Unlocked (Hell's Throne Book 1) Read online

  UNLOCKED

  M.L. Gabrielle

  Copyright © 2020 by M.L. Gabrielle

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Book cover designed by Deranged Doctor Design

  www.derangeddoctordesign.com

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. Eve

  2. Eve

  3. Locke

  4. Eve

  5. Locke

  6. Eve

  7. Eve

  8. Eve

  9. Eve

  10. Locke

  11. Eve

  12. Eve

  13. Eve

  14. Locke

  15. Eve

  16. Eve

  17. Locke

  18. Eve

  19. Eve

  20. Locke

  21. Eve

  22. Eve

  23. Locke

  24. Eve

  25. Eve

  26. Eve

  27. Locke

  28. Eve

  29. Eve

  30. Eve

  31. Eve

  32. Eve

  33. Eve

  34. Eve

  35. Locke

  36. Eve

  37. Eve

  38. Eve

  39. Eve

  40. Eve

  41. Eve

  42. Eve

  43. Eve

  44. Locke

  45. Eve

  46. Locke

  47. Locke

  48. Locke

  49. Eve

  50. Eve

  51. Eve

  Cheers!

  About the Author

  Synopsis

  Locke

  I may have been chosen as an heir and future Prince of Hell, but I’m determined to prove my worth. I won’t allow anything to distract me from my responsibilities to the throne, especially not some reckless, blonde bombshell. Eve is magnetic, pure temptation and absolutely off-limits.

  Eve

  I’m the prophesied Princess of Hell, but we’re keeping that under wraps. Today is my first day of college, where I was expecting to meet Hell’s four heirs. Instead, I found myself going toe to toe with an entitled heir-hole. Locke is gorgeous, infuriating and undoubtedly going to break my heart.

  We both are strong-willed.

  We both are undeniably attracted to one another.

  We both are about to have our worlds turned upside down.

  Will we fight fate to stay apart, or will we fight to have a future together?

  1

  Eve

  “Evie! Open the door! It’s not what you think. Just give me a chance to explain.” I rolled my eyes. I’ve never been this furious with my best friend.

  “If you don’t open this door in two seconds, I’m busting in. You know I’m not one for empty threats,” Cerberus growled. I swung open the door and advanced on my best friend, who just happens to shift into a fifteen-foot, three-headed hellhound.

  “Are you really in the position to be threatening me, Ceb? You’ve known for months that my dad is sending me topside tomorrow, and you haven’t said one word to me about it! You know what? I easily could have forgiven you for that one. What I can’t forgive is the fact that you didn’t tell me that I’m freaking betrothed!” Just saying that word makes my skin crawl.

  We never keep secrets from one another, and this just happens to be the mother of all secrets. I feel so betrayed right now. Cerberus tried to pull me into a hug, but I stepped out of his reach. He let out a low growl, not appreciating the distance between us. Sorry about his luck.

  “Evie, please hear me out. Do you honestly think that I would keep this from you on purpose? I was forbidden to tell you, and I literally can’t disobey the boss. Do you have any idea how much I hate the idea of you going topside without me? It’s killing me that I won’t be there to protect you.”

  I bit my lip. I’ve been so focused on the betrothal, that it didn’t even dawn on me that I won’t be able to see Cerberus every day. How will I survive without seeing his annoyingly handsome face? Part of me wants to stay mad at him, but the other wants to pull him into a hug.

  Cerberus is the only mythological shifting demon in existence, so my dad tasked him with protecting Hell’s gates. Unfortunately for me, it’s an around the clock type of job. My shoulders sagged as loud footsteps sounded from the hallway.

  “Cerberus! The gate can’t guard itself. Return at once!” my dad boomed. Ceb’s sad hazel eyes locked with mine before vanishing to his post. Only some of the most powerful demons, or beings who live in Hell, are gifted with the ability to portal. Unfortunately, that isn’t one of my gifts.

  “Evelyn Morningstar! Don’t you dare take your frustration out on Cerberus! You know that he cares for you deeply.” I quickly wiped away a few angry tears that escaped. This is all too much for me to handle. With a sigh, my dad wrapped his strong arms around me and kissed my head.

  “I know this seems out of the blue, but it had to be this way. Every being in Heaven and Hell must attend four years of college on Terra or Earth. Graduating is the only way that you can be gifted with the ability to visit topside in the future. As the Princess of Hell, it’s kind of important.” Smartass. I didn’t need to look up at his face to know that he was smirking.

  “Your safety is our main concern. We’ve kept your identity a secret for over eighteen years, and we must continue this deception when you attend college. That’s why I waited to tell you until today. I couldn’t risk anyone finding out who you really are and where you’re going,” he explained, tucking my blonde hair behind my ear.

  I stepped out of his embrace and leaned against the wall. “What about my power, Dad? My aura is strong. An angel or demon can just walk by me and know that I’m more powerful than the average being.”

  Most angels and demons are secretive about the gifts that they possess, but they rarely are unable to conceal their power level. We all have an aura or presence, which other beings can sense. The most powerful beings have the strongest auras.

  “I discussed this at length with Abaddon and Michael, and we decided to bind the majority of your power to help disguise your identity. We can’t put a geas on the entire campus as we’ve done with the staff in the palace, so we’ll start a rumor that Abaddon is your biological father. It will explain why you’ve been homeschooled and trained in combat.”

  Abaddon and I look absolutely nothing alike, but only a fool would dare to question him. I’m the spitting image of my dad with my fair complexion, emerald green eyes and blonde hair. Ab, on the other hand, has piercing brown eyes, dark chocolate colored hair and sun-kissed skin.

  I let out a laugh. “Can you imagine everyone’s reaction when Ab visits for parent’s weekend?” Abaddon is one of the most feared beings in existence. He is so lethal that even the other three Kings of Hell are wary of him.

  To get in Ab’s good graces, the kings offered him a position as the fifth king of Hell. Of course, Abaddon disregarded the offer. He doesn’t like others knowing his business.

  Ab also loathes titles. That’s why he prefers me to call him by name rather than “Dad.” I wonder what the kings and other beings would think if they knew that the Angel of the Abyss used to put my hair in pigtails and read bedtime stories to me?

  “On second thought, maybe this isn’t such a good idea. No one will even talk to me a
t school if they think that Abaddon’s my dad.” That’s when it hit me.

  “Hold up. Are you two doing this to keep guys away from me? What the hellfire, Dad?” My dad smiled. He freaking smiled.

  He stood to his full height. “No boy is going to go anywhere near my daughter,” he spat. “If any being lays a finger on you, he will beg for death.” Dad’s eyes were glowing red, and his body was practically vibrating with fury. Okay, time to change the subject before Lucifer self-combusts.

  “What about this whole betrothal thing, Dad? I’m not marrying some random asshole who only wants to be with me for power. You’re Lucifer for Hell’s sake. Can’t you get me out of this?” My dad ran his hand through his blonde hair.

  “I’m sorry, Evelyn. Unfortunately, this was all decided before your birth. As you know, the kings and I battled for ages over the title of True King of Hell. We ceased all fighting once it was foretold that the title couldn’t be won through war. While the exact wording of the prophecy has been lost over time, the main idea was that the True King of Hell would father a daughter.” He isn’t telling me anything new. The prophecy is common knowledge among angels and demons.

  Dad started pacing as he continued with his story. “We obviously didn’t know who would sire the female child, so we devised a plan that would keep all four of us in the game for as long as possible. Each king selected a newborn male from powerful families as his heir and potential husband of the princess. To ensure they were powerful, each of us bestowed our chosen successor with a gift. The heirs were sent topside, where they were to receive special training and schooling in preparation of their role.”

  Now, that pissed me off. The betrothal has absolutely nothing to do with the prophecy. It’s just way for one of these power-hungry kings to tie himself to the True King. This is absolutely ridiculous. I walked into my room and sat on my bed. I stared at my dad, who was standing in the doorway.

  “I can’t even believe what I’m hearing, Dad. Did you actually think I’d be cool with an arranged marriage? Is this why you waited so long to drop this bomb? If I get married, it will be to someone I love. I’m not getting married to satisfy some agreement that you guys made to pacify one another.”

  I’m so disgusted right now. I can’t even bring myself to look at him. How can he not see how wrong this is? What if I don’t like any of heirs, or vice versa? What if I meet someone? What if they are already in committed relationships? There are so many “what ifs” that it’s making my head spin. My dad sat down beside me.

  “Look at me, my love. You have every right to be upset, but I need you to trust me on this one. I always have your best interest in mind, Evelyn. Just don’t count them out yet. You may actually like the heirs if you give them a chance.” I sighed.

  Does he know me at all? Did he really expect me just to accept this as my future? “Not that it’s ever going to happen, but let’s say I pick one of these guys. What happens to the other three? Are they no longer heirs? That would be really messed up.”

  My dad let out a frustrated breath. “Please, Evelyn. I need you to keep an open mind. All will not be lost for the others. They’ll still work closely with one another. After graduation, they will rule below us as the Four Princes of Hell.”

  I shot up from the bed. “If these guys will eventually rule as the four princes, then why the Hell do they need me? My birth made you Hell’s True King, so it seems like my job here is done.” Dad shook his head.

  “Unfortunately, this is a case where the less you know, the better. Everything will eventually come to light but now isn’t the time. Enough of the heavy, would you like for me to tell you a bit about each heir? They’re sophomores at your college.” I tilted my head back and groaned. Nice, way to completely dodge my question, Dad.

  “No, I heard enough for now. This is a lot for me to digest. I just want to enjoy my first time on Terra and make some friends. Do you think Cerberus could come with me? I don’t know how I’ll survive this without him. You know he’s my person, Dad.” I’m not above begging at this point. My dad stood up and pulled me into a hug.

  “Who would protect the gates of Hell, my love? You know it’s not an option. I’ll allow Cerberus to visit you from time to time, but I’m afraid that’s the best I can do considering his role. I have to leave for a meeting. You should take a look at what the staff packed for you.” My dad kissed my head before vanishing from the room.

  Walking back into my room, I started rummaging through the suitcases that the staff prepared. That lasted for about ten minutes before I got bored. I’ll just assume that everything I need is packed. My thoughts were all over the place, but they kept going back to Cerberus. I sat down on my bed and called my bestie.

  Unsurprisingly, he picked up on the first ring. “Evie, I’m so fucking sorry. I hate when you’re mad at me.” He sounded so dejected.

  “No, I never should have taken it out on you. None of this is your fault. I know dad put a geas on you to make sure that you didn’t tell me. Everything is just so messed up, Ceb. Can we just go back to being best friends?”

  “We’re always going to be best friends, Evie. I’m going to visit as much as I can. I expect at least a text every day. If anyone gives you a hard time, I want names. Lucifer will have no issues with me going topside for a quick snack. And if any guy…”

  I didn’t let him finish. “Save it, Fido. I know where this conversation is headed. Dad literally just gave me the ‘stay away from guys’ speech. I don’t need to hear it a second time.” All I heard in response was growling.

  “Dad’s delusional if he thinks that I’m going to accept the bomb he dropped today. I didn’t even know arranged marriages were still a thing. Ab hasn’t said two words to me about it, which makes me think that he’s either incensed or doesn’t know yet.”

  Ceb snorted. “Fuck. I think you’re right. My guess is that he doesn’t know. Abaddon would never be okay with it. We’ll figure a way out of it, Evie. Worst case scenario, I’ll just kill them. Problem solved.”

  I let out a laugh. “That’s your solution for everything, Cerberus. Let me at least meet the heirs first. Is it weird that I’m actually looking forward to starting college tomorrow? I’m going to miss home like crazy, but I’m excited to be doing something on my own.”

  “It’s not weird at all. I don’t want you to go, but you’re going to love college. It’s an experience you deserve to have, especially after being homeschooled. Just don’t get into too much trouble, Evie.” I gasped in mock outrage. “Who, me?”

  Cerberus chuckled. “You’re my little trouble magnet. Listen, I have to run. I’ll stop by before you leave tomorrow. Love you, Evie.”

  Ending the call, I rested my head on my pillow. I’m making an executive decision. This arranged marriage nonsense is getting shelved, and I’m just going to focus on living it up at college.

  2

  Eve

  I woke up early the next morning to pack any last-minute things. I was singing along to my favorite Pandora station when a loud cough interrupted my performance. I turned to see a smirking seven-foot angel with jet black cropped hair and striking lavender eyes.

  He’s too handsome for his own good. Most beings know him as Archangel Michael, but he’ll always be Uncle Mikey to me. He’s one of my dad’s best friends and one of Heaven’s Four Archangels.

  Archangels Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel are more like brothers to me. The four of them are the only beings in Heaven who have the ability to visit Hell. They can only stay for an hour at a time, but it’s a pretty big deal. I think I’d go crazy if I could never see them.

  It may not be common knowledge, but the four Archangels and Kings of Hell are actually pretty civil with one another. They also happen to be the most powerful beings in existence. The eight of them serve together on the Divine Council. The council has many different functions but was mainly created to keep beings in line and protect humans on Terra.

  Despite popular belief, the four kings weren’t cast ou
t of Heaven. They were asked to move downstairs and help keep balance by ruling Hell. The kings used to be able to visit Heaven for a short amount of time. Unfortunately, the big guy upstairs took away this ability as punishment for the centuries of warring over the title of True King.

  Yep, I said centuries. They may not look it, but these guys are old as dirt. Angels and demons stop aging around thirty years old. We’re immortal beings but are not immune to death.

  “The voice of an angel,” Uncle Mikey snickered from my doorway. “Hurry down to the throne room now, baby girl. We’re on the clock and need to bind your power with a rune. You’d raise a lot of eyebrows if people could sense how powerful you were.”

  I took one last look around the room and headed downstairs. “I’m going to be pissed if you guys put this rune on the small of my back like a tramp stamp.” He gave me a wicked smile in return. Why did I just give him that idea?

  As soon as we stepped foot into the throne room, my dad pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. “I’m going to miss you so much, my love. Your mother would be so proud. I expect regular texts and weekly calls.”