by Rena Marks
Natalya took a deep breath. “In that case, it is my right as the other parent to modify the charge. We had but one child hatched between us that Holly stamped out. That equates to only one single murder charge.”
The head of the council looked at the bared feet of the unconscious demoness. “Her feet do not have the damage of just one stomping.”
“No, she has suffered the damage of hundreds of razor-sharp, acid-filled eggshells. She is paralyzed from the waist down. But only one murder occurred, the first hatchling. None of the other eggs had completely hatched, so technically there were no other murders.”
The head glanced around the table. Twelve nods followed.
“The charge has hereby been changed to the single count of murder.”
“No,” Enishka shouted. “That’s not fair! I had hundreds of destroyed sons! An army!”
“Silence,” the head of the council said.
At once, Enishka’s tiny hole of a mouth was frozen, as speechlessly bound as Ace was.
“The demon lord also accuses her of a charge of stolen possession. That of a soul belonging to him.”
“I counter-charge with the same,” Natalya said quickly. “He did not own my eggs, but hid them from me. Rightfully they should have been fertilized by my own husband.”
The head of the council looked thoughtful. “Your charge of stolen eggs will then cancel out his claim of a stolen soul.”
Enishka stamped his feet, absurdly angry that his charge was tossed aside so carelessly while he could not voice any argument over it.
“Now, then, the original charge of robbery has been officially been dropped. The trade-off of the accusation with the soul with the accusation of the eggs. The original charge of multiple murder has been dropped and replaced with a single count of murder. We then find Holly Dewan guilty of murder.”
Keara stood, signaling her wish to speak.
“Go ahead,” the head of the council said.
“May I suggest Holly’s banishment to Earth as punishment for the charge of murder? She would rightfully suffer in Hell, then.”
Ace looked hopeful. He could care for her on Earth at least.
“Negative,” he said. “We have reached our decision for her punishment. Holly, awaken.”
Immediately Holly sat up in bed at the command, her face contorted in agony. A moan escaped her lips, and Ace jerked as if to go to her but was bound in place.
With a wave of his hand, the head of the council numbed her.
Holly sat upright, her head tossed back, breathing heavily, as if her body had a will of its own. She looked confused, as if she had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there.
“Demoness, you shall remember the words I speak today. You are hereby punished on the charge of murder. You shall not live out your life in an unconscious stupor, but shall retain full consciousness to forever grieve your action of taking another’s life. Furthermore, you are on parole for the rest of such life. Your keeper shall be your bounty-hunter husband known as Acel. Because Acel deserves no punishment, you shall no longer be crippled, which would cause him to become a caretaker, but shall have full mobility again from the waist down.”
With that, the Council dissipated, leaving six demons with their mouths agape.
The image of the moon showed Enishka in a full temper tantrum, screaming mutely and stamping his feet, his clenched fist pounding on the stone chair arms. Like an insane four-year-old.
In a moment the moon blinked and vanished.
Holly looked around the room, her gaze locking onto the demon closest to her.
“Ace?”
His hair was ruffled from having run his hands through it constantly. His eyes were bloodshot, like he’d been crying.
“Baby! Holly, how do you feel?”
“Umm, my whole body’s numb.”
“I guess that’s a good thing. They took away your pain. How are your legs? Can you move them?”
Holly wriggled her feet then moved her legs. “Yes, it just feels weird ’cause I can’t feel anything.”
“Maybe your feeling will come back once you’re healed and don’t have any pain.”
“Should I not be moving my legs?”
“You were paralyzed, Holl. Couldn’t move anything below the waist. The Council healed it.”
“So I’m punished…but what of you?”
“I don’t have to go to Earth anymore. I no longer belong to Enishka, so he can’t decree my banishment. Instead my duty is to keep you in line with your punishment. And while we’re on the subject, what the hell were you thinking to touch my soul?”
“I would do it all over again, Ace. I would rather face death than allow that pig to own you.”
“Dammit, you need to take care of yourself, not me.”
“Let’s take care of each other. I love you, you love me. It’s the way it should be.”
Her husband bent and ever so slowly brought his lips to hers. The others in the room faded away as she kissed him back, clutching onto his broad shoulders. Finally she pulled away to look quizzically at him. “As my husband, shouldn’t you have kissed me already? Way before this? Should have been the first thing.”
The worry lines in his face smoothed. “Sorry, baby doll. I have to practice harder at my husbandry skills.”
Ace leaned in again, a huge smile on his face. Holly laughed, wondering how he would pucker through the smile, but stopped as soon as his lips descended.
Chapter Fifteen
Sweet Rewards
Ace checked Holly out of the hospital against the doctor’s wishes. Of course, part of the doctor’s refusal was his own greed at wanting to examine her new mark of Enishka. No one in Luciefyiore had ever seen it, and no one was yet certain of its benefits. What a coup for him, the greatest surgeon in Luciefyiore, to be the sole examiner of the most astounding mark in the world! Especially after discovering the most magnificent thing.
The demoness married to the bounty hunter bled…red. Was it a result of being marked? Or something bigger? It was sure to make the doctor’s career should this tidbit leak to the press. It had been rumored that she was human, yet it had also been rumored that she had the highest power in the dimension. His opinion tended to run toward the latter, for how else would she have faced the demon lord and lived to carry his mark if she wasn’t demon?
Excitement wet his palms. This was a mystery for him to get to the bottom of, and he would take full advantage of his good fortune.
But his dreams were shattered by the Queen of Luciefyiore. She walked into the room when he was arguing with the demon hunter over the legality of discharging his wife.
The good doctor had just pulled the trump card, asserting his authority over the demon. “The patient was entrusted to my care by the one of the demon queens. Just yesterday she was near death. And having treated you in the past, pecking order says that I now outrank you. While we disagree on her condition, I’m afraid your wife must stay according to my whims.” He smiled gleefully. “Just until I’m sure all is well.”
“Dr. Venishkitzhy,” Natalya cut in. “I understand your concern for your patient. However, because Holly has been so tragically weakened, we haven’t yet made the announcement.”
“What announcement?”
“Why, Acel has been the best bounty hunter Luciefyiore has seen. Has gone so far as to Hell and returned in one piece. In fact, has even faced banishment to Hell. And Holly? She chose him as her husband. She is the only person in the world to carry the mark of Enishka. That makes them a very powerful couple, even without the promotion we just gave Ace…to third in command.”
The doctor’s jaw dropped.
“Why, sir,” Ace said, his eyes hard, “I do believe that trumps your authority.”
* * * * *
Weeks had gone by since Ace brought her home, and Holly was completely mended. Oh, there was a twinge here and there if she bent the wrong way, but she was completely healed as far as anything else went.
But
something was wrong.
Ace hadn’t touched her once since her return from the hospital.
Why?
Demons had worn a trail up their front porch, wanting to see the mark of Enishka that she carried. Wanting to meet Ace’s wife, treating her as if she were a revered creature.
But Ace didn’t seem so enthralled.
Holly sat on the shade of the back porch, rocking gently. It was warm today, the sky a perfect pink. Puffy red clouds danced across the horizon. At any moment the skies could change, threatening rain.
She sighed. Rain was perfect lovemaking weather. But for now, it was perfect sunshine. Like earlier, she noticed Ace peeking out the back door. Soon he would ask if she was all right. Again.
What did it matter?
He was disgusted with her. He was stuck as her caretaker. She couldn’t remember everything that had happened on the moon, as far as details went, but she was aware of one thing. She’d gone crazy and murdered infants as predicted.
It didn’t matter that they were monsters. It didn’t matter that they were hideous manipulations that should never have been created. What mattered was, they showed Ace the true Holly.
The one inside her, the one she’d kept hidden. The one she’d always run from. Like the lust she’d always unleashed, and only once had sex without. Yet he was affected. Never had the power been not triggered it in some fashion.
They had to be linked, the lust and the insanity. Now that he knew, he had to be horrified to be linked to her.
Ace watched her rock in her semiaware state. His heart was breaking for her. Keara and Natalya had said it was something she needed to work through, but he couldn’t imagine living the rest of their lives this way, like strangers afraid to tread on each other’s toes. “It’s not every day you face your biggest fear, Ace. Holly is afraid of insanity, and Enishka made her insane. Give her time. It was terrifying to watch her, but she had to live it.”
Anger surged in him. What had gone through her mind when Enishka let loose his power? What pain had she felt?
It felt good, satisfying. Finally! An emotion of passion, something different from the careful, nervous demon she’d turned him into. The one afraid to “break” his charge.
“Holly, you need sunlight.” Even his voice was louder and stronger, yet she didn’t bother to look up at the tone. Listlessly she continued to rock in the shade, half aware of her surroundings and half not, almost as if she lived in another reality.
That was it. She needed to live. Here, with him in this dimension. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a blanket from inside and tossed it on the lawn, where the branches from a tree were sparse enough to let the sunlight filter through.
He didn’t ask her again. This time he picked her up from the rocker and strode over to the blanket with her, ignoring her yelp of surprise.
There. She’d yelped. That was the most attention she’d given him in weeks.
He’d get more of it too.
Carefully he laid her down on the blanket and grasped the fabric of her gown from between her breasts, tearing it neatly down the center.
“What are you doing?” she gasped.
“Getting you some healing sunlight.A tan.”
She looked bewildered. That was okay, it was better than listless.
He stripped her naked.
She lay as stiff as a board, until eventually the sun worked its magic and her limbs relaxed. Yet her mind didn’t. She continued to peek at him warily.
As if he must expect her to…fulfill her duties. Tentatively she asked, “Will you want me to trigger the lust?”
At first Ace felt more anger. But looking down at her naked form, it was impossible to stay upset. Her shoulders were softly rounded, her arms and legs long and lean. Her feet, dainty. She looked up at him with huge eyes, staring directly at him. So unafraid, so trusting. Of him.
The woman was so sexy, she had no idea.
She also had no idea that she couldn’t pull her power. Powers were only expended during health, and quite frankly, Holly’s outside was healing, but inside was another story.
For some reason, she was afraid of her lust. Just like in the beginning, but she had to learn it didn’t control her, that she controlled the power.
She’d find out soon enough.
“Why would I want the lust, Holl?”
“Everyone wants it. You said it’s the most revered power in Luciefyiore.”
“Do you want it?”
She shrugged. “It wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t come with…drawbacks.” Like insanity.
“Trigger it,” he commanded.
Holly closed her eyes and tilted back her head. She moaned and exhaled breathily on a kiss.
Nothing.
She opened her eyes, confused. She looked up at him and blinked.
“How does the sun feel, Holly?”
She was silent as she pondered the warmth. “Good. Tingly.”
Deliberately he dragged his eyes down to her breasts. They hardened beneath his gaze. He reached out and touched a stiff peak, rolling it between his fingers.
Her pink tongue delicately licked her lips.
“There’s no power to call, is there?” he said gently.
“No,” she said, her voice small.
“You have to be in good health. You’re not. Not yet. Your body has healed, but mentally you’re still not there.”
“Then without the lust, my insanity can’t be triggered also?”
Is that what she thought? That now the two of them would go hand in hand?
“You don’t have lingering insanity, Holly. Yes, Enishka can transfer his to someone in close proximity, but it isn’t permanent. It doesn’t penetrate and invade you. It’s his insanity that he allows you to feel for the moment, thereby relieving his own mind. He simply used your biggest fear against you.”
Ace slowly lifted his shirt, exposing smooth skin and lines of muscle. “Now I’m going to show you the power between us, babe. Lift your legs.”
Helping her, he bent her legs at the knees, spreading her legs and bringing them to her chest. “Women here tan all over,” he said, his eyes on her spread labia. Gently he brought two fingers to spread her lips gently apart.
His touch was magical, sending a thrill down to her nether region.
“The sun heals, Holly,” he said. “The warm rays rejuvenate you, make you feel sexy. You’re energized, concentrated all right here.” He slid his fingertip through her slit. It slid easily, obviously she’d already gotten wet. Was it his touch, his gaze or the sun?
“Your nipples are hot and hard.” Yes, and tingles were shooting down to the base of her tummy. “Your pussy looks like it’s waking up out of sleep.” It was. It was like she could feel her lips engorging with the sun’s energy. They were slowly moving, being kissed by the gentle warmth of a breeze as they swelled.
“Are you horny, Holly?” His finger plunged into her sheath, feeling the slickness for himself.
“Yes,” she breathed as he curled his finger to reach her G-spot. He rubbed erotically over the smooth pillow of inner flesh.
“And that’s without triggering anything, baby. This is me and you. Do you want me to eat you, Holly?”
His mouth over her tingling mound?His tongue flicking out and licking her clitoris?
“Please,” she whimpered.
Leaving his finger inside her, he moved to kneel between her spread legs. “You’re beautiful,” he muttered, and clamped his mouth over her entire pussy.
Sweet bliss, his mouth was warmer than the rays of sunshine had been. She squirmed beneath his tongue, the feelings almost too intense. His lips French kissed her clitoris, his finger in her sheath still caressing her sensitive G-spot. He was going at it like a man starved. His horns had even extended.
She gripped them, pulling him into her. Holding him by the horns, pressing his magical mouth against the hot core of her pussy. Wondering and yet not caring if the neighborhood could watch through the fence. Could hear he
r moans. Fact was, it was a little naughty, even thrilling, to know someone might watch them fuck.
He’d moved his finger out of her sheath so he could insert his tongue. In and out, thrusting it, tasting her entire channel with the sides of his tongue.
“Do I turn you on, baby?” she whispered.
He licked up her entire slit, slurping at her tender skin. “Hell, yes,”
“Then please fuck me… It’s been so long, and I need you. Now.”
His shirt ripped as he flung it over broad shoulders. His jeans dropped next, exposing a cock so hard it looked painful. He rubbed it against her pussy, wetting the head thoroughly. She was so hot, it sank into her swollen flesh.
She hissed and wrapped both legs around his waist. She lifted her buttocks to embed him deeper, holding on for dear life as his hips rolled slowly in and out.
The waves began deep inside her. She felt insatiable as she pressed herself even closer to him, gasping as she bit his shoulder to keep from screaming out. Her orgasm hit full force, ripping through her uterus first and clenching his erection as she rode higher.
“That’s it, baby,” he muttered thickly. “Let loose. Come for me.”
“Yes,” she screamed, not caring about the neighbors listening.
Ace threw his head back. The cords of his neck strained. “Fuck,” he yelled in response as his orgasm overtook him also. He bucked wildly, emptying all he had into her.
Slowly her heartbeat returned to normal as her head lay across his chest.
“What worries you, love?” His voice rumbled beneath her ear.
“I didn’t want you to know I can go crazy. Just flat-out insane like that. Enough to kill babies.”
“Holly, were they really babies?”
She paused.
He continued on. “How could they have been anything but monsters? Specifically bred to exude poison from their pores. Killing machines without remorse who eat their mother upon birth. Created by a demon who is truly insane on top of evil.”
“I know, Ace. But what if they had been just innocents and I had killed them?”
“Then you would be beating up yourself now. But where do you stand? Beating yourself up anyway…for something you didn’t do. Something that never happened. Let it go, Holl. Life’s too short to worry about what-ifs. So what if you go crazy? The good news is, you won’t know it.” He smiled. “No different from if I go crazy. Or paralyzed. Or anything. You’ll be there to take care of me, and I’ll be there to take care of you.”
