Page 23

CAMI

Several Minutes Earlier

“ G old ribbons?” Lucifer repeated, arching a brow at Melek. “I thought you wanted to use red rope.”

“Only when it’s a gift for you, my king,” Melek purred back at him. “This is for me.”

“And what do I get in return for this offer , hmm?”

“You get to watch,” Melek replied simply, causing my cheeks to flame with heat.

I can’t believe you’re offering to tie me up in front of him, I whispered into his mind. Without my consent .

Your body is consenting, little angel , Melek returned, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

A shiver traversed my spine as he kissed my neck, the affectionate act one he was doing for me and for Lucifer. I could hear the intentions inside his mind, the game he was currently playing.

This all started because of my thoughts about needing a bath or a shower, and Lucifer’s commentary about not rewarding brats.

Apparently, Melek saw this as an opportunity, one he was now using in his negotiation. “I don’t see what any of this has to do with teaching,” I muttered.

“He’s showing you how negotiations can involve a third party,” Lucifer responded as he folded his arms over his broad chest, his gaze on Melek even though his words were for me. “Typically, I’ll allow this sort of discussion when the offeror has a claim on whatever or whoever he is offering.”

“So you treat mates like property,” I inferred. “And I suppose the same could be said about children since my father offered me—someone he had a claim on—to you in exchange for his freedom.”

“No.” He finally looked at me. “Negotiation is a skill, one I use to determine the goodness in others.”

I frowned at him, not following.

Fortunately, he wasn’t done speaking.

“I allow my subjects to use whatever they desire as collateral because their choices tell me a lot about them. In your father’s case, his offering of you told me he was not only selfish but also a bad parent.

Because anyone who is willing to give up his own daughter for selfish gains is clearly not a good father.

Which meant the daughter—a fae of mixed origin—would likely benefit from being welcomed into my realm. ”

My brow came down, his words creating an avenue of thought I had not yet considered. “You thought I might need to be saved. That’s why you made the deal.”

“Not exactly. I thought you might need guidance or a safe place to hide from other fae. So I saw the trade as beneficial—I didn’t want a Hell Fae tied to my Source who could so easily abandon his progeny, and I was relatively early on in the process of selecting female candidates for the Hell Fae Bride Trials. Thus, I accepted the offer.”

It was a pragmatic approach, one I didn’t want to acknowledge. However, his thought process made sense.

“You might not care for my methods, but the outcome was beneficial, Camillia.” He glanced pointedly at Melek, making my heart race.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

Without my father’s deal, I would never have been taken to the Hell Fae Realm. So where would I be now? Still at college? Earning a useless degree?

No.

That had never been my fate.

My destiny was always to come here; whether as a candidate or something else, I’d been created to meet Lucifer. To destroy him , I thought, shivering.

All because of Vivaxia and her millennia-old vendetta.

“Now your mate is making me an offer, and an enticing one at that,” Lucifer went on, returning his gaze to mine.

“Unlike other propositions, this one is coming from someone I trust. I know his intentions. And deep down, you do as well. Melek won’t hurt you, nor will he force you to do something you don’t want to do.

Therefore, I’m entertaining his game. Unless you’d like me to stop this lesson? ”

“Oh, a safe word,” Melek murmured, his lips caressing my thundering pulse. “Care to provide one, little angel? A single statement that’ll end this delicious game?”

I shivered, recalling the last time I discussed a safe word. With Az and Ajax .

Thinking of them had me wondering if they’d resolved their issues yet. Or if they were still in the process of it. The temptation to link to them and ask was strong, but I didn’t want to intrude.

Even if thinking of them fucking it out had me burning alive inside.

Because yes. Yes, please.

“Camillia?” Lucifer asked, drawing me back to him. He must have said something after Melek, something I’d missed because I was thinking about Az and Ajax.

Clearing my throat, I said, “My safe word is camping .”

One eyebrow lifted. “Camping?”

“I hate camping,” I emphasized. And I really didn’t feel like elaborating on why. So instead I told him, “That’s what I use with Az and Ajax.”

His oceanic irises flickered to life with blue flames, the heated gaze making me swallow.

Wow, his eyes were pretty. Hypnotic, too. Twin pools of burning lust.

Because he’s thinking of… of me with Az and Ajax? But he’s not into them like that… right?

Hmm, maybe not. But he is into you like that, Melek whispered into my mind, his lips brushing my throat again. And our king likes to watch, Camillia.

“Gold ribbon,” Melek went on out loud. “I’ll bind her arms for you, behind her back. And I’ll braid her hair, too. All while you watch.”

Without taking his eyes away from me, Lucifer replied, “What are you asking for in return, little prince?”

“I want you to bathe her,” he said. “She isn’t a fan of my golden touch, and you know how to properly wash it off. So I’ll tie her up for you, and then you’ll cleanse her.”

“Hmm,” Lucifer hummed, taking a step forward and allowing me to feel the warmth radiating from his chest.

If temptation had a form, it was Typhos Lucifer.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Tapered waist.

Dressed in a perfectly pressed suit .

I didn’t want to crave him. Yet I doubted anyone could fight his magnetic pull. He was simply sin personified, his position here as the Hell Fae King not only worthy of him but appropriate for him, too.

“You want to watch me pet her,” Lucifer said slowly. “And in exchange, you’ll bind her for me.”

“Yes.”

“The bath part is for her,” Lucifer added, moving even closer to me. “Because you’re taking her needs into account as well.”

“Yes,” Melek repeated, his arms loosening until all I felt was his palms skimming my abdomen.

“Do you see how this works, little temptress?” Lucifer asked, his voice softening as he reached up to trace the line of my jaw with a single finger.

“Your mate is making me an offer that includes you, but he’s ensuring your contentment.

That’s the mark of a fae with good intentions.

” He cocked his head, his long hair falling over one shoulder.

“So, is it an offer I should accept? Or should I counter?”

I tried to swallow, but my throat no longer seemed to work. I… I was frozen between them. With Melek gripping my hips and Lucifer lightly stroking my cheek.

So much heat.

So much power.

So much male fae .

Gods, I’d been trapped between Az and Ajax before, too. Yet this felt different. More intense somehow. More… more terrifying? But in a good way. Not that any of that made a lick of sense. However, I wasn’t sure I wanted to embrace sane thoughts right now.

I kind of liked the idea of just… submitting.

Letting Melek tie me up.

And feeling Lucifer’s hands on me.

“Well?” Lucifer whispered, his gaze falling to my mouth. “What would you do in my position? Accept or counter?”

“If I were you?” I breathed, then finally managed to swallow. “I would counter.” Because I couldn’t imagine that Lucifer ever accepted a deal on the first try.

His lips curved upward. “I do enjoy a good counter. Any ideas on what I should demand?”

“I…” I wasn’t sure I understood the question. The way he was looking at my mouth had me thinking about him kissing me.

Which had me recalling what that felt like.

Because I had firsthand experience now.

No longer just a dream, but real practice.

“How long do you want me to bathe her?” Lucifer asked, his finger ghosting across my bottom lip.

“However long it takes to wash my golden sheen from her skin,” Melek replied, causing Lucifer to chuckle.

“Oh, little prince, you’ll have to do better than that.” His eyes left my mouth to look over my shoulder at Melek. “Under those parameters, you could douse her for hours, thus requiring me to pet her for just as long.”

Melek’s amusement warmed my thoughts. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t enjoy that, my king?”

“I’m sure I would, but a timeline needs to be defined. This is a deal, after all.”

Gods, I can’t believe this is happening, I thought, dizzy from their conversation. Or maybe it was their touch making me feel lightheaded. They were both radiating dark intent, the kiss of it a drug to my senses.

I wanted to drown in them.

Which was insane.

Lucifer and I… My eyes nearly closed, the thought ending before I could finish it. Because I didn’t know how to define my relationship with the Hell Fae King. It was tenuous. Hot. Combustible .

“One hour,” Melek said, drawing me back to their negotiation. “But she’ll only be tied up for thirty minutes of it.”

Lucifer’s eyebrow arched. “You want to give her freedom to touch me?”

“If she desires it, yes. However, I also want to ensure a slow introduction. An hour of being bound is too long for someone so new to the sensation of being tied up.”

The Hell Fae King’s eyes traveled back to mine. “Do you see how he’s taking care of you, little queen?”

Fae , that nickname was going to undo me. “Yes,” I admitted, my voice barely audible. There was just something so undeniably arousing by this whole situation. The two of them establishing terms on how they would handle me— together .

And this wasn’t even sex.

It was just a bath.

Where I would be naked and have Lucifer’s hands all over ? —

A chill swept over me, one that was at odds with the heat at my front and back. My lips curled down as invisible ice crawled over my skin, sort of like how the death magic did in the Netherworld.

I shivered, the frigid touch weaving through my veins at an alarming rate.

“Camillia?” Lucifer asked, his palm molding to my cheek.

He was hot. I knew he was hot. Yet I… I couldn’t feel him at all. I couldn’t feel Melek either. Everything was so cold.

What’s happening? I wondered, my movements slow as I glanced around. Why…why do I feel… like death?

“ Camillia ,” Lucifer tried again, the sharpness of his voice causing me to blink.

Had I missed something? Words? A question? I… I stared at him, noting the burning quality in his eyes. So intense. Yet that fire simmered for a different reason than before. It was no longer a result of arousal, but one of anger.

No.

No, not anger.

Fear .

My teeth began to chatter as the numbness spread.

I should be more concerned.

I… I should be trying to… to… move .

Yet a sense of contentment rolled through me, which made no sense, given that I was now shaking all over.

“It’s like she can’t hear me,” Melek said, reminding me that he still stood behind me. His arms were around my torso, holding me tightly.

And he was… he was burning .

I could feel it, that heat. That delicious heat thawing some of my ice.

What the fuck is going on? I wondered dizzily. Why… why am I…?

I blinked as more warmth bled into my torso, the source of it Lucifer. Because he was holding me, too. Tightly. And his mouth… his mouth was against my ear, whispering something I couldn’t hear. A spell, perhaps?

Magic prickled along my skin, stirring tingles from deep within. Then something cracked . Maybe not physically, but I heard it.

And suddenly I could feel .

Hear.

Sense…

My eyes went wide, my heart pounding in my chest.

Because what I was sensing wasn’t here. It was somewhere else. It was… it was in my soul .

“Ajax,” I breathed, his chilling essence pouring through me. “Something’s wrong with Ajax!”

Lucifer caught me before I could disappear, my instinct to go to my mate overpowering logic. Yet something the Hell Fae King did held me in place, his power pushing down on mine. “Focus,” he demanded. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”

“I… I don’t know,” I stammered out, vibrating beneath his dominance.

All I wanted was to go to Ajax.

But his mind was silent.

Just like Az’s , I realized. “It’s like when I was with Vivaxia and my mother,” I whispered, realizing that I was strangely cut off from my mates again. “What’s happening to me? Is Vivaxia here?”

“She’s somewhere,” Lucifer growled out. “And she’s using you as a vessel of some kind.”

“What do you mean?”

“We need to get to the paradigm,” Melek interjected. “Garmr confirms everything has been cut off. The Hellhounds can’t ash in or out. Which means Az and Ajax?—”

“Are stuck there as well.” Lucifer’s wings flared to life, the burnt feathers making me gasp. “So we’ll arrive the old-fashioned way. Are you taking Camillia, or am I?”