“We should be outside the scope of her shield now,” Brotus says. “We can teleport back.”
I step closer to him instinctively, thinking he’ll be the one to teleport me. Lucifer smiles and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me away from Brotus and closer to him.
“Brotus won’t be offended,” he says. The look on Brotus’ face tells me Lucifer is wrong. But before I can challenge him, his body is pressed even more tightly against mine. So much so that I can feel every dip and curve of his chest, feel every single breath he exhales warm the top of my head. A second later, we’re back in the bedroom I slept in.
I get out his arms as quickly as I can, because, well… something so wrong shouldn’t feel so right.
“Don’t you have any other rooms?”
Lucifer immediately takes the chair by the door. He doesn’t look tired though. He puts one leg perpendicular to the other and smirks at me. “We each have a bedroom in the house, as well as others for my other commanders. You’re welcome to look around whenever you want. Stay with one of them, or stay with me, those are your options, no other demon gets to do so much as look in your direction.”
I roll my eyes at him and take a seat on the bed. Brotus, to my surprise, joins me and the mattress sinks low with his weight. Merlidon is fussing with his hair in front of the mirror. “Why would an angel want you, Lucifer?”
“Why do you?” he shoots back.
Brotus smiles and then, in explanation, says, “it’s not a bad question. But then again, I guess you could ask why any of us, are in some way or the other, attracted to you.”
Another lump. Another missed breath. My eyes focus on Merlidon, hoping that he’ll drop one of his smartass lines and shift this conversation in a different direction. But of course, I’m not that lucky. The look on Merlidon’s face is just as heated as the one on Brotus’. Just as heated as the one on Lucifer’s.
“I’m being serious,” I snap.
The teasing look on Lucifer’s face dims. “Demons and angels don’t really get along as you can imagine. I suppose they’re merely trying to get rid of me.”
“That could be their reasoning behind all this,” Merlidon says turning away from the mirror for a second before facing it again. “To eradicate the demonic population, they don’t mind going through the human one as well.”
“That doesn’t sound very angelic,” I comment.
“Angels aren’t exactly like you humans picture them to be,” says Lucifer. “Their only aim is to administer justice and to create peace. To that aim, they don’t stop to think much about who might be hurt in the process. As long as they believe it’s for the greater good, they will stop at nothing.”
“So,” Brotus picks up, his voice a low rumble beside me. “In their quest to eradicate the demonic population, which they believe is the epitome of evil, they won’t mind the genocide of the human population if it means achieving their goal. To them, it’s merely a side effect to the greater good.” He nods. “That makes sense.”
“That explains why they want Lucifer,” I say. “But that doesn’t explain why they’re after me.”
Lucifer nods, finger tapping lightly on the arm rest. “Yes, that still poses a problem. But for now, let’s take it one step at a time. They’re more than likely communicating from the human realm, which means we know where they are –”
“No, we don’t,” I butt in, frowning. “Earth is a large place, you know. They could be anywhere.”
“But it’s a narrow location compared to the multitude of places they could be within the three realms. At least we know which exactly, although, you’re right. It’ll be hard to pinpoint where on Earth they are exactly. Which is why we won’t go to them. We let them come to us.”
“You said they can’t come to Hell.”
“No, they can’t. But the human realm is that middle ground. We go there and let them find us.”
“Me, you mean.”
He looks at me, with no mirth, nothing. I straighten and meet his eyes. “You mean, you’re going to use me as a delicious meal and hope the angels can’t contain themselves and come for me. They don’t want you. They just want to get rid of you. They want me.”
Before he can answer, Merlidon says, “delicious meal. That sounds about correct.”
Brotus shakes his head at Merlidon, clearly knowing better than his fellow demon when it’s time to play and when it’s time to be serious. “That won’t work. They’ll just send another one of their mindless things to get you. The person behind all this won’t come themselves.”
“True,” Lucifer agrees with a nod. “But we can let them. We can let her be taken to the person behind all this and, once the time is right, we follow her.”
“Don’t you think the angels will know that it’s a trap? They probably know I’m with you.”
“They might, and they might try to wipe your mind so that I won’t be able to follow your thoughts. They’ll mask your energy too, so we won’t be able to sense it.”
“Then how do you plan to find me?”
He takes a moment to pause, eyes searching mine. Then he says, “You’re marked.”
My hands clench against the sheet and I resist the urge to touch my neck. Brotus doesn’t say anything next to me but Merlidon’s eyes become as wide as saucers. “Marked?” he exclaims.
“Last night,” Lucifer explains, his eyes never leaving mine. “I fed off Melody and I marked her.”
My teeth are beginning to ache from the way I’m clenching. “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”
“Since I marked you, I’ll be able to know where you are at all times. And so will you for me. The mark is shallow but it’s there. You might have noticed that you can sense things about me that you couldn’t before.”
Like the fact that he was pleased by the way I got the information out of Jezebel. And the fact that he’s tense with an energy I’m all too familiar with.
“Because we’re marked, I’ll be able to come to you wherever you are. Angels won’t be able to detect the mark and so they won’t be able to counter it.”
“Can it be countered?” I ask him. It isn’t anger I’m feeling, I notice. It’s a realization. I know why I’ve been so drawn to him now, more so than I have before he fed off me.
“As far as I know, no.”
“How much do you really know about the angels, Lucifer?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t know much. They are a secretive bunch and don’t like to mingle with us demons. I try to avoid them whenever possible.”
“And they us,” Brotus inputs.
“So, you plan to send me back to New York, let them come and take me then use the mark to find me? What then?”
“Then, we take them out. Let’s hope we won’t have to go up against legions.”
There are a lot of things I’ll be hoping for. “Can they read minds?”
My question seems to surprise him, which is odd considering he reads my mind constantly. “Yes, actually.”
“So, won’t they know that I’m marked just by reading my mind. They could take actions to stop you from coming just by having that knowledge.”
“You’re right. So, you’ll need to learn to block your thoughts. Merlidon can teach you.”
At that, Merlidon grins devilishly and I grimace. “Sounds like you have this all planned out already.”
Lucifer nods. “We don’t have much time to waste.”
No, I agree silently, we don’t. And because of that, I don’t even attempt to argue. It’s the best plan we can come up with in such a short time. I resist the urge to sigh, suddenly weary, and stand. “I’m going to take a walk,” I announce.
No one answers and I leave the room with silence following in my wake.
19
It takes me ages of wandering around dimly lit hallways and peering into dozens of rooms before I finally find the place I’m looking for. I step into the room, eyes roving appreciatively over the displayed weapons against the wall. Th
ere are so many of them I can hardly contain my excitement. I instantly make my way to the bow on the other side of the large room.
The center of the room is clearly a training area, straw dummies and target boards spread out throughout it. It’s interesting to see just how many similarities this place has with the training room at the Guild.
I put a lot of distance between myself and the target board, reach for an arrow from the quiver I find near the bow, and shoot. The arrow finds bullseye.
Before it even settles I’m already reaching for another. As I let that one fly, a warm sensation spreads throughout my body. I don’t pause, don’t stop to figure out where it could be coming from because I don’t have to. I know that Lucifer is nearby. I can basically see him, his tall outline breezing past the dull walls, long legs eating up the distance in no time. I continue to shoot my arrows, going more rapidly the closer he comes. When he opens the door and steps inside, my last arrow flies from my fingertips.
“You said you marked me,” I say without turning around, heading up to the target board and slowly pulling the arrows free. “You should be able to tell when I want to be alone.”
“I don’t want to be alone.”
The words shock me so much, I turn to look at him. He’s standing by the door, face utterly serious with a covered tray in his hand. I stare at him a bit longer before I turn away, still pulling the arrows free.
“I brought you food,” he prods. “You haven’t eaten in a while.”
“I’m surprised you remembered humans need food to survive.”
I hear him huff a laugh. “I’ll admit it slipped my mind. Come, Melody, eat.”
I return the last of the arrows to the quiver and turn to him. He steps a bit closer, and, when our eyes meet, he holds out the tray. I only watch him for a moment before approaching him.
“What is it?” I ask once the distance between us is considerably smaller and I’m being buffeted by a wave of erotic sensations. I know he can tell, but I still make my face as neutral as possible.
“Steak. I know humans like steak.”
“I’m allergic to beef.”
He blinks at that. “My apologies, Melody. Let me get you something else.”
He disappears. I turn back to the target board and start firing arrows again. I’m halfway through them when he reappears, beside me this time, holding the same covered tray.
“How about chicken?” he asks me.
I don’t even look at him. “I’m allergic to meat entirely.”
He disappears again and, a few minutes later, he appears with another tray. “I have soup and salad.”
I look over at him. “I lied. I want a burger and fries.”
No irritation, no anger flashes across his face. He only nods and disappears again. Which, of course, only makes me even more annoyed. I’m itching for a fight and he isn’t rising to the bait.
When he reappears, holding a McDonald’s bag, my irritation mounts. He hands me the bag. “I bought a burger and chicken nuggets. Extra fries as well. I know humans love fries.”
I look down at it but before I can say anything he says, “The drink is behind you.”
I turn to see a large tub of Coke sitting on the ground. I take the bag from him, nearly grabbing it. Since there is nowhere else to sit, I hanker down beside the tub of Coke. “I’m pissed off, Lucifer.”
“I can tell.” He sits next to me, stretching his legs out before me. “But when are you not?”
“More often than I make it seem.” I unwrap the burger and take a huge bite. My stomach shouts its gladness. I take another bite before the first is fully chewed. “People won’t mess with me if they think I’m an angry bitch.”
“So, it’s all a defense mechanism then.”
“I’m surprised you don’t already know that. Seeing that we’re marked and all.”
He still doesn’t rise to my jibe. “Though we’re marked, Melody, it doesn’t mean I know everything about you.”
“You can read my mind, though.”
“As can I with everyone else. Though you do manage to surprise me.”
That pleases me more than it should have. I dig into the bag for the fries. “Is that so? My true dreams have come true. I have nothing else to live for.”
Annoyance rockets through me when his lips twitch. “You are very pissed,” he comments thoughtfully.
I glare at him. “You think?”
“Why? I haven’t done anything. Or are you still upset about my mere existence.”
“You marked me.”
“So I did. Is that why you’re so mad?”
“Yes, Lucifer. It feels like an invasion. You have access to my thoughts and now you know where I am at all times. That’s too fucking much for a demon to know.”
“Ah, yes. But it’s mutual. You are now as in tuned with me as I am with you.”
“Did you know?” I polish off the rest of the burger and crumple the wrapper with the force of my anger. “Did you know that you would mark me?”
He shakes his head. “I didn’t. I was as surprised as you were.”
“You said the mark was shallow. What did you mean by that?”
“It means it hasn’t completely set in. It’s merely a shadow of its full potential, though it is a mark nonetheless. If I had fed any longer then the mark would have become much stronger, and so would the connection between us.”
At the thought, I nearly shudder. “So, I would be feeling what I am now but worse?”
“Worse,” he agrees with a nod. “But better.”
“How the fuck would it be better?”
“Because we would become soul bonded.”
That doesn’t sound better. “Sounds like Hell.”
His lips twitch, though it isn’t with amusement but a bit rueful. “It’s a connection that is so rare it is seen as a myth.”
Okay, this is getting way too serious for my liking. Granted, I’m not pissed anymore, but the anxiousness I feel isn’t a very good trade. I dig around the bag for more fries, avoiding the intense look he’s giving me. “I wasn’t aware demons had souls.”
“Everything has a soul.”
Fuck, he’s getting way too passionate. Time to dial it back, go into safer territory. “Why don’t you teach me how to block invaders into my mind? Seeing that you’re the one who keeps rummaging through it.”
Okay, not exactly safe but it’s the best I can come up with. A real smile plays at his lips, and his eyes lighten. “I don’t rummage. You’re basically handing them to me on a silver platter.”
“My question still stands either way.”
“I didn’t think you wanted me anywhere near you.”
I look at him. “And you thought Merlidon was a better option?”
His smile widens. “Perhaps I should have thought it through a little better.”
“Perhaps.” I chuckle. “We’ll tear each other apart ten minutes in.”
“I can have Brotus there to chaperone.”
“What are we, twelve?”
“You certainly act like it when you’re with him.”
“I do not.”
He raises an eyebrow at me and leans against the wall. “You like him.”
“I do not.”
When a blush creeps across my cheeks, I really feel like I’m in middle school.
“Well, he likes you, so there’s that.”
I shake my head and shove a French fry into my mouth.
“He does. You’re not that different, you and him. Not if you count the fact that you both act like angry bi – “
“Call me a bitch and I’ll stab you with,” I look down, noticing the only options right now are the burger or my Coke or my French fry. I hold the French fry up, “with this.”
Lucifer pretends to stumble backward, faux fear stretching his face thin. “And Brotus. Ever seen how he looks at you?”
“You don’t sound jealous. Why don’t you sound jealous?”
“And you sound offended that I’m not
jealous.”
Truthfully, I am. Quite a bit, actually. “They’d be fools not to find you attractive. The way they look at you assures me that my men are not blind.”
I shrug, reaching for the tub of Coke. It’s hot but I don’t mind. “Merlidon knows exactly how to push my buttons. That’s all it is. I think you’re reading this whole ‘like’ thing wrong.”
“Are you implying that I don’t know how to push your buttons?”
Dangerous territory again, Melody. I ignore the warning voice in my head, feeling an answering smile spread across my face in light of his. “I don’t think anyone can piss me off quite like you can, Lucifer.”
“I think I should take that as a compliment.”
“I won’t be surprised if you did.” Belly full now, and eager to change the topic, I rise. “Spar with me.”
He gets to his feet too and I feel a sliver of weakness in my knees as I watch him tower over me. “Now that you’ve eaten, you should go to Merlidon. We don’t have much time to waste.”
“How long will it take me to learn?”
“It depends on how much you’re willing to learn. We only need you to know the basics, to just stop yourself from shouting your thoughts at anyone that might be listening.”
“They’ll try to dig deeper once they realize they don’t hear anything, won’t they?”
“But only on the surface. You’ll learn how to shield the thoughts you want, while leaving other more unimportant ones out in the open. They’ll be none the wiser.”
I nod at that. “Alright, we can start that afterwards. Right now, I want to spar. I have too much pent up energy.”
“There are other ways you can dispel that.”
The words hang for a while, his eyes basically stripping the clothing from my body. The effect they cast over my body makes me want to play the damsel in distress and fall right into his arms. Pretend that I couldn’t control myself, that he took advantage of me.
Lucifer steps closer, crowding my body. Each step back doesn’t get me anywhere closer to freedom, but I take them anyway. Moving and moving and moving until my back is against the wall and his face is mere inches away from mine.
Hunting Darkness: Hunting her Lovers (Demon Hunter Book 1) Page 14
