The Devil In Disguise (Bad Things #1)

Her head jerked back and she stared at him through the glass.

Garrick wiggled the remote in his fingers. “Only I can get that off. Try to cut it, try to pry it loose, and it will just keep tightening. It will tighten until you can’t breathe. You’ll die long before it comes off.” Then he smiled. “God, I have missed you. Welcome back, baby.”

Her hands fell to her sides and fisted.

***

The scent of blood led to the Naval Air Station on the island. Luke hovered above the facility, his gaze on the humans he could see moving below. Like desperate bees, buzzing around.

Wind whipped against him and he knew just who’d appeared to ruin his fun. But then, he’d smelled Leo coming this time. Righteousness could reek.

“You can’t kill those humans.”

Luke just stared at him. “After all these centuries, after all of the wars we’ve seen, you should know by now that humans aren’t innocent. Sometimes, they are the monsters.”

“It’s not our place—”

“Then who should be punishing them? Who should be stopping them? They took what was mine, and that crime will have a cost.”

Leo gave a grim shake of his head. “You are to stay just with the paranormals. I handle the humans. You know—”

Luke grabbed his brother’s shoulders. “I know that you’re a pain in my ass. I know that you’ve stood back and just watched for far too long. Well, guess what, brother? The time for watching is over. Now, you’re about to get down and dirty in my hell.” Then he didn’t hesitate. Using all of his considerable strength, Luke shoved his brother straight down, sending him barreling for the building below. He kept up the force on his brother’s shoulders, flying down with him as they got closer and closer to impact.

He wanted to get in that facility. So…why not just bust his way inside?

Right before impact, Luke let his brother go and he watched as Leo slammed straight through the roof of the facility, leaving a big, gaping hole in his wake.

How absolutely perfect.

***

When the ceiling caved in on her, Mina screamed. Or, well, she tried to scream. But the collar made sure that no sound slipped from her lips.

Something big—with giant, black wings—had just broken its way into her cell. The wings were huge—easily six feet long but they were…sharp. Gleaming. She backed up against the wall, trying to flatten herself because she had no idea what fresh hell this was and—

The wings vanished. In a blink, they were gone. A man knelt in the middle of the rubble, his dark head was bent and what looked like dust and plaster covered his broad shoulders.

His familiar shoulders.

He tilted back his head and his dark gaze met hers.

Relief swept through Mina, almost making her dizzy. She’d known that Luke would come for her. Okay, maybe she hadn’t known, but she’d really, really hoped. Mina ran to him, feeling a wide smile stretch her lips.

He blinked at her, as if in surprise, and he rose to his feet.

She threw herself against him, holding him tightly. She shot onto her toes and her mouth pressed to his as she pulled his head toward her.

It took her only about two seconds to realize…something was wrong. Very wrong.

The body against hers was hard, strong. Sexy. The mouth against hers was sensual and skilled but…

No fire ignited in her blood. That wild, reckless need didn’t flare within her. Maybe it was because she was in prison, her voice was gone, and danger was everywhere or maybe…maybe…

She pulled her lips from his. Mina searched his eyes. Her lips parted and she mouthed the words she couldn’t speak. “Who. Are. You?”

But then the air around her seemed to heat. There was a rush of hot wind and—

Luke stood a few feet away from her. He wore the fancy suit that he’d had on when they dined on his balcony. He looked sexy, polished, and utterly…furious. The Eye of Hell gleamed on his hand.

Her gaze jerked from him to the man before her. A man who looked exactly like her Lord of the Dark. Exactly.

She tried to retreat, but the man holding her just tightened his grip.

“Thanks, Luke,” he said, his deep voice so similar to Luke’s that Mina ached. “You sent me straight to the person I needed.”

Luke’s head turned to the side as he cracked his neck. Then he rolled back his shoulders. She wanted to tell Luke that this was all a mistake, that she’d gotten confused, but Mina couldn’t say a word.

His twin. This is Luke’s twin.

And the really, really bad situation that she’d been in? It had just gotten about a hundred times worse.

But then an alarm started shrieking. The same alarm that had heralded the arrival of Garrick and his goons before. Sure enough, doors flew open and armed men rushed toward her cell. Garrick was leading the pack, and his eyes seemed to double in size when he saw that there appeared to be two Lukes in her cell.

“I should get her to safety, don’t you think?” the man holding her murmured.

Before Luke could reply, the guy had scooped Mina into his arms and flown straight up—flying right through the gaping hole he’d left in the ceiling.





Chapter Fourteen