Chapter 1

CATALINA

“Duck!”

I dropped to the ground, avoiding a fist to my face. Calling on my lycan strength, I retaliated with an uppercut. Kol stumbled back, grinning.

“Good, but not quick enough,” Lucifer commented, walking over to us from the sidelines.

Kol removed his boxing gloves and handed them to him. I sighed, watching Lucifer put them on. I knew I was going to be sore tonight. Kol pulled his punches—I knew it, Lucifer knew it, hell, all my mates knew it. But Lucifer? He didn’t know the meaning of ~take it easy, I’m not actually your enemy~.

“In addition to having powers and strength, the gods are gifted with speed. Faster than any living vampire,” he explained. He moved into a fighting stance, and I mirrored him.

“Even faster than you?” I asked.

He smirked, then shot toward me. I swallowed the scream that threatened to come out, diving to the side. Before I got the chance to right myself, I was pinned against the floor on my back. The air left me in a whoosh, a body full of muscles on top of me.

“Get off!” I demanded.

“That’s your job,” he grinned, shifting his weight. I shoved at his chest, but he didn’t budge.

“The gods aren’t going to get up for you. Make me move! Use that power inside you.”

My breathing turned erratic. “You know I can’t!” I protested. Ever since that day, I’d had trouble connecting with my god side.

He stared down at me, eyes completely black. The first time this happened, it scared the hell out of me. But apparently, it only happened when there was too much emotion involved on his end.

“Because you’re scared,” he whispered, placing his hands on either side of my head.

I struggled to get from underneath him. The sudden urge to get away hit me like a freight train. Being around Lucifer was smothering, with all the power he possessed.

“I’m not,” I insisted, though my voice sounded weak, even to my own ears.

“You are!” he snarled, his face getting closer. Tears threatened to spill, and I blinked rapidly.

“You’re still fighting it.”

“Hey! Ease up on her,” Kol interjected, pushing him off me. They got into a glaring match.

“Know your place, demon,” Lucifer snarled, holding a hand out to me. How he could be threatening and a gentleman at the same time baffled me.

After pulling me up, he stepped back, removing his boxing gloves. “Again.”

***

Everything ached, from my hair to my toes.

“I actually think he was taking it easy on you,” Kol commented.

I glared at him. There was no way in hell that was taking it easy.

“And I think you should be locked in a white room somewhere,” I retorted, holding out my sponge for him to add another glop of soap to it.

If I wasn’t in so much pain, I’d protest having him in here while I took a bath. But right now, even my brain hurt, so it wasn’t worth it. The extra help was a blessing.

He chuckled, his eyes darting to my chest area once again. He’d been stealing glances ever since he sat down on the toilet.

“When’s the last time we hooked up?”

Raising my hand, I flicked water on him. “First of all, you’re a pig for saying that. And secondly, as my mate we don’t ‘hook up’—it’s called ~making love~.”

My cheeks heated at the last part. So far, the L word hadn’t been mentioned in our relationship. Did he love me? I knew he was slightly obsessed with me, but how deep did his emotions go?

“Why that look?” he asked.

I snapped out of my thoughts. “Huh?”

He didn’t answer, instead pulling a blue lolly from his pocket. “Don’t you get tired of eating those?”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “I could eat you instead.”

Before I could make a retort, the bathroom door burst open. Kol jumped to block me, and I let out an embarrassing squeal. Can’t a girl get some privacy around here?

“The vamp is here to feed,” Lucifer announced, closing the door behind him.

“Hello? Can you leave?” I asked. Having Kol here was one thing, but Lucifer? We weren’t quite there yet.

He smirked, crossing his arms. “Yes, Kol, leave us.”

“I didn’t mean—” I started, but the door opening again cut me off. This time, Sebastian stood there, looking pale and, well, hungry.

“Catalina,” he growled. Apparently, privacy meant nothing to these people.

Lucifer turned to him, an eyebrow arched. “Didn’t I leave you in the throne room? How did you find us?”

Sebastian stared pointedly at me, the tip of his fangs slipping past his lips. Oh, he was ~hungry hungry~.

“If you guys don’t mind,” I gestured to the open door, “I’d like to get dressed.” So much for a relaxing bath to ease my pain.

My muscles still ached, and now I had to feed my vampire. They all left silently.

~Catalina~. I smiled, climbing from the tub.

~Yes, my sexy dragon?~ It had been days since I’d seen him and my other mates, ever since I left the academy to hide out in Hell. I missed them, but it was best they kept their distance.

Until we figured out this god situation. I didn’t want to put them in danger.

~I want to see you~. My heart soared hearing those words.

~I want to see you too.~ I bit my lip, wrapping a towel around me. ~I’ll send Kol to get you after class.~

~Lucien too, his wolf is going crazy without his mate. He’s gotten into four fights today.~ Shaking my head, I smiled. I wasn’t surprised.

~How’s Nick?~ Unlike Mateo and Lucien, Nick hardly reached out to me with the mind-link. It had been radio silence on his end, and something about that left a dark feeling in my gut.

Mateo didn’t respond, making me frown. ~Mateo?~

~I have to go, class is starting.~ My frown deepened. He just avoided my question.

I stepped out of the bathroom, getting ready to force an answer from him. That’s when I spotted the shadow lurking in the corner of my room.