Page 9

Chapter nine

“ W ell, well,” I heard his voice say behind me as I appeared in Deus’s bedroom. “Miss me already?”

Deus lay in bed with three demon women, naked. One sprawled across his lap, another curled into his side, while the third kissed down his neck. A sick feeling rose inside me while I fought to remain calm. I would bathe him in a vat of bleach when we were both topside again. I looked away, not wanting to break.

“You must have a death wish,” he said, sliding off the edge of the bed without regard for the women. He pulled on his pants and moved toward me. His eyes bore down on me, but I couldn’t meet his gaze—not when he smelled of them.

He laughed. “Come all this way to give me the silent treatment, did we?”

I took a deep breath, gathering myself. I wanted to burn this whole place to the ground. I clenched my jaw, trying to remain calm, and looked up at him. Before I could say a word, his hands were around my throat. He picked me up, pinning me to the wall. His fingers buried themselves into my skin as he flashed his teeth. His face was full of rage.

“You stupid cunt,” he growled. “I was naive enough to play along with your game the last time, but I won’t be that complacent again. My brother will have the power that he is owed!”

I grabbed at his wrists, trying to force him to release me, but he was so much stronger. The girls on the bed laughed, propping their heads up to watch the show.

“I …” I tried to get out words, but he was crushing my windpipe.

He leaned his lips closer to my ear. “What was that?” he said sarcastically. “Oh, now you have something to say?”

“Yes,” I managed to get out. He loosened his grip on my throat, still pinning me to the wall.

“Make it fast,” he growled. “I’ve already alerted Lucifer you’re here, so you have mere seconds before you’re dead.”

“I have one last request,” I said, choking, trying to breathe. My throat was already beginning to swell.

He laughed, arching an eyebrow at me. “The balls on you, little witch. What is this request?”

“A kiss,” I said, trying to appear meek and timid. “I want to feel your lips on mine one last time … before I die.”

He smiled. I watched as his pride got the better of him. “I suppose I can do that for you,” he said, licking his lips sensually.

“Thank you,” I replied with a small smile.

Still pinning me to the wall, he lowered his head. I took a deep breath, allowing the power inside of me to rise. His lips caressed mine softly, testing the waters before pressing firmly against mine. I wrapped my arms around him, forcing his face harder into me. He tried to pull away, but I held firm.

The part of him I carried latched onto the connection I had made with Deus’s body. Something heaved deep in my chest as his spirit unraveled from mine, one now becoming two, returning to its original vessel. I pulled away slowly, my mouth stretched open as a red and black fog transferred from me to Deus. His eyes were wide in shock, his body convulsing.

The girls on the bed were shaking, huddling together in fear. The lights in the room flickered and the entire castle shook with power. Finally, his spirit let go of me. I fell to the ground, weakened and breathing heavily. I didn’t dare open my eyes. If this didn’t work, I was dead, and Lucifer had won.

Finally, I look up at Deus. His body was still shaking slightly as he stumbled backwards. I sat back on my knees, waiting for a sign to indicate which Deus had won. His eyes lifted slowly from his hands to where I sat on the floor.

“Seren,” he whispered, shaking his head. The sound of his voice. The emotion in each syllable that formed my name. My head fell into my hands and I began to cry. It was him. It was really him. My nightmare was almost over. I had done it.

Deus looked around the room and at the females in his bed. He closed his eyes in shame, turning from them. “No,” he whispered, covering his face.

I stood and rushed to him. I pulled his hands away, looking up into his haunted eyes. “I need your help,” I said in haste.

“My love,” he cried. “I am so sorry. I—”

“We don’t have time. I need you to focus. I need you to push your power into me through the bond. I need to form a new gateway as fast as possible before your brother arrives.”

He looked away, his face confused and tormented.

I took a deep breath, placing my hands on either side of his face. I turned him towards me. “Deus,” I whispered. Pain and guilt shone through his eyes. “I love you … every part of you. The demon … the angel … the man. Even in your darkness, I love you. But now, I need you to focus, so we can go home. Back to our family, and our future.” I paused, rubbing my thumbs down his cheeks. “Can you do that for me?”

He nodded, unable to say a word.

“Good.” I leaned in and kissed his cheek tenderly.

A white fog appeared in the corner of the room.

My heart dropped.

Lucifer.

“Deus, now!” I yelled. Deus held onto me as I focused. I threw my hands forward, forcing our power to become a solid entity. His power was overwhelming yet comforting; intoxicating and smooth like a drug. I pooled our powers together, merging them with the essences of Lucifer and the moon goddesses that I carried. The gateway began to form, blocks constructing in a matter of seconds.

“What do we have here?” I heard Lucifer’s voice behind me. I stayed focused on building our escape. “When will you learn that you are no match for me, little goddess?”

“Stay the fuck away from her,” Deus growled, removing a hand from me. There was a moment of silence, but I didn’t dare turn around to see the shock I was sure had overwhelmed Lucy’s face.

“She restored your soul,” whispered Lucifer. “Using my power.”

“You’re no match for her,” Deus snapped.

Lucifer laughed. “We’ll see about that,” he said. I heard a blast and felt Deus’s body stiffen as he took the blunt force of the attack. I continued to focus on the gate. It was almost complete. I was so close, but I was approaching burnout. Even with all this power, a bridge to another world was not designed to be created at this pace.

More explosions sounded from behind me. I saw the girls rush towards the exit as furniture and shattered glass flew around me. In the corner of my eye, a sharp spear of wood impaled one of the girls, dropping her dead before she could reach the exit.

Sweat began to pour from my brow. My hands and body shook. I fought to breathe, but I didn’t let go. Just another few moments and we’d be home. I willed the power to mold itself into an arch. I focused on the door and what would be on the other side. I closed my eyes, imagining Frankie, Aunt Thora, Nonna … even my mother. I still had so many questions. We had lost so much time, thanks to Lucifer. I wasn’t going to let him take one more thing from me.

“Deus!” I yelled, adding the finishing touches to the gate. I needed him close for the final surge to activate my magic. In the next breath, his arms were around me, barreling us both towards the portal as fire and ice flew towards us. I reached for the door, feeling the cold bite of the metal handle. I pressed my thumb down. Click .

Deus lunged forward, falling through the gate, hauling me with him. He spun to take the majority of the impact as we crashed into the floor. I sat up, throwing my hands towards the archway, absorbing the magic back inside myself before Lucifer could follow us through. I screamed with pain, opening myself up, siphoning my own power at a pace that would have killed any normal witch.

I heard Lucifer yelling in a fit of rage on the other side. The portal began to dissipate.

“I will kill everything you love, Seren De Salvo,” he yelled. “Everything you hold dear, I will take from you. You will watch as all those around you suffer because of your incompetence. I will destroy you. I will have what I am owed.” And with that, the portal closed .

I collapsed on the floor next to Deus, my heart racing. We both gasped for air. I relaxed, allowing a smile to escape. I looked at my beautiful mate, finally whole, beside me. I rolled to my back, brushed my hands over my face, and laughed.

The doors to the room flung open. Belz, Levi, and Frankie ran through, looking like they had seen a ghost.

“Oh, thank Aradia,” Frankie said, hurtling towards me. She gathered me in her arms, squeezing so tightly I thought she was going to crush my ribs.

“Mammon owes me money,” said Belz with a smile on his face.

Deus sat up, his face expressionless. He went to the table, pulling an old shirt over his body without a word.

“Asmodeus,” Levi said, approaching him with caution.

Deus turned slightly, not making eye contact with anyone. “Yes, brother,” he replied softly. “Soul is intact. No need to worry.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Levi said with a smile. “It’s good to see you back on this plane.”

“Is it?” Deus replied, fidgeting with something on his desk.

Frankie looked at me with confusion. “You didn’t come through the gate with the others. What happened? Where did you go?”

I took a deep breath, my thoughts and emotions still spinning. “I really don’t know how,” I admitted, standing, “but when I was going through the gate, I couldn’t stop thinking about Deus. That … if I left then, there may not be another chance to save him. Then bam, I shifted to where I needed to be.”

“Your power is seriously amazing,” Frankie whispered with a soft smile.

“How’s Gor?” I asked.

“Bitchy as ever, but alive nonetheless,” said Belz.

“And Giana?” I asked.

“Fully materialized, and hasn’t left Gor’s side yet,” said Mammon.

Dues took a deep breath. “I’d like to be alone,” he said, still not looking at the others.

“So, I should cancel the welcome home party I have waiting outside, then?” asked Belz playfully.

“I said, get out!” Deus yelled, his power rippling from him.

Levi approached Frankie, taking her hand in his. My cousin looked at me with worry in her eyes.

“I’ll be okay,” I reassured her.

“I know,” she said, pulling me into another hug. “But I can’t promise you will be after the lashing I have prepared for you.” I laughed softly as she pulled away.

“I thought you may have forgotten about that.”

“Never,” she said with a wink. Everyone exited our room, closing the doors behind them. I walked over to my mate cautiously. I knew he had literally been through Hell, but the thought of being away from him, even in the next room, felt worse than death right then. I placed my hand on his arm, but he pulled away, like the contact physically pained him.

“Please,” he said, unable to look at me. “I just … I need time right now.”

I paused, assessing the man I loved.

“No,” I replied flatly. “I’m not leaving you. Not even for a moment. Not ever again.”

“Seren—”

“Deus, I said no.”

He finally brought his eyes to mine, and I saw the guilt of reliving his sins was eating him alive. “I’m going to shower,” he whispered .

“Sounds like a good plan,” I said, heading to the bathroom. “I need one as well.” I started the shower, the steam soon filling the room. He stood in front of me, hesitant to remove his clothes. I took the hem of his shirt and slowly removed it, then his pants. I allowed my dress to fall from my body.

I took his hand and led him into the warm streams of water. I lathered a sponge, gliding it over his body, making sure to be considerate of what he had been through. I washed his hair, and then mine. My heart was relieved he was home, but shattered for the suffering he had endured. He was a shell of himself.

I rinsed my body and then his, being respectful of the space he clearly needed. I turned him around to face me, sliding my arms around his waist. His eyes finally opened, looking down into mine. He tried to smile, but failed. He broke.

Deus buried his face into the crook of my neck, wrapping his arms around me. His knees gave out. I took the brunt of his weight as we slid down the wall of the shower. He cried against my skin, holding onto me so tightly it almost hurt, but I didn’t let go. I kissed his head, pulling him into me as closely as I could. We sat there wrapped in each other’s embrace, completely bare and exposed. Raw.