Redemption Ch. 10

Rayne rushed out of the washing area, shivering since she still hadn't dried herself. She'd been foolish enough to forget to grab a towel.

Hugging herself, she kept her back to them both, just standing next to the bed, her gaze on the scene outside the window.

A large towel wrapped around her shoulders.. Turning, she saw it was Boy. His lips were soft, reddened, and swollen. Hers tingled, but she doubted they were as passion-roughened as Boy's. His eyes were still dilated, and she could see his erection tenting the towel he'd wrapped around his entire torso and hips.

"I'm going to make us something to eat," Lucien said from the eating area.

Rayne turned wide-eyed to see him pulling boxes and containers from the cabinets.

He was going to prepare them a meal?

Boy unraveled himself from his towel and finished drying off. She just tugged her towel around herself tighter, suddenly feeling shy about being naked in front of both males.

Boy pulled on a t-shirt and some shorts, and went outside again.

Rayne debated as to follow Boy or stay and confront Lucien. He still hadn't given her a reason as to why he'd robbed her of her memories. Just thinking about it brought a fresh wave of anger.

Mind made up, she stalked into the eating area. It only took four steps from the bed.

Arms folded tight over her chest, she faced him, but he gave her his back as he moved around grabbing things for their meal.

"Why?" she demanded.

Briefly, he gave her a glance over his shoulder. "Why what?"

Rayne finished approaching and leaned against the counter to look at his face. His utter beauty took her breath away. She was mute for a few awkward seconds until he turned to look at her fully. One brow arched.

Rayne took a deep breath, blinking rapidly as she gathered her silly scattered thoughts back on track. "You took away my memories of you," she accused hotly.

Long, gold-tipped lashes swept over chiseled cheeks, before he fixed her with his mesmerizing stare. "Yes."

Rayne just gaped at him. Silence stretched on with nothing but birds twittering outside and traffic humming by.

"Yes? That's it? That's all you have to say?" she exclaimed indignantly.

He shook his hair back and her focus fell on his cheek. The long multifaceted gold strands of his hair had hidden deep scratches on his cheek and a forming blue bruise. She'd hit him, but she hadn't realized...she was sure she hadn't scratched him. Still, the sight of the damage to his face made her heart twist in agony.

"I had to do it, Girl."

"Why do you keep calling me Girl?"

"So that we don't get confused with you and Boy. She refuses to take a name—"

"She?"

Lucien ran an agitated hand through his hair, turning away. "Boy had morphed into a girl until this morning, I guess. I'm used to referring to her as she."

Rayne frowned, "but he told me he preferred to be a he."

Lucien's eyes snapped back to her. "Really?"

"Yes," Rayne whispered. He loved Boy. She could see it in his eyes. Was that why he'd erased her memories? So that he wouldn't have to deal with her?

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest.

"Did you...? Did we become intimate?"

Lucien looked at her again. "Yes, we did."

Heat engulfed her. How intimate had they gotten? She knew she was still a virgin. Her hymen was intact. "I wouldn't have interfered between you and Boy. Is that...?"

"Don't," he snapped, his eyes growing hard. "It's not like that. I didn't fuck you and toss you aside for Boy."

"Did you fuck me?" Her face went hot. Had he and then had her hymen repaired? The thought horrified her.

"No," Lucien hissed coming closer. His hands gripped her arms. "Rayne, you wanted to hurt yourself. You had a breakdown and we thought it better to..." his head dipped, chin touching his chest as he huffed a frustrated breath.

"Better to what?" she insisted, wanting to know all the terrible truth. She didn't remember trying to hurt herself.

"We all wanted what was best for you, so I had the cyborgs reprogram your mind to be more accepting of what they did to save you."

She blinked at him stunned by what he was saying.

"If we'd have found you before them, Rem could've saved you, but the cyborgs say you were unresponsive. They had seconds to save you...the only way they know how."

They turned her into a cybernetic organism. She looked up into his face, wondering if it was because she wasn't fully human—

"No. I put distance between us to keep you safe, but you've followed me yet again, little one."

All she could do was stare up at him, want him, long to recover those memories between them that were lost to her, because he thought he needed to keep her safe. From what?

He reached out to her with one finger, tracing the curve of her cheek. "What am I to do with you?"

His lips drew nearer and Rayne melted, her gaze dropping to his lush mouth as her lips parted to accept his kiss. Just a hairsbreadth away, pounding on the metal door startled them both apart.

Lucien moved her aside and stalked to the door. He palmed it open and was immediately slammed against the wall by Amaranth.

"Oh, thank-god I've—" Her eyes found Rayne and she released Lucien to run and hug her. "Rayne. You scared the living daylights out of us." Releasing her to hold her at arm's length, she frowned down at Rayne. "Why did you take off? Have you any idea how dangerous it is for someone as little as you to be roaming this planet unescorted?"

"She knows now," Lucien snorted behind them before Rayne could say a word.

Amaranth turned to look at him over her shoulder before looking back at Rayne with a frown. "What happened?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Rayne answered.

Lucien scoffed and strode forward. "She was kidnapped and almost raped by a crazy geneticist."

Amaranth's jaw dropped.

"I would've gotten free if you hadn't shown up," Rayne argued hotly.

Lucien ignored her and narrowed his eyes on Amaranth. "Why did you bring her here?"

Amaranth frowned. "She said she got left behind and needed to find you guys."

Lucien's almond-shaped eyes narrowed to slits. "If we'd wanted her along we wouldn't have left her behind.'

Amaranth flushed scarlet, and her hands dropped from Rayne's arms.

At that moment, Seth stepped in and froze when he saw the pretty, red-haired reaper.

"What are you doing here?" he said with a frown once his apparent shock wore off.

"She's the one who brought Rayne here," Lucien growled through clenched teeth.

Rayne pushed past Amaranth, and scowled at both Alpha Angels. "I asked her to help me get to Earth. It was my choice, not hers, to be here."

Lucien's eyes became icier than usual. He just stood there before her, bare-chested and beautiful, blond hair spilling about his spectacular broad shoulders.

"Seth, Grab your girlfriend and leave...now," he said in an eerily calm voice.

Rayne swallowed hard, and watched as Seth made a sweeping gesture to Amaranth.

The girl reaper snorted. "Fine. But I'm not his girlfriend."

Seth smirked, his pale-blue eyes smoldering as she sashayed by him. A little growl purred in his chest as he flashed his fangs. "Yeah, but you know you want to be."

Amaranth's only reply was to smack him with her wings.

Seth smirk turned wolfish. "I'll have you know, Eriel already told me you do that because you're fucking hot for my ass."

Amaranth's squeal of anger was all Rayne heard before Lucien closed the doors on the other couple. He slapped his hand against the locking mechanism before turning toward her.

Something in his eyes had her backing away when he began to stalk her.

"You've changed," he growled.

She stumbled over the uneven floor between the eating and sleeping area, her towel slipping a bit.

Lucien gripped the front of the towel and ripped it off her body.

Rayne covered her breasts and groin with her hands, and glared at him.

"You had me reprogrammed, remember?"

His eyes drew down to where she covered herself in disapproval.

"Then I guess we're going to need a new program."

He gripped her arm and hauled her over to the bed.

Rayne gasped when he sat and yanked her facedown over his lap.

"Let's see..." he murmured, smoothing his big palm over her ass cheeks. "Lesson number one. This is my domain, inside these four walls I am Lord and Master. Do you understand that?"

Rayne sputtered her indignation, "No. I—"

He yanked her up and stood. Next thing she knew he'd shoved her out the window.

Rayne stumbled onto the porch, eyes wide as the sunlight struck her skin in all her naked glory. There were people on the street below them strolling by. Most stopped to gawk at her. Some laughed and pointed. Others whistled and began recording with their com-units.

Rayne spun, doing her best to cover her exposed ass.

"Let me in," she exclaimed.

"Who am I?" Lucien asked, eyes narrowed and hands braced against the window's frame, blocking her path to propriety.

"An asshole," Rayne spat.

Lucien grinned. "Wrong answer, sweetheart—and, Boy, if you cover her, you'll be next in line for punishment."

Rayne turned to gape at Boy as he shyly backed away. "Boy?" she whispered.

He just shrugged and rubbed his backside. "He's got a heavy hand."

She turned back to glare at Lucien. "You spanked Boy?"

Lucien just shrugged, his eyes sparkling devilishly, and damn the breeze for blowing through his golden locks and taking her breath away even more.

Rayne stomped her foot. "You are not my Lord or my Master."

"And that's why you're standing out there," he replied. "I can have one of the reapers come down and take you back to the spaceport, and escort you back to Alpha 7. You're not staying here and defying the chain of command."

Rayne clenched her teeth, wanting to hate him for being so infuriatingly bossy. "Fine," she snapped. "You're Lord and Master," she tipped her nose up and stared down at him, "within those four walls."

Lucien's eyes narrowed and her head spun when he yanked her back inside. Again, she was draped over his thighs, head down, ass up in the air, his hand holding her down.

A flutter of excitement raced through her as she gripped his boot with one hand to steady herself.

"Let's hear that again, but this time with more respect. Who am I?" he growled through clenched teeth.

"The asshole Lord and Master of these four walls."

He walloped her ass twice. Tears sprang to her eyes and a sob lodged in her throat.

"Let's try that again," he said softly. His hand smoothed over her stinging cheeks lovingly now, making the burning in her eyes and nose more pronounced.

"Y-you're Lord and Master." She replied tightly.

"And whose domain is this?"

"Yours," she managed to get out over the ever-growing lump in her throat.

"Mine," he repeated softly, his hand rubbing soft soothing circles over her ass.

Boy's words echoed in her mind. Home is with Lucien.

She had no home. She did not have Lucien. He belonged to Boy. She was not welcome here...nor wanted. Why had she insisted on coming?

Her arms were wrenched behind her back, making her gasp and stiffen. He'd used his power again to bind her wrists behind her back. She just hung limply, draped over his strong thighs. She would take his thrashing and then tell Amaranth to take her back to Alpha 7.

"As Lord and Master of this domain, my word is law, not to be disobeyed, or punishment will ensue. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Sir," she replied.

"Good girl," he answered, his hand sliding up the center of her back. Lesson number two. You are never again to put your life in danger for me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're seeking me out and coming here has put your life in danger, and I will punish you for that...right now. Do you understand that, Girl?"

"Yes, sir," she choked out.

"No, Rayne. You don't understand, but you will soon."

He moved her to sit astride him, her bare ass resting on the rough material of his pants, her feet dangling off the floor from how long his legs were. He pulled her tight against him and cupped her face so she stared deep into his eyes.

Rayne felt herself being drawn into the ice-blue depths, deeper and deeper, until she felt she was drowning.

Fear gripped her hard when darkness swallowed her, a void so black and cold it threatened to smother her. She wasn't sure how, but she was inside his mind, feeling his emotions, reliving a moment of his past.

He ran, sharp stones cutting into the soles of his feet. They were after him. He'd managed to get away after they dragged him out of the sorceress' dungeon on Arboria, but they were close behind.

He headed toward a faint glowing ahead when he heard a whimper behind him and froze in his tracks.

Another bleat of terror had him backtracking. It could be a trick, but god-damn-it, what if they'd pulled one of the girls down here as well? Anniel barely had any power. They'd shred her to pieces and leave them behind just to mind fuck him.

Lucien ran back, but what he saw when he finally raced back into the cavern he'd just escaped from had his eyes going round. It was worse than Anniel. It was that sweet girl he'd found in the tower room.

The devils circled her, snickering and laughing amongst themselves. The girl huddled in their midst, terror flaring in her big doll-like blue eyes.

Possessiveness bloomed in Lucien's heart as he opened his tattered wings and swooped down to grab her.

Tails whipped his body, struck the girl who wrapped herself around him and cried out in agony. Lucien flew across the cavern toward another opening. She was slowing him down, but if he released her, they'd kill her.

He spiraled down a deep crevice and squeezed into a narrow niche where he huddled around the shivering girl. Pressing her face against his chest, he held his breath. She couldn't breathe, but at least that way she wouldn't make noise.

The horde of devils fluttered past, thankfully never noticing their hiding place.

The girl stiffened in his tight embrace, but didn't fight him. He released her once all the devils had flown past.

She gasped, panted against his chest, her little feminine body limp and pliant against him. God—how long had it been since he felt a naked female pliant against him. She began kissing his chest, making his eyes tear. Her soft hands stroked him and he longed to just enjoy the loving attention. Attention he usually never received, not unless it was coerced or demanded. This felt nice, but it was the wrong moment...and clearly, she was confused. No one could ever love him or feel affection for him. He was the dark prince.

"Stop," he demanded. Holding her close, he fluttered down to the ground near a pool of dark water.

He uttered the incantation necessary to open a portal back to Arboria. He could feel the devils locking in on him. Lucien hauled the sweet girl into his arms and kissed her deeply. It was selfish of him, but he needed it. He needed to feel of her soft mouth against his. Just one more taste of sweetness before the bitter again. "If you know what's good for you, you will never seek me out. Do you understand?"

He never let her answer. Just pushed her into the deep pool and closed the portal before the devils found her.

It was too late to escape, but he fought. He fought them with everything he had.

With Lucifer's blade, he hacked about twenty of the disgusting creatures before it flew from his hand and he was pinned facedown on the dirt.

His legs were yanked open, making him cringe. "Oh, please, no. Not again"—he cried within his tortured mind.

Terror had bile rising up his throat as he watched a delicate pair of feet approaching.

The fallen angel made a disapproving sound. "Lucien-Lucien-Lucien, why do you hack away at my children?"

"Fuck-you," Lucien spat.

The angel snickered before leaning down to look at him in the eyes.

Red-blond curls framed a devastatingly beautiful androgynous face with bright blue-green eyes. "Wrong, Lucien. It is me who will fuck you. And then I'll leave you to my children, who like to fuck you too."

The angel spread Lucien's ass cheeks and spit on his rosette.

Lucien cringed when he felt the Angel's cock pierce him. The fucker was thick, and it burned. Lucien wanted to vomit.

"You feel so fucking good. Almost as tight as your daddy's ass."

Lucien cried out when the fallen angel slammed his hips against his ass, feeling the sharp pain deep in his gut.

Rayne was slammed against the bed when Lucien stood abruptly, terminating the vision he was projecting into her head.

She wanted to go to him, but he kept her power-bound on the bad as he took a few steps away from her, giving her his back.

He was shuddering and panting.

She remembered. She remembered he'd pushed her out of that hellish place...and then he'd been raped afterward, trying to protect her.

Her tears flowed now.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

He stood still a few seconds, back still turned to her, before walking back into the eating area.

"I don't ever want to have to relive that again, Rayne," he said resuming his work at the counter.

******

Girl sat with him just outside the window. They ate the food Lucien had prepared silently. She looked pale and her eyes were rimmed in red. What had Lucien done to her? He'd seen Him spank her, but just twice. Her cute little ass had squirmed on his lap and Boy had found himself growing aroused at the sight of her tiny pussy growing pink and wet. Getting spanked obviously turned her on. Boy just wanted to lick her, remembering how sweet she tasted.

However, he'd, been pulled from his erotic musing when Lucien yanked her to straddle his lap, and then they'd had a staring contest.

It was all very strange. Boy moved slowly to sit on the edge of the window, watching them. Lucien's hands slid down her arms and a look of pain and terror flashed across his countenance. Rayne's eyes grew wide as she stared into Lucien's.

Boy frowned when Rayne made a frightened sound. He was about to get up and ask them what kind of game they were playing when tears began streaming down Lucien's cheeks. Boy gaped, unsure of what to do.

With a cry of pain, Lucien pushed Girl onto the bed and sprang to his feet, shuddering and panting.

About to go to him, he stopped in his tracks when he heard Girl sobbing and begging for forgiveness.

Lucien walked away, never turning back to her. His steps were stiff, robotic, until he reached the counter and grabbed a knife to continue to cut a white round vegetable. "I don't ever want to have to relive that again, Rayne."

Rayne's hands were still power bound behind her back, and she curled into a fetal position, her sobs wracking her little body.

Boy crawled into bed and curled around her back.

"It's okay. Please don't cry," he begged.

She only shook her head. "It's my fault. They hurt him because of me."

Boy didn't understand, but just held her, every once in a while shooting a glance Lucien's way.

After a long while, her sobs subsided and she drifted off to sleep. The warm breeze and the sounds coming from the eating area lulled him into sleep as well.

When they'd awakened, Lucien had set up their food outside at the small table on the porch.

They crawled out of the bed and onto the porch to eat.

Lucien stood at the end of the porch, dragonweed stick billowing smoke from between his fingers as he tipped his head back to drink heavily from another bottle of Black Death.

Boy frowned, realizing this was Lucien's way of escaping things he did not want to face.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Boy asked.

"Later," Lucien answered, not even looking at him.

Boy rose from his seat and sauntered over to him, holding one of the little pastries Lucien had confectioned for them.

He leaned on the railing and carefully took the bottle from Lucien's hand. Surprisingly, Lucien let him, leveling Boy with his pretty feline-like eyes.