She flicked her tears quickly away, but her sadness hurt me, squeezing my chest. “I didn’t think we’d get out. I thought we’d die in there.”
“Do you have any idea why you were kidnapped? Did Asmodeus know?” Maybe she’d have some answers that could help Lucifer figure all this out.
“Not really. Asmodeus said he was investigating a conspiracy against Lucifer, but he also said he got a text from his dad, ordering him to seduce me, but he didn’t know why. The library conference seems like a setup too, but why would demons want to kidnap me?”
“Seduce you?” I asked. There was something about the way Brandy said his name. “Did he succeed?”
She opened and closed her mouth several times. “Before I tell you everything, I should probably say that Asmodeus is an incubus, a demon of lust. He only needs to look at someone to seduce them, and he needs sex to survive. He requires a steady stream of lovers to feed on, and humans can’t survive sex with an incubus more than once, which means the two of us… Well, it’s not possible.”
She spoke so matter-of-factly about the things I was only just starting to come to terms with. How much more did she know? And just how far had she and Asmodeus gone in their basement prison?
She looked at me like she could read my thoughts. “But to answer your question, no, he didn’t seduce me. We kissed once, and frankly, it was better than any sex I’d ever had, but that was it. Mostly we talked a lot and learned about each other. There was nothing else to do.”
“So, you didn’t have sex?” I asked. Given that Asmodeus was an incubus, that seemed almost impossible.
“No.” She shook her head. “The shifters tortured him, trying to get info on Lucifer, but Mo wouldn’t break. Even when they tried to get him to feed on me, he held back. At times, it was obvious how painful it was for him to be in the same room as a woman without feeding, especially when he was injured. But he was so strong.” Her eyes took on that faraway look again, before a small frown forced the fledgling happiness away. She definitely had a thing for him. No doubt. But she also believed there was no way to work it out. I wished I had the answers for her, but there was still so much I didn’t know about this world.
She shook her head and blinked rapidly. “How did you get the devil to rescue me? And this?” She gestured around the room. “This is so far above either of our pay grades.”
As I explained how I came looking for her, and the deal I’d made with Lucifer, she grew somber. And then downright pissed off.
“You sold yourself to him for seven nights?” she practically yelled. “Like some kind of sex slave?”
I held up my hands, feeling the urge to quickly defend him. “He swore he wouldn’t force himself on me, and so far he’s been a perfect gentleman. I don’t know why he’s interested in me, but there’s something there. Something I can’t explain.” I paused and tried to find the words. “I know I’m in a dangerous situation, but I made a deal, and he’s delivered on his end. That just leaves my side of it.” I sucked in a breath. “I have to see it through.”
“Hannah, we can go. We can leave now. Nobody is here to stop us. We’ll go straight back home and forget any of this ever happened.”
I shook my head. “I can’t do that.”
Brandy looked at me, her gaze steady as it met mine. “I’m going home to my mom and son as soon as I can. I have to. You understand, right?”
I leaned forward and threw my arms around her. “Of course, I do. I wouldn’t expect you to stay. I don’t even really want you to—this whole trip has been about getting you home safe. That’s all I want. We don’t even have to do this spa day if you want to go now.”
She shook her head. “No, Lucifer arranged a car to drive me back to Vista as soon as this is over. I can wait until then. Besides, I think I probably need the pampering. If I arrive at home looking like this, Mom will flip.”
The facialist soon came in and gave us a treatment that was more massage than anything, but both of us moaned our way through it, so we didn’t complain. When it was over, my skin felt like a baby’s and practically glowed. Brandy looked about a thousand times better too.
Next, we were fed a ridiculously huge, fancy lunch, which Brandy devoured. Then we hit the salon and had mani-pedis while the experts did whatever they wanted to our hair. We gave them permission to do their thing, and they managed to give us both luscious waves that made us look like we were about to walk onto a movie set.
After we’d had lunch and another round of appointments, the day came to an end much faster than I wanted. Brandy had to get back to her family, and I couldn't go with her, and that was fine. But I’d just found my best friend, and I didn’t want to say goodbye to her already. Plus she’d been my entire purpose for being in Vegas. With her gone, all I had was my deal with Lucifer. The thought made my pulse race.
Brandy and I stopped in front of a limo in the private parking garage and I pulled her into a fierce hug. Emotions flooded me—thankfulness that she was safe, pleasure that she was with me, and sorrow that she had to leave, even though it was what I wanted most in the world. “I’ll see you soon. I promise.”
She stared into my eyes. “I meant what I said. Just get in this car with me, and we can both leave.”
“I can’t. I promised Lucifer I’d be his for seven days and nights, and this is only day four. I owe him three more nights. I can hardly break a promise to the devil, can I?” My heart hammered with both lust and unease when an image of his face, all dark shadows and focused masculinity, flitted through my mind. Besides, there was obviously something strange happening with me, and I needed to know the truth.
“I don’t know,” Brandy said, eyeing me with brows furrowed. “You’re hung up on him somehow. Has he seduced you yet?”
Heat filled my cheeks. “We kissed. That’s it.”
She let out a hoot. “I knew it!”
“It’s nothing more than you and Asmodeus did!”
“That’s all well and good, and maybe you’ll get some good sex out of this, but be careful. Remember that these people are all about temptation. Guard your heart.” She shot the driver, who waited with the limo door open, a look and lowered her voice. “I’ve seen what they’re capable of, Hannah.”
I remembered last night, and how I’d cut down the gargoyles who’d come for me, and I swallowed hard. “I’ve seen some things too, but I’m handling it. Trust me.” I hugged her again. “Give my love to Jack and Donna.”
“Will do. Come home when you can.” She stepped back with a sad smile and then slipped into the limo. The driver shut the door, and the windows were tinted so dark the car seemed to swallow her up.
I waved as the limo pulled away, thinking about what she’d said.
She was right. I had to guard my heart. But with a man like Lucifer, was that even possible?
14
Hannah
I headed back to the penthouse, completely deflated after saying goodbye to Brandy. When I arrived, with Azazel at my side, I looked around feeling at a loss. The mess from the gargoyle attack had been cleaned up while I’d spent the day at the spa, and even the windows had already been replaced. It was like it never happened. There was no sign of Lucifer though, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I considered spending some time in the library, but in the end, exhaustion claimed me, and I headed to my room for an afternoon nap. Today was about sloth, after all.
Sleep came easily for a change, but it wasn’t peaceful. I woke up curled in a ball and wrapped tightly around a pillow, as I often did. Tense, with my muscles sore and stiff, like I’d spent the day in the gym rather than at the spa. And the dreams… I never remembered specifics, just fear and darkness, pain and death. Only snippets, but always violent and tinged with terror and grief.
This nap was no exception. I was fairly sure my inability to sleep peacefully had gotten worse since I met Lucifer. It was probably being out of my element, in a strange place and a deeply unsettling situation, but I longed to just close my eyes and wake up
hours later with no memories of anything at all.
Sometime during my fitful sleep the sun had set, and I sat up to look out my window at the night sky lit up by all the Vegas lights. The sound of piano music drifted through the crack under my door, luring me toward the living room like a siren’s call. Where Lucifer was no doubt waiting for me.
I checked my spa-teased hair and makeup in the bathroom, glad to note they had survived my nap pretty well. I fluffed my hair and dabbed on a bit of lip gloss before stepping inside my walk-in closet and marveling at all the gorgeous clothes inside. It was still hard to believe they were mine, at least temporarily. I wasn’t sure what Lucifer had planned for tonight, but I guessed my yoga pants and t-shirt weren’t going to cut it. Instead, I selected a long black dress, the fabric soft and airy and with a gentle shimmer. Then I grabbed the first pair of black heels I put my hands on, and there were many, as if they were breeding in there. As I buckled the straps, the music escalated into a crescendo. Was Lucifer the one playing?
Curiosity drove me out of the room. Not just about the music, but about a dozen other things. Demons. Brandy’s kidnapping. The attacks on my life. And most of all, how I’d swung that sword around like the world’s mightiest warrior instead of a florist from Nowheresville.
Okay, and a big part of me wanted to continue what we’d started last night too.
Peeking into the living room, I watched Lucifer from behind as his fingers flew over the ivory keys of the grand piano. He seemed to be one with his music, and the effect was pure magic. I was completely entranced by the way he played, not to mention the slant of his shoulders in his black suit and the way his dark head bent over the piano. I’d never seen a man more gorgeous in my life, and I’d never wanted anyone more.
I didn’t recognize the piece he played, but it was haunting, full of minor keys and slow melodies. The room was lit by dozens of red candles, and the ambient lighting turned low so the city’s neon backlit the flickering flames. The shadows created by the effect were beautiful rather than scary, and I was drawn to them.
And to him. Always. Impossibly so.
The question was…why?
Lucifer must have sensed I was there because he cocked his head. “Please, come in.”
“What’s all this?” I rounded the piano and gestured at the candlelight.
“I thought we could stay in tonight. Nice and quiet. Safe.” The music faded as Lucifer reached the conclusion of the song. He nodded toward the windows. “I’ve posted guards everywhere to ensure your protection.”
I turned my gaze to the tall windows and focused on the darkness around the Vegas neon. It was almost like looking with my peripheral vision, but eventually I saw them. Dark-winged Fallen, circling the building, with shadows clinging to their feathers. I had no doubt Azazel was out there, and probably Gadreel too.
“All to protect me,” I said slowly, still finding the situation unbelievable. “Why?”
“I won’t let anyone harm you.”
I nearly replied that he hadn’t really answered my question, but then he rose from the piano bench and took my breath away. The flickering candlelight played across his face and only made him more alluring. A mixture of dark and light. A reminder that the devil was once an angel.
Lucifer stepped toward me and offered his hand. “I hope you’re hungry.”
I hesitated, not because I didn’t want to take his hand, but because I so desperately did, and because I knew I’d feel that familiar rush of desire the second we touched. Eventually my resistance crumbled and I slid my hand into his. “Yes, I am.”
“Excellent. I made your favorite meal.” He led me around the bar to the kitchen and dining area, where a pristine white tablecloth had been laid out on the table, along with the finest silverware. All chairs had been removed except for two, and the red candles made the setting intimate. A single narcissus flower sat in the middle of the place settings.
Lucifer helped me into my seat like a gentleman, letting his hand linger on my back for a moment, before he stepped behind the kitchen island. There he began to serve something on two dishes, while steam rose into the air. The tantalizing scent of herbs and tomatoes drifted toward me, increasing my hunger.
“You cooked?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice.
“I’m a man of many talents. As you’ll soon learn.”
He set down a steaming bowl of spaghetti and meatballs in front of me, then laid out some garlic bread and a side salad. Finally, he poured some sparkling water into my wine glass, before sitting across from me at the table. I wondered how many other women had ever been served food by the devil. Or been cooked their favorite meal by him.
“How did you know this was my favorite?” I asked, as I breathed in the scent before picking up my fork.
He gave me one of his devilish grins. “I have a whole file on you, my dear Hannah. You’d be amazed at how much one can find online.”
I flushed, thinking of him scouring my Facebook profile. That couldn’t be all of it though. He knew too much, things that he couldn’t have found from stalking me on the internet. Tonight I intended to get answers from him—after I bolstered my courage with some food.
My lips closed over my fork, and I moaned in delight. The sauce was perfectly spiced. Most people thought spaghetti was a little kid meal, but I didn’t care. It was my favorite, and this was sheer perfection. “Wow, this is amazing. Did you make the sauce yourself?”
“I did.” He arched a dark eyebrow. “Why are you surprised?”
I tore off a piece of garlic bread next. “I never thought you’d be the type to cook, let alone be a master chef.”
His eyes danced with amusement. “Well, I have had thousands of years of practice…”
I nearly choked on my garlic bread at his words.
Thousands. Of. Years.
Sometimes I forgot he was so old, and then he just sprung it on me in casual conversation like that.
He took a sip of red wine. “I’ll have you know I’m an expert chef of many cuisines, some of which you’ve never even heard of, since they’ve long faded from history.”
Another reminder of how ancient and unfathomable he was. Why would he be interested in a normal human like me?
While I was contemplating his immortality and my mortal existence, he asked, “How was your day? Has your friend recovered from her ordeal?”
“She seems a bit shaken by what happened, but she’s tough. She’ll get past this.” I twirled my spaghetti on my fork. “Although I think she has a thing for Asmodeus.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Lucifer smirked. “I’m lucky you haven’t met the man yet. Let’s just say he makes me look ugly.”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” I blurted out, then awkwardly changed the subject, answering his other question. “I think the spa day was exactly what she needed. Thank you again. For everything.”
He inclined his head. “It was nothing.”
“Did you learn anything about why she was kidnapped?”
“No. Not yet. It seems there may be a rogue group of demons conspiring against me, but I don’t know who is leading them yet.” He stirred his glass, swirling his wine around. “Have no fear. It will all be dealt with soon.”
“Okay, it’s just…” I chewed my lip, summoning the courage to voice my thoughts out loud. “It’s going to sound crazy, but I’m starting to wonder if Brandy was brought to Las Vegas and kidnapped on purpose to bring me here. To you.”
He pinned me with an intense stare. “Why would you think that?”
“It makes no sense otherwise. Why would someone set up a fake librarian conference to lure her here? And then there were those attacks on my life. I could have believed the roof attack was an accident, but there was nothing accidental about gargoyles coming after me. Or how I cut them down.” My hands trembled as I laid out all the thoughts that had been whirling around in my head over the last few days. “There’s something going on here, something you aren’t telling
me. I think it’s connected to how I wielded your sword like some kind of ninja. And why I find you so familiar and…comfortable, even when I should find you terrifying. And why I always have horrible dreams full of death and violence, which have only gotten worse since I met you. I thought the dreams were related to the car accident when my parents died, but now? Now I don’t know.”
I fell silent, and my words seemed to echo between us as Lucifer gazed at me with an unreadable expression. The seconds ticked by, and neither of us moved, our food forgotten.
Finally, he sighed. “Oh, Hannah. Answering your questions is like opening Pandora’s box all over again. Once you learn these truths, there is no turning back from them. Are you sure you want to go down this path?”
I’d never been more certain of anything in my life. “I need to know.”
He nodded, his mouth twisting in a grimace. Then he rose to his feet, making me look up at his tall height. “Let’s adjourn to the other room for this conversation.”
I stood and he rested his hand on my lower back, the slight pressure sending heat between my thighs. Together we returned to the living room and I sank into one of the leather couches, while he perched beside me, his hand lingering on my knee.
“We’ve had this conversation hundreds of times, and yet it never gets any easier,” Lucifer mused to himself. “You’d think I would have a script by now, wouldn’t you?”
My brow furrowed. He wasn’t making any sense. “What do you mean?”
Lucifer took both my hands in his and gazed into my eyes. “I told you I once had a great love, but I lost her. That love was you.”
“Me?” I asked, even though his words rang with truth inside me. “Was it before the accident? Is that why I don’t remember you?”
He shook his head. “No, it was before even that. Before this life.”
I blinked at him. “I don’t understand.”
“Hannah, you have lived many lives, going back thousands of years.”
Demon King (Claimed By Lucifer Book 1) Page 11
