the car creaked, clanked, and shuddered. The passenger side door dangled precariously, allowing cold gusts of air to hit her face. Shock had clearly hit.

  “Your bride managed to get us in an accident.” Lamia scraped her clawed fingers through her blood red curls. “Is this worth it, my prince?”

  Lucy chuckled to herself. Lamia, for as much as she claimed to be all for her own glory, she had herself firmly wrapped around Belial’s golden finger.

  “I’m sorry, Prince. It shall not happen again.” She pushed open the door and lumbered out of the car. “I’d rather discuss this with you in private. She’s a handful.” With that, she slammed the door shut, the mangled hunk of metal moaning in response.

  Lucy craned her head to watch Lamia pace next to the car, her claws clenching the phone. Any tighter and they’d be digging inside. She shook her head, mouthing a few unnamed curse words. With a sharp twist, she turned back toward the car, her glowing red glare boring into her. Lucy returned her glare with one of her own. Nope. She wasn’t shaking in her boots. There was too much at stake.

  Cramming her phone into the pocket of the black skinny jeans that clung to her every snakelike curve, she flung the door open. “Get out, bitch. We’re going to Hell after all.”

  “I’m sure you are.” Lucy flashed a toothy grin. “And I’m going to enjoy sending you there.”

  “Ha-ha. Very funny.” With that, Lamia grabbed her by the collar of her coat and yanked her from the car. “Have you ever traveled?”

  Lucy shrugged, a tiny smirk spreading across her face. “Nope. I never learned. I’m afraid you’re out of luck.”

  “Oh, I have plenty of luck, Lucy.” Crimson lips spread into a wide smirk, she snapped her fingers.

  With a soft gasp, Larissa jerked her head up. Scratching her head, she squinted. “Wha… What happened?”

  “Stupid bitch got us in a car accident.” She narrowed her gaze and gave Lucy a searing hiss. “We have to travel now.”

  Rubbing her eyes, Larissa let out a long drawn out yawn. “How’d that happen?”

  “Never mind that,” Lamia barked. “Get the hell out of the car.”

  With a quick jolt, Larissa reached for the door handle and pulled. Yanking and jerking the handle, she grumbled beneath her breath. “Bloody hell. The door’s stuck.” Pushing and pulling, she fought the crumpled scrap of metal.

  “Incompetent!” Lamia growled. “Can’t you do anything right?”

  With a soft yelp, Larissa flinched, her rosy red lips forming a tiny pout. “Yes,” she mumbled, exhaustion and frustration creasing her brow. If she hadn’t been such a bitch, Lucy might have felt sorry for her.

  But beneath that beauty and grace lay a monster. A vicious heartless monster who’d hurt someone she loved. A wound she’d let fester for over two hundred years. If it weren’t for the cuffs, she’d give her three hundred years of wounds. Unfortunately, even that wouldn’t be enough to make up for the abuse she’d put Rafe through.

  With a groan, Larissa heaved herself over the gearshift and plopped down into the driver’s seat. Swinging to the side, she pushed herself out of the car. “Are we close enough?”

  “At this point, I don’t fucking care.” Lamia growled out. Her talons gripping into Lucy’s shoulder blades, she yanked her to her. Her forked tongue lashing out, she hissed. “Either way, she dies.” She leaned in close, her cold, lifeless breath crawling against her skin. “Yes, you’ll die, and it’ll bring me much pleasure.”

  Adrenaline pounded through Lucy. “What did I ever do to you?”

  Lamia jerked her head to meet her red-rimmed glare. “You were born.”

  “Don’t blame me for that.”

  “If you weren’t born I’d be the Sexubi Queen.” Larissa sauntered to stand next to her mistress, her true self shining through. Pristine pale skin swirled and molded into green scales. Spiked tale whipping back and forth, her pupils narrowed to tiny slits.

  “Instead, you’re the Lizard Queen. Sucks to be you, huh?”

  Lamia grumbled, her other hand literally snaking out to stroke Larissa’s scaly cheek. “Now, now. You remember our plan, my dear.”

  Larissa’s gaze shifted to the ground. “Yes, mistress. I remember.”

  Lamia’s lips slithered into a sly smile. “Good.”

  “So what was your plan?” Lucy asked, cocking her head to the side.

  Lamia’s tail slithered and twined around her leg. “We were going to kill your father so I could take over the kingdom.”

  “But daddy fell in love and ruined all your little plans.” She let out a low chuckle. “Score one for love.”

  Larissa snorted, shaking her green scaly head. “Love doesn’t exist, right, mistress?”

  “That’s the human in her.” Her other snakelike hand traced through Lucy’s hair and down her cheek. Anger and revulsion reared their ugly head. She bit her tongue.

  “Oh yes it does,” she managed. “And it’s love that’ll kick your asses.”

  “We’ll see, my dear.” With that, Lamia curled her tail around her, pulling her closer to her slithering body.

  “Hurry!” Larissa punctuated her screech with a point of a clawed finger.

  Lamia turned her head, a low growl forming deep in her belly. “Bloody hell.”

  Curiosity wriggling its way through her, Lucy joined in. Light reflec
ting against the snow, a car barreled its way down the road. At least 80 miles an hour, easy. Her spirits lifted. Deep in her heart, she knew that car was on its way for her. Rafe was nearby, getting closer by the second.

  “I told you love would kick your—”

  Deep bone-wracking cold permeated her entire body, freezing her in place. Arctic air swirled and blew around her, slicing into her face. Ice crystals formed in her hair and her lashes. Any colder and her eyes would freeze shut. Thank goodness she didn’t have a runny nose. Talk about snotcicles!

  Frost darted across her cheeks and over her face, the ice glazing over her eyes. Headlights dancing and reflecting against the thick sheen. She sucked in a cold, bitter breath. Almost here. Lamia’s iced-over tail still kept her tight in its grasp. Tires squealing and moaning, the car slid to a stop.

  “Lucy!” Rafe’s shout echoed through the bitter cold night and throughout her mind.

  Lamia’s deep chuckle reverberated through her ears. “Too late!” she shouted as the car doors swung open.

  With that, the ice cracked and shattered, the sound screeching in her ears. As if she were swept up in a giant tornado, her body twisted and pulled as the winds sucked her in. A loud pop reverberated, bursting in both her ears. Her eardrums pounded and throbbed as the blood rushed to her head. She used to think flying in an airplane was bad, but this was ten times worse. Spiraling and whooshing through the portal, she had no choice but to let snake-lady tighten her hold.

  With a violent gust of air, the portal slammed her forward. Face freezing as wind licked at her cheeks, she kept her eyes closed. This would, no doubt, be messy. Insides squeezing and constricting, she struggled for a breath of air. Her head pounded and her stomach heaved. Would traveling be like this every time? If she managed to survive, she hoped not. Hopefully, if she was lucky, the journey would kill her, and all of Belial’s plans would backfire.

  The familiar, gut-wrenching odor of cinnamon intermingling with rotten eggs wafted through the air and straight up her nostrils. Her stomach roiled and bile rose. Saliva, thick and heavy, coated her tongue. Belial, golden mane swirling around his head, stood tall, his beady amber eyes glowing in the darkness. A large, sinister smirk crept across his face.

  “Ahh. My bride has arrived.”

  Nope, luck wasn’t on her side.

  Chapter 27

  Rafael raced toward the icy swirls, Lamia’s cackle echoing in his ears. The remaining winds churned and swirled around him—mocking him. The cold snow pelted his face, feeding his despair. With an eerie pop, the portal closed. Lucy was gone.

  “¡Mierda!” Gerardo flew from the car and came to stand next to him. With a shake of his head, he let out a defeated sigh. “I tried to warn her.”

  Rafael blinked. Warn her? He turned to face the Latino, his glare steady. “When?”

  “Hmm.” Eyes glazing in thought, Gerardo twirled a bright red feather around his finger. Were there any shirts in this man’s wardrobe that didn’t involve some sort of plumage?

  “Before you arrived at the shop,” he finished, his mouth spread in a wide toothy grin. “The day I tried to touch your hair.”

  What in all that is holy? “You remember?” Rafael gritted his teeth. Humans never remembered enrapturement. They only remembered the suggestions left. And Rafael had only left Gerardo one. Never touch a demon.

  “Oh yes, I remember everything. Including the rather intriguing conversation with Mrs. Carlson. Absolutely fascinating, I may add.” With that, he reached out and patted Rafael’s back. “Mighty impressive Deleon.”

  Rafael reached up, grabbed Gerardo’s wrist, and yanked him to face him. “What are you?”

  All of a sudden, Gerardo reached out with his other hand and grabbed Rafael’s other wrist. Gaze narrowed, he drew his lips into a straight line. “Not Infernati, so don’t worry about that.” What was it about this town? Never in his four hundred-plus years had he never encountered such a concentration of magical beings. This wasn’t natural.

  “Just someone who cares about Lucy.”

  Rafael’s grip grew tighter. “This isn’t the time or the place for cryptic banter. Lucy is in danger and I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to her.”

  “We are in agreement.” Gerardo’s smile spread from cheek to cheek. He loosened the hold on Rafael’s wrist and raked his fingers through his hair. He smoothed the feathers on his shirt and turned his back to Rafael. “This is what I am.”

  Throwing his hands up to the sky, he bowed his head. Bright bursts of energy poured down, showering Gerardo in radiant light. Bloody hell, Rafael had seen that light before. And usually, it meant things were worse than the Paladins knew.

  Feathers, as white as the snow spiraling around them, crept from Gerardo’s back, spreading farther and farther across, each plume as thick and fluffy as the last. With a flick of his new grown wings, Gerardo turned to face him. “I can’t show up in public like this, you know.”

  Gerardo was an angel? And if he could keep his disguise around demons, he wasn’t just any angel. “Who are you?” Rafael demanded.

  “Gerardo Martinez.” His grin spread wider. “I’m Lucy’s guardian angel.”

  “It certainly explains the affinity for feathered shirts but doesn’t explain how you managed to become a guardian angel for a succubus.”

  “Without feathers, I feel naked.” Gerardo plucked a feather from his shirt and tossed it into the wind. “And Lucy’s only part succubus. She’s also human, you know. Upon discovering this, I decided she needed more guarding. I wasn’t exactly sure what she was, but the way Lilith, in her Mrs. Gunderson getup, kept lingering around the shop, I had my suspicions.”

  Rafael rubbed his jaw, the stubble scratching his fingertips. He had no choice but to trust Gerardo. After all, he’d taken care of Lucy. “Very well. Speaking of Lilith, where is she?”

  “With Lilu protecting Lucy’s mom.”

  Bloody hell. In his urgency, he’d forgotten Lucy’s mother. With a silent breath of relief, he nodded. “A very awkward family reunion, I suppose.”

  Gerardo snorted out a chuckle. “Amazing. You’ve grown a sense of humor.”

  “I’ve always had one,” Rafael interjected. “I just seldom show it.”

  The sounds of heels clacking against pavement broke their conversation. With a quick shuffle, Kalli came to stand next to him. “I’ve tried opening a portal. The bastard Belial has blocked the entire—” Her eyes widened in shock as she registered Gerardo’s appearance. “What the hell! The Fore-Demons sent an angel?”

  Frankie, who lumbered behind, stopped in his tracks as he gazed Gerardo from head to toe. “Where in the hell have you been hiding those things?” Brows arched and eyes wide, he tilted his head to the left.

  “They’ve always been here,” Gerardo drawled with a flick of his snow-white wings. “I just chose to keep them hidden… for obvious reasons.”

  Frankie arched a manicured brow. “Why?”

  “I couldn’t do that to Lucy. Either they would stay away in fear, or come in droves and gawk like the salon was some sort of sideshow exhibit.” He blew out a breath of air. “If you thought the small crowd that followed Lucy was big, it’d be ten times worse.”

  Frankie pursed his lips. “I’m still trying to figure this all out. But if you’re a guardian angel, why in tarnation did you allow Belial into the shop?”

  “I have a good answer.” Gerardo grinned. “How is it that Lilith arrived at that precise time? I sought her out and told her Belial was near.”

  “And why in the name of all that is holy did you do nothing to protect her?” Rafael balled his fists in an attempt to tamp down the sudden desire to throttle the would-be guardian angel. Fingernails digging into palms, he threw Gerardo a dagger-like glare.

  “Believe me, I would have if I could, but to show oneself to one’s ward when the time isn’t right goes against angel protocol.” Gerardo’s gaze grew pleading. “She was in capable hands.”

  “Whose capable ha
nds? Belial’s or Lilith’s?” Yes, Lilith might have been Lucy’s aunt, but he’d heard stories of her exploits in Las Vegas. She’d done more than drain her victims’ energy. She’d sucked their life force, as well.

  “Neither.”

  Rafael furrowed his brow. “Whose?”

  “Yours.” Gerardo’s lips swept into a wide grin.

  He blinked. His? “I don’t understand.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t. But there’s no time to explain. You will learn soon enough” He spread his wings, urgency creasing his face. “We need to go. Now.”

  “What about him?” Kalli asked, nudging Frankie on the shoulder.

  Frankie stood tall, his chin jutting out in determination. “You ain’t leaving me. I may be human, but that don’t mean I can’t fight.”

  Everyone’s gazes turned to Frankie. He gripped his hips and stood tall, his face as serious as stone. “Well?”

  He’d be damned if he let one of Lucy’s friends get hurt. “If you come with us, you will freeze to death.” Rafael flexed his arms across his chest. “If you think the winter here is cold, the portal is much worse.”

  Kalli nodded in agreement. “The human body isn’t made for traveling. You could, quite literally, freeze an appendage off.” She lowered her gaze to his groin.

  With a startled gasp, Frankie grabbed himself. “Really?”

  Rafael only offered a static nod. Unfortunately, Kalli spoke the truth. There wasn’t any easy way to sugarcoat it. “And that’s not the worst of it.”

  Frankie’s eyes sparked. “I don’t care. I need to help Lucy. If that means losing Frankie Jr., then so be it.”

  “I won’t put one of Lucy’s friends in danger.”

  Frankie stomped his foot, sending snow flying. “It’s not fair. I have to do something!”

  “It isn’t safe,” Kalli flipped a knotty lock from her face. “We can’t—”

  Gerardo flicked his wings. “I can take him. We angels aren’t as restricted as demons.” Of course, demons were essentially evil creatures. Only those who proved their willingness to repent were chosen for the Paladin, but still there were boundaries even the Paladin couldn’t break. Transporting humans, for one.