“You know, it’s rude to talk with your mouth full.” I reached down, grabbing her by the hair and pushing her open mouth back onto me, and as she engulfed me once more my entire world exploded into pleasure.
30
A day later, Gwen finally rolled off of me. Yes. A whole day.
31
“Well, on the plus side, your mark has stopped glowing,” Gwen said, idly running a hand up my naked chest as she lay next to me on the grassy plain at the foot of the volcano.
“I’m wondering if your horniness might have something to do with it,” I said, looking down and finding she was right. The Mark of Lust had stopped glowing. “Like, you’re a succubus right, so you absorb power through sex?”
“Well, yeah, but I don’t see why that’d make the mark glow or make you horny.” She nuzzled her head against my chest. “I should be the one making you horny.”
“Oh, trust me. That is most certainly not the problem.” I looked her up and down. “But that’s not my point.” I sighed as she ran her fingers down my chest, making it incredibly hard to concentrate.
“Then what’s the problem?” She smiled in a way that let me know exactly what she was thinking, and sadly, though I was mentally prepared to go with it, I didn’t think I could physically manage.
“The problem is that you are bound to me with the mark. I can feel the other archangels through the marks, especially when something really crazy happens. Like when Wrath gets mad, for instance, I can feel it.” I looked at her. “You just became the Archangel of Lust since she was dead, but I think it goes without saying you weren’t at her power level. I’m guessing you have to absorb a lot of power to feel sated. Like, I dunno, if we suddenly increased the size of a gas tank in a car.” I gestured down at myself. “And I think maybe you were using the mark to feed through me. That’s why the aura drew girls to me. So, you could feed off them through me.”
“You know, you sound so sexy when you explain the world to me like it’s a bunch of game mechanics.” Gwen kissed me. Hard. “But I think you might be right.” She moved on top of me and pressed her bare breasts against my chest. “Now, I’m not hungry though, so I’m pretty sure I just want you for your body and big ol’ brain.” She reached down between my legs and frowned at me. “What’s the matter?”
“Are you seriously asking me ‘what’s the matter?’ We’ve been having sex for almost twenty-six hours.” I met her eyes as she continued to play with little me. “I need a break.”
“It would seem so.” She sighed before getting off of me and stretching. “Now, I need a shower and a cigarette.” She looked over at me and snapped her fingers. “Come on. Back to town with you.” She gave me an evil grin. “Unless you can get unbroken.”
“Yeah, not gonna happen.” I looked down at myself. I, unlike the succubus, did not have magical non-chaffing sex parts. While I might be able to draw on the energy of the archangels I’d bonded with to increase my strength, stamina, and general ability to not pass out, even I had my limits it seemed.
“Right, so on with the clothes.” She grabbed her pants off the ground while bending over to give me a view, and the sad thing was I was so tired, I couldn’t even enjoy it.
A few minutes later we were dressed and ready to go. I barely remembered coming down the volcano, but I was sort of glad we had. I was sore from having sex on grass, and I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if we would have tried on top of volcanic rock.
“Well, I feel great.” Gwen smiled at me before smacking my ass. “We should do that again, sometime.” She took my hand in hers and squeezed my fingers. “What does your afternoon look like?”
“As awesome as that sounds, Sam—”
“She can join us, I don’t mind.” Gwen batted her eyes at me.
“No.” I stopped, trying to get the image out of my head. “We’re going to go see about getting my sword fixed.”
“Ah.” She looked down at my crotch. “I’m guessing not that one.” She shook herself. “Geez, it’s like I can’t think of anything besides sex.” As she spoke, the mark on my chest began to glow. Not brightly, but enough to let me know I was on borrowed time.
“You need to go talk to Mammon about the mark thing.” I touched my chest. “Because as fun as spending my entire life fucking you would be, I do need to stop the Darkness because otherwise, that life will be pretty damned short.”
“Right, of course.” She shut her eyes for a moment and took a few deep breaths, causing the mark to fade back to normal. “I’ll talk to Mammon about controlling my new powers.” She licked her lips and came toward me. “Unless you want to go out with a bang.” She began to laugh as she wrapped her hands around my arm. “Eh?”
“Yes, but not right now.” I laughed too. Part of it was just delirium. I felt so tired I could barely think, and even though the marks of Greed, Envy, and Wrath were keeping me upright, I could tell the power I was getting from them had fallen to a trickle. I was guessing Gwen had drained them too. It was a bit of a scary thought, but at the same time, I was pretty sure once I slept for a while, I’d be okay.
“I’m gonna hold you to that,” Gwen said, right before I teleported to Mammon. We reappeared in a lavish hotel room in who knows where. The entire room was lavish to the point of gaudy, with gold embroidered pillows and silver filigree on the walls.
Mammon was passed out in a chair next to a bottle of dark liquid, feet up on the table. Drool spilled from the corner of her mouth, and as I approached, the sound of her snoring was enough to let me know she was really asleep. Hell, she still had her boots on.
“Crazy,” Gwen said, staring at the Archangel of Greed. “I didn’t know she actually slept.”
“I bet this is your doing.” I touched the mark of Lust. “All the other marks feel really weak right now. You sucked down three archangels.”
“The crazy thing is that I’m still hungry. Like I felt like I had a really nice appetizer, but I’m ready for the main course.” She turned to look at me, one hand snaking down my body. “Sure you don’t wanna try again? I could do that thing you like.” She licked her lips. Besides, I can feel strength flowing through you now that you’re holding Lucifer’s hammer again. I think it’ll be okay.”
“Gwen, I’m almost positive that if we have sex again, I’ll die.” I stepped away from her, and it was hard because she kept touching me. Already the mark was starting to burn visibly beneath my chest. “Go take a cold shower or something.”
“But Arthur—”
I teleported away as she started to unbutton her shirt. I knew that if I stayed until she took it off, I’d never leave, and that would have probably killed not just me, but three other archangels.
As I reappeared in Sam’s shop, the blacksmith shrieked and jumped ten feet in the air. She whirled, one hand gripping her hammer, and stared at me.
“You scared the crap out of me!” she cried, grabbing her heart with one hand. “You’re lucky I didn’t brain you with my hammer.” She sucked in a huge breath.
“Sorry, I was with Gwen, and she’s trying to fuck me to death.” I touched the mark, and it was still burning, but not as brightly as it had a moment ago. “She’s with Mammon.”
“I can still feel the draw.” Sam licked her lips. “So, whatever she’s doing isn’t quite working.” As Sam spoke, the mark of Lust on Lucifer’s hammer began to flare, letting me know that Gwen was starting to draw from the Devil herself. I quickly released the hammer, and as I did, the mark on my chest faded a little.
“Sorry.” I shrugged. “I’m not sure what to do about it if she can’t control her power.” I looked at the hammer. “And I really don’t want Lucifer pissed at me if Gwen tries to suck her dry too.”
“Both excellent points,” Sam said, and her breathing and quickened. As I turned back to her, I saw her nipples straining against her shirt. “But I think we need to figure out something else.” She swallowed hard. “Because I’m an archangel, and right now it’s all I can do to keep from te
aring off your clothes.” She stopped and looked away, trying to focus on anything that wasn’t me. “I can’t go with you like this.” She touched her chest. “I’m too hurt to sleep with you, and even if I wasn’t, we’d make it exactly ten steps before we did just that.”
“You know,” I said, turning back to the hammer. “Lucifer grabbed me and beat the fuck out of me and didn’t seem even remotely fazed by Lust’s mark.”
“Lucifer is the strongest of all archangels, and in addition to that, she has the power of every last one of us.” Sam took a deep breath as her left hand went toward her breast. She stopped, visibly straining, and dropped her hands to the table behind her. Then she sat on them. “None of our powers affect her. Not well, anyway.”
“Interesting,” I said, grabbing the hammer once more. As I did, the mark on my chest flared like a fucking solar flare. Sam cried out, and as she leapt for me, I teleported away.
32
The surrounding scenery congealed into a purplish mass that sort of resembled grape jelly. I stood on a lone platform, the color of lavender sequins. The star-filled sky raced by like I was in the cockpit of a spaceship going near light speed, but it didn’t feel like I was moving. I swallowed, trying to figure out what the hell was going on as I spun in a slow circle.
Lucifer sat cross-legged in the center of the platform, and as I turned toward her, she stood and gestured at our surroundings. There was nothing on this platform, and while it was about a hundred square feet or so in size, it was a little disconcerting because there was only the vast emptiness of space in every direction. If I fell off, I was reasonably sure I’d fall forever.
“Hello, Builder.” She nodded to me. “Why have you come here?”
“Where the hell are we?” I tried to stifle my fear as the archangel stared at me. She didn’t seem annoyed by my presence, more curious.
Lucifer shrugged. “A place outside of space and time. It was created as a place for angels to train and battle with no distractions. There is no real world to worry about, no magical items to use.” She smirked. “No one to hear you scream.”
“Why are you here?” I shook my head in confusion.
“I should ask you that.” She looked me up and down. “I created this place. It is as much mine as anywhere else.” She stepped on the platform, causing concentric lines of color to burst outward like ripples in a lake. “Why have you sought me, Builder?” She gestured toward the edge. “Before you reply, know that if you fall, you will keep falling until eternity ends.” She smiled, and a cruel edge flashed across her face. “Which is doubly bad for someone like you because in this place you will not hunger nor thirst. There will just be an eternity of falling.” She took a small step toward me. “Now, again I ask. Why have you sought me out, Builder?”
Her words sent a chill running down my spine, but I did my best to ignore them. “I have a question for you.”
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow. “And what would you ask of the Devil?”
“It’s about Gwen.” I touched the mark on my chest, and it was burning so brightly, I could see it through my shirt. “She can’t control her powers.”
“None of what you said is a question.” She peered at me. “It is as though you wish for me to throw you over the edge.” She gestured at my belt. “Know that if I do so, I will take away your belt so your ability to bounce around like Wrath will not save you.”
“Right, okay, sorry.” I sucked in a breath. “You don’t seem to be affected by the Lust aura, and I want you to show me how to fix it, to keep those around me from being affected by Gwen.” I touched the mark. “All of these seem to operate as a two-way street, but I feel like I’m just bending to the wills of those who marked me. That isn’t acceptable. Can you help me?”
“I can.” She looked at me for a long time. “Why would I choose to do this?” She held out her hand to me. “You have already received two gifts from me and have given nothing in return.” She licked her lips. “That is more than most have ever gotten from me.”
“Wait, you mean you planned this?” I asked, looking at the warhammer. “You knew about the way the marks worked.”
“I did.” She nodded to me. “You cannot walk around with such a pathetic weapon as that sword. It will not aid you in the fight against the Darkness. I have given it to you to use, knowing the bindings of my sister would aid you.” She moved closer to me. “But it seems you’re still too weak.” She inhaled sharply.
“You’re weak, Arthur. So far you’ve been lucky you haven’t been killed outright.” She shrugged. “You have no skill, no chance of beating someone who knows what they are doing. Arthur, the things you will face from here on out are stronger, faster, and better than you. If you do not up your game, you will die.”
Lucifer gestured, and a glimmering rent in space appeared at her fingertips. Through it, I could see the pearly gates with huge marble statues beyond. Only, I could see the darkness encroaching upon the land, see the corruption already working at the gates. And in that darkness, I could see dead angels, their mangled bodies left to rot as an army of lizardmen, beholders, and other creatures slammed into the gates. Even watching it, I could see the stronghold would not last much longer.
“How would you defeat that army, Arthur?” Lucifer asked, and as I stood there openmouthed, she continued. “If you really want to save everyone, you’ll let me train you to use your natural abilities to your advantage.”
“You want to train me?” I asked incredulously.
“That is why you came here, yes? You said you wish to control the marks.” She touched the mark on my chest, and the glow died. Instantly. As did the power of the ring around my neck. “You wish to know how to shut them off, to wield them to their full potential.” Her hand lashed out, ripping the warhammer from me before I even realized what had happened.
The bindings upon it flared. My own marks responded in kind, glowing to match. “I can teach you how to do it all.” Lucifer sucked in a deep breath and exhaled through her teeth. “And before you give me another excuse, let me remind you of what I said earlier. We’re outside of time and space right now. You can return to Hell and only a few moments will have passed, or you can go to Heaven and try to help them stop the one they call Dred.” She dropped the warhammer at my feet, and the magic surrounding it died. My marks went out and the armaments I wore felt dead and lifeless. “Or you can stay.” She met my eyes. “What do you say?”
“Why are you helping me?” I asked, gritting my teeth as I mulled over her words. As much as I wanted to be back out there doing something, she had a point. I mean, I’d spent a year training in Mammon’s dead zone, but at the same time, looking through the portal at Heaven, I knew I was in trouble. To say I was out of my league was an understatement of gigantic proportions.
The thought gnawed at me because I could see liches like the ones Sam had faced down. Only there were hundreds of them. If I’d been stronger, I’d have been able to kill the thing without Sam getting involved. If I didn’t get better fast, I’d just wind up getting my face caved in and worse, my friends would pay for it.
I couldn’t allow that. I had to get strong enough to save them all. I owed them that much.
“Isn’t it obvious, Builder?” Lucifer met my eyes, and within them, I saw the millions upon millions who would die at her hands should we succeed in driving back the darkness. The thing was, if we didn’t win, that wouldn’t matter. “I want to win.” Her hand curled into a fist. “And as incredibly pathetic as it sounds, I need you to do it.” She turned her head heavenward. “The irony does not escape me.”
“Can we really win?” I asked. Part of me couldn’t believe I was making a deal with the Devil, but at the same time, she was right. I needed her help, and if this got me her help, well, that was fine. At the end of the day, I had to beat the Darkness, or everyone would die. If that meant I had to sell my soul to Lucifer herself, I could pay that price.
“Yes, but only if you stay. If you leave, I shall sit here a
lone and wait for you to fall. Then I will find the next Builder myself and hope he is not too stupid to accept my help.” Lucifer pointed at the portal, and as she did, it began to flicker. “You have three seconds to make your choice. Go or stay, but know that if you stay and be obstinate in any way, I will fling you from the edge.”
“I’ll stay.” I took a deep breath and thought about Sam, about Gwen and Annabeth. Hell, I thought about Mammon. I couldn’t let them down. “If you can really make me stronger, I’ll do anything.”
“Excellent.” As the portal vanished, Lucifer gestured at the abject darkness of the final destination. “Now, are you ready to brawl?”
I nodded in spite of myself. “Yeah, let’s do this.” I raised my fists and dropped into a fighting stance in front of Lucifer.
“Okay,” Lucifer replied, studying me as she walked around me in a slow circle. “Your stance is all wrong.” She kicked my feet out a little bit and adjusted my center of balance with her hands. “This will give you more balance and increase your natural striking speed by shortening the time you need to shift your momentum. When you swing, rotate on the balls of your feet.” She demonstrated.
I complied, feeling like an idiot, but found to my astonishment she was right. My fist whistled through the air. I did it a few more times before stopping.
“Why did you stop?” Lucifer asked, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Why is it so hard to breathe?” I asked, my chest already heaving. “Normally, I have pretty good cardio.”
“The air is significantly thinner than back in Hell.” She bent down and picked up the warhammer. “And the gravity here is a bit stronger.”
“So I’m in the training ground from hell,” I grumbled, suddenly concerned I’d die from lack of oxygen. Still, I had to push through it. I threw another punch, and as I did, I could feel my muscles start to burn.
The Builder's Pride (The Legendary Builder Book 3) Page 19