Lucifer's Bride [Complete]

61

"Hey." Her hands reached up to cup his face. "What is it?"

He sighed. "Nothing. Just stress."

"Oh," she purred. "Stress about what?"

"Belphagor needed help handling a few late debts," he grumbled. "I swear, those damn royals are a pain in my ass."

Amelia scoffed. "Belphagor? Can't that old bastard do it himself?"

He stared at her, dumbfounded and horrified. "Amelia?"

"You'd think after running that circle all that time that he could do something without your help." She sneered to herself. "I think he might have worked past his time, Lucifer. Maybe you should start thinking about hiring someone else to fill his spot."

Lucifer's mind screeched to a halt. Since when did his sweet, respectful wife ever bitch about one of his top commanders? Never. She'd shown Belphagor and the others more than enough grace at the dinner table, earning her their rarely-seen instantaneous respect. The final warning light was lit, causing Lucifer pulled away from her. Something wasn't right. Physically, she was fine, but emotionally and mentally this wasn't Amelia.

Grunting out of frustration and confusion, he stepped away and strode towards the bed, trying to find a clear space in the room for him to think. He didn't get far. Amelia followed right behind him, berating him with questions. She seemed almost frantic, less worried about his mental health and more worried about him pulling away.

"Lucifer! What's wrong? What did I do?"

He groaned to himself, his mind bombarded with conflicting thoughts: the possibility that this woman wasn't really Amelia, and the horror of admitting such an awful idea.

Warm arms looped around his waist, pulling him tight against her lithe frame. Her head rested against his back. One hands trailed down to the top of his jeans, toying with the thick fabric and stroking his flesh.

"Please. Tell me what's wrong," she pleaded. "Lucifer."

The warning lights grew louder and brighter, his own gut beginning to twist in horror. She was too forward here, to desperate to calm his nerves. She wasn't listening; she wasn't letting him vent his thoughts like she always did. She was trying to keep them in, trying to use her body to make him forget his discomfort.

Her fingers dipped lower, teasing the edge of his pants. The threatened to slip low, low into the dark abyss where his most precious weapon lay. Normally, he would have welcomed such an intrusion, but not today, not now. His mind was reeling, hit emotions boiling. Now was not the time for games.

"Stop." His voice was low, but stern enough for her to hear. "You are not yourself."

She scoffed. "You are not yourself. What's wrong with you? I'm standing here naked and all you can do is pull away from me. Don't you want me? Don't you love me?" Her voice was whiney, like a child's when they didn't get a toy.

"Yes, of course. But I would love you more if you behaved like your normal self!" he snapped.

She pulled her hands back. "My normal self?"

He stilled. She sounded confused, almost lost at his words. As if she didn't know what her normal self was.

Silence followed for a moment, then the feeling of her warm skin disappeared from his back, leaving him cold and strangely alone.

"Fine, I see." Her tone was angry, almost bitchy. "It'sthat Leyna girl, isn't it?"

Leyna? What does she have to do with this?

Amelia sniffed quietly behind him. "You love her, don't you?"

Shaken, angry and utterly confused, Lucifer turned to face his queen. Shestared up at him with wide hazel eyes, more saddened than angry. Her lower lipquivered slightly as if from pain, but no heartache rested in her eyes, theywere curiously empty, bereft of all emotion except for a cunning slyness thatmade his skin crawl.

He shook his head slowly, the pieces starting to fall into place. "Amelia,no. I despise that woman. She's a rotten, selfish little shit. I couldn't careabout her I tried. She's been after me for centuries, and she can't acceptthat she's not my queen but you are."

For an instant, Amelia pulled back. Her eyes showed confusion, almost hurt buyhis words. "You hate her?" Her voice was hopeless, as if praying forthe opposite answer.

He nodded. "Yes. I love you, not Leyna. Not Lilith. You have so much morethan Leyna could ever have, no matter how hard she tires..."

The final piece of the puzzle slid into place. Leyna! Of course! That witchwould do anything to further her own ambitions, and casting spells was by nomeans below her.

That's it, then. That whore did something to her that set her off balance.

His rage nearly making his skin boil, Lucifer gave a sharp growl and spuntowards the door. He stormed across the smooth tile, his mind once against setone a single target: finding Leyna. He reached the door and grasped the handle,throwing it wide open as he began to step into the hall.

"Lucifer! Where are you going?"

He never looked back. "To find Leyna. Whatever that bitch did to you, I'mgoing to fix it."

"Wait!"

She raced to him, gripping his shoulders and spinning him around. Caught offguard, he stayed still just long enough for her to sink to her knees and starther fingers working at his pants.

Her warm hazel eyes flicked to him, a playful smile on her lips. "You'vehad such a long, shit day. Let me help you relax."

"Amelia!" He shouted at her, not meaning to frighten but to stun. Hehad to leave and find Leyna and figure out what the fuck was wrong.

She was so nervous, her fingers couldn't undo his jeans. Nevertheless, she kepther winning smile trained on him. "Please? You know I love it."

This isn't my Amelia. Leyna's done something to her. That witch.

"Not now! Once I find Leyna, you can suck all you like." He shook hishead, stepping back out of her reach. Spinning, he gripped the handle of thedoor in his hands and pulled it shut as he stepped into the hall.

"NO! Lucifer, you-"

He slammed the door behind him, cutting off her pleas. He tapped the smoothwood with his fingers, hearing the massive locks click into place. She would besafer here, locked away where Leyna couldn't reach here again.

Satisfied, Lucifer turned and strode down the main corridor, his blood boiling andhis mind racing. If Leyna really did cast a spell on Amelia, he'd have herexecuted for treason and cast into the pits. His footsteps echoed around thesolid rock, his only company besides his fury.

All he needed was to do was find Leyna and then Amelia would be back tonormal...hopefully.