Tainted Wings: Book Two (18+)

Chapter 24

VIRAGO

Waking up has got to be the worst thing I could do now. I hate waking up to find myself trapped. I hate waking up – period. Life would be so much better if I could just sleep for the rest of it. The only thing that brought me some excitement was when Lucifer untied me. But that excitement always left a bad taste in my mouth.

"You deserve to be free for now, my love," he whispered, helping me up out of bed. "Come on. Let's sit outside."

As he turned around, I grabbed his arm.

"What?" he asked.

Please work. I hope this works. He hasn't laid a single loving touch in forever.

"Could...could you hug me?" I asked, staring at the floor. I didn't dare look at him in the eyes.

"Why?"

He doesn't even know why...

"Please. I just want you to hug me. Can you hug me?"

Lucifer remained quiet. He didn't like it when I ask questions anymore. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.

Surprisingly, Lucifer sighed and opened his arms. My heart jumped. I wrapped myself around him. Finally. This was all I wanted. Smiling, I hugged him tight, pressing my cheek against his chest. He rested his hands on my back gently. I never thought he'd do this again. He actually touched me in a gentle way. Tears formed at the rim of my eyes. Wow, this felt great.

Maybe things will be different now. Maybe he'll change to the way I thought he was. This was a start, right? If I show him more affection, maybe he'll treat me the same as well. Yeah, I should start doing that.

Then he gripped my hips, pushing me off. "Okay, that's enough of that."

"But–"

"Did I say you could speak?"

His words quickly shut my mouth. The way he said that in the most dangerous, calm tone made me regret everything I just did. The hug didn't even last for ten seconds.

"Good girl." Lucifer patted my head. "See, you know how to stay quiet."

My lips curled downward. All the excitement, all the joy I felt for a few seconds now were all gone. And that bad taste I mentioned before rose up yet again.

Does he not love me anymore?

The entire world caved in. No, he still loves me. He just doesn't know how to show his true feelings.

Yeah, that was it.

Lucifer still loves me.

But how many times will my heart break in a day? There's probably no more pieces of my heart to pick up anymore. No matter how many times I try to hold on to what was left, he crushed those pieces into dust.

Following him outside, I checked my surroundings. There were no kids driving me crazy today. No kids running around in the grass and play-fighting. No one here to give me a smile.

Lucifer and I sat on the porch. He took my busted wrists in his glowing hands, his Lyght healing the damage he left on me.

Keeping my eyes down, my heart felt repulsed.

I can't believe I'm even thinking this, but I don't want him touching me. The most simple touch he gives me sends strings of panic all over my body.

"You've been such an amazing wife," he said as he healed my wrists. "You deserve this."

"Thank you."

"Things are finally going to change now, my love. You'll see."

"Okay."

Change? I hope so. Change sounds really nice and as long as there was room for it, things will get better, right? If he could change back to the Lucifer I thought I knew though, then maybe what I used to feel for him would come back.

His hands rubbed over my healing wrists. I finally got a good look at them since this entire time I avoided giving him any attention with my eyes. His hands were one of my favorite parts of his body. They always had a different story to tell every time you looked at them. Now they just feel cold when he touched me, increasing the emptiness in my chest.

Lucifer turned my wrists over and the top of his hand came to view. His skin was clear, not a single scar in sight.

Gulping, I tried to pull my wrists away. "Where's your scar?"

"What are you talking about?" He gripped my wrists.

Pulling my hands out from his grasp, I grabbed his hand and rubbed the skin. "Y-you had a scar right here."

"I had no scar."

"Yes, you did. You showed me when...when..."

After he fell from Heaven? When exactly, though? But I know he had a scar. It was one of his scars that never healed.

"I never had a scar, beloved."

He never called me that before.

Panic drowned me. Looking into his eyes, I gulped as I stood up. My legs were too weak, but I continued to take a few steps back.

"Virago," Lucifer said in a low, menacing tone. "Sit. Down."

A scar. Why did he have that scar?

He said it was a fight with...with his brother.

Michael.

Michael killed me.

"No," I said, voice trembling. "Y-you're not Lucifer."

Spinning around, I ran into the woods. Everything was a lie. It felt like a vail had been lifted and all my memories fell into place like missing pieces of a puzzle. I did have kids with Lucifer. Michael killed me. Lucifer found me. Then Kristie and Lyria sent me to Michael.

Shit. Shit! How was that possible? How did I just lose all my memories like that?

"You know I'll always find you!" he screamed.

Ignoring the pain in my feet, I continued running. My lungs begged for me to stop but the adrenaline continued to push me. Reaching the lake that was supposed to be near my old tribe, I gasped as my legs came to a halt. Everything began to warp away, melting into a mist in the air. There were no more trees, no more wild animals scampering in the grass. The mist left behind a dark, gray and depressing place.

Where in the world am I?

A cold gust of wind blew my hair in front of me. I froze in place. Turning around slowly, I faced the illusion of Lucifer. His skin melted off, revealing the man who killed me all those years ago.

Michael smirked. "Hello, beloved."