Hell's Future Princess

Chapter 1.2

*Shae PoV*

“Don't you have some small children to steal candy from?” I snapped at him. The smile on his face was so endearing as his eyes took me in, it almost caused my knees to buckle.

“Did that this morning,” he said casually. “And I finished early, so my afternoon is free.”

“Despicable demon,” I said, rolling my eyes while trying to conceal my smile. His brand of smartass just happened to match mine perfectly, and though I tried to hide my amusement, he knew I liked it. “Well seeing how you're free, go bother someone else. Leave me to my work.”

“With a snap of my fingers, I could have you free as well, you know,” he said, giving me a cheeky grin. He held his hand up with his fingers ready, just waiting to order someone to take my place.

“And stop giving Steve here the torture he deserves?” I asked, pretending to be aghast at his offer. I took the rock out of Steve before pushing it back in, then closed my eyes and smiled broadly at the scream that followed. “No, thanks.”

“Mmm, you are too delicious,” the demon before me purred, his eyes bright. He rubbed his fingers together, threatening to snap them. “I should just take you with me anyway. I'll even let you bring the whip. You can still play master and torture your poor victim.”

He glowered at me with a wicked smile on his devilish lips, holding his hands out as if waiting for me to chain them together. I couldn't stop my eyes from lighting up with the idea, or could I prevent the flush in my cheeks and the teeth that grabbed my bottom lip. Damn it.

“Azazel, this is not the time for your sick fantasies,” I said breathlessly, turning from him to whip at Steve's back. Though, now it wasn't the baby killer's body I saw in my mind's eye. “And honestly, do you think your father will be happy to hear you are trying to end shifts early?”

His breath tickled my neck, and I felt his fingers kneading through the feathers of my wings. “You do this for fun. You took this shift from someone else. Don't try to play that card on me.”

I blinked at him, surprise washing over me. “How would you know that?”

“You all may think I don't pay any attention to my future kingdom, but I watch more closely than you seem to think. You're never 'on the schedule' for torturing these malevolent souls, Shae. You are Daddy dearest's favorite Nephilim. He would never make you do anything you didn't want to do. Every day you are here, it's because you took the shift from someone else. What makes it better is I hear you can be a little... pushy about it, too.”

He grinned and nuzzled my neck with a growl deep in his throat. I was dealing with one very horny demon, and he was used to getting what he wanted. The way his tongue slid up my neck told me clearly what that was at that very moment.

"You're right,” I said, trying to keep my tone casual despite my body wanting to turn against me and jump him right here in the pit. “I do come here to enjoy myself. And right now, you are interrupting that. Do you really want to interrupt my fun, Azazel?”

“Yessss,” he hissed into my ear, wrapping his arms around me. I could see his black leather, talon-tipped wings rising in the sky behind him, and he was fighting every part of him that wanted to whisk me away to his room in the palace.

From where we were, the palace rose high in the center of the circles but was a blurry haze through the heat of the fire and lava. The black stone building was still discernible, and I know he saw the longing in my eyes as I looked towards it.

“The fun we have together will be much better than this, I assure you. I know you are feeling feistier than normal. It's what brings you out here, but I promise you, little Nephilim, you can take it out on me. I'll even scream and beg for release if you wish it of me.”

My eyes involuntarily closed to the thought, and I leaned back into him. I heard his fingers snap, and he chuckled in my ear, knowing he'd won. Azazel terrified the hell out of me, but I was also drawn to his charisma and s*x appeal. He knew it, too, and used it to get his way with me. The cold, dark prince of Hell was known for his wrath, fury, and violence, and it shocked everyone when he began to pursue me. It surprised me the most, since I had believed he wanted nothing to do with me. He took the whip out of my hand and gave it to the demon that came to replace me.

“Do you want to tell Steven goodbye?” he whispered.

“Just tell him to burn in Hell,” I whispered back. He cackled, and I opened my eyes to see flames on his fingertips. He threw the fireball at the baby killer, and his screams could have shattered glass as his skin caught fire. We both smiled maliciously before he brought his lips down on mine and took to the air with me in his arms.