me in his mock display of tenderness. “You could spread these beautiful wings of yours and feel the sun again. Wouldn’t you like that?”
Yes. Oh Lord yes, so fucking much.
I knew I had to answer carefully, to not make him think I was eager. He’d use my love of earth and humanity against me if he knew how badly I really wanted to go back. Sunlight and having use of my wings wasn’t even the half of it.
“Are you that taken with my cock-sucking skills? I’m flattered Kim, but I haven’t even shown you the best part.”
“It’s not your mouth that’s the most useful to me.” He tapped a long black claw on my forehead. “But what’s in here.”
“You’re going to have to be a bit more specific. There’s more up there than your kind is used to.” I stretched my wing with as little movement as I could muster, so as to not catch his attention. Damn, still sore.
“Your knowledge,” he said. “Of humans and earth’s landscape from your travels. I may need you to find something for me.”
“Well the landscape has changed quite a bit since I last walked. I hope you’re not looking for, say, a set of keys, ‘cause those are long gone.”
“Must I warn you again, you feathered piece of shit?” Kimaris yanked on a chain and my vision dotted with black spots. The pain was so intense, I thought I might pass out again.
“Sorry. Sorry…” Deep, gasping breaths wracked my bound body. Lord, it hurt so much worse when I was close to fully healed. I could only pray Kimaris wouldn’t know or be able to tell. I’d crack long before my judgment if he exploited that.
“If you find what I’m missing,” he returned to his low, husky voice, “I’ll take the chains away. For good.”
Anything. I’ll find a sewing needle in the Marianna’s Trench if that’s what you need.
“And just when I was adopting this as one of my kinks,” I sighed. I could never show eagerness for what he offered, not even when I wanted it more than anything. Demons lied and manipulated. It was how so many souls broke so easily.
“Cut the act, angel,” he snarled. “You’re suffering here. It’s as obvious as those horns sprouting from your wings.”
“I thought suffering was the whole point.”
“It is, but you get no enjoyment from this.” He ran one dark claw from my wing down my chest, back to my face. “You wouldn’t have been cast down, facing judgment, if you were like the other fallen.” He almost looked like he pitied me. “You don’t have it in you to rise as a fallen angel. You’re still loyal to your God above.”
I bit back every snarky reply that rose up in argument. Because he was right. I didn’t have it in me to fully embrace Hell like Lucifer and the brethren who followed him. I still believed in the Lord’s teachings and will, even if we disagreed on how best to carry them out. I could hold out on torture for years, maybe even centuries. But eventually Hell would take its hold on me, as was already evident by my wings. And by the time it did, would my judgment day even matter?
“What will you have me find for you?” I relented in a shameful whisper.
Kimaris smiled with cruel pleasure. “A succubus by the name of Deyva.”
He pressed a palm to my forehead, shoving imagery into my mind of a beautiful woman. Sinfully beautiful, with Hell’s touch gleaming in the golden horns, and divinely beautiful too, with those luscious curves that only Heaven could design. It’d been a long time since I’d enjoyed the company of a succubus. I saw her from Kimaris' perception, his memories, and nearly retched at some of the things he did to her.
Fuck. And I thought I got a raw deal.
“She’s…on earth?” I blinked, wishing I could shake the imagery from my mind. “Why? There are so few living humans left to feed from.”
“Your only task is to find her for me, not ask questions as to why she’s there,” he barked. “You are not fully corrupted, so you may be able to find her in places demonkind cannot reach.”
So she’s hiding from him in some kind of holy place. Interesting.
“And if I return her to you,” I ventured cautiously, “I won’t be chained anymore?”
“I’ll do you one better,” Kimaris grinned. “I’ll make your judgment with King Belial a top priority.”