Page 6

Chapter six

T he next morning, my neck was purple and blue. My shoulder was swollen and bruised, matching the mark that appeared on my hip where I had landed on the floor. I wrapped my shoulder back up and dressed just in time for the knock that came at my door.

“Come in,” I said, figuring it was Gor or Levi. I didn’t know how I would explain my current condition, but I’d find a way. The door clicked shut. I came around the dressing curtain, still fumbling with the arm brace, and froze.

He held out his hands in a surrendering fashion. “I didn’t come here to hurt you.”

I took a step back. “Then why are you here?” I demanded. “You made yourself clear last night. I don’t need another demonstration.”

Deus folded his hands behind his back and approached. I moved back until I hit the wall, pinned between it and the Prince of Lust. The rage that had flickered behind his eyes last night was gone. His face was blank. His eyes trailed along my face, stopping at my neck and then my shoulder.

“I came to fix you,” he said plainly.

“What?”

“I came to heal you. I figured since none of my brothers had stormed my castle in an attempt to avenge your honor, you hadn’t told them about our little … transgression last night. I’ll fix you up and we can just agree to keep this between us.”

“And why would I agree to do that?”

He tilted his head, smiling softly. He reached towards a piece of my hair that had fallen in front of my face, but I reared back, afraid of his touch. He froze, studying my reaction.

“Usually, women don’t recoil from my touch. Quite the opposite.”

“Well, is it usual for you to crush their windpipe and toss them across a room?”

“Not unless they ask,” he said. He inhaled, lifting his head to look at the ceiling. “You are going to let me heal you, because you love me, and you don’t want my brothers to kill me. You’re still hoping there is a way to save me. Is that reason enough?”

I battled my desire to punch him and kiss him all in the same moment. I relaxed a bit, still uncomfortable, but he was right. I didn’t want the others to know what had occurred. This was easier than making up a believable story to explain my broken body.

“Fine,” I said softly.

“Good,” he replied with a smile. “Your neck first then.” I arched my head up. The skin was tight and slightly burned. He gently placed his fingers along the bruises. His thumb caressed the skin softly. I held my breath as the warming sensation began. After a few moments, the discomfort was gone.

He removed his hand and reached for my shoulder. I winced in pain at the contact. He pulled back.

“I got it,” I said, removing the sling. He lowered my sleeve gently, his hand cool on my swollen skin. As the healing began, I gritted my teeth. It was painful, to say the least. Tears fell silently, but I focused, trying to keep myself centered.

When he finally finished, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. The pain was gone, but my body was sore, and my heart hurt from the strain of this situation I now found myself in. I felt his fingers wipe the tears from my cheek, and pulled away, startled. He retracked his hand. I slid my sleeve back into place, standing.

“Where else are you hurt?” he asked.

“That was all. Thank you,” I said, moving to step away from him. His hand slammed against the wall, preventing me from passing.

“I can feel your discomfort,” he said, making a disgusted face. “An inconvenience of our … connection, I suppose.”

“It’s just my hip,” I answered. “No one is going to see that, so I’ll let it heal naturally.”

“I’m here, offering to take away your pain. Why not let me just heal it?”

I faced him, our chests almost touching. “Let’s just say it’s a good reminder of what you’re actually capable of,” I stated firmly.

He smirked, arching an eyebrow, then slammed me against the wall, drawing my dress up until his hand touched with my hip. His warm healing power surged through me. I pressed my hands against his chest, unleashing my power, blasting him across the room. He slammed into the bed, sitting straight up as soon as he landed.

“I said, no thank you,” I blurted.

He began laughing. “Now who’s being dramatic?”

“At least I didn’t slam you into the marble floor.”

“I apologized for that.”

“Did you? I don’t remember hearing those words come out of your mouth.”

He stood to his feet, striding gracefully forward. As he towered over me, his jaw tensed. That fire I had witnessed last night began to ignite. I allowed my flames to flicker around my fingers. My shadows seeped from my feet.

He appeared unfazed by my display. “You’re not going to kill me, little witch,” he said confidently.

“No, but that doesn’t mean I won’t hurt you. Especially if you try and pull the shit you did last night.”

“Then maybe you should have thought twice about refusing me,” he growled.

“Aw, did I hurt your little demon ego?” I taunted. “The big bad prince doesn’t like rejection?”

“I felt you last night. You wanted it just as much as I did.”

“No,” I said, taking a step closer to him. “I wanted Deus … my Deus. Not this half-assed version in front of me.”

He huffed. “Suit yourself, witch,” he said, and left my room.

I took a moment to gather myself before heading to Belz’s room. When I opened the door, he was in a bed surrounded by three beautiful demon females. “Oh,” I said, startled by the sight. The females didn’t move, but Belz’s head popped up with a lazy smile.

“Here to join?” he asked.

“Why do all of you princes assume everyone wants to bed you?”

“Because they do,” he replied, tapping two of the demons to move. They got up, lazily sliding their dresses over their naked bodies before sauntering out of the room.

“Enjoying the pleasures of the realm?” I asked.

“I thought I’d indulge a little while I was here. Gluttony and all.”

“Yes, I’m aware.” I fell into a seat in the corner of the room.

“You look troubled,” he said, sliding a shirt over his toned body.

“Observant, aren’t you,” I replied.

He poured a glass of wine and handed it to me before pouring another for himself. “Plan didn’t go as you’d hoped?”

“Not exactly.” I weighed the pros and cons of telling him the truth. “Can you keep something from Levi and Gor?”

He smirked, bringing the glass of wine to his lips. “Keeping things from your besties, are we?”

“Levi and Gor are too focused on protecting me. My focus is Deus. Their worry will just get in the way of what needs to be done.”

He nodded, gesturing for me to continue.

“Deus is capable of feeling. He feels hate, jealousy, aggravation.”

“And how did you discover this?”

“I flirted with him until he lost control. Then, when he offered me his bed, I rejected him. He wasn’t too happy about that. He ended up choking me and throwing me across the room. I dislocated my shoulder and gained a few extra bruises.”

His face showed no sign of concern. He took another drink. “You don’t look very banged up to me.”

“Deus showed up at my door this morning and healed me … well, most of me. My hip is pretty banged up, but I didn’t let him touch me there. I figured it could heal on its own.”

“I see.” He leaned forward, placing his cup on the table. “May I?” he asked, gesturing to my waist. I stood and crossed over to him. He lifted my dress gently, still seated. His healing power felt light and feathery. There was no warmth like when Deus used his power. Belz’s power felt like a cool gel sliding across my skin .

“Thank you,” I said as he pulled away.

“My pleasure. So, what is your plan, now that your little game of cat and mouse has ended?”

“Honestly, I have no clue. If I find his soul, maybe I could—”

“That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. His soul is in the pit. No one willingly goes in and comes back out.”

“But someone like me has never tried. Cecilia ventured to Hell, but never the pit. What if I could?”

“Are you willing to risk an eternity of pain and suffering on a ‘what if’?” he asked.

I dropped my eyes, hopelessness beginning to swell inside of me. “My life is over without him, Belz.”

He exhaled, running his finger along the rim of his glass. “Well, I guess we need to find a way to get you into Lucy’s territory then.”

“But I thought you all said the pit wasn’t in his territory?”

“We lied,” he said, slamming his wine back. “We didn’t want you getting anymore crazy ideas. Yet, here you are … crazier than any of us anticipated.”

“You’ll help me? Really?” I asked.

“The others aren’t going to like it,” he answered.

“Levi and Gor, no, but what about Mammon?”

“He’ll help us.”

I smiled, a spark of hope ignited. Belz suddenly stiffened, his eyes going wide.

“What is it?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”

A moment later, Mammon burst through the door. He looked panicked. “Belz,” he said softly.

“I know,” Belz answered. “Lucy and Satan just arrived.”

“This could be our chance,” I said, looking to Belz.

Mammon looked from his brother and then to me. “What are you two planning?” he asked.

“Shut the door before the others arrive,” Belz demanded. Mammon complied, and we filled him in on my diabolical suicide mission.