Luxure - The Cardinal Brotherhood Book One

by Sienna Parks

  “He needs to know now. Don’t kid yourself. You’re obviously an intelligent woman, but for the life of me, I don’t understand why Lux would risk his life for you.”

  Now she’s making me angry. “That’s enough, Sel.”

  She whips her head around to face me. “Really, Luxure? I have defended you and kept you safe all this time.” She turns to Sirena as she continues. “I have been your only friend, your confidant, your everything for an entire millennium. Surely my protection of you, at the risk of my own life, means something to you?”

  “Of course it does. You know that. But you can’t come in here and question my motives for being with Sirena without one iota of information. It’s not your place… no matter what you’ve done for me. My love is mine to give.”

  The two most important people in my life stand before me. Amazingly strong women as intelligent and fierce as they are beautiful. One with a smile that lights up my world, and one with tears filling her eyes, her heart broken by my words. “Your love? You love her? You’ve known her all of a few weeks, and you don’t even know who she is.”

  “I know everything I need to know. Don’t ask me how, but I feel it in my soul… she’s meant for me.”

  “That’s what you thought about Abiteth.”

  “A low blow for you, Selma. You’re better than that. Yes, I loved Abi, but this is different… more… fated.”

  “I can’t listen to any more of your drivel, Lux. You come and speak to me when you know the truth.”

  “What truth?” My gaze finds Sirena.

  “I’m going to find a room and have a shower. I’ve been traveling for some time now, and I’m exhausted. I’ll fill you in on my findings tomorrow.” As she stands in the doorway, ready to leave us, she turns to me. “Sirena Sovende. Lux, you already know what she is, you’re choosing not to acknowledge it. Think my friend.” And with that, she disappears into the halls of this underground maze.

  Sirena and I stand for what feels like an eternity staring at each other, feeling the weight of her secret between us. I think about Selma’s words. Why would I want to ignore something important about Sirena, about who she is? Selma knows me better than anyone, so I don’t take her words lightly. I say her name over and over in my mind—Sirena Sovende—Sirena Sovende. Sirena… and then it dawns on me… her name means Siren. Sovende is Danish for sleeping, dormant. As I slowly piece it all together, an overwhelming sense of dread settles in the pit of my stomach. Dormant Siren. Sirena is a dormant Siren. The tattoos, the eyes, her skin in the shower earlier today, even her ability to see me in my true form. She’s not half-angel. “You’re half-demon?”

  Tears begin to fall down her cheeks dropping to the floor. Her body crumples, but I quickly make a move to catch her. She can’t contain her despair. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”

  “Is this the news your father told you?”

  “Yes.” She sobs.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because you fell in love with an angel, not a demon. I was scared you wouldn’t look at me the same way.” She buries her face in my chest.

  “Sirena. Has it escaped your attention that I’m a demon? A full, one hundred percent demon, second-in-command to Lucifer for centuries, and head of The Brotherhood. I’m as evil as it gets.”

  Her eyes lift to meet mine still wet with tears. “That’s not who you are. Not now. I see you, Luxure. I see your heart, and I don’t see evil or darkness.”

  “Because you don’t want to see those things. They are there, and until I met you, they ruled my every move.”

  “What changed?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. You have an effect on me that no one ever has. I can’t explain it, and I can’t deny it. I love you, Sirena. Angel, demon, human, or not—I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” As I stare into her eyes, the realization of what she truly is slams into my chest with the force of a stampeding herd of wildebeest. She feels my torment and wrongly assumes I’m upset. “But, are you sure you can love me the same as you did before knowing that I’m not good? That I’m not an angel.”

  I take her face in my hands forcing her to hear the words I’m about to speak. “Sirena, you have no idea quite how amazing you are. You have the purest soul of anyone I’ve ever met in my very long existence. There is nothing bad or evil about you. Don’t you see? The fact that you have lived a human life is a testament to your goodness.”

  “But what about everything that’s happening to me now? Am I becoming bad? Am I becoming a demon rather than human?”

  “I don’t have the answer to that. All I know is that you have an unparalleled capacity for love and acceptance—truly unique in your beauty—inside and out. Whatever is happening, I think it has something to do with both of us. The effects we have on each other. Somehow, we are linked. The question is how and why?” I press a gentle kiss to her lips. “I will find out, and I will protect you from anything and everything that gets in our way. I promise you that—even if I have to lay down my life to do so.”

  She kisses me with an urgency I’ve never felt from her, and I gladly reciprocate giving her the assurance she needs—my words not enough to allay her fears. It seems so obvious now that she was destined to be a Siren. A destiny that she avoided. She breaks our kiss and stands, every move she makes is a seductive dance. “Come to bed with me.”

  I can’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. “I’ll be there in a minute. I just need to make a quick call.” I see the question in her eyes. Afraid that I’m rejecting her. “I promise I’ll be there as soon as I can. I can’t wait to strip you naked and kiss every inch of your body.” I give her a kiss that leaves her with no uncertainty as to my desire for her. “Now go and get ready for me. Rest for a while—it’s going to be a very… long… night.”

  “Don’t be too long. I want you.”

  “Have I mentioned that I’m the luckiest son of a bitch alive?”

  She sashays from the room laughing with a forced façade of ease. Deep down she knows I’m feeling all of the emotions that have gone to war inside of her. I want to make it better, but at the moment, I’m struggling with my own war, and I know I have to get it under control if there is any hope for us.

  When I’m finally alone, I shut off the lights and sit in the darkness. My sight is unaffected by light or dark—I can see just as well. I close my eyes and try to shut out the knowledge I now know to be true. The knowledge that scares me more than anything in this vast universe.

  It has been rumored throughout time that some souls are strong enough to decide their fate… to change the course of their destiny.

  I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t contemplated the possibility over the centuries. Why did I become the demon I am? Why was I chosen to be exiled from the creator of all things from the moment of my creation? Was my soul so blackened and so evil before I came into being, that I would never be worthy to stand in front of the Almighty and have him gaze upon me with pride? Surely, I am being punished for something that he imposed on me for all eternity?

  I’ve always taken solace in the fact that no one has ever encountered one of these souls. Their mere existence would fly in the face of everything I’ve believed about myself since the beginning of time. I never had a choice… never had a chance to choose my fate… to choose to be good. Everything I do, evil as it may be, is my purpose in this world. Therefore, I am absolved of responsibility. If Sirena is what I now know her to be, then it all comes crashing down. Everything I thought I knew is a lie. She is a dormant Siren who chose to be good. She was destined to be evil, to live for eternity in the Underworld and revel in it. She is more unique in this world than even I anticipated. A sultry seductress who chose humanity above all else, giving up immortality to be pure of heart, to pave her way and have true free will. Sirena Sovende is the strongest soul this world has ever known, and with that stark truth, I am tormented.

  Can she ever really be mine? I am not worthy of such a
soul, of such a heart. She is in danger because of me, and now it’s my job to keep her safe. If the Underworld finds out what she truly is, they will kill her. I won’t let that happen. I will not let another woman I love be murdered by Lucifer.

  I’m startled by the door swinging open behind me. “Why are you sitting in the dark, dear brother?”

  “Kade? I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

  He flicks the switch casting a light on my turmoil. “We have much to discuss. Grab the liquor. It’s going to be a long night…”

  15

  LUXURE

  Kade and I talk through the night. My worst fears are confirmed. The Vollstrecker know that I am alive and well, and on the run with a human woman. Thankfully, as yet, neither them nor Kade know what she is. At this point, it’s between Sirena, Selma, and me. I know Luc better than anyone. He won’t rest until he finds out everything there is to know about my traveling companion. Unfortunately, he knows me well. He knows I wouldn’t keep a woman around unless she means something to me, and if she means something to me, she must be quite extraordinary. It’s only a matter of time until they uncover at least part of the truth. We need to head them off at the pass and come up with a preemptive plan of attack.

  “If we’re going to keep you both safe, we need to reunite The Brotherhood. It’s the only way to give us the advantage.”

  “No, Kade. I refuse to put all of you in danger. I haven’t seen most of my brothers in almost a millennium. What makes you think they would even want to help me after I deceived them?”

  “Luxure, they are your brothers. I assure you they will feel the same as I do. They will want to help you, and in turn, it will help us take back our stronghold in the Underworld.”

  “Luc will never let that happen. He would never let me return.”

  “You underestimate how much you have been missed, brother. There has been discontent in the Underworld for a long time now.”

  “Discontent?”

  “Azazel doesn’t have the same control over the Vollstrecker that you once had.”

  “What happened?”

  “Your lieutenants were too loyal to you. He couldn’t force their respect, and so he replaced every last one of them. They have been imprisoned for treason almost nine hundred years now. Aze ended up splitting the Vollstrecker into factions. The ones who attacked you were the low levels. They have no place in the army. They are the last resort if numbers are needed. They are the forgotten. The one who managed to get away bargained his way into the level two ranks with information of your sudden reappearance. As far as I know, they killed him as soon as he told them everything.”

  “So he wouldn’t tell anyone else.”

  “Exactly. I think they’re keeping it under wraps for now. Only the top level Vollstrecker will be privy to your existence. There’s no way they would allow everyone to know. It would cause anarchy in the ranks.”

  Kade’s right. “Low levels would risk exposure trying to find me and seek favor with Luc.” I hear Sirena wake in the other room. I don’t want her to worry about all of this. “Okay. We need a plan. Does The Brotherhood still have allies in the Underworld? If there is so much unrest in the ranks, maybe we could quietly garner some support.”

  “I’m on it. But I still believe that we’ll need the brothers to come together if we are to have any chance of long-term success.”

  “Hold off on that for now. Speak to Cole and see where he’s at.” The door handle creaks. “Not a word of this to Sirena. She’s been through enough.”

  “It’s going to get worse before it gets better, Lux. She needs to be prepared.”

  “Prepared for what?” The sweet sound of her voice spreads warmth through every cell in my body.

  I turn to face her with an innocent smile and beckon her over. “Prepared to spend some time holed up in here with me.”

  Her smile is majestic as she takes her place on my lap wrapping her arms around my neck. “I’m sure I can handle it.”

  Her attention shifts to my brother. “Hey, Kade. What are you doing here?”

  His grin makes me uneasy. His unwavering attention to her causes my hands to ball into fists. “Just checking in, filling Lux in on everything. And, I wanted to check that you were safe after such an ordeal at that nasty little diner. You are far too beautiful for lowlifes like that to even lay a finger on. Are you well?” He’s a smarmy shit sometimes, always has been.

  “Luxure has taken good care of me. You needn’t concern yourself.” Her self-assurance is endearing.

  “You’re family now. Of course, your well-being is my concern.”

  I’m about to have a few choice words with him when the door opens, and Selma walks in. As soon as she sees Sirena cuddled in my lap, her flawless features are marred with pain and jealousy. I hate that I could never reciprocate her feelings, but I never led her on or gave her false hope. I chance a look in Kade’s direction and watch as he studies the scene before him. His intense gaze is switching between Sirena, Selma, and me. I know him too well, even after all this time. His strength has always been his downfall. The envy he inspires in others is also his worst trait.

  “Well, hello. And who might you be?” He stands to greet her.

  “I’m Selma, and you must be Kadedus.”

  “My reputation precedes me.” He reaches out his hand—holding hers a beat too long. I can almost see the cogs working overtime in his mind.

  “I’ve spent enough time with Luxure to pick any one of you out of a lineup. Nothing more, nothing less.”

  “So you must be the selfless Masuulka who kept my brother alive all these years.” He dips his head to kiss the back of her hand. “I am forever in your debt.”

  Selma pulls her hand from his grasp, a look of disgust on her face as she turns to me. “We need to talk, Lux.”

  “We have lots to discuss… later.”

  She glances at Sirena who is more than aware of what I meant. “Of course. Later.”

  Sirena is on me in seconds. “I need to know what’s going on. Don’t try to hide how bad it is, Lux.”

  “Sirena…”

  Kade speaks up. “Selma, why don’t we go and let these two… fight.” His smug grin gets my back up, and all I want to do is punch him.

  “Fuck off, Kade.”

  “Come on, Kadedus. You can get me up to speed while you give me a tour of this maze.” Selma still comes to my rescue, no matter how much I hurt her.

  He readily agrees, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they leave the room. Her usual wit is at work. “Move it or lose it. Put your hands on me again, and I’ll make sure you regret it. Got it?”

  As the door clicks shut, Sirena wastes no time in starting her tirade of questions.

  “I don’t even know where to begin. What were you and Kade talking about all night? What is he telling her right now that you don’t want me to know?”

  “I wanted to shield you from all of it, if only for a little while.”

  “That’s not how our relationship is going to work—equal partnership or nothing. I might be struggling with what the hell I am, but that doesn’t mean I’m weak. I’m strong enough to handle whatever we’re facing… as long as we face it together.”

  “I know you’re strong. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. I just…”

  “Just nothing. Tell me.”

  I explain it all—the changes in the Underworld, what they know about us, what they don’t, who we need to be aware of. I’m in awe as she takes it all in her stride. She’s breathtaking. We talk for hours, and she listens to me—my fears, my concerns for her, for us. She’s incredible. Somehow, when it’s not about what she is and what’s happening to her body, she has an amazing ability to stay cool and calm and process all of the information as if she’s studying for a test. She strategizes ways for us to tackle the adversaries we face. Abiteth was a warrior, but she never showed this kind of strength. It blows me away.

  When all is said and done, the question on both of o
ur lips is, “Are we safe here?” I don’t know the answer. Kade said this was the safest place on Earth for us right now, but Selma found us. I send Sirena to get dressed and wait for me in our room while I speak with Selma. She has a lot of explaining to do, and I fear her answers may mean finding a new place to hide out for a few months.

  Kade and Selma are deep in conversation when I find them in one of the many living rooms. Kade has that look in his eye. The same one he gets when he looks at Sirena… and it bothers me. Selma’s had enough heartache at the hands of a Zonder brother. I’m not proud of that, and I sure as hell won’t let him cause her any further pain in a twisted attempt to get back at me. “Hey, guys. I’m guessing you’re up to date on what’s going on?”

  Kade grins from ear to ear. “It’s been… enlightening.”

  I had forgotten how much he bugs the shit out of me. “Well, now that you’re sufficiently enlightened, can you give me some time to talk to Selma? Alone.”

  “Of course, brother. You have much to discuss. I will take my leave and go in search of the lovely Sirena.”

  I grab his shoulder as he walks by. “No need. She’s resting. Leave. Her. Alone.”

  He knows exactly what I mean. “Whatever you say, Luxure. You’re the boss.” The disdain dripping from every word is palpable.

  He turns his attention back to Selma. “It was delightful talking with you. I really cannot fathom why this imbecile never claimed you as his own. I would’ve done so long ago in his position.”

  She fakes a smile but doesn’t respond with any false niceties. Instead, her focus is solely on me—gauging my reaction and looking for any sign of jealousy. When the door closes, she starts in on me. “How could you be so careless, Luxure? You know better.”

  “I know, and I can’t explain it. But I’m doing the right thing.”

  “Do you have any idea what will happen if the other realms find out about her existence? What did her father have to say about it?”

  “I wasn’t there when she spoke to him. She asked me not to listen, and I respect her privacy.”