“No pressure or anything, right?” I stick my hands in the hellfire again. “Since I’ve created so many portals before.” The only portal I personally know of is the one that takes us to the hidden Covenstead. It’s been there for centuries, continually strengthened by the witches who use it.
There are others leading to different Covensteads across the world, and the spells used to create them took days if not weeks to perform. And like Julian said, it took a bunch of witches and warlocks to cast those spells. But I’m not an ordinary witch, not by any means.
“Yeah,” I say. “Let’s do it.”
Lucifer holds both hands out slightly to his side, and red flames surround his fingers. “All right then. I’ll give you more power, but first…first I want to make a deal.”
Chapter 2
“A deal,” Julian echoes. “No. Callie is not going to agree to give you her soul.”
Lucifer rolls his eyes. “Not that kind of deal. She’s family, remember. Family has each other’s backs.” He looks at me. “Call it an agreement. A favor, even.”
“What do you want me to do?” I ask.
“Before your power boost wears off, cast a cloaking spell on me.” Lucifer picks a piece of lint off his sleeve.
“A cloaking spell?” I ask, not following.
“Yes, a cloaking spell,” Lucifer repeats. “While I’m rather good at evading my siblings, I’d like to not be on the run for a while.”
“Okay,” I say and hold up my hand to keep Julian from protesting. “If it’s the only way out of here, what choice do I have?”
“Don’t make me sound like the bad guy,” Lucifer retorts.
“Then don’t make me make a deal in order to go home to my husband.”
Lucifer presses his lips together. “Fine, then let me ask this as a…a favor.” His eyes meet mine, and I know asking for help isn’t easy for him. “Will you please cast the cloaking spell on me? I’m tired,” he adds. “Tired of running, of feeling like the outcast. I would like a small amount of time to simply live.”
“I’ll do it,” I tell him, feeling a tug on my heart once again. “I can’t promise it will keep you totally hidden. I mean…if it were that easy, why didn’t anyone tell me to cast a cloaking spell on myself?”
“A cloaking spell hides you from sight,” Julian goes on, speaking slowly. “But it won’t hide the detection of your powers, which is what both the demons and the other angels are in search of.” His eyes widen, and he faces Lucifer. “You’re going to bind your powers.”
“What?” I gasp, instantly scared at the thought of Lucifer not having his powers. He’s swooped in and saved me multiple times now. “How?”
“You think you’re the only one with that nifty little power-binding potion?” He smirks. “I did provide the final ingredient, if my arrogant brother failed to mention.”
“Don’t talk about my dad like that,” I snap. “And yes, he did mention. Thank you for that as well. You’ve helped me a lot, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
“Spare the emotions,” Lucifer huffs, but I can tell how much it means to him.
“I’m not normally this mushy,” I say. “Or this human. Honestly, I can’t wait until I’m not pregnant anymore, and it’s a relief to say that out loud.” I pat my stomach. “That’s not a dig at you, Elena. I just prefer to be a little less human and more badass.”
“You’ve named her?” Lucifer’s expression softens.
“We did.” I smile. “Lucas picked out the name. We haven’t picked a middle name yet.”
“I don’t suppose you’d consider Lucifer,” my uncle jokes.
“Hah, no. But Lucy is cute. Elena Lucy King.”
“Lucille,” Julian suggests. “Elena Lucille King.”
My smile widens. “I actually really like that.” Elena does a flip, painfully kicking my ribs. “I think she likes it too.”
“The spell to create a portal,” Julian starts. “Do you know it?”
“No,” I say with a shake of my head. “I know those types of spells are really complicated and you have to be extremely careful to get it right so you don’t step into a weird dimension and, uh, end up dead or all broken apart…which would lead to you ending up dead. You two might be fine.”
“I like your confidence,” Lucifer says sarcastically.
“Usually, I’m the first to toot my own horn,” I admit. “And I’ve never been shy to celebrate what I’m good at. But creating a portal to the human world from inside Hell…a little out of my area of expertise.”
“I know a little something about creating portals,” Lucifer tells me.
“You do?” Julian and I ask at the same time.
“Your mother,” Lucifer starts, and I suck in a breath, “was particularly good at opening them. It’s how we began our…our communications.”
“Right. Because she practiced dark magic.” I rub my forehead, wishing I could have some of that fancy cognac Lucifer offered me. My parents were in love, and I know Lucifer loved my mother as well. Whether she was in some sort of cosmic love triangle before getting knocked up, I don’t know.