Keira
Holy Hell, Lucifer’s managed to remake Little Miss Perfect. Frankly, I’m a little bit scared of the new Grace. Maybe with her around, he won’t need me anymore. Either way, he’s going to end me. Even if I do succeed in killing Josh when he refuses Grace. I know that. Because Josh will refuse her, thinking he can save her if he stays an Angel or something. Ugh. He used to just think with his dick. I wish he hadn’t changed so much.
I am super pissed at him, and I’m dying to know what happened between him and Noah. But even if I did kill him for trying to kill Noah, Lucifer would find a reason to end me. Probably in front of Noah, since he now knows about our feelings having discovered us in bed together after I supposedly dumped him. He has to know that would be the only reason I disobeyed him.
The thing is, I don’t want Noah to lose it and do something stupid like attack Lucifer because he’s trying to save me. I’m certain Lucifer would win if it came down to it. And I definitely don’t want my own death to be the catalyst for that. But the only thing I may get a chance to decide is how and when my ending happens, and what I’m going to do until then.
The dagger weighs heavy in my waistband, but I scurry along, trying to keep up with the long-legged She-Demon over there. Damn, she’s pissed. He put her through a whole Hell of a lot, but I don’t think Lucifer broke her or made her evil. She just came out of the experience a more confident, more badass, avenging Demon. Good for her.
Grace glamours us a limo ride to LA. We drink two bottles of champagne and stare out the window at the desert flying by.
“I’m going to need some clothes,” she says several hours in. I was on the verge of sleep and open one eye blearily.
“Why?” I ask.
“To seduce Josh. I have to look like myself.”
Oh, Grace. I hope for her sake she gets what she wants. I settle back into the supple leather and doze off again as she goes back to brooding. I’m woken when the limo pulls onto Rodeo Drive.
Grace grins and leads the way to a few stores. We get back to the car with six packages each and go about changing in the back.
I picked out a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans and a diamond-studded top that hugs my boobs. I also have some Versace sunglasses and a pair of Jimmy Choos that make me almost as tall as Gracie. I might as well look good when the end comes.
Grace is wearing a gorgeous ivory dress that flows down to her knees; it looks like a modern version of a toga. It’s very flirty and girly—perfect for her. Aside from the Hermes dress, she’s wearing Gucci open-toed heels and Tiffany earrings.
When the driver opens the door for us at the Beverly Hilton, we stride out like movie stars, but all I can think is that I’m on a death march. I’m about to reach out to let Grace know that I’m not going to do it and she shouldn’t worry, but I stop myself. Why should she believe me? I wouldn’t blame her, with my history. Maybe there’s even some small Demonic part of me that hopes she’ll succeed in seducing Josh, and Lucifer will forgive us all.
I follow Grace through the marble hall, the click of our heels echoing in the enormous space. The ceiling is dotted with crystal chandeliers, and the walls are covered in tall windows that curve toward the arch of the ceiling and large, ancient-looking tapestries. I stare around at all the people chatting on cellphones or hurrying to their destinations and wonder if they even notice all the glitz. Grace heads with the same focused purpose to the concierge, where she demands the room number for Josh Gaynes.
“What do you mean there’s no one listed under that name?” she demands, eyes glowing.
“Whoa there, Grace,” I say, trying to rein her in. “He might not have a room.”
Grace draws a deep breath and pouts. “Okay then. Noah Howard?”
“Room 666.”
Grace glamours a key, and once again we head up to the sixth floor.
Noah opens the door, looking dazed and exhausted. I leap into his arms and kiss him.
“Ahem.” Grace shuts the door behind her and waits while I disentangle myself from Noah.
“Grace?” Noah says in disbelief, eyes wide. “Are you okay? I heard what happened.”
“You mean you heard our Boss let me be tied up, tortured, cut, stabbed, burnt, murdered, and then fed to a rare tiger?”
Noah’s eyes grow huge. “What tiger?”
Grace rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well, my killer is dead and hanging out with Lucifer now. Anyway, I’m here to talk about you.”
Noah backs up as she strides into the room. “I want to apologize,” she says, and then continues on despite the absolute shock on Noah’s face. “I should never have forced you to try to fit into the box I had in my head. You are not like me, nor should you be.” She crosses the room to Noah, who hasn’t yet recovered from the surprise of her apology.
“Thank you,” he says finally. “That’s very big of you.”
“Well, I’m not done yet, so we’ll see if you still want to thank me. But since I just murdered a man in cold blood, I suggest you listen.”
Noah’s mouth drops open. He looks to me, and I nod, confirming it.
“Noah Howard, you are my brother, and I love you no matter what. You’ve made some tough choices lately, and you have some more to make—”
“I killed Emily, Grace,” Noah blurts. He looks at the floor while he lets it sink in.
Grace swallows hard, and for a moment I think she’s going to falter, but she shakes it off and looks Noah in the eye. “Why?”
“I panicked,” he says in a choked voice. I think he may be fighting tears, and I slip up beside him to squeeze his hand. “It happened so fast, and I didn’t want to hurt her, but I didn’t know what else to do. She jumped me, and that Angel was there trying to glamour her to tell the police it was me and—”
“I’ve heard enough,” Grace says, waving it away and swallowing back any tears she wants to shed. “Emily was a good person, so I know she is safe in Heaven, and it doesn’t change anything I want to say. I don’t care about any prophecy or afterlife or any other shit. I don’t even care that you’re the Antichrist, though, after meeting a few other potentials, I’m still not sure I understand why. I just want you to be happy. It’s your choice whether to be Lucifer’s protégé. It’s up to you and no one else. But if you do want a bit of advice, then here it is: do the world a favor and kick Lucifer to the curb. Now if you’ll excuse me—that Angel you mentioned? I have to go seduce him so he can join us as another one of Lucifer’s slaves.”
Grace grabs hold of Noah and squeezes him tight in a hug.
“Oh,” she says, before he can respond, “and I’d appreciate it if you and he could get past the fighting I’ve heard about and try to get along.”
Grace spins on her heel and leaves the room.
Noah squeezes my hand. “Wow,” he says. “Are you okay? What did Lucifer do to you?”
I let him pull me close and kiss my neck as I debate how to answer. “I’m okay for now. Are you?”
“Now that you’re back. I won’t let him take you again, Keira.”
I close my eyes, letting his lips and touch comfort me despite my inability to believe him as much as I want to. “I can’t stay,” I say before he can discover the dagger.
“What?” He backs up. “Why?”
“I have another job. But when it’s over, maybe he’ll let me.” I shrug and smile. I can’t let Noah know that I’m sure Lucifer means to end me. It will only make things worse. “Meanwhile, you have some media frenzy to stir up.”
“Keira, you’re acting weird. What’s up?” He stalks toward me. Damn it, he actually knows me.
“Nothing’s up.”
“Oh yeah? Then what’s that?” He tugs up my shirt, revealing the jeweled cross that makes up the hilt of the deadly dagger.
Shit.
I jump back. “That is none of your business.”
“Keira, we both know I’m not letting you out of my sight until you tell me.”
“I’ll disappear.”
“I’ll call you right back”
We stare at each other, both frustrated and stubborn.
“Ugh. Fine. It’s a cursed blade. It can kill both Demons and Angels.”
He stares at the hilt. “Is it safe for you to wear it like that?” he asks.
“Safer than if someone else had it.”
“Who are you supposed to kill?” he asks, pulling me back into his arms. I can’t resist. It feels too good.
“Josh. Grace’s Angel. But only if she can’t make him fall.” I speak into his muscled chest. I can feel it through his suit.
“That’s his name. Josh,” he says softly. “Well, that asshole deserves it.”
I look up. “No, actually, he doesn’t. What happened with you guys, anyway?”
Noah snorts. “It’s like I said to Grace. He showed up at the parade and almost ruined everything. He tried to save the governor. Then he tried to frame me for the murder. I ended up having to kill poor Emily.”
I suck in my lip. He killed Grace’s best friend in front of Josh. No wonder they fought.
“It was his fault,” he says, shaking me a little. “Grace understood.”
“No. It was your fault,” I snap, backing away again. “Grace didn’t absolve you. She doesn’t have that power. She told you that she loves you anyway, and I do, too. But you can’t blame others for things that don’t go your way.”
“You sound pretty judgmental for a Demon,” Noah retorts.
I bristle—he’s hit me where it hurts. I haven’t felt like much of a Demon lately. “Look, all I know is that I care about you. You expect me to tell you the truth, right?”
Noah’s eyes narrow with anger—a look I’ve seen far too often. “I expect you to support me. Right now it sounds like you have very little faith in me.”
I laugh at the reference. This has nothing to do with faith. “I’ll see you after your press conference,” I say. I can’t do this. I don’t want the last thing we say to each other to be in anger.
I blow him a kiss and disappear in a cloud of smoke, hoping he won’t call me right back. I materialize several floors up and reach for the handle of the dagger, wondering if I can somehow destroy it, when I realize it isn’t there. Panic grips me as I search my waistband, but it’s gone.
And so is my only possibility of regaining Lucifer’s trust.