by Amy Sumida
“Elaria,” Torin said softly behind me.
I turned around, letting go of the nymph as I did, but he wouldn't let go of me. “It's okay; I won't leave without you.”
The nymph still didn't look at me, but he released my hand.
“Interesting,” Darc noted as he looked over the other man.
“Some people are stronger than others,” Slate said. “He'll probably heal faster.”
“What did you guys find?” I asked. “Anything?”
“No records of sale. Only this.” Torin held out a couple of vials of vibrant purple liquid.
“Fuck,” I whispered as I automatically backed away. “That's Bliss.”
“Yes, RS told us,” Darc said gently.
“I'm going to give it to Quinlan. Maybe he can find an antidote or”—Torin shrugged—“I don't know. I just didn't think we should leave it behind.”
Quinlan is Torin's alchemist. He'd once helped us with the magical grenades the late King of Copper created. If there was anything to be done with the drug, Quinlan would be the one to figure it out.
“Okay,” I whispered.
Torin slipped the vials into his pocket.
I cleared my throat and in a steadier tone, I said, “This reminds me; we still have Peter's keys. We need to search his house. There may be information there that can help us find the rest of the nymphs.”
“Now would be a good time to do that,” Slate suggested.
“But you may want to deal with him first.” Torin nodded to my left.
I hadn't realized how quiet it had gotten. I turned to find Kas sitting on the edge of the bed, forearms draped over his thighs and blood dripping from his fingers as he panted shallowly. I went to crouch in front of him.
“Hey, you,” I whispered.
“Hey.”
“You good?”
“Much better.” Kasteo grinned at me, looking more like himself than he had in awhile.
“You feel like going on one more hunt?”
Kasteo grinned wider.
“This is just a search,” I warned him. “We forgot to check Philip's house for a record of the nymph sales.”
“There will be satyrs guarding his house,” Kasteo pointed out. “It's more than a search.”
“Okay then.” I stood. “I'd offer you a hand up, but you're all bloody and gross.”
Kasteo laughed as he stood and then wiped his hands off on the sheets. He glanced at my men but then his gaze landed on the nymph and went grim. “He's going to need some fruit from Lucifer's tree.”
I sighed deeply and looked away. Lucifer. I should have apologized to him. Now, not only did I have to apologize, but I also had to ask for another favor.
“We'll figure it out later,” Declan said gently. “Let's just get him to Kyanite for now.”
I went to the nymph and took his hand. “I'm going to take you to your friends now.”
The nymph finally looked at me. There was that flicker in his eyes again and then he nodded. He focused on me and didn't even blink as I took him through the Veil to Kyanite.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Sara took the nymph to the others who hadn't returned to Olympus. They'd look after him until someone got him a piece of fruit from the Tree of Life. I just hoped that someone wasn't me. No, I hadn't learned my lesson; I was still trying to avoid Lucifer.
Banning decided to head back to Kansas with his gura to monitor the remnants of the Demos Family. There were no living Demos satyrs but there were still hundreds of underlings who had worked for them. You never know what one of those thugs might do; they could see this as an opportunity. I was hoping that our massacre would deter them from stepping up but, as mentioned previously, thugs aren't known for their intelligence.
Slate wanted to check on his men and make sure the new prisoners had been settled into their cells. So, he went back to Earth as well. That left Darc, Gage, Torin, Declan, Cerberus, and the Terrencal brothers to search Philip's house in Istanbul with me. Some of the cats offered to go along too, but I thought a smaller group would be better. We could sneak into the house using Peter's keys, dispatch any guards, and search the place.
It had been a long day, but we all wanted this over with and it wouldn't be over until we found all of the nymphs who'd been taken. Unfortunately, I didn't know exactly where Philip's house was. Cerberus did, though, so he directed our travel while we used our stones to follow him.
We reformed in front of a grand villa; Greek columns, a promenade, and a half-moon balcony gave it a White House feel. I could smell the Bosphorus that flowed just behind the villa, and I wasn't surprised. Where else in Istanbul would Philip Demos have lived but on a piece of prime real estate along the Strait?
“Wait here,” Gage said to me. “We'll clear the house first.”
“I'm perfectly capable—” I started to argue, but he cut me off.
“Capable but exhausted.” Gage kissed my forehead. “You've strained your magic enough for one day, let us handle this.”
“I'll wait out here with you,” Darc offered.
“All right,” I gave in grudgingly.
The rest of the men used Peter's keys, which indeed were for Philip's house, and headed inside. A few minutes later, the sound of gunfire popped out to us but it was sporadic and quickly stopped entirely.
“Clear!” Gage called out to us from an upstairs window.
Darc and I exchanged amused looks and headed inside. We'd only expected a skeleton crew since the house was technically between owners, and we were right. Only five unlucky satyrs had been on guard duty.
We started our search in the most obvious place; Philip's office. Within five minutes, we hit pay dirt. Philip had indeed kept a ledger detailing every nymph sale. You gotta love meticulous criminals. In addition to the nymph ledger, we found records on drug and alcohol shipments and sales. I wasn't worried about the alcohol, but I took the drug records. Philip had been selling things far worse than Bliss and maybe knowing what was out there would come in handy someday.
We searched the rest of the place just in case but didn't find anything more shocking than some S&M gear and a case of lite beer. Before we left, we piled the bodies in the backyard, and I tried my hand at incinerating them with my light. I don't know if I was too tired like Gage had said or if I simply couldn't do the same things that Lucifer does, but it didn't work. At this point, it didn't matter if the bodies were found so I didn't try to burn them either. We just left the corpses for Beneather Services to deal with and returned to Kyanite.
By then, I was beyond exhausted. I dropped the ledgers on my vanity and fell into my bed. I don't even know who joined me. I heard someone following me, but I passed out nearly as soon as my head hit the pillow. Killing an entire family takes a lot out of a girl.
Chapter Forty-Eight
I woke to raised voices, filtering up to my bedroom from downstairs. I was alone in bed; a rare occurrence that I took a moment to enjoy. I stretched out across the huge mattress as if I were making a snow angel but that simple pleasure was ruined by the conversation that kept rising and falling as if it were on the cusp of becoming an argument. So, I rolled out of bed, groaned my way to the bathroom, used the facilities, and sighed my way into my underwear and then a dress. I would have liked a few more hours of shut-eye but when you have six lovers, sleeping in isn't always possible. I staggered down the stairs to the first floor of my tower suite, plopped into a chair at the dining table, and laid my head on my arms. Maybe they'd get the hint and turn the volume down.
“Elaria, we have a guest,” Darc called over to me from the living room.
“We have several,” I mumbled into my armpit. “Nymphs and Cats.”
“And a god,” Darc added.
My head popped up and my stare impacted with Lucifer's.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted.
“I went to ask him for some fruit to help that nymph dude you found,” Cerberus explained. “He wouldn't let me leave with it, said he
came with the fruit or the fruit didn't leave Angelus.”
“Did you give it to the nymph already?” I asked Cer as I kept my stare on Lucifer.
“Yeah. He's fine. Came through better than most of the others.” Cer slid an irritated look at Lucifer. “But Luci here wouldn't leave until he spoke to you.”
“I mentioned that you healed yourself,” Darc admitted.
“Could I speak with you privately, Elaria?” Lucifer asked as he stepped up to the table.
“Yeah. Of course.” I stood wearily. “Come with me.”
“Are you sure, my fire?” Darc asked. “You don't have to be alone with him.”
“I'm fine, Darc.” I waved him back. “We'll just be a few minutes.”
I took Lucifer up the glass and wood spiraling staircase to the second floor where my library, music room, and a sitting room are. We bypassed the library, with its soaring bookshelves and welcoming darkness, and went into the sitting room. Shaped like a wedge, it had a curved couch set facing a curved wall of windows so that the two of them together formed a vague circle. It had been decorated in shades of lavender to convey a calming ambiance. I hoped some of that calm would rub off on Lucifer; he looked ready to explode.
“Would you care for a drink?” I waved at the little beverage cart near the door.
Some curio cabinets stood against the walls but that was it for furniture. The room was literally made for sitting. You just lounged on the couch and stared out the window at an amazing view of Kyanite. Lucifer did just that after shaking his head at me.
“Yeah, I guess it's a bit early for rum,” I said as I eyed the bottle longingly.
I left the liquid courage behind and joined him on the couch, putting a good two feet between us. Lucifer looked down at the divide and scowled.
“I'm sorry for how I reacted to you,” I started before he had a chance to apologize. “What happened wasn't your fault. If you hadn't been there, if you hadn't tried to save me, I would have had sex with satyrs.” I looked up at him. “I'm glad it was you.”
“You mean; I was the lesser evil,” he said softly.
“Lucifer, you know we can't...” I shook my head. “We've had each other now. Maybe this was a blessing. Maybe now, you can move on.”
“Had each other?” Lucifer gaped at me. “That wasn't how I wanted you, Elaria. Taking you on a dirty floor while people jeered at us and lusted after us? Do you truly think that has satisfied me in any way? All I feel is horror. Disgust. I didn't sleep for days afterward. Even now, my stomach rolls when I think about it. I've wanted you since the moment you freed me from the Lake of Fire but never, not even in my darkest fantasies when the Devil still hid inside me, did I ever imagine having you like that.”
“I know. I was just trying to find a silver lining, I guess.” I smiled wanly at him.
“At least you're not screaming anymore,” he whispered.
“I...” I sighed deeply. “I wanted you too.”
Lucifer gaped at me. “My vicious—”
“Stop.” I held up a hand. “It was just physical attraction. Our friendship made it feel like more. But after everything happened, I realized that I don't love you like that. I started screaming because I had cheated on the men I do love and that is horrifying to me. I'm so sorry, Lucifer, but I'm more certain now than ever that we will never be together.”
“I understand,” Lucifer said with the barest breath of sound.
I looked up into his sparkling eyes and remembered how much I admired him. I remembered the attraction I felt, the excitement I felt whenever I saw him, and then I let it go. Lucifer watched it happen and his eyes filled with sadness. A tear slipped down my cheek as one trickled down his.
Lucifer pulled me into an embrace as his wings whooshed out and wrapped around us. He tucked his head over mine and rocked me. I gave in to the comfort and cried. I cried for betraying my vows to the men I loved. I cried for the humiliation that Lucifer and I had endured. I cried for Kasteo, for what Helene had done to him. I cried for the nymphs, the ones I still hadn't saved. And I cried for Lucifer, both for his loss and mine. Because I knew that despite the disgusting circumstances, there had been moments of profound connection in that cell. No, it hadn't been the way either of us would have wanted to be together, and I didn't love him, but we had still experienced incredible pleasure together. Pleasure that we would never have again. Pleasure that would haunt us both.
So, I cried with Lucifer and shouldered the pain with him because that's what friends do. We had gone through a lot together. It hadn't resulted in a romance but it did forge a friendship. I was glad that I was healed enough to enjoy that friendship again, and I hoped that his heart would heal soon too.
Lucifer's wings folded away and he eased back from me. “I think I'm okay now.”
I brushed the tears from his cheeks before I swiped at mine. “Me too.”
“You shouldn't have gone after the Demos Family without me,” he chided gently.
“I know.” I laughed bitterly. “But it's not over yet.”
“It isn't?” Lucifer brightened.
“We found a ledger of nymph sales. One for the drugs too, but we need to concentrate on finding the nymphs for now.”
“Then you'll need more fruit,” he declared.
“Yes, we'll need you and your fruit.” I grinned.
“It is my honor to assist.” Lucifer gallantly kissed my hand and helped me to my feet.
“Thank you, Luke.”
“Thank you for not blaming me,” he whispered and swallowed visibly. “I know how easy it would have been for you to make me into the Devil again.”
“No one can make you the Devil again, Lucifer. That part of you is gone for good.”
“Definitely for good.” Lucifer smiled softly at me. “Cut out of me by a true friend.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
It took us a few weeks, but we found all of the enslaved nymphs, freed them, and fed them fruit from Lucifer's tree. The men who had enslaved them were now dead or locked in Slate's arena cells. The Demos Family was gone, its surviving satyrs scattered to the Beneath winds, so the Cats went home to the Bazaar. We were getting the nymphs ready for their trip home when a representative of the Nymph Queen arrived in Kyanite.
“Her Majesty, Queen Daphne of the Nymphs, hereby invites Your Majesties, Queen Elaria and King Darcraxis of Kyanite, King Torin of Onyx, and King Declan of Alexandrite, Your Highness Prince Banning of the Blooders, Lord Gagerian of the Griffins, Zone Lord Slate Devon, and Lord Cerberus, the Hound of Hades to a feast in your honor,” the messenger intoned. “To be held one week hence.”
“You hear that, Cer?” I asked my bestie. “You're a lord.”
“I had no idea,” Cerberus said dryly. “I should let Hades know.”
The messenger blushed.
“I'm sorry,” I said immediately. “I meant to tease Cerberus, not you. You may tell your queen that we will be honored to attend.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The nymph bowed and hurried away before I embarrassed him again.
“The Nymphs have a queen?” Banning asked.
“I think I recall them mentioning her,” Torin said.
“Yes, they're ruled by a queen, and her court is worse than any in the Jewel Kingdoms,” I grumbled.
Shining Ones are known for their hedonism. They indulge in every luxury they can and sex is at the top of that list. My first experience in a Shining One court was eye-opening and blush-inducing. Thankfully, Torin's court was more reserved and Kyanite now followed suit, but Declan's court could get a little wild. The Alexandrite King is a prime example of his race, but I love him anyway.
“Worse than a Shining One court? I doubt that,” Declan scoffed. “No one fucks like we do.”
“Declan,” I groaned as the other men laughed.
“You mean; no one likes to put on a show like you do,” Slate corrected. “Gargoyles are fantastic lovers, we just don't display our prowess at dinner for everyone to gawk at.”
“What better time to have sex than while you dine?” Declan shot back.
“Sounds like a recipe for indigestion,” Gage muttered.
“Sex for dessert is fantastic, but not in public,” Slate countered. “That's a hunger better appeased without an audience.”
“You seemed to enjoy an audience the other night.” Declan smirked.