“Lucifer,” he corrected sharply.

“I have no idea where they buried him. I can’t help you.”

“Then I cannot help you.”

We sat in silence, neither of us willing to break it. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer. “Why did Beloch think we were going to have sex?”

“Beloch is not the kindly old gentleman you seem to think he is.”

“I’ve begun to figure that out. Why did he say … what he said?”

“It’s all part of his little game. He wants me to fall prey to your powers. In that way he can defeat me as well as you.”

“Why would he want to defeat either of us?”

“You’re the Lilith, the embodiment of female power and rebellion. Of course he wants you destroyed. And he hates me because I was once beloved of God and he never was.”

“Beloch isn’t a fallen angel?”

He hesitated. “It’s not clear exactly what he is. I expect he’s a demon.”

“Goddamn it!” I snapped. “Why the hell are you so set on wiping me out when you’ve got a demon right there, ready to be smited? Or smote, or whatever.”

“Not all demons are evil.”

“But I am.” I didn’t even bother to phrase it as a question, and he didn’t bother to answer.

“So I’m not sleeping with you,” I said finally. “You can tell Beloch he can just forget about it.”

“Then he’ll hand you over to the Truth Breakers without further delay.”

“And if I did sleep with you? Not that I would, but I’m curious. Does that mean I don’t get handed over to his minions? You’d become my willing slave?” It was an appealing thought. I liked the idea of him being on his knees around me.

“Of course not. Beloch is wagering that you would vanquish me. I know that’s impossible. Bedding you would mean nothing to me.”

“Ditto,” I snapped.” The answer to our problem is simple. We’ll just tell them that we did it. That we’re doing it. Doing the wild thing all night long, and you aren’t quite sure whether you’re going to succumb or not but you’ll need more time to figure it out. Which would give you enough time to come up with an escape plan.”

“There are two fatal flaws in that plan,” he said. “One, you have yet to give me one reason to rescue you. I need that information, and the Truth Breakers will get it for me.”

I wanted to scream at him that I didn’t have any information, but I bit my lip. I hadn’t given up hope of convincing him to save me. He’d saved me once already, when he’d been the one to arrange my death. Beneath his cool exterior beat an actual heart. If angels had hearts. If he really was an angel. “You said there were two fatal flaws,” I said instead. “What’s the other one?”

“He’ll know if we lie.”

“How? Does he have cameras? Microphones?”

“Stop thinking that you’re dealing with mortals, Rachel. Trust me, he would know.”

The sound of my name on his lips was strange, almost sweet, though he didn’t seem to notice he’d used it. “How would he know?”

He bit back a sigh of irritation. “He would smell it.”

“Ew! Does he think we wouldn’t take showers?”

“I’m not talking about semen and sweat and vaginal secretions,” he said with far too much frankness, and I felt my skin heat. “He would smell the changes in your body, in your skin, in your veins. He would know.”

“I’ve had sex before, and trust me, there were no changes that I couldn’t wash away.”

“That’s part of your curse. To drive men mad with desire and feel no pleasure.”

“Great,” I muttered. “And all this time I thought I was frigid.”

He looked at me sharply then, but I couldn’t read the expression in his eyes. Blue eyes in the black-and-white universe. I was coming to treasure that small bit of color when I knew I shouldn’t. Shouldn’t treasure anything about him.

But the ridiculous fact was, I did. I had, from the moment I’d woken up in that dingy hotel room in Australia and looked into his bleak eyes and recognized something. I didn’t know whether it was déjà vu, or shock, or the fastest case of Stockholm syndrome on record. All I knew was that I’d looked into his eyes and seen a … I wanted to say a soul mate, but that was preposterous. But I’d seen a bond, a connection, that existed no matter what he tried to do to me. And part of that bond was a totally unexpected desire.

“So what do you suggest we do?” If he didn’t like my ideas, he could come up with one of his own.

“He will give us one week if he thinks we’re following his orders. If he believes you’re destroying me. If he knows we’ve refused he’ll take you immediately, and he’ll win.”

“As will you, for refusing to play his game.”

“But you won’t. You’ll be dead.”

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. I’d always known that was waiting for me in the end.

“And why would you care?” I asked. What a stupid, whiny question, I thought, wishing I could call it back. He’d tried to kill me; he’d told me any number of times he believed I was a monster who should be terminated. I was entirely dispensable.

Of course he said nothing. I didn’t think Azazel was capable of a polite, reassuring lie. “It’s your decision,” he said.

I roused myself from contemplating my imminent death. “What do you mean?”

“Beloch will send someone here tomorrow, and if he doesn’t find us in bed together, he’ll take you.”

I sat back, looking into his beautiful face. Certain, painful death, or being forced to have sex with a man who drew me more than anyone ever had? Oh, twist my arm. “I’ll take sex.”

He didn’t look particularly happy about my noble sacrifice. In fact, he looked dismayed, and I considered taking it back. “You don’t like the idea? You can always lie back and think of England.”

“Why on earth would I do that?” His voice was even, unmoved.

I shrugged, irritated. “It’s a saying. Mothers in Victorian England told their daughters that sex was horrible, but it was their duty and they should lie back and think of England.”

“It’s not my duty.”

“Don’t be so damned literal.”

Silence. I waited for him to approach me, but he didn’t move from the chair. He simply watched me out of those bright blue eyes. In the distance I heard a clock chime one, and my stomach tightened. I was actually going to have sex with this supposedly nonhuman male who looked at me with no emotion whatsoever. Or, I could die.

I waited as long as I could, but patience had never been one of my virtues. “So … what do we do next?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. I rose, nervous. “I think I’ll go take a shower before we—er—do this. Where do you want to meet?”

He simply looked up at me. “I’ll find you.”

Oh. My. God. What the hell was I doing? The only thing I could do, I reminded myself. Maybe I was the one who had to close my eyes and think of England. He seemed totally uninterested in our upcoming sex. I only hoped he could perform on command, because I certainly wasn’t the seductive type. “All right, then,” I said, unable to hide my nervousness. “I’ll see you.”

“Yes.”

Crap. I practically ran from the room, ran from him. What the hell had I just agreed to do?

SHE RAN FROM HIM. HE wasn’t sure why. Probably because she knew her true self would be revealed once their clothes were off. Not that there was any trace of the demon on her smooth, lovely skin. He’d examined her carefully, and she had the body of a human woman. No sign at all of her demon origin. At least for now. He had no idea what would happen in the midst of coitus. She might turn into a snake or a dragon and devour him. The idea seemed faintly comical.

He should have known she’d say yes eventually. It was her only chance. He wondered why she was nervous. In fact, she was as skittish as a virgin. Possibly because she knew that once she was naked and on top of him, she’d no longer be able to hide her true nature.

And on top she would be. She’d been banished for a reason as stupid as the one he’d been damned for. She had refused to submit, refused to be physically dominated. Refused to lie beneath her husband. And there was no room for a rebellious female in the world in which she’d been created.