Deal with the Devil

Lucifer

I spun around to face the entity behind me to find myself staring at a particularly muscled chest peeking out from a tastefully unbuttoned shirt. I tilted my head back to find the incredibly large man in front of me was breathtakingly handsome. Not the traditional angel-boy handsome, no this was something more primal.

 Dark eyelashes rimmed red eyes that seemed to be burning like a fire and jet black hair flowed over his shoulders. I scanned his face and sharp cheekbones, almost unable to pry my eyes away. He was a stranger to me but felt so familiar, like a dream I knew I had but couldn't quite remember the details. 

Almost in a trance, I reached up to trace the tattoo that began behind his ear and twisted and curled down his neck and disappeared under his shirt. The man shivered at my touch and the movement reminded me he was real. 

I jumped back, startled. “Who are you? Where am I? Am I dead?” I shrieked at the stranger. His lip curled up on one side and a small laugh escaped his lips. The sound was like music and reverberated in my very bones. “You are very much alive Wren Ardor.” His voice was deep and rumbling and I felt his power pushing against my mind, wanting in. “Where am I?” I repeated. “As I said, you are in Hell.” His long muscled arm gestured to the lands behind me, far too beautiful to be Hell by my observation. “I'm in the demon realm? I must have fallen through the portal when I sent those demons back.” I whispered more to myself than him. “You didn’t fall.” His dark voice interrupted my train of thought. “Excuse me?” “You didn't fall through that portal Wren, I pulled you through it. I have been looking for you.” I tried to pry my eyes from the muscle roped through his forearms as he crossed them over his chest. “Who are you?” I pushed, my voice deepening with frustration. He c****d that perfect head to the side as if confused by me, “I am Lucifer.” 

I attempted to slow my breathing and the panic rising in my chest. I took one tentative step backwards to distance myself from the self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness.

 I wanted to believe it was a lie, but the flames in his red eyes told me otherwise. “But I was stabbed….by a demon blade.” I recalled and reached around to feel for a wound in my back. 

“You can thank me for saving your life later.” Lucifer smirked and took another step towards me. A cold sweat broke out on my neck at his closeness. The chill reminded me of my indecency and I moved to cross my arms over my chest. “I suppose I also have you to thank for the negligee?” I quipped. His flaming eyes seemed to glow brighter at that and they took a leisurely gaze up and down my frame. “Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of undressing you this time, that was Mara. A loyal servant of the castle.” The gleam in his eyes was not lost on me and I narrowed mine to mask the effect the innuendo had on me.

 “What is this place? This room? This castle?” I gestured to the enormous immaculate space. He gestured to the room around him, “These are my... personal quarters.” He placed a large hand on my shoulder and gently spun me to face the city below. “These are the Shores of Acheron, they stretch for miles and make-up most of the demon realm.” Lucifer explained.  My gaze once again swept across the beautiful landscape. I hadn’t expected the demon realm to be so...beautiful. “Why am I here? What do you want with me?” I asked, surely Abaddon would be a safer bet than the Angel of Hell. 

“You made a deal with a friend of mine did you not?” Ah ha! so he did know about my bargain. Was that a crime? Was I being punished? I figured the whole selling my soul was a lofty price to pay already. “Do you greet all of Abaddon’s prisoners personally on their descent into Hell? Or am I just lucky?” I bit down on my lip at my smart mouth, this wasn't the time for sarcasm. 

I could feel him smirk at me from behind me and his thumb came up to trace the exposed scar that covered my back. The contact raised goosebumps on my skin and sent heat into my cheeks and my very core. “Abaddon cannot take a soul that has already been claimed, it was his mistake. The mark you bear on your back is mine.” He didn’t lift his thumb from my scar until it reached the very base of my spine. I spun around to face him again, finding myself hardly an inch from his massive chest. “Why would your mark be on my back?” I regret never glancing in the mirror at the mutilation. “I intend to find out. It’s why I have been searching for you.” He said, his gaze darkening to a molten lava. “Oh yes I did hear word of your little search. Placing a bounty on my head so all of your little demon henchmen could come drag me to your feet? Glad to have spared you the bounty price, Your Majesty.” I spat the last words to emphasize my disgust. The demon God’s jaw clicked in what looked like anger and his brows knit together in confusion. Just as I was about to press more he took a large step away from me and I felt instantly colder. “I have things to attend to, Mara will see to it that you have what you need.” And with that he was gone in a flash, I guess there was no need for doors when your power could destroy realms.