Premonition of Peace (Her Immortal Monsters #3)

Chapter 18

eighteen

NATHALIE

Watching how quickly Marcel declined terrified me, but I had a direction now and that needed to be my focus. It was confusing to feel the tug between priorities, and the mixture of adrenaline and fear was rampant. The drive back to my apartment passed in what felt like seconds.

“Lucifer!” I called out as I opened the door.

The devil emerged from my library with a book in hand, his gaze appraising as he took in my excitement. “Well, well, well. I’ve never had a woman so thrilled to see me while wearing another man’s scent. Did Marcel’s attempts to please you fall short?”

I narrowed my eyes. Under normal circumstances, I’d tell him how talented Marcel was with his hands and egg on his alphahole nature, but this wasn’t the time for games. “Can you stop with the pissing contest, please? I don’t have it in me to deal with your jealousy right now.”

He shrugged, but I could see him soften ever so slightly. “I can keep my thoughts to myself for a while.”

“I figured it out,” I said, getting right to the point and ignoring his half-assed promise. “Look.”

Part of me was worried it wouldn’t work a second time, but I knew that was nerves. I had found the thread. That was all I needed. Holding out my hands, palm up, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The shears materialized in a shimmering of gold light.

“Impressive,” he said softly, smiling in approval.

I preened, grinning as I continued to admire my discovery. It didn’t take long before the joy I felt became a little less. “I need your help.”

He glanced at his fingernails, ignoring my request. “Now you’re letting me in?”

I sighed. “Are we really doing this?” Since when did the devil himself want to talk about his feelings?

Lucifer studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he grabbed my wrist, and he led us to the couch. I crossed one leg under me, angling my body so I could face him.

“If you want my help, you have to share with me what goes on in your mind,” he finally said, his golden gaze cutting to the core of me.

“You want to know everything, that’s fine. But you have to help me. At this point, I might as well put it on a billboard with how many people I’ve already told,” I muttered with a long sigh.

“Who am I going to tell?” he countered with a chuckle. “I don’t like anybody except you.” His words caught me off guard. They caused a flicker of warmth to stir—which I promptly pushed away. Focus.

“Fair enough,” I said, letting a tiny smile slip through. I spilled it all. Every last detail and discovery . . . with the exception of what Ronan and I discussed.

“I suspected it was Morgan Le Fay,” he said, not showing any emotion alongside the admission. “Not-Sasha’s interest in me has been unusually specific.”

“You never said anything.”

“Neither did you,” he countered, raising a brow.

He wasn’t wrong, but still, I rolled my eyes. “She ‘suddenly’ had a change of heart about August as well, you know? The Morrigan is pretty keen on me taking him for myself. Everything she does has a purpose. It’s not just to throw me off you.”

“What help do you want from me?”

“I need her out of Sasha’s body, and I don’t know how. I can’t implement any part of the plan without that first piece.”

Lucifer sighed in a way that was unsettling.

“What is it?”

“You won’t like it.”

“Since when has that ever stopped you?”

Golden eyes settled on me like a physical weight. “You won’t be able to lure out The Morrigan. She’s too cunning, and even if you did manage to—without a soul in Sasha’s body to keep her alive . . ..”

“Se?ora kept her body alive before?—”

“And she told you it was temporary. That if Sasha didn’t return on Samhain, she wouldn’t at all.”

I shook my head. “No, I won’t lose her in this. There has to be a way to do both.”

“Do you want my help, or do you want me to placate you?”

Standing up, I began to pace. “Losing Sasha isn’t an option, Lucifer. My plan will work. I just have to get her out?—”

“You need to plan on how to cut the tie from yourself .”

My jaw fell open. “You want me to only consider how to save myself? Are you serious right now?”

“What else would I be? She is going to do exactly as you said. The Morrigan will use Sasha to kill Kat, and when she's done, she's going to cut the strings on her puppet and go straight for you. You need to find out how to retreat into your memory loci, keeping safe long enough to cut the soul tie between the two of you.”

“I can't believe you.” Tears began to sting my eyes. I was so disappointed. I thought maybe he was a little better than the Lucifer of before, but here he was, pushing me to focus on self-preservation.

“He has a point,” Ann said, whispering in my mind.

“ Regrettably,” The Warden agreed.

“I'm not like you, Lucifer. I care about others. I saved Piper, I saved you, and I'm going to save Sasha and Katherine. If you won't help me?—”

“It’s not a matter of caring, Nathalie, it's a matter of reality. I care deeply for Sasha and would never want to see her harmed. Her soul is in the veil. We can’t change that. You can’t change that.” I started to shake my head, and he captured my chin between his finger and thumb. “But you can still save yourself.”

“You’d have me abandon her. Abandon them both?—”

“Katherine doesn’t deserve this loyalty, but even if we put that aside—you don’t know how to remove Morgan Le Fay from Sasha. She’s hunting her. Eventually, one of them will mess up. Either Katherine kills Sasha’s body and The Morrigan enters her, or she kills Katherine and abandons Sasha to jump into you.”

“There has to be another way,” I whispered. “Something we’re not seeing. I just have to find it.”

“Little witch,” he began, stroking the side of my cheek with his knuckles. “I don't know how to lure the Morgan Le Fay out of Sasha, but after playing games with her for half a millennium, I can tell you that she won’t be easily deceived.”

“We’ve managed to keep her in the dark for days now. She doesn’t know we know she’s back.”

“That you’re aware of.”

I paused, my eyes narrowing. “What reason would she have to pretend?—”

“I don’t know, Nathalie. What I do know is that she’s over five hundred years old and consumed the life force of her children to keep her alive. She’s certifiable, but not stupid. You’re not the first Le Fay to try to find their way out of this, but I want you to be the last.” Lucifer brushed his knuckles along my cheek gently. “You wanted my help. The advice I’m giving you is help, even if you're choosing not to listen. You don't have a backup plan. This is it.”

A tiny bit of guilt fluttered through me, and I tried to school my features. If I told him, he would try to hide me away. He and August were no different in that. They would let the world burn so long as I lived. Ronan was the same with Piper.

The Nats in the loci were trying to talk, but I worried if I let them through, Lucifer would show up in my mind again. It wasn’t his fault. At least I didn’t think it was.

“I need to go,” I said, removing myself from his embrace and walking back to the counter, grabbing my keys.

“The loci,” he said softly, his gaze holding mine. When I didn’t answer, he added, “I felt the pull.”

I sighed, but finally nodded. “I just need to think.”

“Ann knows I’m right,” he said knowingly.

I grumbled incoherently, annoyed that he even knew their names and could argue with me using their feelings or logic.

“I’ll give you your space,” he said, lowering his voice to a sexy rumble. He leaned down to brush against me with a kiss, teasing as he nipped at my bottom lip. “Just come back to me when you’re done.”

“Thank you.” I patted his chest with the palm of my hand. “I know you’re only looking out for me.”

“Always.”

As I walked out the door, he whispered so quietly, I almost didn’t hear him.

“Careful, little witch.”

I didn't even bother taking the elevator. I sat at the bottom of the stairs in my building leaning up against the wall. It seemed like the safest and most private place for the time being.

The loci was surprisingly somber.

“I don't understand how you could even consider this a good plan,” I began, taking a seat at the table.

“You know damn well why,” Bad Nat said, crossing her legs and not propping them on the table for once.

“While I don't share her exact sentiments, she's not wrong,” The Warden said, side-eying her bad counterpart.

Ann pushed her glasses up her nose. “This could be the contingency plan. Ronan’s could be the last resort.”

“But we would be letting Sasha and Kat die,” Peace said softly.

“No,” Caretaker said. “We're not letting them die. This is just a worst-case scenario.”

Bad Nat scoffed. “Is it? Sugarcoat it all you want. She knows what it means.”

“That's not how Lucifer presented it,” Peace countered.

“But that's how we can consider it,” Ann added. “While we don't have to take his suggestion exactly as it is, we have to consider the possibility. If we are unable to take Morgan La Fay out of Sasha, she will Kat. We know her next moves in that sense. Surely there has to be a way to protect ourselves here in the loci.”

“Well, if there's a soul tie between you and Morgan La Fay, then she would be able to access the loci once the bitch body snatches us,” Bad Nat said. “She may not even need to take you over to get in here.”

Peace whimpered and Caretaker rubbed circles on her back to soothe her.

“Shit,” I whispered, thinking through the scenarios. “Is that even possible?”

Ann shrugged. “I don't know, but Lucifer is your familiar and there's a bond allowing him to come into the Loki. Logically, there’s a possibility she could, right? Have you taken a look at that particular thread?”

I shook my head. “No, not close up. I just know that there's a bond between us.” One more thing on the never-ending to-do list. I looked at the two calmer versions of myself. “I expected The Warden and Ann to be on the same page here. Tell me what your thoughts are.”

“I think it's the middle ground,” Caretaker said after a moment. “Obviously the goal here is to save everyone, but you have to admit it. We may not be able to. And the only contingency you do have is sacrificing yourself. This is the in-between. It's a way to save the ones you love, and also a way for you to survive. If it doesn’t work, we still have our final backup plan. We know Ronan will end us. There is no question.”

“Peace?”

She sniffled. “I don't like any of this. I just want everyone to be okay.”

Bad Nat huffed loudly and rolled her eyes while The Warden shot her a dirty look.

I chewed on my lip, rolling the idea around. “Let’s say Bad Nat is right and she ends up here in the loci. What would we even do in here? Am I supposed to hit her with a library book? This is a part of my subconscious mind. It's not like Bad Nat can stab her.” I could feel myself getting more frustrated. It felt like each step I took toward a solution, a new problem would take us five steps back.

The door in the attic rattled harder than it had before. Papers on the table vibrated.

Bad Nat grinned, looking at the ceiling above us. “Let her take a swing.”

“Be useful for once,” Ann snapped.

I exhaled, taking the time to process what I wanted to say. “Look, I understand that Lucifer has a point, as much as I hate it. But this can't be the contingency. If she gets here, we can't risk her accessing my magic. Ronan has to do what he has to do. There won't be any time.”

The Nats looked displeased with my decision. Ann pursed her lips, the corners of her mouth crinkling. “And what do you want us to do in the meantime?”

“We have to make this plan work first so I don’t end up dead.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Ann, search the library for every memory we have on looms, spindles, and shears. Even if they aren’t the objects of fate. Maybe something will spark an idea, or maybe something was said in code. Warden, Caretaker, everything on transfiguration. Every detail. Peace?—”

“Nathalie?” A voice caught me off guard, pulling me from the loci and into the real world where I sat on the concrete stairs.

Not-Sasha stood at the door to the stairwell, her head cocked to the side.

“Hey, Sasha,” I said, trying to disguise the suspicion in my voice. “What are you doing here?” She was supposed to be with Sienna, but her twin was nowhere in sight.

“I was actually just looking for you,” she responded with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Can we grab coffee together? I feel like we haven’t had a chance to really talk since I came back.”

“Oh, right now?” I asked, standing up and smoothing my palms over my skirt. “I was just getting ready to head out. A lot on the agenda. You know how it goes. The city can’t run itself.”

“Oh, come on,” she insisted, using a coaxing tone. “It’ll just be a quick coffee date. I promise I won’t keep you too long.”

I was reluctant to agree, but she was without her sister, and I needed to keep an eye on her until I figured out why.

“Okay, yeah. Let’s go. I know a great place.” The truth was, Real-Sasha knew the great place. It was a small shop owned by a succubus that Sasha had introduced me to.

Internally, the Nats were buzzing with concern. Why was she so insistent on spending time with me? What did she hope to gain? Where the hell was Sienna? Was Kat still alive? All valid questions.

Not-Sasha’s presence was like an itch I couldn’t scratch. Every word, every gesture felt calculated. Just a performance for my benefit. I wondered what The Morrigan wanted. The air between us was thick with unspoken tension, a dangerous game of pretending everything was normal when it was anything but.

As we walked, Not-Sasha glanced at me, her eyes glinting with something I couldn’t quite place. “Have you seen your sister lately?” she asked casually.

“Which one?” I asked. I wasn’t sure if she knew that I was aware Carissa died. I’d rather give nothing away if I could help it.

“Katherine?”

I scoffed, answering in a way that should be expected. “Thankfully, no. Not that I prefer Carissa’s bitchy attitude over Kat’s. The longer I go without talking to either of them, the happier I am.” Not-Sasha made a sound of sympathy, her eyes scanning my face as if searching for something.

“It’s a shame, really. Family bonds are so important.”

I resisted the urge to snort at the irony of that statement coming from Morgan LaFey of all people. I forced a smile, feeling the weight of the charade bearing down on me. “Speaking of sisters, where’s Sienna?”

“Here and there,” she answered vaguely. “She’s been hovering since I came back. Trying to make sure I’m okay, but I’m ready to do my own thing again. You know how I am.”

“Ready for anything,” I said, keeping the tone of the conversation light.

She fell silent, seemingly lost in thought for a moment before shifting the conversation. “And how are you and August?”

I felt myself stiffen, but I released the tension quickly. “Oh, you know that’s a weird topic to discuss with you. I’d rather do it another time. After all you’ve been through . . .”

“What better time than the present?” She shrugged. “I’m over him. The veil made me see things more clearly. Truly. You should take him for yourself.”

“I . . . will think about it.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, but she had an agenda and wouldn’t drop it.

She playfully elbowed me. “Enjoy all the perks of an aurae bond, Nat. How lucky are you? I mean, he can give you so much more than Lucifer ever could.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Lucifer. What was her point? “How so?”

Not-Sasha chuckled. “Please. He’s the devil. He’ll never change. He’s better suited to finding someone that can feed that desire. It’s his magic, after all. The witches he’s had in the past? He just uses them up until he’s bored. I’d hate to see him do the same to you.”

I couldn’t help myself from feeling territorial, but I shoved it down as deep as I could. This was not my friend speaking. “Hadn’t thought of it that way.”

The coffee shop came into view as we rounded a corner. It stood out vividly against the otherwise muted tones of the street. Its exterior was a burst of cheerful color, with bright teal walls adorned with whimsical, hand-painted flowers and vines that seemed to dance up toward the roof. Perk & Petal was emblazoned in bold, golden letters on a rustic wooden sign that hung above the entrance. A few small tables and chairs were arranged outside on the sidewalk, each set adorned with a tiny vase holding fresh flowers, adding a personal touch to the scene. The windows were large and inviting, allowing passersby to glimpse the cozy interior filled with soft lighting and comfortable seating. The door was painted a sunny yellow, standing open to welcome patrons with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods. It was a bright spot in the city, really focusing on bringing back some beauty and charm into New Chicago.

It only took a minute before I was holding the door open for Sasha, allowing her to enter the coffee shop ahead of me. The familiar jingle of the bell greeted us as we stepped inside. It was packed, and I cursed internally. The girl at the counter, a young werewolf with blue streaks in her hair and a septum piercing beamed at me.

“Hey, Nat.”

“Hey, Melinda,” I greeted with a forced smile. Melinda looked at Sasha expectantly, but of course, the imposter had no knowledge of their previous interactions.

Not-Sasha noticed the lull in conversation and proceeded to start asking about the menu without missing a beat. While she focused on that, I swiftly texted Piper and Ronan: Sasha with me. At P&P. I tucked my phone into my pocket just as she finished ordering and turned around, both of them looking at me.

“I’ll have a cinnamon dolce latte, please,” I requested, catching a flicker of surprise on the barista’s face. It was fleeting, quickly replaced by a practiced smile.

“Sure thing,” she replied smoothly, punching in my order. “Want me to put it on your tab?”

“That’d be great.” I gave her a subtle nod.

Sasha had already moved to wait for our drinks, her attention momentarily captured by something on her phone. There were a good number of people in the seats, but I watched surreptitiously as a barista began moving from table to table. People were calmly standing and gathering their things to leave, keeping cheery tones as they waved their goodbyes.

That was good.

I turned away, not wanting to bring attention to it. Sasha continued tapping at her phone and not for the first time, I wondered what she was doing and who she could have been talking to.

When the drinks were ready, I grabbed the coffees, turning to Not-Sasha with forced warmth.

“Here we go,” I said, handing her drink over. “So, what did you want to catch up on?” We grabbed a table, our choices freeing up more and more as the shop was practically empty by now.

“You know. Life. What happened while I was gone. What you’re working on now.”

I shifted in my seat, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach. Whatever she was fishing for, I didn’t know yet. I had to keep my answers as vague as possible.

“While you were gone, we just kept looking for you. That was our focus. Of course, Sienna was distraught, so we had to make sure she was okay.”

She nodded along, but any real warmth was lacking. She didn’t care how Sienna reacted. “Well, I’m back now. So everything is fine. We can just get back to work.”

I took a sip of my latte and tried not to cringe. It was so damn sweet. “Have you seen the Se?ora so she can check you over?” I knew she hadn’t. Morgan Le Fay would want to stay as far as possible from a witch with that much power. She had been careful to avoid her at all costs. “I know she said she’d call you.”

“No need.” She waved me off, changing the subject and not even bothering to transition.

My phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out and set it to vibrate it without looking at the caller ID. Vibrations, back-to-back, continued moving the table.

“Not going to check that?” Not-Sasha finally asked, her tone light.

“Oh, the city always needs something. The calls can wait.” I forced a smile, attempting to dismiss the significance of my ignored phone. “I’m with you right now,” I replied casually, hoping to deflect her attention.

“With how much you’ve been avoiding me, I’m surprised to hear you say so. Almost seems insincere,” she deadpanned and the hairs on my arm stood on end.

“I’ve been so busy,” I began, but she didn’t let me finish.

“So busy you couldn’t be with a friend you dumped in the void? You and Marcel fucked up and left me to die in there. It’s the least you could do.” I felt the sting from her lashing, but that was because I felt guilty over Real-Sasha still being stuck there. This was an imposter trying to hurt me, and I couldn’t let it work.

I pressed my lips together. “You’re right, Sasha. I can do better.”

She traced a claw along the rim of her cup, a smirk curling up one side. “Yes, you most certainly can.”

“So, what’s your plan?” I said, ignoring her slight.

Not-Sasha hummed, taking a sip of her coffee. “Regarding?”

“Well, now that you’re back. I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I’m sure the veil has changed you in many ways.” I sniffled, taking a pretend sip of my drink. Of course I knew she would never come out and admit anything, but I hoped for a nugget of information that would let me know where her thoughts were. “That’s a lot to go through, I mean. Were you wanting to resume your work with Piper, or were you thinking of another direction?”

“Oh, Nat, I’m done with New Chicago,” she said, a smirk pulling at her lips. “But I think you knew that already.”

I schooled my features, trying to figure out her angle. “Oh, I didn’t realize you wanted more than what our city has to offer.”

“I just want what every woman wants.” Her eyes darkened, and the intensity of it made my skin crawl.

I swallowed thickly, feeling a new buzz in the air that hadn’t been there before. “And that is?”

“Power.”

My breath caught in my throat as she spoke, her voice now laced with an unsettling familiarity as she dropped the facade.

“I’d like to say it’s nice to see you, Morgan, but we both know that’s a lie,” I said smoothly. All pre-tenses were gone. The jig was up. I sighed, almost as relieved as I was terrified. I leaned back in my chair, trying to come up with an escape plan. Some way to fight her if she tried to take me over.

“You’re good, Nathalie,” Not-Sasha said, her voice low and taunting. “Better than the sister, but you made a crucial mistake today.”

“What gave me away?” I asked, raising a brow.

“That ridiculous drink you ordered,” she whispered, her tone dripping with malicious humor. “You despise sweet. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice the sudden exodus in the last fifteen minutes? Or that the child at the counter has told the last three people their coffee machine is broken?”

I shrugged. “Best I could do was hope.”

She leaned forward, her gaze piercing. “Out of all of them, you were the best liar. Always have been. Well, apart from Lucifer, perhaps.”

“How long have you known?” I asked. My tone was relatively calm, but my brain was scrambling. What would her next move be?

The Morrigan’s laughter echoed in the quiet. “Since the moment Sienna returned from her ‘business’ talk with you. She’s not as good an actress as she thinks.”

“So, why wait until now?” I remained steady despite the turmoil rolling inside me. I needed to keep her talking, grateful that the shop was finally clear. Even the baristas had moved to the back rooms.

“I was biding my time,” she said simply.

“For what?” Gods, I hoped my sister was still alive.

“ You ,” she replied with a vicious grin. In a flash, she transformed into a sleek, black bird, spreading her wings and darting out of the open door in a flurry of feathers. I watched in stunned silence as she vanished, leaving me shaken and alone.

I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling as I went to unlock it. I had every intention of informing Piper and the others. But as I scrolled through the notifications, my heart pounded in my ears and emotion clogged my throat. August’s name stood out among the missed calls and urgent messages and deep down, I knew why.

He picked up on the first ring, his voice tense and strained.

“Marcel’s dying.”