“This is your guest room?” I asked, as I took it all in, spinning in a slow circle. If this was for guests, what did his bedroom look like?
His lips quirked up in amusement. “It’s yours now. Make yourself comfortable. Order anything you like from room service. My people will bring your things along shortly, while I begin my investigation into your friend’s whereabouts.”
I shook my head, part in denial, part in wonder. This situation made no sense, and I was starting to wonder what the catch was. Maybe this was a case of mistaken identity of some sort. After all, why would he want me—me, of all people—for seven nights? I was just a basic bookworm with a nice set of boobs and a cute smile, who worked in a flower shop and wore flip-flops and jeans. Nothing special. Not compared to the women he probably surrounded himself with all the time.
Nerves churned in my gut as I considered the full force of what I’d just agreed to. Me. Here. In this penthouse. For seven nights.
And him. Doing whatever he wanted to me.
For the next week, he owned me. Completely. But it would all be worth it if he kept his side of the bargain.
I turned toward him. "Do you promise to find Brandy?"
“I will. Dead or alive, I will find her.”
He looked me in the eye, and I didn’t doubt his conviction. Lucas Ifer was a man who got things done, and if anyone could find my friend in the dark underground of Las Vegas, it was him.
He offered me his hand, and I took it to shake. The moment his skin touched mine, an electric tingle rushed through me, with that same fleeting sensation of familiarity and long-lost desire.
His fingers tightened around mine almost possessively. “It’s a deal.”
2
Lucifer
The door to the guest quarters closed behind me with a barely perceptible click as I stepped into the wide hallway. There I paused to draw in a deep breath as the enormity of what had just transpired hit me fully.
She was back.
My heart raced with anticipation. I could hardly believe it when she walked into my penthouse without warning, but the second we touched all doubts had vanished. She’d returned to me. Finally.
Hannah Thorn. A new name. A new look. But still undeniably mine.
I pictured her on the other side of the door, probably examining her new bedroom. Long golden hair framed a heart-shaped face with blushing cheeks and bright blue eyes, not to mention her very kissable lips. Lips I would soon be claiming, along with the rest of her small, curvy body. I only had to convince her over the next seven nights that she belonged to me.
While I found her friend, of course. Couldn’t forget that part. She’d led Hannah to me, after all. Yes, I needed to find this Brandy woman, if only to thank her.
Besides, I didn’t take lightly the disappearance of a human female in my hotel. Though demons fed on the energy of humans, I had strict rules about not harming them, especially within my domain. Of course, now that we’d made Earth our permanent home, the entire world was technically my domain. Still, even the youngest demons knew not to break the rules in the king’s own castle.
The Celestial Resort & Casino was my flagship hotel, a shining gem on the Las Vegas Strip, designed to entice humans to sin in any number of ways, all so my demons could feed safely while still remaining hidden from the world. In fact, I’d covertly built the entire city over the last forty years to be the perfect haven for demons. Sin City, they called it, and I was its King.
I stepped outside my penthouse and adjusted my suit as I eyed my guards. “No one goes in or out, except by my command.”
They bowed their heads as I entered the elevator. If Hannah really wanted to leave, I wouldn’t stop her, but I couldn’t have her running around the city alone either. Now that she’d been returned to me, she needed to be protected at all times.
For years my heart had been cold and black, a hard piece of coal waiting for her to return and ignite it. I’d searched for her for so long to no avail, only to have her walk into my life out of the blue. Looking for me this time. Oh, the irony.
I took the elevator down one floor to my war room. As I stepped inside the large space, I could almost inhale the power of my rule—a heady scent indeed. I paused as I took in the room, dark lord of all I surveyed. Live feeds and surveillance footage filled huge TV screens, and my industrious staff operated computers on too many desks to count as they followed every thread and whisper of sin this city had to offer. Greed, envy, lust…all mine, mine, mine. A huge switchboard took up an entire wall as they made connection after connection, following people, emotions, and things. Flashing lights moved around on a large world map on the wall, showing various demon, angel, and fae activities.
Samael was in his office, as I expected him to be, from where he oversaw everything in the command center. He acted as my right-hand man in most matters, and he’d been by my side ever since I left Heaven to rule Hell. Gadreel was in there too, looking at an open file atop the black desk. He was one of the younger Fallen, only about two centuries old, but he’d proved his loyalty many times and had risen in the ranks to become Samael’s assistant.
I poked my head into the office. “Meeting. Now. Get Azazel too.”
They both snapped their heads up, one dark and one light. Samael furrowed his brow. “What’s this about?”
“She’s returned.” I didn’t need to elaborate. They knew who I meant.
Gadreel’s blond eyebrows darted up. “Are you sure?”
I thought of the sparks I’d felt when I touched Hannah’s hand. “Yes, I’m certain of it. Funny enough, she found me this time.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned and headed for our meeting room. The windows facing out to the rest of the command center turned opaque as soon as I flipped a switch, giving us complete privacy. The room was soundproof too, even from supernaturals with enhanced hearing. I took my seat at the end of the conference table, sinking into the plush leather executive chair. Seconds later, Samael walked inside, followed by Gadreel and Azazel. They shut the door behind them, and took seats around the table.
“I hear she’s back,” Azazel said, as she kicked her legs up on the table, showing off studded black leather boots. She was my top security official and my fiercest blade, able to wield any weapon with ease. Tight black leather was her armor of choice and anger her fuel to fight.
“Yes, and I need you to guard our new guest,” I said. “She’s in my penthouse, and I can’t allow her to leave it unless you’re by her side. I want you protecting her at all times.”
Her face twisted with annoyance, but she nodded. She would never disobey a direct order from me, even if she didn’t want to follow it.
I leaned forward and caught her eye. “I realize being a bodyguard may seem beneath you, but in truth I’ve given you the most important task of them all. Hannah’s life will soon be in danger, and you’re the only one I trust to keep her safe.”
Her annoyance faded and she bowed her head. “I won’t fail you, my lord.”
“What is her name now?” Samael asked, his hands folded calmly on the table.
“Hannah Thorn.”
“Ah. The woman asking about her friend.”
I should have known Samael would already have some information on her. Little happened within these walls that he didn’t know about. “Yes, and we need to find this friend with all haste. She went missing in The Celestial a few days ago.” I pulled out the pad of paper and handed it to him. He scanned it quickly, while I continued. “I also want everything you can dig up on Hannah’s life. Family, boyfriends, work, what she eats for breakfast—I want every single detail.”
"It will be done,” Samael said, with his usual smooth confidence.
I pulled out Hannah’s car keys and room key next, then tossed them to Gadreel. The blond man caught them with quick reflexes. “Gadreel, I need you to go to the Double Down Motel” —I shuddered simply saying the name— “And retrieve her things, along with her car. I trust you can figur
e out which one it is.”
“Won’t be a problem, my lord,” Gadreel said, as he examined the room key with distaste. Hannah had referred to the Double Down Motel as this cheap place off The Strip. That description oversold it.
“You have your orders. For the time being, let’s keep Hannah’s presence here between the three of us.” I rose to my feet and glanced between my loyal Fallen, while determination burned in my chest. “I lost her before, but I’m not letting her go this time. Not again.”
3
Hannah
As soon as Lucas closed the door behind him, I glanced around the guest room in wonder, still struggling to believe this was all real. Two days ago I’d been packing my bags to head to Vegas to find my friend, and now I would be living here for the next seven nights, at the whim of a man they called the devil. Sure, I’d agreed to the deal, but that didn’t make it any less terrifying. Especially now that Lucas was gone and I was alone with my thoughts.
He’d better find Brandy. And alive, too.
Please let her be alive.
I moved to the large window overlooking The Strip and wondered for the hundredth time where she was and what had happened to her. Sunlight glinted off the various hotels and casinos, and I remembered how excited Brandy had been to come here. She’d been invited to a librarian conference over a three-day weekend, winning some award that paid for the entire trip. She’d asked me to come too, to have a girls’ weekend with her in Vegas, but I’d turned her down. My florist shop was small, but it demanded almost all of my attention just to keep it afloat. Plus, I enjoyed working there in the place once owned by my parents, finding exactly the right flowers to brighten people’s homes or convey the things they couldn't always bring themselves to say. No matter how much I’d wanted to go to Vegas with Brandy, I’d said no. Now it was one of my biggest regrets.
She’d gone to Vegas alone, and then she never came home.
The last time I heard from Brandy was after she checked in to this very hotel, when she’d called to say goodnight to her son. That was six days ago.
When she didn’t answer her phone or come home at the end of the weekend, I knew something was wrong. I felt it right in my gut, and I never ignored my instincts. With a sick mom and a little kid, no way would Brandy run off. Someone must have taken her.
Over the next day I made dozens of phone calls, trying to find her, but it was useless. It soon became obvious I’d have to go to Vegas myself and figure out what happened on my own. I begged my part-time helper Maggie to watch the flower shop for a few days, and then I scraped together every penny I had and hit the road in my beat-up car, driving the five hours through the desert until I reached Sin City.
Before I left, Brandy’s mom Donna had taken me aside and begged me to find her daughter, while she’d sobbed into a tissue streaked with blood. Donna had terminal lung cancer and could barely find the energy to make herself a sandwich these days, but she promised she’d manage looking after Brandy’s son Jack while I was gone. Then, on my way out of the house, Jack grabbed me around the waist and asked me to bring his mom home soon. Both times I’d blinked back tears, and swore to them that I would find Brandy.
What else could I have done? Brandy had treated me like family from the moment we’d met in the library where she worked, and she’d given me a place to live when I needed it most. I should have gone with her to Vegas, and guilt was eating me alive for that decision. I’d chosen my responsibilities over my friend, and I wished more than anything that I could go back in time and redo everything. If I could get Maggie to step in and help at the shop now, why couldn’t I have done that before? Brandy would have done it for me in a heartbeat. Why, why, why did I let her go alone?
I had to find her, and it was all on me. Brandy had nobody else in the world to go looking for her, and I couldn’t let her drop off the face of the Earth. Vegas would eat her alive and forget her, allowing her to become another statistic. The police here were proof of that. When I went to report her disappearance they blew me off, especially once they found out Brandy went missing in Lucas’s hotel. They’d closed ranks immediately, speaking in low voices to one another with pointed glances, suddenly all deferential about Mr. Ifer. He probably had each and every one of them on his payroll. They eventually took my report, but I had a bad feeling it was in a pile somewhere never to be seen again.
My only option had been to start doing some detective work myself, but I kept hitting dead ends. First, the staff at The Celestial Resort & Casino couldn’t find any information about a librarian conference. When I looked it up myself online I only found one sparse website for it, and no other mentions anywhere. It was almost like it never existed at all. Or like someone had set up the whole thing just to lure Brandy to Las Vegas. But why? Had she gotten herself involved in something bad? Some sort of business with the mob? I found that hard to believe.
I started poking around the hotel, asking questions and playing detective, but I was no Nancy Drew. I had no idea what I was doing, yet I asked people as many questions as I could think of, and slowly but surely my intuition tugged at me, telling me something wasn’t right. I wore my cheap flip-flops up and down The Strip, visiting all the places Brandy might have visited. No one gave me any information, almost like Brandy hadn't existed at all. I hit brick wall after brick wall. I needed access to video cameras, phone records, and credit cards, but I didn’t have a badge or any connections. And I was running out of time and money.
Then I heard about Lucas Ifer, the owner of The Celestial, along with a lot of other places in Vegas too, according to rumor. They called him the devil in hushed tones and made him sound like a dangerous mob boss, but it soon became apparent that not much happened in Vegas he didn’t know about. Plus he was known for making deals, and he was able to get you anything you wanted. For a price, of course.
By all accounts, Lucas Ifer was the King of Las Vegas. If the police couldn’t help me, and the people on the street couldn’t help me, I had to come to the castle. I just hadn’t expected the castle to be in the sky. Now I was trapped in this tower like Rapunzel, except my hair was definitely not long enough to get me down.
I sat on the edge of the bed, my heart pounding. I was basically being held captive as a sex slave for a mob boss, and there was no telling if he was going to find Brandy. Or if she was even alive.
No, I had to stop thinking that way. I believed Lucas would honor our deal as long as I did. I felt it in my gut, and my gut was never wrong. Even if my gut also told me that he was the most dangerous man I’d ever met.
I leaned back and ran my hands along the smooth, soft duvet cover and blankets. This guest room was huge and luxurious, but it was sparse too, and I got the feeling it wasn’t used very often. I debated ordering room service, but my stomach was too twisted up in knots to eat anything. Still, if I had to stay somewhere for seven nights, I would be hard-pressed to find a hotel room nicer than this one.
Damn it. Seven nights away from home and from my shop. I sincerely hoped Maggie was able to keep an eye on the place that long. She was in her late sixties, and I worried running the whole thing might be a hardship for her. I’d had to agree that she could say cash or check only, which was going to suck. Most people preferred credit, but Maggie was hopeless with the card machine. I grimaced at the thought of returning to a business that had collapsed under the weight of going old-school. The place wasn’t doing all that well before I’d left, and I owed it to my parents to keep it afloat.
Taking out my phone, I dialed her quickly. No answer. It was almost five, and she was probably closing up the shop. I sent a text instead. At least she was pretty good with texting.
I’m delayed in Vegas. Please do your best at the shop. Will be gone 7 more days.
I'd deal with the fallout when she replied. As I waited, I considered texting my sister too, but Jo was an enormous worrywart. She tended to be overbearing, and I didn't need that on top of everything else. If it had been up to Jo, I never would've left Vista.
If I told her about what I'd agreed to now, she’d completely fly off the handle.
Maggie’s reply reassured me. I’m fine. Take your time. Win lots of money.
She ended it with a bunch of money bag emojis. I shook my head, wondering if she was unclear on why I was here, or just perpetually optimistic. I took a few moments to call Donna, but she didn’t answer either. Probably making Jack something to eat. I sighed and left her a message telling her I was doing everything I could to find Brandy, but I would be here for another week. I apologized profusely for being away so long, and my throat tightened with emotion as I hung up.
With all my bases covered, there was nothing else to do but wait, which I wasn’t very good at. If nothing else, I could explore my new surroundings. Surely that was allowed.
I got up and opened all the drawers in the room but they were empty. I stepped inside the giant walk-in closet and twirled around, but it was bare except for a few hangers. I moved into the massive bathroom next, my eyes going wide at the sight of all that marble and the huge shower and even bigger soaker tub. I’d never been in a bathroom this fancy before. Or this big. I was tempted to take a bath and try to wash away my worries, but I was curious about the rest of this place. If this was to be my home for the next week, I should get familiar with it, shouldn’t I?
I opened the bedroom door wide enough to peer out into the hallway, but didn’t hear a thing. Lucas was gone, off to investigate Brandy’s disappearance, or so I hoped. I walked back out across the marble floors into the living room, gazing across the black and silver space that exuded power, danger, and luxury. The place could really use a few flowers or ferns to give it some life and color. Maybe some succulents even. Something to make the space feel less cold and dead.
Then I realized I wasn’t alone after all.
A gorgeous Black woman stood in front of the entrance to the penthouse. Leather crisscrossed her body like some sort of armor, and her dark hair was scraped back so tight it drew her skin taut over the most wicked cheekbones I'd ever seen. The hilt of a blade peeked above her left shoulder. Something about her tickled my instincts, but not like the familiarity I felt around Lucas.
Demon King (Claimed By Lucifer Book 1) Page 2
