The Old King and the New Bride Ch. 05

Below me, Lucifer himself implodes himself. He's quiet through his eruption, but his hands digging into my skin give his weakness away. He groans finally and stiffens against me, unleashing a torrent of semen into me that leaks out of my body and soaks into the sheets. His body spasms below me, but we're both finally satisfied. I smile against his shoulder and stroke his biceps with my fingers. After all that effort, the man deserves a little relaxation.

After several seconds, he stills below me, letting out a slow breath that devolves into a chuckle. "Feel better?"

I nod against his shoulder. "Much. You're very good at that."

"Glad you approve." He leans in and kisses my neck.

Kind of hard not to...

I settle in against him, pressing my body flush to his and nuzzling his throat. It nice to feel him again and know that we've forgiven each other. As odd and blasphemous as it sounds, I feel more at home here than anywhere else. Honestly, though, he's exhausted me, and I feel my body slowly start to relax against his as my mind tries to switch into sleep mode.

"What now?" I ask sleepily.

He sighs and stays quiet for a moment. As exhausted as I am, I secretly hope he'll suggest another round of furniture-smashing sex or a calming walk along the edges of the Styx that will let us clear our heads. Or a nice long nap.

Nap. Nap. Please say nap.

He sighs again. "I suppose we deal with Lilith."

FUCK!

I scowl at the wall. Lilith is the last issue I want to work out right now. I've just had some great welcome-back make-up sex with my husband and recovered my crown from Leyna; I don't need superbitch ruining all my hard work. Without thinking, I let out an annoyed groan and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of her stupid laugh.

"I know." Lucifer whispers as he strokes my back faster. "I'm not happy about it either. But it's something that has to be dealt with. She practically sacrificed you and turned her back on everyone here. That's an act that can't be forgiven or forgotten."

I nod and give him a small kiss on his shoulder. He's right: the sooner we do this, the sooner she's out of the way. Still, she's got to know Lucifer's pissed at her, and I know she'll try to pull some sleight of hand to weasel her way out of her punishment. I just hope he can see through her tricks and put her in her place.

Below me, my husband stirs. He lifts his hips and slides his body free of mine, leaving me feeling suddenly empty and hollow. Groaning, Lucifer gently rolls me off of him, pushing himself upright and tapping my shoulder. I sigh and mirror him, now severely unhappy about being superheated from him and at the thought of dealing with Lilith. He runs his fingers up my spine and kisses my shoulder, then slips off the bed onto the floor, bending down to scoop up the heap of fabric that is my gown. He holds it out in front of him, grinning like a fool.

I can't help but smile back. He's so childlike at times it's almost absurd. It's also very disarming, and it feels like his smile can break down any barrier I have and make me a thousand times more agreeable no matter how angry I am.

I roll my eyes and slip off the bed, making my way over to him. He spins the dress around and holds it open for me. I grip his shoulders and step into the dress, spinning around so he can lace it up. As he pulls the velvet ribbons tight, I look down and rediscover that every last chain on the front of my dress is gone. The last two were pulled apart during my tempting of Michael, leaving every single inch of my cleavage open to view. The front panels still cover a good portion of my chest, but very little is left to the imagination now.

"Tarioc!" Lucifer calls out as he laces me up.

Shit! Which one is that?

I flip through my Rolodex of high-ranking demons, hoping that this one isn't high in the chain of command and that I haven't missed meeting him. I'd hate to make an ass out of myself now by forgetting to properly greet a powerful demon.

Tarioc. Wait a minute...

I freeze, my breath catching in my throat and my heart screeching to a halt. Dear God, it's the creepy coachman! I almost collapse out of horror. That creature is living nightmare fuel, and Lucifer has just called him to our room. He'll be lucky to have me in the same room without cowering in the corner waiting for that fiend to leave.

A quick succession of knocks snaps me out of my inner panic. Lucifer calls our guest forward, finally lacing up the last inch of my dress. The door swings open and Tarioc – in all his horrifying glory – strides into the room. He's still wearing his tattered top hat and formal coattail jacket, and his eyes are still that disgusting color of swamp water. He saunters forward, having an almost pimp-like swagger to his step. His eyes find mine, and he gives a regal nod and smiles gently.

I barely keep myself from fainting.

Tarioc stops just feet away from Lucifer and I, executing a prefect bow and standing patiently for instructions. "Sire?"

"Tarioc, I need a favor," Lucifer's tone has switched from warm and loving to cold and commanding. "Fetch Lilith and bring her here. If she asks why, tell her it's about her betrayal of our world and her disregard for the queen's well-being. If she tries escaping, take her down."

Tarioc nods again. "Yes sir."

Lucifer places a hand on my shoulder. "Be careful, Tarioc. You know her. She'll try anything and everything to get out of facing her punishment. Take her alive if you can."

Tarioc bows. "Your will be done, sire."

He lifts his head and grins at me, showing two matching rows of rotten teeth and blackened gums. I fight the urge to vomit – this man is the living, breathing incarnation of meth-mouth. No wonder he's so highly respected here. He fits in perfectly.

His smile fades, then returns. He straightens and steps forward, reaching out so he can take my hand in his boil-covered hand. He lifts it to his mouth and places a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. On the outside, I look calm and compliant. On the inside, I'm screaming in revulsion.

He smiles softly at me. "Your majesty. I know my appearance is unbecoming, but I promise you that neither my flesh nor my soul will do your harm. I look this way as a punishment for my own faults, but doing damage to one so kind and fair is not in my nature. I am here to protect and serve you, mistress, not harm you."

In the span of thirty seconds, I've gone from reviling this creature to actually liking him. He's the epitome of never judging people by their looks. Behind his horrid eyes and crumbling skin is the soul of a man suffering in eternal pain for his mistakes. He's loyal and honest, doing our dirty work without a single complaint or thought. I'm amazed by him, and I now understand why Lucifer holds him in such high regards.

Well played, sir. I am impressed.

I return his admission with a genuine smile. He grins back, showing more of his disgusting teeth. I respect him and like him now, yes, but he's still hideous.

Satisfied, he pulls back and faces Lucifer again. "The witch will be found, sire. I guarantee it."

Lucifer smiles and nods. "Good. Be quick and harm her as little as possible. I want her alive to face her punishment."

"Sire." Tarioc bows again and steps back. An inky blackness bubbles up around his feet, forming a pool of liquid shadow. He sinks into it, his warm smile still plastered onto his face. Something about his smile makes the gears in my head start turning.

If he tells Lilith the truth, she'll never come.

"Tarioc! Wait!" I step forward, hoping to catch him before he slips out of view.

The demon halts his descent, stopping just as the inky liquid reaches his waist. Hs smile has faded, replaced with a look of confused anticipation.

"Michelle," Lucifer croons in my ear. His arms wrap around me, holding me tight. "He'll find her. Don't worry."

I shake my head. "I have an idea." I pull out of his embrace and race to the edge of the black pool that holds Tarioc. I gather the hem of my dress so I can kneel beside him, pulling the fabric back so whatever liquid he moves through doesn't stain my gown. I stare into his swamp-colored eyes, making sure I have his attention.

"Don't tell Lilith that she's being called back for punishment. She'll panic and make a run for it." I say, speaking loud enough for Lucifer to hear. "Tell her that Lucifer didn't believe my story about Leyna switching bodies and killed me, but also killed Leyna out of confusion and anger. He's discovered his mistake and is inconsolable, and he needs someone to comfort him."

Tarioc's face has broken into an enormous grin. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my husband barely holding back his laughter. I'm glad they like my plan. It's a nasty trick I'm having them pull, but it's what Lilith deserves.

"Play up the fact that she continually warned him about me failing him. Feed her ego and make sure she knows that he needs someone to help him heal through this tragedy. She'll practically jump at any chance to take my place, so it shouldn't be hard to convince her too come with you."

Tarioc bursts out laughing and lifts a hand from the sticky liquid holding him. He grasps my hand again and kisses it a second time. "An innocent beauty, but an intelligent one as well. Your majesty." He pulls his hand back and continues his descent into the pool of blackness. His top hat disappears beneath the surface, and the pool is drawn into the tile floor, vanishing with him.

A split-second of silence follows, then Lucifer breaks into a round of breathless laughter. I turn around to see him splayed out on the floor, his wings flaring out around him, cackling hysterically.

"Is it really that funny?" I ask, slightly nervous that he thinks my plan absurd.

He catches his breath and turns his head to gaze at me. A lunatic's grin is still plastered on his face. "No, it's beautiful! It's just so perfect! She'll fall for it faster than a brick in the ocean."

I blush shyly. "Thanks."

He rolls onto his side and stares at me, a gleam of mischief n his warm amber eyes. "Oh, Michelle. You never cease to amuse me. That mind of yours could destroy nations."

Or bitchy women.

I smile back at him, happy to know I've yet again solidified my place as a queen who can handle herself on and off the battlefield. If I can take out Leyna, then I can fight Lilith.

"Tell me about Tarioc," I speak without thinking.

His smile fades, switching to a look of thoughtfulness. "What do you want to know?"

I hesitate, then shrug. "How became the way he is. How he became your wingman."

He smiles and gives a soft laugh. "Wingman." He rolls onto his back again and pats his chest, beckoning me over. "Come here."

Like a child about to have her bedtime story, I scramble over to him and curl my body up to his, resting my head on his chest. I'm honestly intrigued about our mysterious coachman. He's so dark and intimidating, and yet seems so broken and damaged. I want to know his story.

"Tarioc started out as a normal man, as most demons do. He wasn't an abuser of women or an alcoholic prone to bursts of rage. He was a living, breathing Don Juan."

Tarioc? A womanizer? Impossible!

"Even for Portugal in the eighteen thirties, he was quite the dashing young aristocrat. His hair was lighter then, and his teeth in far better condition. The son of a land-rich count, Adrian-"

Adrian?!

"-was known to be a bit of a womanizer and a gambler. He stayed away from alcohol, though. A nice, honest young man, but loose with his money and his cock. However, as many tragedies go, he happened to fall in love with the daughter of an inn-keeper. He was too far up on the societal ladder to ever consider marrying her, so he contacted me through a crooked monk and made a deal to have the courts change the romantic protocol of the day."

I stay silent, listening intently. I'm stunned. Tarioc was the son of a count? And he lost it all because of a peasant girl? Honorable and romantic, but still stupid.

"I granted him his request and the engagement was made official, but the girl died before the wedding could be arranged. No, I didn't have anything to do with it. There was a nasty streak of cholera going around at the time and she happened to get hit. Blame Pestilence for that one."

Damn. All that work and she dies on him. Poor thing.

"Anyway, with the reason behind his deal gone, I collected on his payment early. He was distraught after losing his fiancé, so he never resisted. All he asked was that I give him something to do while he whittled away the years here. He didn't mind going to Hell for making his deal, he simply didn't want to go mad out of boredom or desperation."

I nod silently, my heart slowly starting to crack for this damaged, broken creature. He was never threatening or menacing. All he wanted was his poor girlfriend. My soul aches for him, and suddenly I'm no longer frightened of our dark traveler.

"It was one of the few times I felt pity for a human. He was so quiet and accepting of his fate. So kind and honest with me. It figured if he could be so calm now, he'd make a great servant later. He still had to hold up his end of the deal – he had to lose his dashing good looks that had captured and broken so many hearts – but other than that, he's got free reign here. He's proved himself indispensible a few times. He's an excellent tracker, and he can hunt down even the most grievous debtor within days. He's also very intelligent and a bit wise beyond his years. He managed to help us outsmart Gabriel and send him crying back to dad when he tried to steal a damned soul back. He's a good man, Michelle, and one of my few dear friends here."

Aww. That's sweet.

I hadn't realized my husband – the bold, brash, unforgiving Lucifer – could be so sentimental. He'd memorized Tarioc's life story for all this time, and never once did he try to divert the subject when I asked. He seemed genuinely proud to know Tarioc. I turned my head and stared up at the delicately tiled ceiling, happy to know my husband does, in fact, have a soft spot somewhere.

As I stared up at the marble ceiling, my thoughts switched to our marriage. Honestly, I'd lost track of the time I'd been here. I was so busy kicking Leyna's ass and trying to be a good queen that I'd completely forgotten how long he and I have been legally bound together. It can't be more than a few weeks.

"Lucifer. How long have we been married?" Maybe he's kept better track of the days.

"Five and a half months."

What?

"That long?" my voice betrays my shock.

"Yep."

I'm stunned. We can't haven been married for five months! It barely feels like three weeks!

"But how?" I turn to stare at him, begging for an answer.

He smiles down at me, running a hand through my hair. "Time moves much faster down here. What feels like days to you is actually weeks. That's what makes the eternity part of punishment here so awful. One day will pass, yet the damned sense it as a month."

I stare at him, dumbfounded. This place is more confusing that calculus, and yet he rules it as if it's the simplest form of equation. There's no stress for him here beyond traitorous succubae and escaping souls, so it should be easy for him. But for me, as an outsider, it's the most screwed up place in the world.

"Five small months," he grins down at me. "Only an eternity left to go."

I manage a small, honest smile. "I don't think I'll mind that."

A thunderous knock at the door snaps us out of our light mood. A quick succession of sharp knocks follows the first, indication that whoever is on the other side is annoyed and very impatient. Lucifer groans and gently pushes himself up, giving me time to haul myself to my feet before her rises to his full height. He reaches out with one arm and presses it against my stomach, forcing me back a few steps so I'm out of the way in case something goes wrong.

"Yes?" His voice shifts from calm and soft to thunderous and unforgiving.

"Sire?" Lilith's sickly-sweet voice comes wafting through the door, making my stomach turn and my blood boil. "Tarioc sent me here. He said you weren't feeling well."

A devilish smile crosses my husband's flawless lips. "Excellent."

He turns to me and spins me around, gently shoving me towards the bathroom. I go willingly, knowing that for our plan to work I need to be hidden. We reach the doors quickly, and Lucifer opens it just enough that I can slide through. He closes it until only a crack remains, allowing me to stay hidden within the shadows while I watch.

"Stay here," he whispers. "Not a sound until I beckon you."

I nod and blow him a kiss. He grins and reaches out in the air to catch my invisible kiss, fisting his hand over his heart once he does. He spins around and heads toward the bed, spinning around once he reaches it and sits down on the edge. He takes a deep breath and cradles his head in his hands, his wings going limp against his shoulders.

"Master?" Lilith calls out again.

"Yes." Lucifer answers, his voice shaky and broken as if he'd just been weeping.

The door cracks open a bit, and Lilith peeks around the door to scope out the scene, satisfied that I'm 'dead' and that Lucifer is heartbroken, she slips though the door and closes it behind her. There's a vicious smile on her lips, but it disappears after a heartbeat, replaced by a look of heartbroken empathy.

In true Lilith fashion, she's not dressed for the occasion. Supposedly I'm dead and this should be a sorrowful occasion, but she's all dressed up like she's going to a club. She's wearing a skin-tight floor-length ruby gown with braided fabric on the shoulders and an insanely deep neckline that stops at her bellybutton and shows way too much skin. There's a slit on one side of the bottom of the dress that reaches all the way to her hip. It shows every inch of her long legs and her ridiculously embellished six inch heels.

For Lucifer, this is a funeral. For Lilith, it's the Miss America pageant.

Lilith walks over to the bed, her heels clicking softly on the tile floor. She kneels down on the tile, placing a perfectly manicured hand on my husband's shoulder and giving him her best pouty-face. Lucifer keeps his face cradled in his hands, but his shaky breathing and cracking voice give the illusion of sorrow.

"Oh, master," Lilith purrs. "I'm so sorry."

"I know." Lucifer responds, still sounding horrified and heartbroken.

"I warned you she'd be easy to lose." Her voice is soft, but there's a tiny hint of joy in it.

Lilith starts stroking Lucifer's back, an action that almost makes me go nuts and storm out of the bathroom. Somehow, I keep my anger and possessiveness down – great, now I'm the jealous one – and stay quiet, waiting for the moment Lucifer calls me in to join the show.

"Humans always are," Lilith continues to stroke his shoulders as she rubs my demise into him. "They're fragile and uneducated about our world. It must have been painfully easy for Leyna to catch her. The bitch was always too ambitious for her own good."

"I killed her..." Lucifer trails off, his tone heartbreaking and overwhelming.

"But not on purpose," Lilith counters. "You were trying to protect her. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was an accident."

Lucifer is silent for a moment, and I start to second-guess our game. Maybe he doesn't want to punish Lilith. Maybe he just wants to toy with her for a bit, then let her go. She is his favorite after all. My guts twists, hoping that isn't the case.

Finally, Lucifer lifts his head from his hands. His cheeks are stained with dark rivers of wetness, the tears leaving black streaks on his skin as they roll down his face. His perfect lips tremble in pain as he stares aimlessly at the wall. My heart actually skips a beat in pain and pity. I know this is all an act, but my husband is doing a dead-on impression of a grieving husband.