“It is for me,” he replies. “Lyla, I can wait as long as you need to decide.”
“No, no, Lucifer. I want to try this.” I reach up and place my hand over his heart. “I want to try us. But I have to always take Mandy into consideration.”
“I don’t know why.” My daughter’s annoyed voice interrupts me and I turn to her, blinking. Her hands are on her hips as she stares at me. “You deserve to be happy, Mommy. Isn’t that what you tell me? Isn’t it what you tell your friends?”
Under my hand, I feel Lucifer's chest vibrate and I glare up at him. He’s trying his best to not laugh, while I get lectured about my love life by my eight-year-old daughter.
“I know I’m little and don’t know anything about all the mushy stuff. But I know when you’re happy and Mr. Lucifer makes you very happy. I’ve seen you looking at the snow globe so many times, I’m surprised you haven’t worn it out.”
I widen my eyes and make a face at her. Why is she spilling my secrets? And doing so while looking so much like me is unfair.
“And if that isn’t enough, maybe you should ask me what I want.”
“She does have a point, dear heart.” He strokes his thumb over the hand he is still holding.
I give him an unamused look. If I didn’t know better, I would think they had set this up together.
I pull away from Lucifer, even though it feels so nice to be back in his arms.
“Okay. Mandy, what do you want?” I realize I’m unconsciously mirroring her pose. My pose. Whatever. So I let my hands fall to my sides and definitely hear soft laughter behind me.
“I like Hell, Mommy. I like the demons and the happy souls. I like the Hellhounds and my giant pink bed.” She pauses and leans around me to look at Lucifer. “Think we could add some black to my room?”
“Done.” The amusement in his voice is obvious.
She looks back at me and this time, there is a vulnerability in her gaze. “And I like Mr. Lucifer. I don’t want to never see him again.”
“We can’t spend all our time in Hell.” I cup her face in my hands. “Time stands still there. And we have to visit our family. You need to go to school. If school ever goes back to normal, that is. But if you are really okay with this, I think we’d both be very happy.”
“All three of us would be very happy,” Lucifer adds quietly in his baritone.
Mandy reaches up and covers my hands with hers. “Let’s be happy, Mommy.”
Tears fill my eyes and her face turns horrified. “Don’t cry, Mommy! Don’t cry! This is happy! Happy! You’ll ruin your makeup!”
I laugh and pull her to me. “Since when do you care about make-up?”
“You look so pretty. I didn’t mean to ruin it.”
I dab carefully under my eyes with one thumb and smile. “You haven’t ruined anything and I won’t cry.”
“Good! Then let's go party!” Mandy steps back and claps her hands. “My first grown-up party!”
“Eh, these people might be older than dirt, but I wouldn’t call all of them grown-up.” Lucifer steps forward and offers both arms. “May I have the honor of escorting you ladies?”
I step forward and slip my hand in his arm and watch as Mandy mirrors my actions on the other side. Rudolph doesn’t bother to wait for us and leaps through the portal the moment it opens.
As we pass through the flames I feel the familiar whisper of Lucifer’s magic and then we’re standing in Hell. People--I should probably say beings-- part as we walk through a crowd. Demons are interspersed through the masses and Mandy waves happily at them all.
Lucifer stops and introduces us to one magical creature after another, keeping us close the entire time. I have a feeling this possessiveness is actually a compliment amongst the immortals we’re meeting. As if he’s saying we’re privy to all his lifestyle entails. I try to not ogle at the Easter Bunny whose ears moved independently of each other. Even as a child, he’d been my favorite. Mandy finally loses her calm when we meet the Tooth Fairy. She’s everything I would expect of the Tooth Fairy. An ethereal beauty, shimmering skin and wings, and the sweetest, calmest voice I’ve ever heard.
“Oh my God!” Mandy lets go of Lucifer and covers her mouth. “You’re the Tooth Fairy! The real Tooth Fairy!”
“It’s lovely to meet you, Mandy.” The tooth fairy is barely taller than my daughter, but I can feel the weight of her years.
“You know my name!” Mandy squeals.
“Of course. I have several of your teeth.”
I blink. She does? What the hell have I been saving in that little box all these years?
“We’ll leave you to chat,” Lucifer smiles. Mandy waves a hand at us as Lucifer steers us away and I cringe when I hear my child asking questions about wings.
“It’s fine,” Lucifer whispers in my ear. “Aletta loves talking about her wings.”
“They’re very beautiful,” I reply.
“Not nearly as beautiful as you.” He takes my hand and spins me out to arm length. “Let me look at you. I don’t feel I have seen nearly enough.”
I blush as his eyes travel from my head to my toes. I look around, but no one is paying us any attention. I look back at him and decide to let myself revel in the heat of his gaze and return his admiring stare. His tuxedo is well tailored, fitting his tall, lithe frame perfectly. I let my eyes linger on his broad shoulders, the sharp edges of his cheekbones and chiseled jaw, and stop on his eyes. I feel as if I’m falling into his soul, seeing all the dark and bright pieces at once. I want to explore them, ask him questions.
With the flick of his wrist he brings me twirling back into his arms and music begins. He spins me about the open area between trees and other couples join us. The music is beautiful, magical, and reminds me of wind chimes, but fuller. The field is lit by the soft glow of the souls floating above and I really do feel like a fairy princess. We move over the grass in smooth, easy steps. I’ve never learned any ballroom dancing, but Lucifer makes it easy.
“I will talk to Father Time about Mandy, if you would like.” His breath stirs the hair on the top of my head and goosebumps breakout on my arms. “He may be able to make it so she will still grow and mature at the correct rate while in Hell.”
“You think he would help?” I look up at him.
“I would ask tonight, but it’s his busiest business day.”
I laugh softly. “That makes sense.”
“Are you sure, Lyla?” His eyes stay on mine. It’s the first time he’s said my name tonight and my eyes flutter shut as heat fills my core. His voice is sinful.
“About what?” My voice is high and wispy.
“Us.” He spins me once and then brings me back to his arms. “About being in a relationship with Satan. I’m not exactly a well-loved immortal. And I’m being incredibly selfish for trying to keep you for myself. I tried to let you live a normal life, but I’m not strong enough.”
“Are you sure?” He misses a step and looks down at me when I throw his question back at him. “Are you sure you want to open your life to a mortal single mom and her daughter?”
“I have no doubts.” He stops dancing and pulls me close. “And, as I said, the mortal thing is not a big deal. The more magic you are around, the more you will absorb, and Hell is full of it. Even without time standing still in Hell, you would stop aging. Is that an issue for you?”
I lay my cheek against his chest and think about it. “No, not if I’m with you. But Mandy needs to be able to make her own decision when she is an adult.”
“The decisions will always be in your hands. And then hers.” He lets out a breath and I feel him shudder. “I will admit to you, the past few days--which have stretched long and wide, damn near an eternity--have been horrible. I’ve been impossible to work with as I contemplated you telling me no. In fact, I had convinced myself you would turn me down flat.”
“How could I with all your sweet words?” I trace his jaw with my fingers.
The chime of a large bell fills the
air and I look around in confusion.
“The countdown has begun.” He hooks a finger under my chin and lifts it. “Are you ready to start a new chapter with me?”
“Yes.” The twelfth toll of the bell fills the clearing and his lips claim mine. It’s not slow and sweet like the one we shared on Christmas Eve. This is a kiss of claiming, deep and thorough, leaving me breathless.
When something comes hurdling at us and hits us at full speed we’re knocked apart.
“Happy New Year!” Mandy has an arm around both of us.
Lucifer reaches down and lifts her in his arms so she’s level with us. He kisses her cheek and smiles. “Happy New Year, Mandy.”
She looks at him and smiles back with tired eyes. “You look happy.”
“Happier than I’ve ever been.” I hear the ring of truth in his words and my heart feels so full.
“Happy New Year, bunny. Have you had fun?” I kiss her other cheek and she leans her cheek against the top of my head.
“So much fun. We measured how far the Easter Bunny can jump, it was insane! And Ms. Aletta, that’s the Tooth Fairy, offered to take me flying!” She rubs at her eyes. “But Rudolph ate something that didn’t agree with his stomach and ran around in a circle, scared of his own poop, so I had to go help. He’s okay now. Mr. Dan gave him something to drink and he stopped having the fire poos.”
I open my mouth and look at Lucifer not quite sure what to say. All I can picture is the demented looking giant pug shooting fire out of his ass as he runs in circles.
He laughs. “It sounds like you’ve had a good night.”
“It was one of the best, but Christmas Eve was better.” She pulls away from me and lays her head on his shoulder.
My heart stutters and I swallow hard. Is it possible to see a sweeter scene?
“Did you have something to eat?” He asks.
“Mhmm.” She closes her eyes. “Mrs. Claus brought me a plate and made me eat. She looked different.”
“Santa and Mrs. Claus are here?” I look around. I have a thing or two to tell that elf.
“Somewhere.” Lucifer shrugs. “She’s my sister, after all.”
“You’ll have to explain that to me one day.” I tell him.
He holds out his free arm for me and starts walking toward the castle. “I look forward to it.”
By the time we get to Mandy’s room, she’s snoring softly and Rudolph is already tucked under her blanket. He lays her down and I carefully remove her shoes before tucking her in with a kiss on the forehead.
“Goodnight, bunny,” I whisper.
“Mhmm.” She rolls over and cuddles closer to Rudolph.
We leave her room quietly and I’m suddenly full of nervous energy.
“You look like you’re worrying about something.” The sweetness is gone from Lucifer's face and replaced with ravenous lust. His eyes travel over my body again and I know exactly what he’s thinking as he stalks toward me.
I take a step back and collide into the wall behind me. “What am I thinking?”
He places a hand on the wall next to my head and looks down at me. “You’re imagining me naked.”
The surprise on my face must be blatant because he laughs. It has a seductive quality to it that makes me shiver. “Fair enough. I’m the one imagining you naked.”
“Oh.” I swallow.
He twirls some of my hair with his free hand. “I can wait, Lyla. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want you. Right now.”
“Oh,” I whisper again and he laughs.
“When was the last time someone made you feel desired?” His hand rests on my waist, his thumb rubbing a small circle.
I do some mental math in my head and figure if Mandy is eight, it has most definitely been longer than that. Maybe nine years? How embarrassing is that?
“When was the last time you made a woman feel desired?” I jerk my chin up, refusing to answer.
“I’d like to say tonight.” He leans down and nuzzles my neck. “But before that, it’s been a long while.”
“What does a long while translate into in your lifespan?” My voice breaks as he opens his mouth and softly licks my pulse point.
“Much, much longer than you’re thinking.” The hand on my waist slips lower and his body presses closer to me. “You smell divine. And I would know.”
I laugh, feeling breathless as his lips travel from my neck to my shoulder.
“Then we should remedy that,” I say, replying to his earlier statement.
“Thank God.” He steps back and sweeps me into his arms. “Your room or mine?”
I giggle and wrap my arms around his neck. It’s my turn to torment him and press my lips to his jaw, licking and nibbling. He groans and starts walking toward the room that was made for me on my last visit.
“Your room. I can’t make it to mine.” His voice is husky and filled with desire as he crosses the sitting room and kicks open my door.
“Lucifer!” I chastise.
“I’ll fix it. I promise.” He strides to my bed and stops.
I work at his tie as he sets me on my feet. He shrugs out of his jacket as I finally undo the knot of his tie and slide it off his neck.
His mouth crashes into mine, his fingers tangling in my hair as he cups the back of my head. I groan and press closer to him. My hands run over his chest, tracing the lines of hard muscles underneath. His free hand is at the small of my back and presses me tightly against him. I can feel every inch of him and I’ve never wanted a man the way I want Lucifer.
Growing needy, I pull at his shirt, not caring about the buttons that pop under my hands. I shove it from his shoulders and take a moment to admire him. And then I’m back, licking the hard lines I traced with my fingers earlier. My hands eagerly go to his waist and undo the button of his pants and grope for the zipper.
“Lyla,” he growls. He threads his fingers through my hair and gently pulls me away. “Sweet, Lyla. You’re going to be my undoing.”
He pulls my face back to his for a long, slow kiss. He moves his hands from my hair, tracing my neck, then the curve of my breasts. I press into him, wanting more. So much more.
That’s when he grabs the front of my dress and pulls. The sound of cloth tearing clears a little of the fog from my brain as my beautiful dress slips from my shoulders to the ground.
“Fairs, fair, love.” He smiles, but it’s his turn to go a little wild. His hands cup my breasts, gently kneading while his thumbs tease my nipples.
“Please,” I whimper.
With a growl, his hot mouth finds one peak, swirling his tongue over it before sucking. I groan and grip his hair in an attempt to keep him right here. So good, it feels so good.
While his mouth is occupied, his hands are shamelessly exploring my body. I whimper when he teases the lace panties I chose for the night. Somewhere deep inside, I was hoping the night would end this way.
Despite my grip on his hair, he pulls away to lavish my other breast with the same amount of attention.
I moan loudly and tip my head back. His hold on me tightens and I pull at his hair in desperation. When he slides my panties down my hips and gently slips his hand between my thighs I turn to butter. He growls again as he explores my core and I finally find purchase, wrapping my hands around his horns.
“Yes!” My hips move on their own, urging him to do more. “Please, Lucifer.”
I caress his horns, remembering his reaction during our first kiss and he stiffens. Suddenly the scrape of teeth meet my nipple and I continue to trace the curve of his horns while whispering his name and begging for more. When his fingers finally slip inside, I reach for his pants, sliding them down so I can capture his hard length.
He hisses when I stroke him, matching the speed he sets. As I near the peak he pulls away and I whimper. He rakes my hand off him and presses a gentle kiss to my palm.
“Not the first time.” He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist as he makes the way to my bed. “I want it all,
Lyla.”
He sets me down and I lay back, spreading my legs in invitation. “Then come and take it.”
Instead of climbing onto the bed with me, he kneels and uses my legs to pull me toward him.
“A taste first.” He kisses my inner thigh, slowly getting closer to my hot core. “I need to taste you.”
His lips are soft and gentle, a chaste kiss at first, before slowly growing into something more. As my hips move and writhe on the bed, he watches me and I keep my eyes on him.
“I need--I need--” I can’t finish the sentence, desperate for release.
He pulls away slowly, gently licking and kissing, before standing up.
“Move back,” he orders. He’s shed his pants and there is nothing to hide the magnificent view.
I do as he commands, enjoying the way his eyes watch my every move. When he finally crawls onto the bed and covers my body with his, I’m not sure I’ll be able to last long. The heat of his body is enticing as I run my hands over him, delighting in every touch.
“Do you have protection?” I barely manage to remember to ask.
He chuckles against my throat. “No need. You will not conceive unless we want to.”
“Oh.” I have nothing to say to that, but when he settles between my legs I find more words. “Yes. I need you. I need you, Lucifer.”
“Lyla. My sweet Lyla.” He kisses my shoulder. “You have me.”
With that we’re one, our bodies moving in a dance as old as humanity. He whispers my name in my ear over and over, until it’s all I can hear. My name and the sound of our lovemaking.
“Lucifer!” I’m so close, the edges of my vision start to blur.
“Yes, love. Come for me.” His thrusts speed up. “Come for me, Lyla.”
And I do. Stars exploding behind my closed eyes, my body arching in the most sensual pleasure I’ve ever experienced.
“Lyla!” He shouts my name as he comes, gripping me tightly against him.
I sigh as our bodies go limp and realize my voice is hoarse. Was I screaming? I really hope the palace is sound proof.
He moves, swiftly rolling over, so I’m sprawled on his chest and not crushed by his mass.
“Lyla. My beautiful, sexy Lyla.” His voice is full of smug pride.
Unholy Night: A Paranormal Holiday Romance Page 14
