I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the identity of the strangers sitting in my living room. Even with a hot cup of tea and ten minutes to digest, there were some things that life simply can’t prepare you for. The Horsemen were one of those things.

They were four of the most powerful arch demons ever created, only usurped by one power and one power alone: the devil himself. Which begged the question: why were all four of his personal guard stalking me and not back in Hell where they belonged?

“So…” I started in a slow, weary voice, “did I do something? This isn’t about Kendall’s car, right? I mean, I feel like you would have mentioned it by now, but—”

“This isn’t about the car,” Allistair said. He watched me like a cat did a mouse. The feeling was unnerving, but it also made my stomach clench in all the ways that were not helpful right now. With his ankle propped on his knee and hand stretched over the back of the couch, I couldn’t tell if the small space he’d left between himself and Rysten was an invitation or pure coincidence. I averted my eyes to look away, but found myself staring at Julian instead.

“We need you to come back to Hell with us,” Julian said.

“Wait, what? No! Why?” I asked, skimming the others. He was kidding, right? He had to be joking. A half-breed like me wouldn’t survive in Hell. I’d be turned into some other stronger demon’s plaything, and that’s if I was lucky. My eyes landed on Rysten as I began shaking my head no. “Why?” I repeated, when no one gave me an answer.

“Because you’re Lucifer’s daughter,” Laran said. Rysten cringed, but didn’t deny it.

Allistair rolled his eyes. “Way to go, War. Why not just drop it on her even though we agreed—” I burst out laughing.

I laughed—no, I roared—so hard I was tearing up in the corners of my eyes. They thought—what? They thought I was Lucifer’s daughter? Oh, this was rich! Beyond rich. I laughed while they stared at me in stunned silence. Oh-ho-ho, they were here because they thought I was important! They didn’t kill me because they thought I was the devil’s daughter. Well, the joke’s on them! I’m just a half-breed succubus with an affinity for picking up trouble.

“Ruby…” Rysten trailed off. “Why are you laughing?”

“You think”— I cracked up again—“you think I’m the devil’s daughter.”

“You are,” he frowned.

“No, Rysten. I’m half-human,” I said kindly. I don’t know who told the Horsemen I was the King of Hell’s daughter, but whoever it was better be running. I doubted they would be pleased when they found out the truth.

“Who told you that?” Julian asked.

“The demon orphanage I grew up in. My mother dropped me off in Atlanta hours after I was born. Told them she wouldn’t have a half-human baby, and that was that,” I shrugged. The story was slightly uncomfortable for me, but I’d grown to accept it. Demons were either obsessive or apathetic; there wasn’t a lot of in-between. If my birth mother thought I was a waste of genetic material, then that was her problem. It wasn’t my fault she screwed a human and got pregnant. That’s why there were orphanages in the first place. For the unlucky offspring of demons that wanted nothing to do with their mistakes, but someone still had to teach us how to glamor ourselves from the humans. Hell forbid the rumors of our kind ever become more than just that. Then again, if Hell really gave a damn, they’d close the portals between the worlds and be done with it.

“Your mother. Was her name Lola Morningstar?” Julian asked. I nearly choked on my sip of tea and narrowed my gaze in his direction.

“You probably pulled that off my birth certificate,” I said coolly.

“Or I knew her,” he responded in jest. A hard, icy tone had entered his voice making me shiver.

“Right,” I drawled. I didn’t believe that story.

“She brought you here to hide you,” he argued.

“Because I was Lucifer’s child?” I asked. Snickered, really. Julian didn’t seem to find it very funny.

“Yes, and some very powerful demons wanted to kill you for it. They still do,” Laran interjected.

They truly believed this nonsense. That I was some miracle baby.

Lucifer has been around longer than any of us, and as far as anybody knows, he doesn’t have any children. Some rumors say he can’t. Others say he doesn’t want to share his power. Either way, in the thousands of years he’s been on this earth and in Hell, not once has anyone come forward saying they have his child.

I was not going to be the exception.

“Let’s say that you’re right. I am Satan’s spawn. Lola hid me to keep me away from all the people I’m assuming have a bone to pick with him?” I paused, they nodded. “So, answer me this: even if I was, why do I need to go to Hell? Aren’t I better off living my life here where no one knows I exist?”

They all seemed to share a glance.

“Have you ever heard the story of the Four Horsemen?” Laran asked.

“Of course. The Four Horsemen are the bringers of the apocalypse. It was a warning to those who wanted to upset the balance,” I said. Everyone knew that. I would’ve had to have lived under a rock not to.

“Not quite,” Allistair said. A slow sensual smile lit his lips, making my cheeks heat. “We were never bringers of the apocalypse. We were the ones created to prevent it. Funny how history never seems to get that little detail right.” He smirked at me, and I bit the inside of my cheek to stave off the lustful thoughts he was sending my way. The devil damned incubus knew exactly what he was doing.

“If you’re not the bringers of the apocalypse, then who is?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the fuck me vibes he was sending.

“A few thousand years ago, there was a demon named Ragnarok who was gifted with premonitions. He saw the end of the world, as we knew it.” He paused, letting a heavy silence fill in the gaps. “Humans have forgotten him, but remembered his vision. Ragnarok. The end of times.

“He said that one day the Horsemen would fail, and Lucifer would fall, and that when he did, the flames of Hell would go out. If the flames go out, then the gates of Hell open, leaving no barrier to stop all that lives in Hell from coming to earth,” Julian said. “No barrier, that is, except Lucifer’s child.”

This is not the same version I was told as a child…

“Ragnarok prophesied that Lucifer would sire a daughter, and that she, and she alone, would be able to control the flames and stop the apocalypse, but it would be up to us to find her and bring her back.” Julian took a deep breath. “Ragnarok’s prophecy came true, Ruby. Lucifer died three days ago.”

“Died? What do you mean he died?” I spluttered. “He’s the fucking devil! The King of Hell. How the fuck does he just die?” Julian didn’t bat an eyelash at my outburst. I don’t think much phased him, but Rysten and Allistair shared a strained look. Laran’s hands tightened, almost imperceptibly, were I not watching for it.

“To answer your question, love, he didn’t. But that’s a story for another time,” Rysten interjected.

What the hell does that even mean?

I narrowed my eyes at him, not liking that answer, but knowing full well I had to accept it. Because what can you do? When the Four Horsemen are calling the shots, not a damn thing.

“The news of his death will trickle in over the coming weeks, and anarchy will ensue until the flames go out and Hell, for want of a better phrase, freezes over.” Julian sensed my restlessness and stilled it. His eyes swirled with unnamable emotions and such a startling intensity that I almost didn’t hear the second half of his statement. “We need you, Ruby. More than you know.”

Whatever touching moment that might have been, stopped abruptly as I processed what was just said. They were deluded for thinking I was the devil’s child, but they were abso-fucking-lutely insane if they thought I had the power to keep Hell in check. I could barely control my raccoon. The only gifts I’d expressed were that of a latent succubus, and I’d yet to transition. There was no way, not on this earth or in Hell, that I was destined to prevent an apocalypse.

“Look, I don’t know whether you knew Lola or not, or what she may have said, but I have to be honest with you—I’m not the girl you’re looking for,” I said in a rush, setting my steaming cup of earl grey on the end table as I got to my feet. I crossed my living room and opened the front door. “I think it’s best you leave.”

Laran, the closest to me and the only one standing, narrowed his eyes. War. That’s what the world called him. I could see it. He took a step closer, and I didn’t move.

On the one hand, I didn’t want to back down. That would make me look weak, and then they might not leave. On the other hand, he was now a lot closer than I wanted and I was well aware of the effect I had on men.

He leaned forward, so close that his breath caressed the sensitive part of my ear. I shivered as he whispered, “This isn’t over, little succubus. We aren’t going anywhere. Not without you. Don’t even think about running. I like to chase.”

His lips grazed the very corners of my ear and my breath hissed between my teeth. A zap of lightning went through me, making my blood sizzle. What was that?

“That’s enough, Laran,” Julian snapped. He pulled back a few inches, and I held my breath. His eyes had gone pitch black, blotting out any spec of color or trace of white. The air tasted thick with tension as he watched me for a heavy moment.

He’s sizing me up. Full-blooded demons, and those who transition, have a harder time controlling our dark urges. I’ve been told the power can be maddening, and in some cases, consuming.

“War,” Julian said sternly. This time someone physically grabbed him and pushed him towards the door. Laran growled under his breath and cast me one last heated look before leaving. I swallowed hard as Julian and Allistair followed. Rysten paused on his way out.

“I can’t imagine this is easy to handle, love, but we will be here to help you through it,” he said. I imagine most she-demons would fall all over themselves to hear those words from one of the Horsemen, but none of them were told they were supposed to take over the underworld.

“Please just go,” I said. Rysten nodded in understanding and followed the others out into the night. I closed the door behind them and leaned against it. My legs gave out under me as I slid to the floor and Bandit came running out of my bedroom, his pink elephant in tow, stopping on my thighs to hold out his treasured toy.

“I don’t think that’s going to solve my problems this time, boy,” I sighed. He kept pushing it towards me. I took the damn thing and held it while he climbed up my chest and wrapped his arms around my neck.

“Don’t worry. I’m not leaving you. They can think I’m destined to be Queen of the Underworld all they want. It doesn’t change anything.” I don’t know how much time passed until I dragged myself to bed, stripping off my blood-smudged clothes as I went.