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Lucifer shuffles in place, adjusting to lean his shoulder against the bars. “You were bound to protect hermortalheart with your own. The moment she died, the deal was broken. That’s why the fates have left you alone. I’m not a monster, no matter how much you try to think me one. The deal sped up her feelings since I changed the timeline by allowing her to stay on Earth. I needed her to love you quickly so you could get married.”
I drop the lock and it slams against the bars. There’s hardly enough magic to contain a mortal, let alone the Devil.
“What does falling in love with him have to do with the war? Tell me, or I’ll leave you to figure out how to get the rest of the magic out of the lock on your own.” He stays quiet, moving to sit in his seat in the corner of his cell. “Tell me,” I snap, my hair bursting into flames, filling my nose with the smell of burnt ozone.
“You were planned,” Lucifer says with a huff. “I picked you out of all the other nephilim Belphegor and the other watchers sired because you were a witch born from a powerful line. Marriage connects you through a bond and it gives Kai access to your power, like a battery, but only if the bond is set and for that, you have to marry him willingly enough to be open to it. You were going to fall in love with each other, regardless. I just had to make sure you were married before we go to war.” He flips a hand at the bars. “May I go now?”
My teeth grind as I pick up the lock again, sucking dry the last of its power. It takes Lucifer all of two seconds to stand and pop into existence outside the cage.
“Well, then. Where and when should I meet you to discuss war plans?”
35
Alice
We return to the guest house, neither of us speaking the entire walk back. “Did you know?” I ask the moment he shuts the door. “That he intended to use me as a battery?”
“No. I knew he picked you specifically, but I was oblivious to the reason behind it or the marriage portion.” His hand dances across my shoulder. “Alice, I didn’t put that ring on your finger for your power. I did it because I love you more than the air I fucking breathe, and the thought of you with someone else made me sick.” He swoops the hair away from my neck, planting a kiss against my pulse. “I did it because there’s no one else in this world I’d want to spend eternity with, and the sheer thought of living this life without you by my side breaks my heart.”
Sucking in a breath, I let go of the anger Lucifer roused deep inside me. Regardless of his manipulation, I am with the man I love–the man who truly loves me for me. The Devil can burn in Hell for all I’m concerned, but I stand by my decision to set him free. If I’m going to survive the coming days with those I love–my husband, my friends–still breathing, we’re going to need Lucifer’s help.
“I know that…” I say, spinning to loop my arms around his neck. “I just hate feeling like my fate is decided for me. That I have no say in it.”
His arms pull tight, crushing me against his chest as he rests his chin on the top of my head. “I know. You’re not the only one.”
“Make me forget,” I whisper against his chest, sliding my hands down his bare stomach and feeling the ripples of the lean muscle beneath his skin.
I don’t need to see his smirk. I can hear it in his voice as he laughs silently. “That I can do.” His arms relinquish their hold and he pulls away enough to look down at my face. “Tell me, Little Witch, do you want me to love you or hate you tonight?”
My eyebrows shoot up. “I get a choice?”
“You’ll always get a choice with me.”
“Hmmm,” I breathe, pulling at the belt around his waist until the buckle clangs free. “I want you to let me do as I see fit.”
Kai snorts, his tongue sliding across the edges of his teeth as he grins. “As you wish.” His hands knit together behind his head, giving me a show of flexing muscle.
“Stay here,” I say, grabbing the stack of things Clamara helped me pick out and heading into the ensuite bathroom. Inside is the lingerie the royal tailor and seamstresses created for me. I hold up the thin strips of lace that will be my outfit for the evening. There’s a set of lace stockings, a garter belt that clips to them, and a form-fitting corset style bra that clasps in the front for me to be able to put on by myself with ease. It drifts down to the middle of my stomach and is made up of white satin and sheer lace.
When I step into the bedroom again, I find Kai still standing in the middle of the room, his hands linked behind his head. His eyes catch a glimpse of me and his pupils blow. His chest expands as his lips part, and his amber gaze traces down my body, leaving a scorching trail of goosebumps in its wake. Catching himself, his mouth closes and the lump in his throat bobs, clearly enthused by what he sees.
A heated stirring in my middle tells me I’m right. Kai was right. The bond isn’t as intense as the paint we used after the fight near the barrier, but it’s enough for me to sing praises to the priestess who linked it. Knowing how the very sight of me affects him sends a shiver of pleasure radiating through me.
“You like what you see,” I say, not propositioning it as a question but a statement.
“Yes,” he says, licking his lips. “I always do. You’re a very attractive woman, but knowing you love me, and that I love you–mind, body, and soul–makes it hard to breathe.” His eyes track me as I step closer, drawing out the distance between us and in no rush for this end. My heart thumps in a wild cadence in my chest. The things that come out of that mouth… They can leave me in complete awe.
Reaching for him, I kiss the valley between his full pecs, leaving a blood red print of my lipstick behind, and holding his stare. He groans as his chest expands fully, flexing his fingers. I can feel the tingles he’s experiencing race through my body, fluttering through my core.
“What should I do with you?” I trace my finger lightly from the top of his sternum down through the divots of his abs before working on the buttons of his pants.
“Whatever you’d like, but only if I get my turn to do the same.”
My cheeks flush with heat as his eyes flick between man and monster, like he’s fighting for control while his body stays still. “Deal.”
I slip his pants and boxers down his legs, freeing his already dripping cock. It springs up, begging for me to touch it, but I’m not ready yet. Bending, I remove his boots so he can step out of them and his bunched clothes, and when I’m finished, I glance up to find him watching every move I make. My tongue darts between my lips and I wrap my hand around his pulsing length. I can feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my fingertips and I track my bottom lip between my teeth.
“How much do you want me?” I ask, pumping my hand once from the base to the tip.
