No Angel by Vivi Andrews

well, sir. Married life seems to agree with you.” Jay spoke before she could. Unease snaked through her mind at the idea that he might have been trolling through her thoughts even now.
    “Does it?” Lucifer’s laugh echoed through the room.
    Sasha realized she was smiling like an idiot, enchanted into submission by the sound. Even Jezebeth and Jay didn’t appear to be immune to Lucifer dark, compelling radiance. Jezebeth giggled coyly and Jay’s lips quirked up in a hint of a smile.
    Shaking off the spell of his laugh, Sasha studied the world’s most famous villain. He was supernaturally good-looking, supernaturally charming, and Hell was at his feet, but everyone wanted something. Demons were notoriously ambitious by nature. So what was Lucifer’s current ambition? And how could she use it against him?
    “I’ve been remiss not to visit since the wedding, but now that I’m here, I suppose it falls to me to ask you what your intentions toward my mother are?”
    Lucifer went still, his eyes alert, a small smile curving his lips. “My intentions?”
    “Why did you marry her?” Jay asked, the slightest edge of challenge in his voice.
    Sasha felt certain she was missing the significance of this conversation. The undercurrents in the room were so far beneath her depth she could barely feel them, but Jay was doing something. It’d be nice if she had the first clue what it was.
    “She thinks you only married her to gain more access to me—but you were already more father to me than any other creature on Hell or earth. You had all the influence you needed. So why agree to marriage after all these centuries?”
    Lucifer’s good cheer vanished. “What are you playing at, Jay?”
    “I want to live on the mortal plane. Indefinitely.”
    His mother gasped, horrified. “ Jevroth. How can you mean that? Why would you want to leave Hell to live among the filthy, small-minded humans?”
    Jay continued speaking, pleading his case directly to Lucifer. “I never belonged here and to some it is risky to have me here. If I stay I will never be anything other than a tool in the power games. A dangerous tool.”
    “Jay,” Jezebeth pleaded, her voice unnaturally high. More fireballs began orbiting her like hyperactive moons. “You belong here. You’re a demon. Where else would you belong?”
    “There are no secrets around me.” Jay ignored his mother, his dark eyes intent on Lucifer. “And some secrets are bombs just waiting to be detonated. If, for example, I were to tell my mother how you—”
    “Jevroth.” The single word was a command. Lucifer didn’t need to raise his voice to freeze Jay’s words in the air. “Leaving isn’t without risks.”
    “I’ll take my chances with redemption. I love Sasha—without manipulations or power plays.”
    Lucifer arched one golden brow. “You show your human side tonight. But love without conditions, manipulations and power plays—that isn’t the demon way. You will tire of it, much more quickly than you think. I would have grown bored of your mother centuries ago if I didn’t suspect she was secretly trying to dethrone me and rule in my stead.”
    “Oh, Luc,” Jezebeth said, blushing prettily.
    Trust the psycho to be flattered by being suspected of treachery.
    “Are you afraid?” Sasha asked, then shuddered as all eyes in the room locked on her. But she kept talking, hoping she wasn’t digging her own grave. “Sure, everyone knows you can hold your throne by manipulation and deceit. No one can outmaneuver Lucifer. But if they had a choice, if Jezebeth had a choice, would you still rule? I think you covet respect that isn’t forced, but freely given. Love that isn’t bought, but a gift.”
    The Devil laughed. “Save me from the humans and their psychotherapists.”
    “I think you want your people—demons, whatever—to choose you. But they can’t do that unless you give them the chance to choose—”
    “Stop. It’s adorable, your attempt to fight for young