Page 5

Chapter five

“ A re you ready?” asked Giana.

“Does it really matter?” I replied, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I had chosen a revealing red dress that covered only small amounts of my skin. The fabric was light and sheer and flowed when I walked, the shoulders falling sensually across my arms.

“I wish there was something I could do,” she said, standing behind me.

“You being here is enough.” I gave her a small smile. “So, tell me, how was it to finally be able to touch Gor?”

She smiled bashfully. “Better than I could have anticipated. He’s so gentle and kind.”

I laughed. “He is the tamer out of the seven, I’ll give him that.”

“I tried to kiss him, but he stopped me. He told me he didn’t want that memory tainted with the vileness of this place.”

“Ever the romantic, that one.”

“He’s right … but honestly, I don’t care. I just want him so badly. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I never really had the chance before I got sick.”

“Take things slow, G. As soon as we get home, you’ll have your time with him … I promise. ”

She reached out, taking my hand. “Thank you,” she whispered softly. “For agreeing to bring me home.”

I touched her face gently. “You don’t belong here. I don’t know why you’re here, but this isn’t your fate. It can’t be.”

She laughed softly. “Most people wouldn’t—couldn’t—have done anything to change my fate. I can see why you have so many suitors: my brother, Orion, a prince of Hell.”

My heart tugged at the mention of Orion. I dropped my gaze.

“Is … is Orion here?” I asked. If he was, I’d bring him back too. I’d stop at nothing to—

“No, he’s not. I think he went up instead of down.”

A part of me was relieved, but another thought cut through me painfully. I could never bring him home to Delphine.

“Well, at least he made it to a better place than this. He deserved that.”

“I agree,” she said. A knock came at the door. Gor peeked inside. Giana’s face lit up.

“Am I interrupting?” he asked.

“Not at all,” she said, rushing to him. She took his hands, lacing their fingers together. He smiled down at her. A true and loving smile: one I hadn’t seen on him before.

“Well,” I said, slightly uncomfortable. “I guess it’s showtime. Where are the others?”

“Already in the dining hall,” Gor answered.

I turned back to the mirror. I felt like there was a weight on my chest. I missed my family. Frankie, Nonna, and Aunt Thora were always my strength when I needed it the most. “I can do this,” I whispered.

“You can,” replied Giana. “You’re his mate. If anyone can reach him, it’s you.”

Gor’s face was unreadable.

“You think it’s pointless, don’t you?” I asked.

He looked away from me. “I know firsthand what is feels like to be without a soul,” he answered. “The unlimited power. The carelessness. The total clarity of mind. I would always choose to have a soul, to love, and make true connections. It’s worth the challenges that come with it. But … once free of that burden, it is very hard to convince one of us to take on a soul and all the regret and repentance that follows.

“In Deus’s case … he died, Seren. He believes he’s trapped here forever. Why would he take back his soul, if it only meant feeling the pain of this place? Living a life without the joys of earth. The pleasure and the beauty of it all. A life without you.”

“But I can bring him back,” I answered.

“It’s a risk. It’s never been done before. What if he takes his soul back and then is stuck here?”

“Then I will stay with him,” I answered.

“Who are you staying with?” Deus said, entering the room unannounced.

I gave him a small smile. “No one,” I answered. Gor rolled his eyes at him, pulling Giana against his side.

“Found a pet, have we, brother?” asked Deus. “Could have picked one that was alive, though. That would probably be more beneficial when you’re top side and all. Someone you can actually touch and feel.”

“Fuck off, Asmodeus,” snarled Gor.

Deus laughed. “Always so emotional this one.” He assessed Giana, then smiled at me. “Antonio Simonelli’s sister, yes.”

“I am,” Giana answered before I could.

“Would you two please give Deus and me a moment?” I asked politely. Gor looked at me with a warning expression. “I’ll be fine. I am sure the Prince of Lust wouldn’t mind escorting me to dinner, being the gracious host he is.”

“Seren,” Gor whispered.

“Oh, for Father’s sake,” snapped Deus. “Stop playing guard dog and fuck off.” Deus raised his hand. With a swift snap of his wrist, Gor and Giana flew backwards out of the room, the door slamming shut after them.

Deus’s eyes blazed with hunger. The dress had affected him as intended. He slowly approached me, his gaze drifting over my barely covered form. My breasts perked in response to him. I craved his touch … his mouth … the feeling of him inside of me.

I licked my lips, trying to stay focused. “You look very handsome tonight,” I said softly.

“Thank you. And you look absolutely delicious.”

I smiled, unable to contain it. I looked up at him, feeling my heart swell. “Deus,” I whispered. “I want you to come home with me.”

“I am home.”

“I mean … back to earth. Back to Romania. Our home there.”

He looked at me with a puzzled expression. “If I recall correctly, I died in order to save you, stripping any chance I have of ever returning to that plane. How do you plan to do the impossible?”

In that moment of desperation, I took his face in between my hands, caressing his soft skin. I pulled his head to mine, succumbing to my own desperation. “Come back to me, my love,” I whispered. “Please. I can take you home. Just come back to me.” I pulled away, looking up into his haunting eyes. “I love you, Deus. You died because you loved me. We are mated forever. Two parts of a whole. I can’t live without you … I won’t. Please don’t give up. Fight. Fight for us, and for the future we haven’t even begun to explore. Please, Deus. I love you. I love you so much it hurts.”

He gently gripped my wrists and pulled my hands from his face. “Sweet little witch,” he said softly. “I remember everything. Ever conversation. Every look. Every touch, kiss, laugh. All of it. I remember the way it felt to be inside of you. To feed off your pleasure as I found my own. And though it was satisfying … it is not worth the headache you’ve been since our first encounter.”

My heart broke at his words. I stepped back, unsure of what to say. I had to remember: this wasn’t Deus, not completely. He couldn’t remember how much he loved me. I had to hold on, for the both of us. I raised my eyes to meet his. He stepped forward, reaching his hand out towards me. He gently trailed his fingers along my jaw, down my neck and to my chest. Everything inside of me relaxed at the contact.

“Let me pleasure you, Seren,” he said softly. “It would be mutually beneficial. I remember every caress … every lick … every bite that sent you over the edge.”

I inhaled, collecting my emotions. “And when was the last time you engaged in a mutually beneficial sexual encounter?” I asked, tone unfaltering. He smiled, dropping his hand from my chest. “Was it this afternoon?” He looked away. “Ah, before you came to collect me.” I nodded, allowing the pain to flare only for a moment.

“You know who and what I am, Seren. I’ve never lied to you about that.”

“You’re a demon,” I said, taking a step towards him. I took his hand in mine, bringing his red ring closer to my face. I ran my thumb over the smooth jewel before bending down to kiss the top of his hand. “But this version of you … it isn’t my demon.” I dropped his hand.

He licked his lips. His eyebrows arched as he closed his eyes, seeming to collect himself. I studied his facial expressions. Was that … annoyance? Was he aggravated that I had rejected his offer? I held back a smile at the small triumph. It may not have been love, but it was an emotion all the same.

I straightened. “Now,” I said, “we don’t want to keep your other guests waiting, do you?”

His smile crept to the side of his face, and he extended his arm towards me. I took it, relishing in this simple touch. I saw now how I had taken small moments like this for granted. We made our way to the dining hall and were greeted by the others already placed around the large round table. The room was magnificent, yet the entertainment was not to my liking.

Servants, both males and females, were scattered around the room. They wore nothing but thin leather straps that left their entire bodies on display. A large window overlooking Deus’s lands stretched to the ceiling on my right. Outside, every sexual act you could imagine was taking place. Some seemed to enjoy it, while others … I turned away, unable to watch the suffering occur.

I flinched at a pair of hands on my arms and turned hastily, ready to obliterate whoever it was. Levi’s eyes met mine. I couldn’t hold back tears any longer. I looked back at the window, a panic rising deep inside of me. I needed to stop to this. I needed to save those people.

“Seren,” Levi said, snapping me out of the horror.

“This isn’t him,” I whispered desperately. “He wouldn’t do this. He wouldn’t allow those people to … to suffer like that. To endure those torturous acts. No one deserves this type of violation. I don’t ca re what they did. No one deserves this.”

“This isn’t the Deus you know, but the demon inside of him. Seren, this is a part of—”

“No, I don’t want to hear it,” I said, turning away. I closed my eyes as tightly as possible, trying to gather myself. I heard footsteps approaching, then fabric fluttering. I looked up to see red velvet curtains covering the heinous acts outside. Mal stood to the side with the rope still in her hands.

“Thank you,” I whispered. She nodded, expressionless.

“Oh, come on, Mal,” Deus’s voice said behind us. “How am I supposed to entertain myself now?” I heard a girl giggle. A stranger sat in his lap, running her hands over his face and down his body. “Prayers answered.”

Levi took my hand, leading us to the table. I exhaled, sitting in between him and Belz. I gathered myself, trying to focus on the crazy experiment I had cooked up in my head only a few moments ago. As the first course was served and I was forced to watch the females of the room touch and lick all over my mate, I leaned into Belz.

“Question,” I whispered.

“All ears,” he said, cutting into his salad.

“Earlier, Deus tried to get me to sleep with him.”

“Never mind,” he said, pulling away.

I hit him under the table. “I rejected him and that seemed to aggravate him, or … hurt his ego. I couldn’t tell which, but something was there.”

“So, what’s your question?”

“Even though he can’t feel, is it possible that playing off his power could trigger an emotional response?”

Belz turned his head slowly and smirked. “You are a very clever cookie, little witch,” he replied with a prideful smile, chewing on his salad. “I suppose it’s possible. We are our sins, after all. If they are manipulated, soul or not, it could trigger a reaction or even, as you say, an emotional response. Deus has never been told no before, nor denied. His power takes over and he gets what he wants. You being his mate and all … it might work a little differently.”

“Worth a shot,” I said, pushing my chair from the table.

“You’re going to try now?” he asked with surprise.

“I’m not wasting any time.” I walked over to where Deus sat. The two girls on his lap didn’t even look up as they continued to kiss and stroke him. “Move,” I said in a firm voice. All four princes turned their attention towards me. The girls laughed, ignoring me.

“Would you like to join?” asked Deus.

“As I’m sure you remember, I don’t share,” I replied. I turned my attention back towards the girls. “I said move.”

The blonde laughed. “Or what?” she said flirtatiously.

I allowed my darkness to seep around me, the part of Deus I carried shining brightly as the sparks of red whipped and lashed violently.

“I’d go look at the piles of ash left in the prince’s room,” I said with an evil smirk. “They might look familiar to you two sluts. There was a blonde one with red skin and a brunette with green, if I recall. Didn’t get that good of a look before they combusted.” White flames began to lap around my right arm. I held it up as a demonstration. The girls shuddered in fear, pushing off Deus and scurrying away.

“Well, aren’t you the worst wing-woman ever,” Deus said, taking a drink of wine.

I slid myself onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. He stilled and gave me a suspicious look. I crossed my legs, letting the slit in my dress reveal my bare thigh. As if he couldn’t control himself, his hand instantly slid along the exposed skin until he reached my hipbone and tighten his grip. His thumb made small circles against my skin in a teasing fashion.

“If it’s alright with you,” I said softly. “I’d like to take my dinner here.”

“Mm, you will hear no complaints from me,” he said, leaning down and kissing my shoulder gently. My body went into a frenzy. My core warmed and heat welled between my legs. He pulled away and smiled. He could sense my arousal. My need for him.

The second course came, and then the third. Deus continued to stroke my skin, his fingers taunting me in the most alluring ways. The rest of the princes ignored us. I caught glimpses from Gor while he tried to assess what the hell I was up to. I kept my mask secured. I flirted with Deus, stroked his ego, and teased him. I didn’t have much experience in this department, but I had watched him enough times that I had picked up a few tricks of the trade.

Dessert finally came. Belz and Mammon were teasing Gor as usual. Deus sat back in his chair with me still perched on his lap. He watched the others, laughing along with them. My heart stung. There were so many familiarities about this Deus, even though he was missing a key ingredient.

My self-control was beginning to slip. Being this close to him, smelling him and hearing his laugh: all things I never thought I would experience after he sacrificed himself to save me. His eyes turned then, studying me in a predatory manner.

His fingers trailed up my thigh until he found the evidence of my desire, sliding across the moisture that was seeping between my legs. His nostrils flared and a smile crept across his face. He gently traced the outline of my underwear before sliding underneath the thin fabric. A wave of magic was released from him. I took a deep breath, feeling the ripples of lust and desire, but as his mate, his magic couldn’t overwhelm me.

The brothers silenced, looking down towards us. “Everyone out,” demanded Deus, not taking his eyes from me.

“I don’t think so,” said Gor.

“Out!” Deus’s voice boomed. His eyes were feral.

I looked back at the others and nodded.

Levi looked worried, but he understood, placing a hand on Gor. Once they filed out of the room, I turned back to Deus. Without another word he forcefully brought his mouth to mine in a passionate kiss. He stood from his chair, pulling me with him as his power sent all the plates and glasses from the table shattering to the floor. He lifted me up until I was perched on the edge of the large wooden surface.

His hands ravaged my body, rough and intense. He parted my legs, sliding his hand between them until he reached my soaked underwear. With one tug, the thin fabric snapped apart, allowing him full access. He slid his fingers down my wet slit. I pulled away and moaned. It was too much. I was coming undone. I had lost all control, and I loved it.

His teeth sunk into the tender part of my neck, sucking, and licking his way down until he got to my chest. He pulled the fabric aside, taking my full breast into his mouth. I laced my fingers through his hair, pulling him harder against my body. As if he could read my mind, his finger slipped deep inside of me. I moaned, arching my hips towards him. My body began to quiver as he pumped forcefully inside of me.

He pulled his lips away from my chest, claiming my mouth with his, absorbing the sounds of pleasure that he coerced out of me. He pressed closer against me. My hands explored him, reveling in the feeling of his perfect body. He hooked his fingers up, pressing against my g-spot and sending me tumbling over the edge.

I let out a cry, my body shaking. The heat in between my legs was overpowering. I held onto him, riding out the orgasm until my body finally stilled. I was panting, trying to clear my head. He pulled away from me, his beautiful deep eyes smiling as he brushed his thumb over my bottom lips.

The emotions inside of me welled to the surface. As if I had no control at all, I whispered, “I love you.”

Deus laughed, pressing a soft kiss to my brow. “Lust can feel like love, Seren, but I assure you, that was all this was … lust.” I swallowed, holding back tears of disappointment. “Now,” he took my hand, pulling me from the table, “we can either continue on the table, or we can return to my chambers. What would you prefer?”

I pulled my hand from his, feeling sick to my stomach. “No thank you,” I said softly.

He made a huffing noise, smiling down at me. “Excuse me?”

“I said no, thank you. I do not want to fuck you, Deus.”

Deus dropped his head. When his face rose, all signs of the playful prince were erased. His expression was tense and full aggravation. His eyes blazed red as he moved towards me, pinning me between his body and the table. “You fucking tease,” he growled.

“Not used to being told no, are we?” I said, matching his temper. I felt another release of his power, warm and comforting. My body tingled in response, but I held onto my control this time, not allowing my heart to cave in. I laughed at him, tilting my head to the side. “That’s cute.”

He looked surprised, pulling back. “What the— ”

“I’m your mate, Deus. Your power is my own. It doesn’t work on me the same way as it does others … or did you forget?”

He growled, swiping a hand towards his chair, sending it smashing against the wall. With another release of power, various pieces of furniture around the room exploded into small shards. The windows blew out of their frames and the lights and chandeliers around the room flickered and shook.

After he calmed, I walked over to him, close enough to hear his rapid breathing. His eyes still blazing with anger.

“You do not deny me,” he growled. “No one refuses me.”

“But I just did,” I replied sweetly. I stood silent, studying him for a moment. “You feel that, Deus. It may not be love or compassion, but it’s a feeling nonetheless. You aren’t lost. Not yet. I will get you back.”

In the next heartbeat, he had his hand wrapped around my throat, his fingers squeezing. I squirmed, struggling to breathe and fighting the shock of his aggression. He brought his face down to mine, baring his teeth.

“Get this through your thick, daft skull,” he said in a voice I didn’t recognize. “I will never accept my soul again. I am done telling you. Whatever future you hoped to have with me is gone. I do not want to love you. I do not want to need you, and I sure as fuck don’t want to be tied to you for the rest of my life.”

With a smooth motion, Deus threw me across the room like I weighed nothing. I landed on the floor, my body screaming from the impact. I gritted my teeth, fighting through the sharp pain that shot through my right arm. I pushed myself up on my good side, but fell again, still reeling from the pain. Tears filled my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall.

I felt hands on my shoulders. Mal hunched over me, pulling me to my feet. Deus poured himself another glass of wine in a chipped cup, downing it in one gulp. He looked over at me, his face emotionless. Mal remained at my side. I cradled my arm, trying to look unfazed by the pain he had inflicted.

“Take her back to her room,” he instructed and turning away.

Mal kept her hands on me until we were safely behind my doors. She sat me on the bed, checking my arm. I winced as she pushed and moved it.

“You’ve dislocated your shoulder,” she said.

She went to the dresser, gathering some material before returning to me. “Here,” she said holding out a soft piece of wood. “Bite down.”

I did as I was instructed. Before I could inhale fully, a loud pop sounded, and my vision blurred. I screamed out in pain, unable to keep the tears from falling. Mal wrapped my arm, securing it to my chest. She then checked my neck and the rest of me.

“Thank you,” I said softly once she had finished.

“I’m—” she started, but cut herself off. She seemed at war with herself. “I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s nothing to say. That isn’t Deus. Not my Deus, at least. He would never …” I felt the pain in my throat where his hand had been. I reached up, rubbing the bruised flesh.

“You were right,” she said. “That isn’t the prince I devoted my services to. He would never hurt you, Seren … never.”

“Where is Hashen?” I asked, using this opportunity to gather answers.

“In the dungeon. He refused to serve the prince in his current condition, so he was punished.”

The guilt pummeled into me. “I … I don’t know what to do,” I admitted. “I don’t know how to reach him. ”

Mal sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. This was the first sign of compassion I had ever seen the demon warrior express. We sat at the edge of the bed for a long time in silence. I processed that night and then filed it away, trying to come up with another solution that would reunite me with my mate.