Burning in Heaven (Darkness Trilogy Prequel)

Chapter 18

Satan's PoV

I lead Asura to the bedroom, my blazer thrown over my shoulder, my hand laced into hers.

She whispers, "Satan, you passed my room."

"You're staying next to me tonight," I whisper. I still can't forget the fear of losing her. The way I thought I wasn't gonna be able to save her as she plunged deeper and deeper in the lake. I thought she was gonna be hypothermic by the time we got to the castle. My skin crawls as I remember how cold I was. I had to force myself into complete darkness to avoid the memories of my torture from rising.

I push my door open and throw my blazer on my arm chair. The chair Lucifer used to sit in when we would talk. The chair he'd sit down and read in for hours to escape everyone. I smile, remembering the shit we'd talk. I strip my shirt off, my skin feeling trapped. Asura pauses staring around the room as if it's her first time noticing it. She takes in the two walls of books that meet in one corner of my room. The closet door is open and a light pours from inside. The dark red lights in my bedroom cast a shadowy light on everything. The king bed sits against the opposing wall from the closet and on the furthest wall from the door is the bathroom. All my furniture is dark oak wood, with simple, sophisticated designs.

Lucifer designed my room and recently it's the only place that I can find safety in his memory. I don't know why, but this place is so heavy with Lucifer's memories. I sigh

"I've never really noticed how beautiful the room is," She spins around in a circle slowly. I walk into the closet, Fury following at my heels. He whines and I sink my hand into his fur gently. I grab a pair of pajama pants and a plain shirt of mine and walk out.

"Here," I whisper as I set them on the bed beside her, "Let me help you out of these."

I kneel, one leg folded against the ground, and she puts her heel on my opposite knee. I smile as I gently unclasp the strap. I pull it off her foot slowly, kissing her foot gently. As I run kisses to her ankle, she shivers. I meet her silver eyes and the matebond lights with the fire we've always felt for each other. She switches feet and I unclasp this one with ease and she smiles at me. I run my fingers gently up her ankle. She gasps at the featherlight touch and I smile softly. I stand, holding out her shoes, feeling the apprehension of my next words clog my throat. She takes them and whispers, "What's wrong?"

"We need to talk about the lake," I whisper.

"Ah okay," She replies, "Give me a minute."

I nod and she runs to the bathroom. I step out of my clothes and slide my pajama pants on. I step out and Fury whines. I shush him and he growls fiercely. I crouch to his level and whisper, "I know my feelings are out of whack, Fury. I'm working on it."

He licks my face and I smile. I rub his ears standing. He's always so worried about me. I've never asked him to watch me. He chose too. Fury's hackles rise as Akela walks in. I glare and he stops growling. He's not used to having others in our space.

Asura steps out of the bathroom and I sigh, sinking into Lucifer's chair. Asura sits on the floor, unashamed. Even when the bed is open for her. She whispers, "Talk to me, Satan."

"Why did you take my power?" I ask, her eyes bright even in the darkness of the red lights.

"You keep viewing me as this person I'm not, you keep thinking I'll turn into what you feel you are," She replies, "Yet you don't understand that I am so much stronger than that. I'm so much stronger than the darkness that eats at everything here. You need to stop protecting me, Ignis. I'm not delicate and breakable. I'm not gonna turn into a monster because you feel you are one. I took your power into me so you could see why I'm not that and I could never be that."