Beloved Purgatory (Fallen Angels, Book 2) (35 page)

I didn't want to think about it.

Forneus pushed me forward. I tried to step in the
spaces between the complex weave of legs and arms. That didn't go
so well. It was impossible not to step on them, but thankfully no
one noticed--well, either that or they were too high to do anything
about it.

The smoke thinned at the back of the room. There,
atop a platform, a man sat on a black throne inlaid with mother of
pearl. He had wide, clear eyes, full lips, and a delicate bone
structure. His knee-length hair was caught in a thick braid. It
sparkled like dewy spiderwebs illuminated by the morning sun. If
his open aubergine robe hadn't exposed a flat, angular chest, I
would have considered him to be the most beautiful woman I'd ever
seen.

A green snake had coiled itself around his neck. It
rested its head on the devil's arm. Two emerald eyes, as bright and
deep as Azazel's, stared at me, unblinking. The devil brushed his
thumb over its scaly green head and winked.

My cheeks burned. Alright, it hadn't exactly sunk in
until that point that everyone in the room was naked.
Naked
.
In heaving lumps on the floor.
Heaving naked lumps
. I shut
my eyes so tightly that my neck began to ache.

This is so beyond not okay
. I squeezed
Forneus' hand as if my life depended on it.
Get me out of here.
Please. I don't care where we go, or what we do. I can't take
this!

"Devi."

I didn't recognize the low, slippery voice. Given
that, and the direction it came from, it was probably Mr.
Open-Robe's. I tucked my chin into my chest, and felt
something--perhaps fingertips, or disturbed smoke--brush against my
eyelids.

"Are you afraid?" Open-Robe asked.

Just of light breezes
. "Uh, no. I mean, are
you all buttoned up?" I squeaked.

He chuckled. The low, intimate sound made my skin
crawl. There was a rustle of fabric, then: "I'm no longer
immodest."

I cracked my eyes open. Silver and gold clasps kept
his robe closed. Good.

"I feel like I've waited an eternity for this
moment." The serpentine man leaned forward and took my hand. His
touch was as waxy and cold as Forneus'. I could feel the tongue of
the snake curled around his wrist flick the top of my thumb. He
kissed my knuckles with his thin lips. "Thank you for bringing her
to me, Forneus. You will be rewarded."

"Hey, I helped," March insisted.

The other two devils ignored him.

"Is that a promise, my Prince?" Forneus asked
carefully.

My heart skipped a beat. The flasher--I mean,
Open-Robe--was Lucifer? I was standing in front of
the
devil.

The serpentine man dropped my hand. "Is there some
reason why I would regret making such a promise?"

Forneus bowed. "I prefer assurances, my Prince. You
understand."

Lucifer ran his free hand down his long, pale neck.
"You're excused, Marchosias."

March's eyes darted between them. "If that is your
wish." After an exaggerated bow, he retreated into the smoke.

Once that devil was out of sight, Lucifer leaned
forward and whispered: "What game are you playing, Forneus?"

"I suspect the same one you are," Forneus answered
smoothly.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed. My pulse spiked. What the
Hell was Forneus thinking? Lucifer was stronger than him, right? I
mean, he was the Prince of Hell. Was Forneus planning treason, or
was he just being an ass? And why did he have to drag me into the
middle of it?

I stumbled. My shadow fell from Lucifer's neck to the
center of his robe.
I have to get out of here. Please.
I
took another step back. Then another. The scent of the
Rukah-Hayim
grew stronger.
That's right. Behind me is a
sea of drugged, naked bodies.

The snake coiled around the Prince reared back its
head. Its eyes burned with lethal anticipation, like it was waiting
for me run so it could hunt me down.

My hands flexed in the air, grabbing only smoke.
There had to be another exit somewhere.

Along the edge of the wall, hidden behind three ruby
urns, a man with gold skin and gold wings stared at us. On his lap
slept a silver man. His silver chest rose and fell as the angel ran
his gold fingers through his silver hair.

"Who is that?" I croaked.

Lucifer diverted his attention from Forneus to
me.

Okay, bad move Devi.

"Sariel and Shamsiel. The moon and my sun." Lucifer
tilted his head to the side. "You look like you're experiencing
deja vu
."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Forneus go
completely still. So it wasn't just my imagination--he was hiding
things from Lucifer. I wish he'd told me this before he'd taken me
to meet him.

"I just--" I bit my lip, trying to think of
something. "They're so beautiful."

Lucifer glanced over at them, licking his lips. "That
they are--in fact, they are the most beautiful things in this room.
You have exceptional taste."

I began to breathe heavily. Apparently, my body
wasn't thrilled that it was receiving compliments from the devil
Prince.

"You know, not all of us are so uptight," Lucifer
purred.

Behind me, someone coughed, followed by the slick
sound of flesh being dragged across the floor.
I don't know.
Uptight is starting to sound pretty wonderful right about
now.

Lucifer smiled. "Being stuck with someone like him
must have been awful."

I started to feel dizzy. "Uh, do you mean
Forneus?"

His eyes narrowed. "Who else would I be talking
about?"

Damn, nothing escaped this guy. "March?"

Lucifer raised his brow.

Come on, Devi. Don't make it sound like you're
asking a question!
"Yeah, March. He seemed kinda cool."

Alright, I was the worst liar ever. March seemed
'kinda cool'? Really? The guy smelled like puke--well, my puke--but
still.

Lucifer chuckled. "Relax, Devi. I'm here to give you
what you want."

Does that mean I can leave?

I bit my lip. No, I couldn't ask that. Even if he
granted my request, he'd probably require something in return. Just
thinking about what that might be terrified me.

"Relax," Lucifer repeated. He shut his eyes for a
moment, took a deep breath, held it, then retracted his lids.

Purple fire danced where his pupils would have been.
Everything in my peripheral vision--the smoke, the haunting violet,
silver and gold lights, the shiny exterior of the room--began to
bleed. My body melted. I leaned towards him, chest first, as if
he'd pierced my heart with a string.

"Your brother's name was Kai, wasn't it?"

Time stopped. He knew about Kai? How?

The Prince's cool voice interrupted my thoughts.
"There is a story I like, about a boy named Kai and his
sister."

"
The Snow Queen
," I whispered. But how did he
know about that story? Did he read fairy tales?

My limbs felt stiff. The lush, liquid pleasure
flowing through my veins began to ache. Something was wrong. Still,
I couldn't look away from his gleaming eyes, or force myself to
move away.

"Yes," he drawled. "In it, he was stolen and taken to
a world of winter. His sister had to find him, and bring him out of
the cold slumber that imprisoned his spirit."

Lucifer ran his fingers through my hair. "Devi, what
are you willing to do to release your brother from stasis?"

My eyelids drooped.
Don't let him get to you
,
I chided, but his words lulled me into a state of calm as if he'd
cast some magic spell. Perhaps the smoke was beginning to drug
me--or perhaps what he said naturally held power over me, for I
would do anything to save my brother.

"Anything," I murmured.

He breathed out. Purple smoke swirled around us both.
I began to sway, and he caught me in his arms. Slowly, his
fingernails dug into my skin, and then I felt something damp.

I'm bleeding
, I realized.
This should hurt.
I should push him away
. But it didn't hurt, and I didn't stop
him. All I felt was a subtle, incandescent ecstasy swimming through
my veins, replacing my fear. My breath caught as I waited for it to
swallow me whole.

"I will take you to your brother, Devi," he said. "If
you give me your soul."

My droopy eyes drifted up to his. They were so
beautiful--like precious, purple sapphires, or cold fire. I wanted
to kiss them.

"Will you give me your soul?"

I've already done this. With Forneus. I guess it
won't matter if I will do it again
.

No. Wait
. "You're trying to trick me," I
slurred. "You are going to feed my soul to demons. You are going to
make me part of Hell."

He leaned forward and brushed my hair behind my ear.
His sandpaper lips scratched my neck "No, I want you for more than
that. With you I will create Paradise, not Hell."

I grabbed onto his sleeve to steady myself. It felt
like crushed velvet. "Paradise," I repeated.

"Yes." I tried to back up but he held me close. His
sandpaper lips brushed against the bottom of my ear. "You will be
our salvation, and you will be taken to your brother. All I ask is
that you give me your soul."

My eyes began to water. Somewhere, in the back of my
mind, this felt wrong. But the sickeningly sweet scent called to
me, and the flames devoured my concerns.
I want to save
everyone. I want to create Paradise. I want to save Kai
.
"Alright," I said.

"Give me your hand." The ruthlessness in his eyes
scared me for a moment, but, as if hypnotized, I did as he
asked.

Not this again. He was going to make me hurt, just as
Forneus had. I whimpered as his hand lashed out like a striking
snake, wincing as his fingers constricted around my wrist.

I shut my eyes and grit my teeth, waiting for the
pain.

It didn't come.

Then, a cruel, deep voice broke the silence. "What
did you do, Forneus?"

"I brought her to you, as you asked."

"She's already been marked," Lucifer whispered.

"You should have expected as much," Forneus responded
quickly.

A pause. "That's alright. Just give me the debt."

"No."

The devil threw my hand down and whipped around.
"What do you mean, 'no'?"

"No," Forneus repeated clearly, leveling his Prince
with a gaze filled with disgust. "I will not hand her over. I don't
think any devil would after realizing what she is."

The purple sheen drained from Lucifer's face, until
his skin looked egg shell white.

Forneus sneered. His shoes clacked on the polished
floor. "Did you really think none of us would figure it out? You
should never have sent another to collect something so
precious--but then again, I suppose one in your position has little
choice."

Lucifer swallowed and stepped back. "You have to give
her to me."

Forneus grinned. "Do I? I've already fulfilled my end
of the bargain--I've brought her, as you demanded, and I don't have
to do anything else."

The Prince took a deep breath. "Forneus," he began
slowly, "is this the path you choose? Do you really think you can
stand against me?"

"Are you threatening to punish me for being such a
bad boy?" Forneus replied chidingly.

Lucifer didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Well, I expected as much," Forneus whispered
feverishly, eyes blazing with passion. "And I await your punishment
eagerly. Let maggots infest my dead flesh. Let the pools outside
your palace be filled with my blood. Rip me apart, again and again,
for the next twenty years. Or fifty. Or one hundred. Or for however
long she lives."

Forneus glanced at me, and his expression softened.
"What was the first lesson He taught us? That those who sacrifice
the most will receive the most in His Kingdom. I will suffer gladly
for your sins, Lucifer--and for my own, and for the sins of every
devil, demon and every man--for that suffering will bring me closer
to salvation."

Lucifer opened his mouth but did not respond.
Instead, he inserted one of his long, purple nails into the back of
Forneus' throat. When he pulled it out his fingernail was caked in
black liquid, far darker and thicker than devil's blood. "And how
will you fulfill this debt if you cannot speak or move?"

Forneus' commanding tone faltered. "If she dies
before I give you the debt and neither of us fulfills it, this
opportunity will be lost forever. Are you really that petty?"

Lucifer slithered forward. His fingernail cut
Forneus' cheek when he grabbed his chin with his clean hand. Then
he wiped away the blood, healing the wound. "It seems I am."

The Prince looked down at Forneus, his lips parted as
if he were about to kiss him. The snake tightened its hold on his
wrist, brushing against Forneus' cheek. The lesser devil
trembled.

"You are a fool for underestimating me," the Prince
hissed. "My followers remain loyal for many reasons. Perhaps you
need to be reminded of them." With that, he slashed Forneus' neck
with his black finger.

Forneus gripped his sliced neck and doubled over. The
venomous light in his eyes flickered as he glared at his
master.

"I want to make a world for all of us, but you are
only interested in saving yourself," Lucifer said. "Even still, I
will bring you with me. I will not abandon any of my forsaken,
beloved, fallen angels."

"Do you think beings such as us are worthy of
salvation?" Forneus groaned. "Do you honestly believe God was wrong
for casting us out of Heaven? Look at us! No world could be made
that would satisfy even ten of the devils in this room. If you
tried to create such a world, it would not be beautiful, for the
only thing any of them want is your power."

Lucifer turned away from him, cringing, as Forneus
fell to the ground.