by T. O. Smith
I snuggled closer to him. “Do you think there will ever be a time that you can’t silence the demons in my mind?” I asked him fearfully.
Lucifer swallowed thickly. “Perhaps.” He said softly.
Fear lodged itself in my throat.
I didn’t like the sound of that.
And judging by the way Lucifer tightened his hold on me? He didn’t either.
THREE
Cerberus laid his massive body in front of my door, preventing anyone from entering. “So, if you get blocked from me sometimes,” I asked Lucifer as I finished chewing the bite of food I had in my mouth, “does the same thing happen to Cerberus? Does he get blocked from me, too?”
Lucifer shook his head. “No.” He replied. “Cerberus will always be here with you. No one can remove him from you.”
I looked up at Lucifer as he paced to the tiny window on my door to look out. He grunted at whatever he saw. “They’re trying to figure out which brave soul is going to come to bring you medication.” He scoffed.
Cerberus growled. No one will be medicating our queen. Cerberus’s deep voice vibrated through my skull.
I set my food aside, suddenly no longer hungry. A high-pitched screech suddenly sounded through my skull. I screamed in agony as I reached up to clutch at my head. Lucifer roared when he tried to move towards me, but he was blocked. I curled into a ball, sobs wracking my chest as the screams and screeches intensified in volume. Lucifer roared again as the temperature dropped below freezing in the room, leaving me shaking.
Cerberus managed to wedge his massive body onto my bed, and he curled up around me. I sobbed as I clutched at my hair, barely resisting the urge to yank it out.
“Make it stop.” I sobbed. “Lucifer,” I cried, “help me.”
Cerberus whined. Lucifer roared in rage.
The door to my room burst open. Cerberus jumped off the bed, crouching in front of me with a deadly snarl – a threat not to come any closer to me. The doctor quickly scampered out of the room, but not before Lucifer snatched the syringe he had been holding out of his arm. “Shift,” Lucifer ordered Cerberus. “I cannot fucking get to her. Reveal your true fucking form and inject her with this. It will make her go to sleep.”
“Lucifer.” I cried, reaching for him. I sobbed, a scream of agony ripping from my lips right after.
His eyes were filled with so much pain and sadness that I wailed on his behalf. “I cannot come to you, my queen. I am so fucking sorry.”
I clawed at the bed sheets, the screeching intensifying, seeming to feed off of my pain. I squeezed my eyes shut, screaming out my pain again. So, when Cerberus shifted and injected me with whatever was in the needle, I did not get to see his true form.
Darkness swam through my mind, cloaking me in its comfort.
✶ ✶ ✶
Lucifer’s face was the first I saw when I woke up. He was leaning against the wall that my bed was against, and he was holding me tightly in his arms, his head rested back against the wall with his eyes shut. Cerberus was laying against my door, his massive body holding it shut.
She is awake, my king. Cerberus spoke.
“I know,” Lucifer said quietly. He opened his eyes and looked down at me. “I have to leave.” He said softly. Tears burned in my eyes. I shook my head at him, clutching his leather jacket in my fists. He brushed his cold lips to my forehead. This couldn’t be happening. “I am sorry, my queen, but I must. Even now, I am resisting the pull with every fiber of my being. I did not want to leave without telling you first.”
I sobbed. “I don’t want you to leave me.” I cried.
He tightened his arms around me. “I do not want to leave you, either.” He admitted. “But I must.” He drew in a deep breath. “Do not fight the darker side of you.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head at me, silencing me. “I know you want to be good, but to be my queen, you cannot. I am the epitome of evil and darkness.” He reminded me. “Give in to it. Wreck destruction wherever you must – wherever you feel like it. Cerberus will follow you. He is yours to command.” He leaned down and brushed his lips with mine.
I sighed softly, his kiss taking away some of the aches in my chest, though I knew it would return full force once he left me. “Will you come to me?” I asked him.
He nodded. “When it is time, my queen, I will find you.” He cupped my cheek. “I will always find you, my little destroyer.”
I pressed my hand to his cool cheek, tears swimming in my eyes. He leaned forward, brushing his lips over mine. “Be strong, my queen. When you accept your fate, the voices will silence.” He promised.
“Find me,” I begged him. I had a feeling once I gave in, that would be it. He would be the only one that could bring me back to him – bring my back to myself.
“Always, my queen.” He swore.
He set me aside and stood up from the bed. A tear slid down my cheek. “Cerberus, you do not leave her fucking side.” He ordered. He reached out and ran the tips of his cool fingers over my cheek. “Until next time, my love.”
I whispered his name – a broken plea to stay – as he disappeared.
✶ ✶ ✶
I sighed as I hung upside down from my bed. For some reason, the voices were silent – had been for hours now. Cerberus raised his heads at my sigh. “I’m so fucking tired of the same damn walls,” I grumbled.
We can break out of here, my lady.
I snorted. “And do what?” I asked him. “I’m a fucking lunatic. The moment I step out of this room, those voices will come back, and I will slaughter everyone.”
Cerberus blew out a puff of air. You are not meant to be good, my queen.
I sat up and turned my body so that I was now facing him properly. “How do you just kill someone?” I demanded. “That’s just – it’s fucking inhumane.”
Like this. Cerberus told me.
I shrieked when he began to shift in front of me. My cheeks flamed as I forced myself to keep my eyes focused on him. He snatched a pair of jeans from under my bed and tugged them on right as my door opened.
He walked over and without a single emotion on his face, he snapped the nurse’s neck and tossed her back out into the hallway, slamming the door shut afterward.
Laughter filled my mind – sick, twisted, gleeful laughter. My fingers twitched. Cerberus smirked at me, his golden eyes glinting with mischief. “What do you say, my lady?” He asked me in a deep, dark voice. “Let’s have some fun, shall we?”
Laughter rose again, and like a switch in my brain, every thought of doing good, every thought of trying to save everyone from myself, turned off.
Just like that.
I stood up from the bed on my socked feet and moved towards Cerberus. He bowed, a smirk playing on his lips. “And there she is.” He said softly – almost as if he were amazed. He grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. I could see my eyes flash colors in his, becoming a blood-red color for a moment before it disappeared. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Stop her!” Someone yelled from behind us as I walked out of the room.
I didn’t even bother to turn. Cerberus grabbed my hand in his again, holding me with him as we walked down the corridor. Everyone stared at me in fear, and a wicked smile curved my lips.
I was in control. I finally held all of the power.
Suddenly, Cerberus stopped and yanked my body in front of his. An animalistic roar ripped from his chest.
I spun around to face him, panic clawing at my throat. That had been a sound of pain, and the thought of him being hurt terrified me.
His eyes were blazing gold, rage simmering in their depths. “Fucking foolish humans.” He growled as he reached behind him and yanked something off of his back. He tossed the cords to the ground before he was suddenly gone from in front of me.
He appeared a few feet from where I was standing, and he ripped the security guard’s head clean off of his shoulders with a snarl twisting his lips.
I smiled at him as he turn
ed to face me, blood covering his hands and forearms, splattering across his clothes and face. “My guardian,” I said sweetly, holding my hand out to him.
He flashed me a smile. “Always, my queen.”
✶ ✶ ✶
LUCIFER
Cerberus opened his eyes when I appeared in the small hotel room he and my queen had commandeered for their own for the night. She was passed out on the bed, light snores escaping her lips. She was finally getting peaceful rest, not being disturbed by her torturous thoughts and the demons of Hell.
And I had Cerberus to thank for that. He had saved her from her own hell by forcing her mind to flip that switch until I could come for her and take her back home with me.
“My king.” He whispered, not wanting to wake her, knowing that seeing me would hurt her. She might have every bit of good switched off in her body, but she would never be able to switch off her need for me.
“She sleeps,” I said quietly. I walked over to the bed, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my black jeans to keep from reaching out for her. I craved her just as much as she craved me, but it was not our time yet.
“Like a baby,” Cerberus confirmed. “I have not let her take a life. I will do everything in my power to keep her from doing so. It seems to please that darkness within her enough to see me do it for her.”
I didn’t remove my eyes from her, taking in every bit of moment of this with her that I could. “Her soul is not meant for murder.” I’d known that from the very beginning. “It is why she lost herself after murdering her father. She feeds off of what you do for her.”
Cerberus smirked. “She calls me her guardian.”
I growled at him, my eyes flashing with the fires of Hell. He swallowed thickly, fear momentarily flashing in his golden eyes. “Do not get caught in your feelings with her. She is my queen.” I reminded him. “All of you will feel attached to her – it is natural.”
“She is yours, my king. I would never intrude on what you two have together. And when your time is finally here, she will fall, and it will be the most beautiful fall of all.”
“And I will be there to catch her, just as you will guide her down.”
He nodded. “Do you think it will frighten her to become one of your demons before she is your queen?” He asked after a moment.
I shook my head. “No, because I will never look at her any differently. She will still be my beautiful Bela. As long as she sees that truth in my eyes, her transitioning will be smooth from demon to queen. We just must first be patient. Everything will happen at its own time.”
“She craves your approval, my king.”
I nodded. I knew that. “I will follow her to the darkest parts of this world, Cerberus. She will never have reason to doubt me.” I looked up at him. “But you must always be there for her to call upon, just as you are here with her now.”
“Her brother?” He asked, mentioning Kyle.
I shook my head. “It is not his time yet. The Angel of Death is taking care of his own matters before he can be at her service.”
Cerberus shook his head. “God is going to be pissed, Lucifer. None of this is going according to His plan.”
I shrugged. “It is his own fault for giving His children free will of their own fates.” I looked back down at my beautiful queen. “And I will do everything in my power to always ensure that she chooses me, that she remembers me in her darkest hours,” I smirked. “And I will make as many of His children fall as I can to ensure that they all bow down to her.”
Cerberus laughed softly. “I cannot wait to see her in her rightful position as our queen, my king.”
“She will be beautiful.” I felt that familiar tug and growled softly. “My time is up.” I looked up at him, letting him see the promise of pain and torture in my eyes if he defied me or allowed anything to happen to her. “Do not fucking leave her side,” I ordered.
He swallowed thickly and bowed to me. “Never, my king.”
I disappeared.
FOUR
BELA
Cerberus kept my hand held in his as we moved through the city streets. My feet were beginning to ache. I was extremely tired of walking since we had been walking for hours by that point, and the boots I had on were not made for this.
“Cerberus,” I whined. He grunted. I knew I was beginning to annoy him, but I needed to sit down. “Seriously, where in the world are you taking me? I’m hungry, my feet hurt, and I need a damn rest.” I griped.
Cerberus sighed. “Woman, I am trying to get you out of this god-forsaken city and somewhere people won’t bother you. Can you please just be a bit more patient?” He asked me.
“No!” I snapped at him, suddenly furious. I yanked my hand from his and marched over to a bench, sitting my ass down on it. He stood in front of me with a glower on his face. I crossed my arms over my chest and crossed my legs. I knew I was acting like a child, but I didn’t care. I was tired. We had been walking for hours.
“Find me a fucking car or something. I’m not walking anymore. I’m done for the day.” I told him, and I meant it. Unless we were driving, I was not moving from this damn bench.
He glared at me. “You are truly beginning to wear on my last nerve.” He told me.
I smirked at him, noticing a couple walking by us hand in hand, sweet, love-sick smiles on their faces. My gut twisted, a pang slicing through my chest as I thought of Lucifer.
“Let me brighten it for you.” I sweetly replied, feeling anything but sweet.
I felt murderous.
I jumped up from the bench. My hands only had a split moment to grip the woman’s head to snap her neck before Cerberus yanked me back. He snapped her neck for me before he swung his angry eyes to me. Screams of terror sounded around us, but I only met Cerberus’s glare with one of my own.
“I have just about fucking had it with you!” He shouted at me. “What is your fucking deal?!”
“Where is Lucifer?” I snapped at him, my hands fisting at my sides. Rage like no other slid through my veins. It felt like my soul was on fire. Cerberus’s eyes widened. “Where is he?!” I screeched, making him wince.
I needed Lucifer. It was no longer a want. It was a carnal fucking need.
Cerberus dropped to his knees with a whine, his hands reaching up to grip his head. Lucifer appeared behind him and rested a hand on Cerberus’s shoulder. “On your feet.” He ordered.
I locked my eyes on my king. “Stay down,” I growled at Cerberus, my eyes staying locked on the beautiful man in front of me. I could hear police sirens, but I didn’t give a fuck.
He was finally in front of me.
My king. My Lucifer.
“You cause Hell on Earth, woman, do you know that?” Lucifer asked me, but there was a smile playing on his lips. He helped Cerberus up to his feet. “It is her time.” He told him. “Let her.”
Lucifer’s figure shimmered. I cried out, reaching for him. He became solid once again, and he reached up to cup my face in his hands. “Breathe and rage, my queen. Allow Cerberus to follow you. I will come for you – I promise. It’s not much longer now – not at all.” He assured me.
“Must you leave?” I asked him quietly, my voice trembling.
He brushed his lips over mine. I sighed, closing my eyes, falling into him. He tightly wound his arms around me. “I am always with you. Remember that.” He gripped my chin as he pulled his lips from mine. I slowly opened my eyes, locking them on his red ones. “Now, wreak destruction, my little destroyer.”
He disappeared, and Cerberus held me up, keeping me from falling to the ground. I screamed in rage and pain, hating that he was always leaving me. The voices in my head returned, but this time, they roared to release our pain – to make everyone around us feel just as we did.
And this time, I listened. Cerberus shifted beside me, guarding me against officers and attackers, ripping them to shreds as I ran through the streets of downtown, snapping necks and attacking people, completely losing my fucking mind.
; It was bliss.
✶ ✶ ✶
It had to have been hours later when Lucifer appeared in front of me again, halting me in my tracks, almost making me fall on my face as I stumbled. Cerberus continued attacking, keeping me safe, but my eyes were locked on the King of Hell in front of me. His massive, black wings were spread out behind him, and the fires of Hell blazed in his black eyes. He was shirtless, his tanned skin smooth, like he had been carved from marble and was not flesh and bones, his ink wrapping around his body like a painting.
