AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Taken me sooner?” What is he talking about? I’m so confused. He’s right that I don’t know anything he’s talking about. “You have to be mistaken about whatever it is you think about me. No one’s been hiding me. It’s called being depressed, jobless, and unknowingly drugged into being sick.”
“Drugged? Of course. It makes perfect sense he’d become a pharmacist to enable his dark deeds. It’s less messy. If I had found you sooner, I’d have never allowed that bastard to lay his hands on you,” he adds, not even trying to answer my questions. He acts like his comment somehow makes any of this okay. “In fact, I plan to make sure he doesn’t ever use his hands again at all.”
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. I couldn’t respond even if I wanted to.
“I will bring them to you.” Kase smirks at his thought as if he thinks such a thing is some sort of acceptable gift. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? Or would you prefer for me to hold him down so you can start by breaking his fingers? Add a little revenge to his punishment.”
Again, I don’t respond.
A knock sounds on the doorframe, interrupting my attempt to try to say something, anything. “What’s taking so long, Kase? Lucian is growing impatient. This must be handled now. If she’s not marked, they will come. We can’t let that happen. We’ve been waiting so long.”
I whip my attention to Dante, his comment knocking a reaction into me. I manage to pull my attention away from Kase’s psychobabble and scoot away from him. My gaze darts to the front of his cut shirt to where he forced me to stab him. Disbelief turns me mushy-headed again. While dark ruby blood stains his skin, the wound has disappeared.
Reaching up, I caress my fingers over his tight abs. “What the—”
Kase snatches my wrist and drags me to my feet. “All right, angel-girl. You can touch me all you want later if you let me touch you back. But right now, you’re Lucian’s. Let’s go.”
My eyes widen, my body kicking into action. I scream out and swing my fist, trying to hit him away. Dante laughs and steps forward. He grabs my free hand, and the two of them tug me along like a doll. Shrieking, I skid my bare feet on the wood floors, trying to gain traction to resist. Nothing works. There is nothing stopping them. I feel so utterly helpless—worse than when I had to rebuild my life after I broke things off with Joel. Worse than losing my job and having it taken away from me. Possibly worse than being left to die.
“I love when they realize they’re powerless,” Dante says, swinging me by my wrist. “You’ll feel better when you know your place, pretty soul. I think you’ll like it.”
The rotting smell grows more intense, and panic tightens my chest. I’m going to die. I know it. Heat simmers in the hallway, hazing the air. Gasping, I struggle to breathe in the thickening air. Sweat prickles across my skin and soaks through the robe. I can’t do anything at all as these two fuckers drag me into the living room and drop me on the floor.
I push up on my hands and gawk at the horned beast standing within a burning circle right in the middle of the floor. I do the one damn thing I swore I’d never do after watching horror movies. I freeze and scream like a banshee.
Trying to scramble away, I bump into Dante’s shins. He remains sturdy in place behind me. Kase squats next to me and smiles. His handsome face lights up, and I can’t help wondering why the hell this asshole has to be so damn hot.
“Aw, come on, angel-girl. Don’t be a rude bitch. That bastard mortal you were banging can’t even compare to the sexiness that Lucian encompasses. Look at those horns. They’re perfect to clutch onto if he likes you enough to let you ride his face.” Kase chuckles at my reaction, his suggestion the absolute last thing in the universe I need crossing my mind right now. Ugh.
Dante laughs from above me and pets his fingers through Kase’s light brown hair. “Maybe you should show her some fun with y—”
“Bring the soul to me.” The guttural growling voice cuts Dante off and snaps my attention from Kase and to the towering beast nearly as tall as the vaulted ceiling of the living room. The flames dance and grow with his movements, yet he never leaves the circle. “I must see it for myself. I need to touch it.” The soul? It? Fuck. This thing is talking about me.
“No,” I whisper, my heart crashing against my ribcage. Sweat cools my skin, and my whole body trembles. The idea of the fiery beast’s clawed fingers getting within an inch of me terrifies me on a deep-seated level. He’s not just a monstrous beast. He’s evil. Dark. Demonic. Nothing good can ever come from him. “God, ple—”
Dante covers my mouth from behind at the same time the beast roars. The circle of fire burns brighter, hotter, and I try everything I can to break free. Lifting me up, Dante restrains me in front of him, carrying me toward the creature. It stomps its giant hooved feet to the floor and stretches out its humanoid hands. Long curled claws shine like onyx stones in the fire. I can’t take my eyes off the creature, traveling my gaze up the length of his body. Molten orange veins climb the beast’s muscular arms, the lava-like substance glowing just under his smooth, dark skin. The veins travel through the rest of his body, all gathering to the center of the monster’s broad chest, pulsing with power unlike anything I could’ve ever imagined.
I cringe and recoil, twisting my head to look away as the heat intensifies, burning the soles of my feet. I screech in pain, bucking and fighting, begging anyone who can hear me to help me, to make it stop.
Like some force finally gives in to answer my prayers, the burning sensation fades. A cool gust of wind licks over my heated skin, soothing the agonizing memory of the beast and fire until the spicy-sweet scent of cinnamon and chocolate engulfs me, pushing away the rotting smell permeating the living room.
“Raven Rose, your soul is far lighter and more damaged than the dark beauty your name encompasses.” The velvety rich voice hums everywhere and nowhere, caressing my ears while also filling my mind with a powerful, indescribable essence. “I expected more from you.”
It takes everything in me to open my eyes. Sucking in a breath, I flutter my lashes open and stare in shock at the startling handsome face of the man cradling me in his arms. His full lips peek from beneath his trimmed beard covering what I suspect is a sharp, angular jawline to match his nose. I rove my gaze over his features, drinking in his shaved hair the same black color as his beard. Black irises blend in with his black pupils, but despite being dark and intense, the depths of his gaze light with the warmth of the fire burning around us. Fire that I realize I can no longer feel.
“How do you know my name?” The question feels wrong coming from my lips, my body and mind feeling disconnected.
“The same way you know mine,” the man says, his lips quirking with a smile.
“Lucifer...” Fuck. I did not just say the name I think I said.
“Lucian,” he corrects, grazing his fingers along my cheek. “I’ve abandoned that cursed name long ago.” Like it matters.
“I don’t understand. I...” My voice trails off.
I never truly believed in Heaven or Hell. I never went to church. Tonight, I prayed out of desperation, like I somehow knew what I was facing. But Lucifer? Satan? The fucking devil or whatever the hell he goes by? I’m losing my mind. This can’t be real. I never thought I was a bad person. I never even cheated on a damn test.
“You have a lot of questions we don’t have time for,” Lucian says, stroking my cheek again like he can read my mind. Maybe he can. “And I have to be certain you’re the one I want.”
