by Cate Corvin
Tascius and Lucifer sat on the edge of my bed, and Belial reclined on the rest of it behind them. Azazel looked out the window at the darkening sky, a faint smirk on his lips.
“Why wouldn’t we do it?” Lucifer asked, silver eyes catching the light. “You’re a goddess now, Melisande.”
“And demons follow the strongest.” Belial folded his arms behind his head and grinned at me. “You’ve known this for a while.”
I paced back and forth, close to wearing a track in the floor.
I’d told the truth: I’d never set out to steal a throne or become a queen. It had just fallen on me.
Like No Saint, or Lady Wrath. Now I could add Queen of Dis, Goddess of War and Love, to my list of accolades.
No wonder the Chain couldn’t leave me alone. I was walking destiny waiting to happen… for now. Hopefully it would cut me a break soon.
“I’m accepting it,” I said, forcing myself to stop pacing. “I’m just… shocked.”
“It’s a new era.” Azazel phased into shadows and wrapped his arms around me. “When Heaven and Hell finally unite.”
I looked up at the long mirror on the wall, reflecting myself and the stars wrapped around me. Since escaping Kur, I’d finally allowed myself to look at what I was becoming.
My stomach was just starting to swell as Sarai grew, a child of both worlds. Who knew what the new power coursing through my body would’ve done to her?
Only time would tell.
I put a hand over my stomach and heard a low growl from Belial.
He sat up, his gaze predatory and intent. A shiver of anticipation went down my spine as he climbed over the bed towards me. “Come here, angel. Let’s take it off your mind.”
I obeyed, stopping just short of the bed. Azazel drifted from me, raising a hand. The lights began to die, their brightness becoming nothing more than a diffuse glow.
Belial stood up and kissed my forehead, my nose, and finally my lips. The taste of cinnamon was on my tongue when he worked his way down to my throat and my breasts, sucking each nipple until they peaked.
My head fell back, and a new set of lips was at my throat, gently nibbling. Lucifer ran his fingers through my hair, then twisted his hand, tangling locks of it around his wrist like a leash.
He held my head back as Belial sank to his knees, kissing the soft swell of my stomach, then dipping lower.
I felt his tongue slide between the folds of my pussy, flicking against my clit like a tease.
My hand dropped to his head, burying itself in his dark hair. Belial groaned against me, thrusting his tongue deeper.
Lucifer ran the tip of his tongue along the column of my throat, and paused before gently biting my earlobe. I felt another wash of shivers go over my back, raising goosebumps on my skin.
“Just let go,” he whispered. “We’re yours to do what you want with.”
My eyelids cracked open. Tascius watched us with hunger, his cock already straining against his pants. “I want to taste all of you first.”
Belial kissed my thigh and stood up, letting Lucifer lead me to the bed. He released my hair gently as I climbed onto it, planting my hand on Tascius’s muscled chest and pushing him back.
“Remember our first time? When you attacked me?” I hooked a finger in the waistband of his pants and started to pull them down. “I never got to return the favor.”
His cock slid out, already pulsing as I wrapped my fingers around his shaft and gently pumped him.
Liquid beaded at the tip, and I slid him into my mouth, adjusting to the size. My jaw strained a little from the size of him, but it wasn’t a bad pain. Tascius made a small sound, raising his head before letting it fall back.
I felt someone shift one of my legs, sliding under me. Belial’s hungry mouth started devouring me as I sucked a little more of Tascius into my mouth.
Pleasure zipped through me when he sucked my clit, and I pulled back on Tascius’s cock, taking a deep breath before sliding back down. I circled the sensitive underside of the head, drawing a groan from him, and let my lips tighten around him as I slid back up.
His cock twitched and I released him with a pop, lapping at the liquid beading at the tip. He tasted slightly salty, a taste that made me hum with satisfaction.
I wanted all of them, the first time I’d ever gotten to have them all at once.
“Lucifer,” I whispered, still stroking Tascius with my hand. “I want you now.”
He was obedient to my demands, stripping off his clothes. He’d barely taken off his pants before I reached for him and leaned forward, hungrily devouring him.
Lucifer laced his hands back in my hair, the muscles in his forearms corded from how he was holding himself back.
I finally climbed off Belial and practically ripped his clothes off myself, tracing over the scars I’d left on his chest.
He held me by my shoulders as I sank down, running my tongue over the hard ridges of his abdomen and down to his throbbing cock.
His cinnamon and spice scent filled my nose as I opened my mouth for him, taking as much of his length as I could.
Their hands ran over me, stroking my hair and down my spine, circling my sensitive nipples, teasing my clit and wet folds.
I was moaning by the time I beckoned Azazel, but he had other ideas.
Darkness made solid gripped my wrists and slid around my waist.
“Do you remember our first time?” he asked me, stroking his fingers down my back.
I shuddered. It was one of my favorite memories. “Every minute of it.”
Azazel smiled. The darkness turned me in place, pushing me slowly but inexorably onto the bed.
I leaned back in the plush cradle of pillows as he climbed astride me. The dark bonds didn’t allow me to move far, but I completely trusted him.
He straddled my breasts and I leaned my head forward, licking the tip of his cock. He drew in a hissed breath, then slid himself into my mouth, his hips pumping.
I felt someone part my legs, and another mouth took Belial’s place. From the intense desire humming through our bond, I knew it was Lucifer.
I forced my head down, taking so much of Azazel’s shaft that I nearly choked. He finally withdrew before I went too far, stroking my cheek before pushing back in.
I loved the feeling of being completely at their whim. I’d thought I would have developed an aversion to being held down or having my wrists bound, but they were gentle, making sure I wanted every part of it.
Azazel’s cock jerked, and he pulled out of my mouth quickly. “I want the rest of you first.”
The mouth between my legs withdrew and Azazel moved down, laying his body across mine. I arched my back, pushing as much of me against him as possible, but his darkness lifted me up.
I felt it settled me on him. His cock pushed urgently against my ass, and I drew in a breath.
The last time we’d done this, it’d be mind-blowing. Earth-shattering.
I definitely wanted it again.
I wriggled against him, and his hands on my hips forced me to slow down. Lucifer knelt between our legs, and he trailed his fingers against my slick pussy, drawing the moisture down.
Only then did Azazel push into me. I felt a pinch of pain that faded as he slid into my ass, becoming a sensation of fullness.
The darkness encircled my shoulders, holding me up between them. Lucifer ran his thumb over my lower lip as he stroked his cock, running the shaft against me.
He thrust in hard, dropping his hand to swirl gentle circles around my clit. Between the force of his cock and Azazel’s slow, sensuous thrusting, the need to come was almost overwhelming.
Belial and Tascius surrounded me on either side, leaning down to kiss me, running their hands over me.
The darkness loosened its grip, sensing my desires. I trailed my fingers over them and gripped their cocks, stroking them up and down.
I turned my head to the side, mouth open. A gentle tug was all it took to convince Belial to thrust into my m
outh. My tongue caressed him, teeth gently grazing over his silky skin, until I felt his need.
Then I turned my attention to Tascius, filling my mouth with him. I went back and forth, bringing one close to orgasm before drawing back and switching to the other.
Heat spiraled low in my belly as Lucifer ground into me. “Let me watch you take him all the way,” he said, his voice husky, and I switched back to Belial, letting him slide down my throat.
Lucifer made a low noise, thrusting harder. A shudder went through him and a deeper heat filled me, his cock pulsing as I clamped around him.
I almost went over the edge, but he gripped my thighs hard. “Not yet.”
He pulled out and switched places with Tascius, who bit down on his lower lip as he slid into me. His thickness stretched me wide, but I wanted more.
Lucifer kissed me, nibbling my earlobes and moving down to suck my nipples as Tascius picked up speed. The heat in my belly grew stronger, a fire that crept through my veins and made me feel like I was on the verge of exploding.
His cock slammed into me over and over as I took Belial down my throat. My Prince of Wrath grunted and held my head, his hips arcing against me as he fucked my mouth.
Azazel’s hands tightened around my waist. His steady pumping faltered, and I heard him draw in a breath when he came, releasing it with a soft moan.
I wanted to touch him, but my hands were busy with Belial or held out of the way. Tascius’s fingers dug into my thighs, pushing my legs apart while he slammed into me.
But Belial was greedy, and I lived to feed that greed.
“It’s my turn, angel,” he told me, and stroked the line of my jaw.
Azazel slowly pulled out. I hated the sudden feeling of emptiness without one of them inside me.
Tascius slowly withdrew, then lifted me up and flipped over. I found myself straddling him, sinking down on his cock to the hilt.
Belial knelt behind me, stroking my wings lovingly.
His cock aligned with my ass and pushed in, renewing the fire building in me.
“Ride hard,” Tascius commanded, his eyes glinting with lust. “We want to feel you when you come.”
I didn’t need telling twice.
My hips undulated against him, rubbing my clit against the hard V of his lower stomach. Belial gripped my shoulders, driving me down onto him harder, his cock pounding.
The heat took over everything. An inferno that spiraled through my veins before sinking back down into my center, washing away sight of anything else.
I dug my nails into Tascius’s chest, gasping when I felt the inferno become a sweeping tide.
It crashed over me, making my legs shake. I bucked against him, riding out the crest that made me see stars and my whole body tremble.
I clenched around both of them as my muscles tightened, and felt them hit the edge, too.
Belial growled low in his throat, biting down on my shoulder as he came. Tascius’s hands left bruises on my legs that healed instantly.
I collapsed in a tangle of them. Lucifer and Azazel kissed me and flopped across the bed. We were all gleaming with sweat, taking deep breaths, satisfied but hungry for more.
Belial exhaled, squeezing my hip. His hand slid over to stroke my belly. “Damn. To think you were an angel once.”
Even Azazel snorted.
I just smiled, feeling perfectly content with everything in the world at that moment. “They kicked me out for a reason. No orgies allowed up there.”
“Then it’s not really Heaven, is it?” Tascius said.
I laughed. “Hell, no. True Heaven is right here, with all of you.”
Later that night, as I fell asleep tangled in all of them, I knew that was true. I’d had to fall from it, forge myself into a new person, and go through Hell to make it here with all of them.
Heaven or Hell, it didn’t matter.
My home was wherever they were.
Epilogue
Vyra bent over a thick book, holding her hair back from her face as she studied the pages. “It’s supposed to last this long. I think. I’m not sure if I’m reading this right?”
Sweat covered my forehead in tiny droplets, and I took a deep breath.
It’d been a day since my water broke, and now the hard part was beginning. Every ten minutes, a wave of rippling cramps went through my abdomen.
We’d all decided to keep this matter private, but now I was wondering.
“Vyra, maybe we should call the healer…”
She looked up, eyes wide. “After all the books I read to prepare for this? You’ll heal in like two seconds flat. We just need to get you to actually pop her out.”
I winced. Popping was the last thing I wanted to do. I hadn’t been able to see my own feet for the last two months, and that phrase seemed a bit too literal for my liking right now.
“Vyra, I don’t want to pop,” I said weakly.
She twisted her hair up and out of the way, then clapped her hands together. “It’s just a phrase. It’ll be more like a ripping, tearing—”
I stared at her with huge eyes.
“Just joking!” she sang, clearly not joking at all.
I took another deep breath, forcing myself to sit up on my elbows. “Belial! Save me from her!” I yelled.
All of my men had been pacing outside my bedroom doors for the last day, occasionally slipping in under Vyra’s watchful gaze to check on me. I heard the blessed sound of the handle turning, and Belial spilled in.
His dark hair spilled down his back in wild curls, a complete mess from the number of times he’d run his fingers through it. It was the first time I’d ever seen him actually discomposed about anything.
Somehow, the idea of an infant was more terrifying than everything else we’d been through.
He crossed the room and knelt on the bed, taking my hand. “What do you need? Are you okay? Does it hurt? Is she making it sound worse than it is?”
I blinked at the barrage of questions. “It’s pretty bad, so I don’t think it could get much worse.”
As soon as I spoke, another wave of pain went through me. My entire body curled up on itself, my stomach muscles contracting automatically.
“Melisande,” Vyra said, sounding completely serious. “I think it’s time. Look at it this way: you’ve been through much worse.”
Belial’s aqua eyes widened.
I couldn’t help but laugh, making another cramp come on.
“Do you want me to stay?” he asked.
I gripped his hand tighter. By the time this was through, his bones were probably going to be ground to dust. “Please.”
Half an hour later, my body went to work healing itself, putting everything back where it should be.
I breathed in and out, reminding myself that I had been through so much worse, and that pain hadn’t come with a gift at the end.
Belial’s eyes were no longer wide with stress, but with awe. He held Sarai, who’d been hastily wrapped in a little pink blanket, and touched the top of her tiny head. “She’s like an egg,” he whispered.
“What?” Vyra snapped. “An egg?”
“What if I hold her too tight?” His brow creased with worry. “She’s so tiny.”
Vyra leaned over his shoulder. “Oh, look at that nose. She looks like a little old man, all wrinkly…” She caught the glare I gave her. “A beautiful little old man.”
I sat up, the pain almost entirely gone. I would probably ache for another day, but it would just be my body going back to normal. “I want to hold her.”
Without a word of dissent, Belial gently put her in my arms.
I shifted the blanket aside and looked into my daughter’s face. She was wrinkled and red-faced, one fist flying out to the side. I gently tucked her fist away and touched her cute little button nose.
A few short curls of dark blond hair poked out from under the blanket. I stroked those too, marveling at how soft they were, and raised her to look at her back.
There were two dark
spots under her skin, right where wings would be, and a pair of matching spots high on her forehead. She was both angel and demon, and yet… not Nephilim.
Sarai was something new.
“She is beautiful,” I said, feeling something I’d never felt before. At least not on this scale.
I realized there was nothing I wouldn’t destroy for the sake of this tiny person I held.
Belial put his arm around me, looking down at her, too. “We need to perform the traditional Seventh Circle baptism.”
“What’s that?” I asked absently, enchanted by her tiny little lips. She was miniature perfection.
“A baptism in fire.”
I looked up at him. “Please tell me you’re not serious.”
Belial stared back, dead serious.
“You can’t put our baby in a fire. I’m putting my foot down on this. Having people send her knives as gifts before she’s even born is one thing, but sticking her in a fire is another.”
Belial gestured to the lit brazier that’d been keeping my room warm. The coals were still glowing. “That qualifies.”
I hugged Sarai tighter. “No way.”
She screwed up her little face and sneezed. Tiny flames shot out of her nostrils and scorched the blanket.
“Baptism by fire. Hand her over.” Belial gestured, and I reluctantly let him take the bundle from me.
I got out of bed as he unwrapped her, and gently held her curled-up body over the heat shimmer coming off the coals.
She stared back at him with eyes the milky blue of a newborn infant, showing no sign of pain.
Belial gently lowered her until she sat on the coals, supporting her tiny head. They simmered around her, but her golden skin remained unmarked. “Yup. This one’s mine, all right.”
I snorted, crossing my arms over my chest. “Like we didn’t know that already.”
Sarai would be more her father than her mother, a child of flames. I wondered if she’d be shifting into a lion cub by the time she was three.
“She is a true child of the Seventh Circle.” Belial pulled her from the coals and wrapped her up again. One of her flailing fists hit him in the nose as he cuddled her.
