Infernal God (Claimed By Lucifer Book 3) by Elizabeth Briggs (summer reads TXT) 📕

Suddenly a portal opened up on the other side of the garden, startling all the people at the party, who had just gone back to talking after the last surprising arrival. But now the fae were here, and they always liked to make an entrance.

Damien stepped through first, followed by my mother, who looked radiant in a pale yellow gown with real daisies growing out of it. Fae fashion could be a bit...extreme. Damien was much more subdued in a simple white silk shirt and black trousers, and he took his grandmother by the elbow and led her toward us. Lucifer tensed beside me at the sight of Demeter, though he stepped forward to give his son a hug.

"It's good to see you again, Damien." Then he shot a hard look at my mother. "Demeter."

“Lucifer.” Her voice was frosty, and her gaze equally cool as it moved from my mate to me. “Hannah.”

I ignored her as I hugged my son, then handed him the baby so he could meet her properly. Aurora's eyes popped open and she giggled and cooed at her brother, who laughed with her.

"You've already decided I'm your favorite brother, haven't you?" Damien asked, as she grabbed his finger. "Oh yes, she's a clever one."

I turned toward Demeter and offered her a smile. "Thanks for coming, Mother. Would you like to meet your granddaughter?”

My mother’s face immediately changed, losing all hint of frostiness, lighting up as if from within, becoming truly beautiful the way only a fae could. She held her arms out to Damien, and as soon as she held Aurora against her, she touched the baby's face gently with a smile. Then she reached out a hand to me, and I took it. How could I not? She was my mother, the only one still alive from all my previous lives. I knew this hadn't been easy for her—to lose a daughter who was then replaced by a stranger, more than once. I looked at Aurora and couldn’t even imagine.

My mother’s fierce protectiveness of the daughter she’d loved reminded me of Jophiel and her desire to pause me as Hannah so she wouldn't lose me. Demeter clung to her grief over Persephone in the same way. Though I didn't agree with their actions, I knew they did them out of love, and I tried not to judge them too harshly. I'd lost my chance to reconcile with my sister, but maybe I still had a chance with my mother. Even if she was only here because of my daughter, it was a start.

After my mother had finally released Aurora, and Zel had stopped hanging around like some kind of armed hellhound, Lucifer and I sat with our children around the fire pit as it burned to embers and the sky darkened. Guests had drifted away or left the party entirely, and the only ones still left were family. Even Belial was with us. All of our children, gathered in one place, for the first time—but hopefully not the last.

Kassiel held Aurora and smiled down at her as he rocked her to sleep. She was perfectly content and happy there, but then he passed her to Damien and she began to cry immediately.

“Thought you were good with women, Damien.” Kassiel smirked at his brother, and Damien briefly covered his sister’s eyes to flip his younger brother off.

“Only ones that aren't my sister.” Damien turned his attention to Aurora, and she soon giggled at the expressions he made, her gaze tracking every movement of his face. "Besides, we can't all be the perfect brother."

Kassiel shrugged as he leaned back and took a sip of his beer. "I'm just happy I'm not the baby in the family anymore."

"You're always going to be the baby brother, Kass," Belial said with a grin. "I still remember changing your diapers and rocking you to sleep."

Damien offered the baby to Belial. "Show us how it's done then, old man."

Belial snorted. “She seems happy where she is.”

"Oh no, I insist."

Despite his boastful words, our eldest son looked uncomfortable as he awkwardly took the baby into his tattooed arms. I snuggled against Lucifer, content to watch my sons pass their sister between them, and curious to see what would happen next.

Belial's hard expression softened as he looked down at his sister. She stopped yawning and reached for his face, touching his lips, and clubbing his chin with her little closed fist. He grinned and caught her hand, and she moved her mouth like she had something to say. He said something softly to her that was only for her ears, and then she settled down and closed her eyes. Within a few seconds, she was asleep.

Belial leaned back in his chair and gave us a cocky grin. "See? Still got the touch."

"Maybe you just bored her to sleep," Damien said. "I heard it's a common problem with your women."

"What women?" Kassiel asked with a snort. "Hasn't Belial been celibate since the 1600s?"

Belial rolled his eyes. "Don't make me come over there and kick both your asses. I could do it without even waking her up, you know."

Lucifer chuckled softly. "As amusing as that would be to watch, there will be no fighting tonight. Don't upset your poor mother."

"I'm just glad you got her to sleep," I said, amused by their banter. It had been so long since we'd all hung out together like this, and I wasn't sure when it would happen again. I just wanted to sit here and soak up this moment for as long as I could. After all, none of us knew when another threat would emerge and put us all in danger again. It was inevitable, being who we were, and all we could do was try to enjoy the peace while it lasted.

25

Hannah

Time passed, and still no threat had emerged. I was starting to think my idyllic life might actually be the new norm. How was that possible? I didn't know, but