by Janie Marie
Lucifer turned her face to his. “Trust me. I know what she wants, and I know you need time. I’m doing this for you, just like you are for the others. It doesn’t make you a bad person. I promise, my wish is only to see you smile. I want you to feel good, but I understand your heart and soul need time. So, for now, I will give what’s needed to keep her from overpowering you.”
“Which is?” she asked, shaking as he slid his hand down her arm.
“Hopefully, she will only need a teasing touch while you adjust.” He massaged the inside of her wrist, staring at it as he spoke. “You must still give her David’s blood. She will grow irritated when she doesn’t receive more of me, and she will lash out at him for it. So, feed from him. Fill her need of his blood, and I will stop her from taking him. You will have to trust me, Jane. She is not the sweet girl you are.” He moved his hand to her stomach, shaking his head when she tried to shove him off. “You must allow me to satisfy her if you want to keep him safe. You already know she was ready to destroy him earlier. Allow me to keep her distracted. This”—he slid his hand up her stomach to her breasts, cupping her left one—“will distract her. She wants more; you know this.”
She wanted to cry but knew he was right. “I know. I just don’t want to hurt David. I already did so much with Death, and then when she had that vampire . . . Are you sure I have to do this?”
“I’m sure,” he said, lowering his lips to her neck.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she cried, but she stayed still as he kissed along her neck while massaging her breast.
“You are doing nothing wrong,” he murmured against her skin. “You’re doing this for them. I’m helping you keep them safe. Don’t be sad for this. She would break you before I could ever possibly try to stop her.”
“But I love him,” she whispered.
He growled into her ear. “Don’t say that anymore.”
Jane flinched, squeezing her eyes shut. “I’m sorry.”
Lucifer took a deep breath and kissed her cheek. “Forgive me, Jane. I do not want you to be afraid of me. I only want you to transition without inflicting more pain onto your heart. You will be mine, and I will not enjoy hearing about the feelings you have for other males. They had their chance, but they were never meant to save you. I know you love them, but I don’t like to share. The knight may have been willing to share you with Death, but I will not share my queen. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she said, trying to stop her body from shaking.
He grabbed her chin to turn her face toward him. As he studied her, his cold features softened for mere seconds. “Tell me what you want.”
Jane scrunched her face up as she tried to contain her sorrow, but she answered him. “I want you to keep them safe from her. I want you to keep her from getting me. I want you to silence her so I can still be me—satisfy her so I can keep them from her wrath. I want them to forget me.” She teared up, and he began rubbing her cheek affectionately. “I want you to have me when it’s time.”
Jane stayed still as he lowered his face to hers. She closed her eyes when his cold lips softly brushed against hers. “So brave,” he whispered against her lips. “I will do as you wish, my queen.” His soft kiss was full of power, and it spread across her skin. “So sweet. So innocent and loving.” He kissed her again, this time longer, but he leaned away. “Smile.”
Jane stared into his eyes. “I can’t.”
“Does my offer not please you?”
“I’m thankful for your help, but I’m not happy—I can’t smile.”
“Close your eyes,” he said, not giving her any idea as to what he was thinking.
She obeyed, not wanting to anger him.
“Imagine your knight’s face. Imagine his smile.” His tone was gentle, and she relaxed instantly. “Do you see him?”
“Yes,” she whispered when she was able to see David right away. Something inside shifted, and she gasped when a snarl filled her mind. “She’s here! What am I supposed to do?”
“Shh . . .” He touched her temple, and she suddenly saw images of her and David kissing and smiling. “Smile for him.”
Jane’s heart pounded as the snarl grew louder. “She’s coming!”
He gripped her face painfully. “Smile at him, Jane.”
She whimpered but looked at David’s beautiful face in her mind, calming enough to smile.
“Open your eyes but keep smiling,” he said.
Jane did as she was told, and she whimpered but continued to smile even though David’s face was no longer visible. Only Lucifer’s remained.
He stared at her lips for several seconds before finally looking back at her. “Beautiful,” he said, then placed his mouth over hers. It shocked her, but he continued kissing her, and David’s smile came back in her mind. His lips warmed, and she sighed as the heat David emitted surrounded her body.
Jane reached up to hold his face, kissing him eagerly as she ran her fingers through his hair.
David’s lips were gone, and she opened her eyes to see Lucifer once again staring down at her. She covered her mouth as she choked on a soft sob.
“Soon your smile will be for me.” He kissed her again, making her feel the shame of her actions but accepting that this would keep David and her children safe. “Soon, I will not have to push his face into your mind for you to kiss me back. You will forget him, Jane. That is what I want.”
“You promise to keep them safe?” She felt her throat closing, knowing she was about to hand her life over to the fallen angel.
“I promise.”
Her eyes filled with tears. Forgive me, my loves.
Slowly, she began to nod to him. “I will let you feed her. Just please, only what is necessary.”
“Of course.” He pressed his lips to hers once more but glanced at the door. “He is waiting for you. Ask for him to feed you—you have not fed in days. I feel her thirst.”
Jane stared at the door, her heart beating wildly as a low growl rumbled in her mind. “She won’t hurt him?”
“I will stay with you. He won’t know I am there, and I will distract her so she does not overpower you and kill him. Drink what you must and excuse yourself. Don’t let him touch you in any other way. She still feels what you desire. If your desire for him is too great, she may ignore my attempts. Do you understand? She will kill him and anyone around you.”
“I know, and I understand.”
“Don’t fear my touch, Jane.” His hand moved from her face and down to her shoulder. He pushed her so she would lie on her back completely. Jane stayed still, closing her eyes because she knew he would touch her. “Open your eyes.” He was glaring at her when she did. “Do I repulse you?”
“You’re beautiful. I’m disgusted with myself.”
“Don’t be. What you are doing is out of love.” Lucifer smiled, putting one hand next to her head to brace himself as he slid his other down to her chest. “Prove right now you can go to him without alerting him something is happening to you.” He rested his hand over her breast, not groping, just touching. “Good girl.” He moved his hand down, caressing her stomach and then her hip. “You will enjoy my touch in time. Just try to focus on what you need to do and don’t react when you feel my hands on you. David is very attuned to you. If he fears you are in danger, he may do something that will anger her.”
“Okay.”
Jane smoothed her hair down as she stalled knocking on David’s door. She couldn’t hear anything, but she knew he was waiting for her inside.
Lucifer rested a hand on her hip. “She is growing irritable. Knock and get this over with.”
Jane tried to steady her breathing, and she sighed when a numbing kiss was pressed against her cheek.
“There you go. Now knock. He will not hear me when I speak to you.”
She bit her lip, trying to move a little bit away from him. She knew he needed to stay close, so she raised her hand, knocking three times.
The door opened in less than
a second to reveal a worried David. “Hi, baby.” He scanned her face before taking in her disheveled appearance. “I asked Gawain to watch the children. I thought we could talk, and I knew you must be in need of my blood.”
Jane stiffened as Lucifer moved closer. “I was just coming to feed, if that’s all right with you. I don’t want to order like you do and risk hurting someone.”
“Of course you can feed. Come here.” He took her hand and pulled her inside his room.
She allowed him to lead her to the bed but when he turned and cupped her cheeks, she stepped back. “David, we can’t be together anymore.”
He rubbed his face. “We can. I know you fear something happening to me, but I can help you. We were doing so well before.”
“Before I went bad,” she said, hearing her demon hiss.
“Shh . . .” Lucifer whispered, kissing her neck and silencing her demon.
David watched her as her lips parted, and she moaned. “What’s happening to you?”
She closed her mouth and breathed out slowly. “I’m weak, David. I can’t fight her anymore. I just need your blood right now.”
“I’m going to feed you, but I want you to stay and talk after we finish.”
Her demon hissed as the image of David lying in a pool of his own blood flashed in her head.
“Enough, Jane,” Lucifer said, wrapping his arms around her torso.
Her demon purred, and she had to keep herself from doing the same.
David studied her face and finally lifted his wrist to her mouth.
She quickly grabbed it, whimpering as her demon’s claws began digging into her mind. She felt tears welling, the urge to bleed him dry rising as she fought biting him just yet.
“Feed, baby,” David said. “I see her. Feed. Don’t be afraid.”
Lucifer kissed her temple, sending ice to the stabbing pain she was feeling in her mind. “Feed, Jane. You need his blood.”
Jane nodded to them and bit down, moaning instantly. She moved closer, tugging his arm so she could bite harder. It had been too long. Too long since she’d had his blood on her tongue and his body on hers. When she grabbed his waist, and tried to lift his shirt, he pushed her hand down.
Her demon quickly snarled, furious with his refusal. Jane was confused. She didn’t know who she was trying to satisfy, herself or her demon.
“He’s refusing us,” her demon said, hissing as her desire to be sated by more than just David’s blood rose to new heights. “Let me out. We will have him.”
Lucifer pressed his body against her back. “You want me,” he whispered in her ear, startling her demon. “Let the prince go.” He lowered a hand between her legs, applying a small amount of pressure where she ached to be touched. “Let him go, and I will give you what you want.”
Jane moaned, not sure what she was moaning for as her demon’s desires warred within her. Lucifer massaged her in a circular motion, as if teasing her demon that he would not give more until she obeyed, before sliding his hand back to her hip. It was so bizarre. Jane could feel him as if he was solid, but she knew he wasn’t completely there.
Her demon glanced at David. She too was confused by the sensations Lucifer was giving her body while not seeing him. David, however, was very much there, and he tasted delicious. Her demon smiled wickedly, her eyes only on David.
Lucifer suddenly squeezed her breast. Jane gasped, releasing David, but her demon forced her to hang on to him. She closed her eyes, hoping not seeing David would lure her demon back to Lucifer as he again lowered a hand between her legs.
“Baby?” David called softly.
She only felt the cold hands as they roamed her body. She could almost see Lucifer’s smile in her mind as he massaged her breast while still rubbing her where she was throbbing to have David inside her. Her demon smiled, throwing her head back as Lucifer kissed along her neck, forgetting David.
“Jane?” David’s hands cupped her cheeks.
Startled, she opened her eyes, hating herself but so relieved that her demon’s attention wasn’t on him. “David,” she whimpered, wanting so badly to go to him.
David’s face strained. “Baby, tell me what to do for you. What’s happening inside you?”
Lucifer’s smile flashed in her mind. “Tell him good night.” It felt as if his lips were sucking on her neck. She couldn’t feel her demon’s wrath anymore. It was enjoying the same sensations she was beginning to. Lucifer softened his touch. “He does not need to see you this way. Distance yourself.”
“I have to go, David,” she said, wanting the complete opposite.
“No, baby, you don’t have to leave. Stay here tonight. We can figure out how to beat this. I won’t give up on you.”
“He can’t help you,” Lucifer whispered, his touch more affectionate as her demon purred like a kitten.
“Let me go, David.” She fought to keep herself from hugging him. “Please see that I’m trying to protect you.”
“I can protect myself, Jane.” His sharp tone made her flinch. David sighed, rubbing his tired face. “I didn’t mean to raise my voice. I love you. I’m worried about you, and I’m afraid I’m losing you all over again.”
“Tell him good night, Jane.” Lucifer’s voice was soft and caring in her ear. “It’s okay; she is gone now. Tell him he can’t help you.”
She wanted to cry but was becoming so soothed by the cold hands. “You can’t help me, David. I’m going now. I think I need food.”
“Then I will come with you,” David said quickly. “This isn’t up for discussion.”
When he grabbed her hand, the heat was there, begging her to come back as it clashed with Lucifer’s touch.
She feared it would awaken her demon, so she pulled her hand free. “Don’t touch me.”
His jaw tightened, but he stepped back. “Fine. Remember that it’s you refusing me when you begin to feel like I’m neglecting you.”
His words stung her heart, but she nodded. This was for him. He could hate her all he wanted. His safety was all that mattered. “I know it’s me, David.”
He shook his head, growling as he led the way. “That’s the thing. This isn’t all you. I don’t know what the fuck is happening, but I’m not walking away from you.”
She followed him, her head low while Lucifer held her hand.
“Baby, please tell me something,” David said, pushing a door open that led to a breakfast nook. He pulled a chair out for her. “Sit. I’ll get the kitchen to prepare something. Do you want breakfast or dinner?”
She sat, her eyes burning as she murmured, “Breakfast is fine.”
He scooted her chair in and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be back.”
Jane inhaled his scent, sighing when she felt him smile against her hair. “Okay.”
David pressed one more kiss to her hair before leaving her alone.
With Lucifer.
“You should not do this to yourself,” he said, seeming to sit in the empty chair beside her. His hand patted her thigh, but she still couldn’t see him. “You are getting his hopes up. Eat your fill and excuse yourself. It will only hurt him to watch you under my touch. After all, he can smell your arousal. Do you really wish to climax while he’s around?”
She shook her head.
“Good girl.” He rubbed his hand along her thigh. “I believe you are more sensitive because you are still not wearing proper clothing.”
Jane’s eyes widened. He was right! She only had her pants on; the same pair she wore while traveling from Valhalla. Death had ripped her panties in his realm, and she could only put on her pants. She then realized she was wearing her Grim Reaper shirt and no bra.
“Relax,” Lucifer said, sliding his hand higher up her thigh. “You can clean yourself up when we return to your room. And, if you wish, we can do more so you grow more comfortable. It isn’t a good idea to stay around him. Your feelings for him are strong—they make you volatile.”
“Because I love him.” She bared her fangs
, turning to where he sat. “I want him even though I know I’m no good. I’m not stupid; I know she wants to fuck him before she bleeds him dry. Just keep your promise and make her calm.”
He squeezed her leg. “Do not speak to me this way unless you wish to face the consequences.”
She glared at the empty chair. “I’m not afraid of you.”
He sounded amused when he replied. “Nor am I of you, my queen. Watching your eyes light up with fury excites me in a way I have not been for some time. Still, you must learn your attitude will not be tolerated when we are among my men.”
Jane felt hot. In fact, she was sweating, and her leg was burning now. “Why are you hot?”
He chuckled, extending what felt like his pinky finger to touch her core. “I’m reacting to your rage. It arouses me. Calm yourself or I will bend you over this table to sate the hunger you truly have.”
She put her hand over his, gasping when she could feel his hand as it moved to rub her more.
“Hm.” He pressed his fingers right where she needed him to. “Not going to push me away?” He applied more pressure, making her legs shake. “You realize this is you, not her.”
She shoved his hand down, glaring where she thought his face might be. “Fuck you.”
“Who are you talking to, Jane?” David asked.
She turned her head fast, shaking her head as she saw him holding two plates at the entrance. “No one.”
He glanced around the room. “Is Death here?”
Her eyes watered. “No. I’m just talking to myself.”
David still scanned the room as he walked closer. “You can tell me what’s happening.” He put a plate on the table before sitting opposite her.
“He’s waiting for you to respond,” Lucifer whispered in her ear.
Shaking her head, she looked up at David’s concerned gaze. “There’s nothing to say, David. I’m doing everything I can. I’m not your problem. I’m just hoping you can keep the kids safe. I guess you don’t have to since we’re not together.”
“First, you are not my problem. You are my Other and girlfriend, and I love you more than you can comprehend. Yes, you left and came back with this plan to push me away, but we are still together.”