“You wish to share a tent together? An unwed female and two males?” Tiberius frowns with a mixture of bafflement and disapproval at my request.

After several hours swapping battle stories I’m exhausted to say the least. My focus is diminished.

“We’re not going to fuck if that’s what you’re worried about. I’d rather have them close if the shit hits the fan.”

Also, my way of making sure no horny demon tries to sneak in and join me. It would be such a shame to put a bullet in one of them after they’ve been such pleasant hosts.

“She means if anything bad should happen.” Snatch clarifies at the chieftain’s pained expression at my language.

“Very well. As you wish.” Directing us towards the cluster of white tents, he points towards one most central. “That is where you may sleep peacefully. My guards are on watch and nothing will disturb you.”

Without reply, I sluggishly move towards the little haven. Breasts feeling sore, the fatigue I’m experiencing is only eating away at my energy. Within, I find an abundant nest of the finest furs. Crawling into the centre, I let my weary body collapse on its side, cocooned by lavish softness. Sliding off the holster, I leave it somewhere I can easily reach it. Eyes closed, I’m aware of movement as Leo and Snatch take a place on each side of me in our makeshift bed.

Tugging a loose pile of the covering over us, Leo uses them as blankets. “Well, this is cosy.”

“Looks like Tiberius has taken a liking to you.” I murmur back. “He couldn’t take his eyes off you all evening.”

“I have to admit he’s cute for a demon.”

Turning my head, I take in his messy dark blonde hair, crumpled pink shirt splattered in places with dark red stains. “Fuckable cute?”

“Oh yeah. I’d do him in a heartbeat.” Closing his eyes, he settles back.

Snatch snuggles closer, spooning me from behind. It should feel weird, but it doesn’t. There’s nothing sexual in the way he nestles, just a need to keep body heat. I find it comforting.

“Tell me straight. Don’t sugar coat it. Where the fuck have I been for the last eight months?”

The questions keep burning a hole through my thoughts since the moment I remembered who the fuck I am. Now that we’re alone and not in a life-threatening situation I can finally ask.

“I hate to break this to you, but you were dead.” Snatch’s voice mumbles muffled by my hair. “Decapitated. A messy way to go.”

An image of the nightmare I had previously sends me into a cold sweat. “I hope you killed the fucker in retaliation.”

An awkward pause follows.

“You don’t remember, do you? Mavi, your brother was the one who killed you.” Leo confesses.

Nathan?

I experience an unpleasant ringing in my ears. “No…”

“I’m sorry, Puddin’, but it’s true. He was attempting to assassinate the Devil and you jumped in the way. Everything happened so quickly. Nathan vanished after that. Raziel went after him and Lucifer…well, he wouldn’t leave you.”

I don’t want to believe it. Not Nathan. No.

“If this is true then how am I here with you now?”

“Lucifer had your soul imprisoned somewhere. He had Raziel retrieve something and it brought you back to life. We only know that because Cassandra told us on one of our weekly visits.”

The Devil himself had me resurrected? Why? What nefarious scheme does he have up his sleeve this time or maybe the reason is staring me in the face. Our bargain isn’t complete. The return of my soul to eliminate his rebellious generals and only Markaz remains.

“Eight months after I died? Why that long?”

Snatch’s hand moves to my hip before bouncing about awkwardly with his indecisiveness of where to drape it. “They had to perform a ceremony. The stars or some shit had to be in alignment. It brought you back into your timeline as if it had never been interrupted.”

Hand curving over my extended stomach, I feel the baby kick. I was pregnant at the last battle. She’d already been growing inside me and I hadn’t even realised. Had that been part of the Devil’s plan? To get me knocked up? I can barely remember how many times we fucked without using protection. I should’ve known the first time I saw Lucifer all those months ago he was going to be nothing but fucking trouble.

It makes me wonder where he is now. For all his pursuing and seducing me, I’ve barely seen him since coming back. Why? If I know anything about the King of Hell by now, he doesn’t do anything without a reason. He knows I’m with child. Where the fuck is he?

“At a guess, and if you weren’t screwing anyone else at the same time, I would say that he’s her Daddy.” Snatch continues gently, mirroring my thoughts.

Leo starts humming the tune to the film, The Omen. He’s been so quiet I thought the bastard had fallen asleep. “If it wasn’t a girl you could call him Damien.”

Punching him hard on the arm, I scowl. “Shut the fuck up.”

“How do you know it’s a girl anyway?”

“I saw a scan.”

Opening one eye, he regards me steadily. “When you were being held hostage?”

“Yes.” Tucking the furs firmly over my form, I hide my bump from view. “What?” I snap defensively as he continues staring.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit. Something is on your mind, so spit the damn thing out.”

“Are you sure there is a baby inside there.”

“Well, what else the fuck would it be? A puppy?” I ask sarcastically.

The sound of a nasally snore in my ear startles me. Snatch is out for the count. The noises he’s making are more like a congested moose.

“What if you’re a container for something insidious and evil.” Leo persists, rolling onto his side to face me.

I don’t need these unwanted worries. So far, I haven’t had much time to think much about the life I’m carrying around. What if he’s right? Doubts cloud my mind. Fuck Leo and his suspicious nature.

Eyelids slipping closed, I blot out his concerned expression, praying that he’s wrong. “If you start mentioning Rosemary’s baby I will have no problem smothering you to death with one of these furs. Go the fuck to sleep.”