It wasn’t the first time she had thrown the mystery of my mother in my face, so I ignored it. It was customary in Hell for a female carrying the spawn of the Lucifer line to leave the foundling with their Father. Mothers had no place in the raising of devils. If anything, her knowing of her birth mother was the anomaly rather than the other way around.

“For someone who believes I don’t have the appropriate parentage to be a Prince of Hell, you seem very eager for me to wet my dick in a fancy demoness and perpetuate the Lucifer line.”

Hellen’s skin went aubergine. “That is not what I —”

“You wish me to ‘escort’ an influential demoness to a ball that will devolve into an outright orgy within an hour of the first drink being consumed. Do you think I do not know what is going through your mind?”

Her eyes narrowed. “If you’re not going to put your efforts into saving our kingdom, then maybe the best we can hope from you is that your spawn will have more loyalty and common sense than his father!”

An image flashed, vividly and unbidden, through my mind. Jemma, cheeks as pink as her hair, cradling her round belly. Round, with my baby.

A baby. Not spawn, not progeny. Not an heir to the throne. Just a baby. One that we would raise, and care for, and … love … side by side.

It was a crazy fantasy.

“I will escort no one to the ball!” I roared, my horns flaring with my anger. For the first time ever, Hellen actually flinched at my words. “Do not test me on this again, sister. I will be present at the ball, I will ensure that the demons are well inebriated and that spirits are high enough to buy us some time. And then I will focus on FiendPay and my Soul Tokens.”

I started to walk away when she added quietly, “And on reaping that little human whore.”

For a second, I faltered. For a second, I considered turning, and goring my sister with my horns.

But that was exactly what she wanted. To get a rise out of me. To have me prove her suspicion that I was … compromised, when it came to Jemma.

So I continued to walk away, forcing looseness into my tense limbs so she wouldn’t suspect the tangle of feelings I was experiencing.

Once out of sight, I staggered towards my chambers, blowing out long, calming breaths. It did nothing to quell the ache in my chest. I could not lie to myself a second longer.

I was lovesick for Jemma Bliss.

And there was no way I could go through with my original plan for her.