Touched by Fire (Demons of New Chicago #1) - Kel Carpenter Page 0,65
I wanted to thank the ground for not being stairs, but that white-clad figure was moving toward us.
“Piper,” he said huskily. “You look ravishing.” A bolt of need shot through me at the sheer sound of his voice, and I knew without a doubt it was magic. My knees nearly buckled, but somehow, I remained upright.
He extended his arm, and I didn’t want to take it. I wanted to light his ass on fire and watch it burn. But judging by the mad glee in his eyes, he was waiting for any opportunity to exert his power over me.
I took his arm.
“Nathalie,” he said, with no less heat in his voice. “I might have you for dessert.” He extended his other arm, and she took it, somehow managing not to gag.
Bile climbed up my throat, but I swallowed it down.
Then the show began.
He walked us through the club, and the crowd parted. Eyes followed us everywhere we went. Whispers of the human slave and the Le Fay witch that won the pit fight—and that we now belonged to him.
He didn’t introduce us to anyone because he didn’t have to.
Everyone knew who Lucifer was.
And now, they knew who we were.
Or so they thought.
The black dress had done well to hide my brands. With long sleeves and a higher neckline, it might have been skintight, but it wasn’t see-through.
We approached a platform, a solid foot lower than the one we were on. I slowed. Lucifer tightened his grip on me. He stepped down with fluid grace, and Nathalie followed, only slightly more human in her movements. I twisted, trying to lower myself gingerly.
A dark chuckle escaped him.
He released Nathalie, then pulled on my arm.
I lost my balance and went tumbling forward, but his strong body wrapped around me. He pulled me into his embrace, and the scents of blood and sex washed over me. I swallowed, going still. My damned heartbeat was going to give out before the night’s end and blow our whole plan.
Where was Ronan and his stalkerness when I needed it?
“Mmm,” Lucifer hummed against my cheek. “You smell like smoke and roses and Aeshma. My favorite.”
“What does Aeshma smell like?” I asked because I didn’t know what else to say to that. I certainly wasn’t going to thank him.
“War,” he said quietly. “And rage. You can’t smell it because it’s magic. Only a demon can scent rage.”
He released me as quickly as he’d pulled me to him. Lucifer locked one of his arms through mine, and took Natalie’s, then continued forward as if nothing had happened.
He led us to a section in the back of the club. Somewhere that was quieter. The people were fewer and further between, but the magic was stronger. On every table, sticks like incense burned. I knew better, though, when the need was clawing through my body like an untamable beast. My palms sweat. Goosebumps broke out over my arms. The hair on the back of my neck prickled when we came to a stop beside a section of couches.
Three people were seated. A woman with long blue hair and black eyes, along with two mostly naked males at her feet.
“Tatiana,” Lucifer said with a drawl of delight.
“My lord,” she hummed. Tatiana stood and lowered her head. Both her men, which I assumed were slaves given the collars around their necks, bowed, flattening themselves to the ground.
Lucifer seemed pleased with her display, and said, “Please, my dear, take a seat. Let us talk like . . . friends.”
She lifted her head and then dipped it in thanks, but still waited for him to take a seat opposite of her before sitting herself. Lucifer dragged both Nathalie and I down with him, and then lifted his arms to rest at the back of the couch. Magic oozed from his pores at this proximity, and my breath was becoming shallow.
Nathalie looked like she was handling it better than me, but still not well. My . . . affliction made magic and its side effects worse. More pronounced.
I panted softly, and my fingers curled to bite into my palms.
I let myself think back to a decade ago. To what I did. To what happened after.
Images flashed through my mind, and the heat cooled.
But my anger didn’t. That was only beginning to surface.
Lucifer lifted the hand to hail down a servant walking around with a tray. The man paused in his steps and leaned forward, inclining his head as he presented the items on the silver platter.