Soul Surrender (The Soul Mark Series Book 3)

by Cara E Holt

  I see him clench his fist and slowly he turns to face me. Two dark eyes meet mine and I gasp in recognition.

  “You.” We both say at the same time. He stalks over and stands in front of me. He puts a hand under my chin and lifts my face so he can examine it closely. “It is you.” He smiles then. “Hello again, little flower.”

  Lucifer and Lilith silently watch our interaction and feeling uncomfortable under his gaze I look to Lilith, who looks at me with a silent question.

  The demon from my dreams, who I recently learned was called Kol leans in and sniffs my hair, as if memorising the scent. “You blocked me from your dreams.” There is sadness in his voice.

  “I had to.” I tell him firmly.

  He grins again. “Scared you were getting used to me being around.”

  I roll my eyes in response which makes him chuckle out loud.

  Lilith coughs, getting both of our attention. “You two know each other?”

  Lucifer stands there looking as intrigued by this situation as she does. Kol hasn’t taken his eyes off me.

  “Oh, we know each other. I’ve been searching for this one for weeks.”

  A look of clarity passes over Lucifer’s face. “This is the girl from the club? The one you have been obsessing over?”

  Kol nods. “Ebony.” He says, as if trying my name out on his tongue. He smiles at me again, his dark eyes, drinking me in.

  This is the demon I was promised to? The one who invaded my dreams. Why couldn’t he have been ugly with scales or horns or something? He stands there all brooding eyes, muscles and chiselled jaw. He was dangerously handsome.

  Lucifer chuckles in disbelief. “To think I had to drag you back here like a petulant child. This is an interesting turn of events.”

  “She’s mine?” Kol asks, his gaze leaving mine to meet his fathers.

  “Yours. You were betrothed to each other before you were born.”

  “I am not yours!” I snap and fold my arms, taking a step back away from Kol. “I do not belong to anyone.” My determined eyes snap from Kol’s to his fathers.

  “But yet you’re here and staying?”

  I nod, lifting my chin in the air. “I am. I was given no choice.”

  Kol frowns and turns to his father. “You forced her here?”

  Lucifer shrugs. “I did what was necessary. What’s done is done now. Take her, go and get to know each other.”

  “Come on flower.” Kol says offering me his hand. I stare at his hand for a moment and then place mine in his. I don’t know what it is, but something in me trusts this demon.

  As we reach the door, I look back at Lucifer.

  “Remember our deal.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Kol guides me silently down another corridor. I breathe easier, for the first time since I arrived here. I feel safe all at once. Crazy I know, but I know this demon before me and I feel safe with him. I am surprised when we end up back in the main entrance hallway to the house and even more surprised when he leads me outside.

  “You don’t live here?”

  He looks back at me as we walk and shakes his head. The landscape around us changes and we are stood inside the hallway of a house. The house is stunning, all open plan and the far window runs from floor to ceiling and looks out onto roaring sea.

  “Welcome to my bachelor pad.”

  I allow him to lead me into the room. I feel his dark eyes upon me, watching me as I take in his home.

  “You can make changes if you want to. After all, this is your home too now.”

  I don’t reply to that last comment. I want to tell him that this will never be my home. That my home is where ever Lorcen is but for some reason, I don’t.

  “I don’t stay here much. I have an apartment in New York. I spend most of my time there.”

  I look at him in surprise. “Really? You prefer the human world?”

  He shrugs and letting go of my hand walks to look out at the view. “I’m a demon, I need to feed. Where better than the realm full of sin?”

  “Feed?” I ask shakily. I’m not sure if I want to hear what he means by feed.

  He turns arms folded and looks at me, a smirk on his face. “Yes, to feed.”

  I nod and gulp. “What err, what exactly do you feed on?”

  His dark eyes never leave mine as he comes to stand right in front of me. “I’m the prince of lust Ebony. I feed on lust.”

  “Oh.” I say, my mouth hanging open. “How does.., how does that work?”

  He grins wickedly. He is enjoying my awkwardness the bastard.

  “I feed by having sex or feed off the lust of others.”

  I feel my face blush a brilliant shade of red and I see his lips twitch as he fights a smile, clearly finding my embarrassment funny. “I feed better, when I’m an active participant obviously.”

  “Obviously.” I reply, nodding my head trying to pretend that this is a perfectly natural conversation.

  “So, you left him? Your mate.”

  I look up into his eyes, surprised at this turn in conversation. “I did.”

  “Are you okay?” His eyes search my face, full of concern.

  I let out a deep breath. “I’m dealing with it.” In truth, thinking about Lorcen makes my heart ache. I have no idea how he will react when he wakes and finds what I have done. I just hope he will understand that I had no choice.

  “Is it wrong that I am not sorry?” He asks, his eyes searching mine. “Is it selfish of me to be glad that I have you here with me?”

  I give him a sad smile. “I can’t give you what you want Kol.”

  He returns my sad smile, with one of his own. “We will see flower.” He takes my hand in his. “Come on. Let’s give you a quick tour.”

  He pulls me around the house showing me everything. The last room he shows me is his room. His bedroom again has floor to ceiling windows that overlook the sea. The bed is in the centre of the room, overlooking the view.

  “Is this the only bedroom?” I ask, realising I didn’t see any others.

  He leans in the doorway watching me. “It’s the only bedroom.”

  “Oh.” I turn to look out at the view, steadying my reaction. I jump slightly when I feel his breath at my ear.

  “I won’t touch you, unless you ask me to. But Ebony, you will ask me to. I feel this thing between us and I know you do.”

  I shiver at his closeness. “I love Lorcen.”

  “I know.” He says still standing with his chest to my back. “I think in time, you will love me too.”

  I shake my head and step forward, away from him. I can’t think straight when he is so near me.

  “What time is it?” Since arriving here I have lost track of time. I have also noticed that it doesn’t seem to be getting lighter.

  “It’s six am.”

  I turn to face him. “Shouldn’t the sun be up by now?”

  He leans against the back of the sofa and looks up at the night sky. “There is no sun here. It is always night.”

  My eyes widen. “No freakin way?!” I turn back to the view and look up at the sky. “No sun, no blue skies?”

  “No.” I feel him come up close behind me again. “We will be in the human realm most of the time anyway. You will see the sun, I promise.”

  It’s at that point I yawn. I am exhausted, I hadn’t really slept. I had lay awake most of the night, watching Lorcen sleep. So much had happened, in so short a time.

  “Come on, I’ll let you get some sleep.” He takes my hand in his and leads me back upstairs to his room. He gestures with his head to the dressing room. “Everything you need is in there.”

  With one last smile he leaves me alone and I fall back on to his bed. His bed smells of him. I snuggle into the pillow and close my eyes.

  I open my eyes sleepily and sit up panicked when I don’t recognise where I am. Then reality hits me and I remember I am in the prince of lusts bed. I laugh to myself. That sounded so ridiculous. I, Ebony Lockhart was lying in the prince
of lusts bed, a demon, the son of Lucifer. Outside it is still pitch black. I stretch out and then pad over to the dressing room and stop still when I see it is kitted out with female clothes on one side. I look through the clothes and drawers everything is in my size. I eventually find a drawer with underwear. I find a pair of dark jeans and a red tartan shirt and quickly slip them on, along with a pair of black ankle boots.

  My curiosity gets the better of me and I go to seek him out. I venture into the lounge area, but he isn’t there, so I head down to the basement. I find him in the gym room. I stop still when I take him in. He is stood in nothing but shorts and is punching the life out of a boxing bag. His tattoos glisten with sweat, as he pummels the bag with no mercy. I had never been a fan of tattoo’s and he was covered in them. I had to admit that they suited him. I decide to stop creepily watching him and move into the room. He looks over at me and immediately stops his assault on the bag. He pulls one his headset from his ears.

  “Did you manage to sleep?”

  I nod and sit myself on the end of a weight bench. “How long was I out?”

  “About four hours.” He pulls off his gloves and wipes his face with a towel.

  My stomach makes a large growling noise. “Do you have food here?”

  He smirks. “Yes, I have food. Come on, let’s feed you?” He offers me his hand again and I shake my head.

  “No thanks. No offence but you are all sweaty.”

  He grins and before my eyes he changes, his gym shorts are gone and he is stood before me in jeans and a black t-shirt, all dry and not a drip of sweat on him. “Better?” He asks me with a grin.

  I nod and place my hand in his. When we get to the kitchen he tells me to take a seat at the island and I do.

  “Do you eat normal food?”

  “I can, but I don’t need to.” He grins. “I like alcohol though.”

  “So, you could live off lust alone?” I ask, slightly blushing again.

  “Yes, I can.”

  I nod and look down at my hands. This conversation was awkward, but I needed to know.

  “How often do you err, feed?”

  He comes and leans on the counter opposite me. His dark playful eyes rest upon mine. “That depends on how good the sex is. But I usually feed at least every other day. Sometimes more, sometimes less.”

  I nod. Okay, yep this was awkward. “Have you fed recently?”

  He laughs and my head jerks up to meet his. “You worried I’m going to jump on you in some ravenous frenzy flower?” I gulp and remain silent and this makes him laugh again. “I fed last night.”

  Thank Christ for that. I did not need a lustfully hungry demon to deal with. “Oh, that’s good. With a human girl?”

  He leans in closer to me, his eyes not leaving mine. “With two. Together.”

  I startle when a woman walks into the kitchen. She is blonde like the women that bathed me yesterday and she wears the same plain black fitted dress as them.

  “Bacon and eggs okay?” He asks me.

  “Is she here to make it?” I ask looking at the girl who proceeds to take eggs out of the fridge and cook me my breakfast.

  “Does she live here?”

  He frowns at me. “No, of course not. She comes when I call her.”

  I look back to the girl. “Hi.” Once again, I am ignored.

  Kol puts a hand on her hip. “You can talk to her.”

  The girl looks at him and nods and then her gaze fall on me. “Hello your grace.”

  I am not sure why she calls me by that title, but I let it go and smile at her. “What is your name?”

  She brushes her long hair out of her eyes and smiles at me. She is very beautiful and I wonder if Kol and her have.., you know.

  “My name is Kyra.” She continues to cook my meal and eventually plates it up and places it down before me. She then walks back around to Kol and stands beside him, as if awaiting instruction.

  Kol tears his gaze from me and offers Kyra a warm smile. “You may leave now Kyra.”

  She nods but hesitates and looks at me and then back at Kol. “Do you need to feed sire?”

  I nearly choke on a piece of bacon. Kol the bastard, grins at my reaction. “No thank you.”

  She nods and leaves as quickly and silently as she arrived. I sit silently and eat my meal, whilst he sits there and watches me. Sighing I put down my fork and look at him.

  “Are you really just going to sit there and watch me eat?”

  He grins at me, his eyes dark with humour. “I like watching you eat.”

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, well I don’t like being watched, so go do something.”

  He laughs and stands up. “You have only been here a few hours and you already sound like my mate, ordering me about.”

  I stop still and look down at my plate. Here I am laughing and joking with Kol and Lorcen is likely going through hell. He will be awake now and will know that I am gone. My heart hurts thinking about him.

  I hear him pad out of the room and don’t look up until he is gone. Why do I feel guilty about thinking about Lorcen when I am around him? I have every right to think about my mate. I twiddle the necklace around my neck that he gave me.

  ‘Lorcen.’ I call out to him in my mind, but I get no response.

  I take my plate to the sink and wash it and then take myself over to the sofa and sit down. I don’t have a clue how to entertain myself here. I left my phone behind and my beloved kindle.

  He comes back into the main room a few minutes later. “We are going out.” He announces as he sits himself beside me.

  “We are?” I am pleased to have something to do.

  “I’m going to take you to meet one of my brothers today.”

  “One of them. How many do you have?”

  He smiles at me. “There are seven of us. One for each of the seven sins.”

  I look at him in surprise and tuck my legs under me, edging closer to him. I’m eager to learn more.

  “So, which sinful brother am I meeting today?” I ask joking and this earns me a genuine smile from him.

  “Today you are meeting Pride.”

  I nod, processing this latest information. “So, pride feeds off pride?”

  He nods. “Greed feeds off greed, Envy off envy and so on.”

  “Cool.” A thought hit’s me then. “Wait, I’m half demon. Do I need to feed off anything?”

  He leans into me and grins. “Why? Are you feeling hungry for something?”

  I roll my eyes and push him away gently. “Ha-ha. Seriously though, do I?”

  He shakes his head. “If you have never fed before then the hunger will not be there.”

  “Okay.” I say jumping up. “Let’s not go there. Can we go?”

  He looks up at me lazily, from where he sits on the sofa. “Not yet no. We need to dress you appropriately first.”

  He sits there looking me up and down and then I feel my clothes change. I look down and I am stood in a red lace body-con dress that just about covers my arse and black heels.

  I fold my arms and look at him. “Could you have put me in anything tighter?”

  He laughs and winks at me. “This is a demon hang-out flower, you need to blend in.”

  CHAPTER THREE.

  He leads me outside and I expect the landscape around us to change and us be there already, but no he surprises me when two large wings open from his back.

  “Wow.” I exhale and take a step back to take in his wings. His wings are as black as night and like mine once were, they are like flesh, no feathers adorn them. On the end of the wings are sharp claws.

  He grins at me, whilst I stand there taking him in. “Well, come on. I’ve shown you mine so now you show me yours.”

  I shake my head firmly. “No, not happening. Besides why do I need my wings out?”

  He looks at me like I’m simple. “Because we are flying there flower.”

  Oh crap! I bite my lip and looks nervously at him. “I can’t fly.”

  His ey
es widen. “You’re joking right?”

  “No joke. I can’t fly. I don’t like heights. I don’t like my wings.”

  He stalks forward, his huge wings still out and takes my chin in his hand. “Your wings will be just as beautiful as you are. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Flying is in your blood.”

  “No.” I tell him firmly.

  He stares intently at me for a few seconds and then shrugs. “Okay.” Before I can protest, he sweeps me up into his arms.

  “What are you doing?!” I demand.

  “I’m holding you, so that I can fly us out of here.” Our faces are far too close for my liking.

  “Well go on then.” I bark out. “The sooner I’m back on land, the better.”

  He chuckles at me as he soars into the air and I wrap my arms tightly around his neck and bury my head in the crook of his shoulder.

  “Comfortable?” He asks and I can hear the humour in his tone.

  “No, but you can stop looking so pleased with yourself and just get us there already.”

  We have been in the air for a few minutes and I start to relax a little and open my eyes to look at him.

  “Please don’t hate me for this.” He says softly.

  I look at him puzzled and I am about to ask him what on earth he is talking about, when the fucker drops me like a sack of spuds. I freefall away from him, down through the dark night and to sure death.

  He swoops down and flies just above me. “Open them flower.”

  I scream out “Kol! I can’t fly! I don’t know how” I continue to hurtle through the night.

  “You can.” He shouts back firmly. “They are a part of you. Open them now!”

  I close my eyes and will my wings to open and I hear a whooshing sound and feel myself lift slightly with the wind.

  “That’s it, now move them. Come on flower you are running out of time!”

  I’m going to kick the shit out of this demon, if I don’t die that is. I focus hard on making my wings move and they move slightly and then again.

  “That’s it. Now push up, use your wings.”

  My wings flap but not powerfully enough to be able to hold me up and although it’s night I know the ground is getting closer. Kol swears from above me and swoops down and pulls me into the safety of his arms. I pummel my fists into his chest as the tears roll down my face.