Demon's Paradise

by Sara Humphreys

  Reaching out with his mind, in search of the web-like mental link the seven of them shared, Asmodeus kept his focus sharp. Since Lucifer’s disappearance only the six of them could speak via their shared telepathic connection but each time they joined, he hoped that Lucifer would resurface.

  This time, there was nothing.

  Asmodeus was met with a void, darkness and silence.

  He tried again, stretching his mind through time and space.

  Still nothing. He was greeted by ominous silence.

  Asmodeus had no idea how long he had been standing there trying, in vain, to connect with the collective consciousness of the Brotherhood but for the first time in his existence, there was no answer.

  A nagging sense of dread crept up his back. There had never been a time, place or situation, other than being in the Fae realm, when Asmodeus hadn’t been able to speak with the Brotherhood. He had no idea what was causing this lack of connection but one possibility was looming. It looked like a trip to the Underworld could be unavoidable. His last hope was that he would be able to join with them when he got closer to the portal.

  The portal? Could that be what was interfering with his ability to join with them? It had been unstable in the past. So much so that it had thrown Satan and Mammon into another dimension and it took the rest of the Brotherhood weeks to get them back.

  “I’m ready.”

  Kai emerged from the kitchen with any sign of her irritation with him or the situation seeming to have faded. Wearing purple Converse, cut off shorts and a loose-fitting tank top with the string of her white bikini peeking through, she was as beautiful as ever. The backpack slung over her shoulder made it clear that she was ready for some island exploration. She must have seen the dark expression on his face because her smile fell seconds later.

  “What’s wrong?”

  For a split second, he debated whether or not to tell her but opted to hold off. The lack of connection with the Brotherhood could be nothing but a fluke. He didn’t need to worry her or stress her out any more than he already had.

  The sound of a boat’s horn blaring interrupted his internal debate.

  “Nothing.” He shook his head and gestured toward the incoming motor boat. “The staff is here. Right on time. You go ahead and introduce yourself while I get dressed. Felipe is the chef. The butler is Renaldo and his wife, Lupe, is the maid. They work for you now too. You are the woman of the house and they’ve been instructed to treat you as such.”

  “Are you serious?” Kai rolled her eyes and dropped the backpack onto one of the chaise lounges. “Babe, I’ve never had a cleaning lady, let alone a staff of three. This is bizarre.”

  “I’m sure you can handle it.” He kissed her and winked. “You’re magical, remember?”

  “They don’t know about magic or demons or anything, right?” She called after him.

  “No, my love. To them, you are a regular human woman.”

  “That’s me…plain old Kai.”

  He laughed at the ridiculousness of her statement and swatted her playfully on her butt.

  “You, wife, are anything but plain.”

  Asmodeus dressed quickly in bathing trunks and a t-shirt while a hundred different questions, not to mention nightmare scenarios, raced through his head. He attempted to connect with the Brotherhood again, several times, but still there was no response.

  It was as if the rest of them had vanished.

  Just like Lucifer and Zemi.

  Chapter Six

  Kai followed her husband through the dense foliage of the island and swatted at what had to be the hundredth mosquito that flew in her face. They had been following a dirt path that obviously hadn’t been used in a while. It was barely visible from the overgrowth of the jungle-like brush. According to her smartwatch, they had been hiking for about thirty minutes but it felt like a lot longer.

  She resisted the urge to ask him how much farther it was to the waterfall.

  “Almost there,” he said.

  “Sheesh. Is mind reading something you demons can do too?”

  “If I could read your mind, I’d get in trouble a lot less often. It’s just through those trees at the top of this hill. If you listen closely, you can hear the water.”

  “I thought that was just the sound of my blood rushing through my veins. I don’t remember cardio being on our honeymoon to-do list.”

  Asmodeus stopped at the ridge of the steep hill and extended his hand.

  “Come on, you can make it.”

  Kai let out a short laugh through her heavy breaths. “I’m only human, remember?”

  “It will be worth it. I promise. Weren’t you the one who said she wanted to go exploring?”

  “Yeah, yeah, demon boy. You failed to mention that the waterfall is up a freaking mountain.”

  “It’s hardly a mountain, more like a big hill.”

  Asmodeus pulled her up the rest of the way and she gladly took the boost. Breathless and sweaty, Kai leaned against his rock-hard body and curled her arm around his waist, welcoming a second to catch her breath.

  However, the moment she got a look at the view, all the air rushed from her lungs.

  The ridge they stood on went all the way around and formed a complete circle. They were about thirty feet above a glittering pool of crystal blue water that looked as if it were lit from beneath. Kai clutched him a little tighter and leaned back, suddenly worried they might fall in.

  “This is wild. It looks like we’re standing on the mouth of an old volcano or something.”

  “Or something,” he murmured.

  Kai looked behind them toward their house, pool, and dock, which were at the very tip of the island. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she took in a three-hundred-and sixty-degree view from their vantage point. They were now at the opposite end of the island from the house and this waterfall, with its delicious looking pool of blue below, was seemingly hidden from the rest of the world. Kai spotted the main island easily. It was visible off to their left and behind that, she could see a dot or two of other islands in the chain. Everywhere else, they were surrounded by nothing but miles and miles of ocean.

  “It’s breathtaking, Asmodeus. From way up here, it’s obvious why you call this place a paradise but I’m kind of surprised you don’t have any security. I would think that tourists from the main island or random boaters would come out here to investigate and get themselves in all kinds of trouble.”

  “There’s plenty of security. You just can’t see it.”

  “What?” Kai’s brow furrowed. “There are security guards?”

  “No. The island.” Asmodeus gestured toward the sky. “It’s cloaked with one of Isadora’s spells. She put it in place years ago, after a ship full of pirates made the mistake of docking here. It’s a trick of light, really. The locals have heard stories about it but they all think it’s cursed, so none of them venture out here trying to find it. Our staff is loyal and well-paid for their silence. The pirates were the last unwelcome guests we had and that was some time ago.”

  “Pirates?”

  “Rum smugglers.” He gathered her hand in his. “Do you want to stand up here all day talking about those ruffians or would you like to go swimming?”

  “Your life sure has been anything but boring.” Kai shook her head. “I can’t believe you find me remotely interesting.”

  “Woman, you are the most intriguing creature I have encountered in the thousands of years I’ve existed.” Asmodeus drew her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her fingers. That mischievous twinkle glinted in his ice blue eyes. “And the most beautiful.”

  Kai’s stomach fluttered the instant that intense stare of his met hers, but she couldn’t shake the guilt that swirled beneath.

  “If you keep that up, we’ll never get to the pool.”

  “Fair enough.” He winked. “I’ll behave myself for now but no promises about what happens when we get down there.”

  “Right.” Kai nodded her head toward the wa
ters below. “How are we going to get down there, anyway? Do you plan on using your fire and smoke routine?”

  “No. Unless, of course you want to use your power of light?”

  “No.” Kai shook her head adamantly.

  “Very well.” His smile faltered and she could swear she spotted a hint of disappointment

  in his eyes. “We have another option.”

  Kai held tight to Asmodeus’ hand as they carefully made their way around to the other side. When they got about twenty feet away from the waterfall, Kai’s heart was practically pounding out of her chest. Once or twice, Kai made the mistake of looking down. Dizziness and a swell of nausea slammed into her, reminding her how much she hated heights. Realistically, she knew she wouldn’t fall, not with Asmodeus by her side, but that didn’t stop her head from spinning.

  For the rest of the trek, she kept her gaze fixed in front of her and on Asmodeus. This made her dizzy for other and far more pleasant reasons. His t-shirt was damp with sweat and it clung to his well-muscled back, reminding her, yet again, of his near-perfect physique.

  “Look,” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rushing water. “Do you see it?”

  Kai inched closer but didn’t let go of his hand as she peered past him. She squinted against the spray of water and the flashes of sunlight.

  “What am I looking for?”

  “The entrance to the caves.” He tugged her hand. “It’s right here.”

  “Caves?” Kai shouted over the rushing waters as they closed the final distance between them and the falls. “We have to go through caves to get down there?”

  When they came to a stop, Kai finally spotted what he was referring to. The entrance was no more than maybe eight feet high and just as wide. Covered with hanging vines, she never would have found it if she hadn’t been looking for it.

  “This is the way down. Unless, of course, you’d like to jump?”

  “No, thanks. Dying on our honeymoon isn’t my idea of sexy.”

  “Everything you do is sexy.”

  “Oh, please.”

  Kai rolled her eyes and nudged him toward the dark opening in rocks but paused when she realized the waterfall seemed to be coming from nowhere. It looked like the water was simply pouring out of the hill and into the pool. It didn’t seem to be fed by a stream or river or anything. She had a hunch this bizarre little oasis wasn’t exactly a natural occurrence and had everything to do with the portal to the Underworld.

  “Ready?” He pulled aside the vines and nodded toward the pitch-black entrance.

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  Holding his hand tight, and feeling more nervous than she wanted to admit, Kai stepped through the opening with Asmodeus and into the lightless space. The temperature dropped significantly and the cool damp air felt delicious on her sweaty, slightly sunburnt skin. It would have been a good idea to use the sunscreen she had thrown in this damn backpack but, as usual, regular everyday stuff seemed to fall by the wayside whenever she was with Asmodeus.

  The sound of the rushing water echoed through the cave and for a split second, Kai worried that they were going to be overtaken by a wave. Before her irrational fear could take hold, Asmodeus pulled her into the crook of his arm and whispered, “Do you trust me?”

  “Always.”

  She trusted him with her heart, body and soul.

  Kai’s eyes fluttered closed and she breathed him in. His musky masculine scent filled her head and mixed with the clean, earthy smell of the cave. The combination was even more intoxicating than usual. Maybe it was the feel of his fingertips as they pressed into her waist or his deep husky whisper that sent delicious chills over her flesh?

  She couldn’t pinpoint one reason. It was all of it. All of him.

  Blanked by the inky darkness, Kai was surrounded by Asmodeus in every possible way. She didn’t need to see him to be turned on or to want him.

  It was his soul that she loved—his light.

  Holy crap.

  Kai stilled.

  There was no glow from her aura or his. Neither of them had an aura.

  He must have felt her stiffen because he tightened his hold on her.

  “Kai? What’s wrong?”

  “Our auras,” she whispered. “I can’t see our auras.”

  “It’s alright. It’s because we’re so close to the portal.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Turn around.”

  Kai did as he asked and spun slowly, but all the while he never totally let her go. His hands slid from her waist, up her rib cage and trailed slowly over her arms until he had tangled his fingers with hers once again. His large body loomed behind her. She could feel him there, a towering pillar of superhuman strength. His energy hummed around her like music, a comforting reminder of the power he had. Her magic might be absent but his definitely wasn’t.

  “Now, take two steps forward.”

  “To where? It’s pitch black in here.”

  “Trust me.” His whisper rushed over her ear. “I’m right here with you.”

  As promised, he moved with her as she took two of the most tentative steps of her life.

  When her foot landed for the second step, the world around them exploded back into daylight. Water sprayed over them and Kai shrieked with a combination of shock and relief. They were standing at the base of the falls behind the rushing wall of water. Laughing, Kai stretched her hand out and into the cool streams as Asmodeus wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

  “That’s incredible.” Kai spun around, popped up on her toes and kissed him. “But you said we weren’t using magic travel.”

  “Not exactly.” Asmodeus gently helped her remove the backpack she had slung over one shoulder and tossed it onto the wet rocks. “You asked if I was going to use fire and smoke.”

  “Mm-hmm.” Kai linked her arms around his neck and gave him a skeptical look. “That sounds like semantics.”

  “I’m always up for some antics.”

  He waggled his eyebrows at her and she burst into a fit of giggles but he swiftly swallowed her laughter with one of his bone-melting kisses. She loved it when he let his guard down and showed his playful side. It made him vulnerable somehow, and made her love him even more.

  Kai moaned and opened to him, reveling in his familiar taste. A growl rumbled in his chest and at the same time, the ground beneath their feet vibrated. Kai slowed the kiss and suckled his lip before pulling back and looking around them.

  “D-did you feel that?”

  “It’s the portal.” Asmodeus’ eyes glowed red and the muscle in his jaw flickered. “It’s unstable.”

  “Great.” Kai looked around warily. “Where is the portal, anyway?”

  “There.” He pulled her next to him and jutted his chin toward the glowing pool of water. “At the bottom of the pool.”

  “So I guess swimming isn’t a great idea.”

  “Kai, we should go.” Asmodeus’ expression darkened and the line between his brows deepened. “It was a mistake to bring you here.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Kai waved him off and went to the rushing streams of water. She stuck both hands in the waterfall, reveling in the pure wonder of it. “This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen and if the portal is all the way down there, then we should be perfectly safe up here. Right?”

  Sunlight streamed through the sheets of foamy water, flashing brightly and making her shield her eyes from the sudden glare. Droplets splashed on her face and Kai laughed, before swiping it away. Kai turned around, expecting her husband to laugh with her or help her wipe the water from her eyes but neither happened. Asmodeus was gone.

  Chapter Seven

  Panic flared hot and hard, swirling in Kai’s chest like a firestorm. Her heart raced as she spun around, frantically scanning the area for her husband but he was nowhere to be found.

  “Asmodeus!”

  Kai called his name time and again but she was met only with the almost deafening rush of the wate
rfall. She stood between the wall of water and the ominous dark entrance they had just come from. The rubber soles of her Converse squeaked loudly on the wet rock beneath her feet as she turned around. There was no sign of him anywhere.

  She was alone.

  This had to be a joke.

  “This isn’t funny, Asmodeus!” Hands on her hips, Kai’s fear slowly began to give way to anger. This wasn’t funny. Not one damn bit. What was wrong with him? “Seriously. I’m standing underneath a freaking waterfall next to an unstable portal to Hell. This is not the time to screw around and play a twisted game of hide and seek.”

  “Kai, I’m right here.” Asmodeus’ voice shot over her shoulder.

  Kai was so shocked that she spun around too fast and lost her balance. She fell onto her ass with an embarrassing thump and right into the spray of water. The falls splashed over her head, making her sputter and croak as if she were drowning on dry land. Kai gasped for air while she swiped at her eyes. Asmodeus’ strong hands curled around her biceps and he pulled her to her feet.

  “That wasn’t funny,” she choked out between coughs. “You shouldn’t have disappeared like that. You scared the shit out of me.”

  When she finally cleared the water from her eyes, she expected to see a smug self-satisfied grin on her husband’s face but instead she was met with a dark concerned expression. “What are you talking about, Kai? I didn’t go anywhere.”

  “Wh-what?” Kai pressed her hands against his chest and stilled as his hands tightened almost imperceptibly on her arms. “Yes. Yes, you did. I mean, you were gone.”

  “Wait? What do you mean I was gone?” The line between his brows deepened. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

  “I was standing right there, like some wide-eyed tourist at the edge of the Underworld, and when I turned around you were gone.” She shoved at his chest, annoyed that he seemed to be doubting her claim but she may as well have been shoving the mountain itself. “You know, as in you were no longer visible. Poof. Gone. Not here. Get it?”