The Old King and the New Bride Ch. 01

It's lovely here. Still, my gut turns slightly. We'll be eating and dancing on top of dead people. How macabre.

The reception whizzes by, and I lose track of time momentarily. I don't really remember much, just the sights of people playing games, and the sounds of champagne popping and laughter. Oh, and me having to resist the urge to drown my mother in the punch bowl. I'm slightly relieved that Lucifer stayed by my side the entire time and gave me something else to focus on.

I do experience a slight piece of revenge on my mother, but it comes from an unlikely source. Mom and Leyna are engaged in a conversation about who knows what. They're laughing and smiling, making sly jokes at the expense of those around them. Suddenly, Leyna's lovely face changes from jovial to enraged. Mo mother must have said something to piss her off, a common occurrence with my mom. Leyna stands, tosses her drink in my mother's face, and storms off. My mother is left sitting in her chair, covered in spiked punch and looking traumatized.

I smile. It's not much of a comeback for what I've been through, but it's enough to carry me through the rest of the day.

In the moments before sunset, Lucifer and I bid goodbye to our guests. He ushers me gently towards the carriage, and I can see the excitement and anticipation in his eyes. He may not get to sleep with me tonight, but he's got his queen on his arm. I'm sure in his eyes it's a major accomplishment; having a queen is more than his father can say.

I manage to escape his hold and run back into the crowd. For the last time, I embrace Richard, Daniel and Marcus. I tell them how much I love them, say how much I'll miss them, promise I'll find a way to visit. My mother steps forward and throws her arms wide, waiting for her hug. I sigh and embrace her begrudgingly. She is my mother, after all, and I still love her. I just hate what she's done to me.

My goodbyes complete, I race back to the carriage. Lucifer leans against the carriage, staring passively at me. I'm glad he's not upset that I ran off like that. Not a good idea to start our weeding night off on a bad foot because I said goodbye to my family.

We climb into the carriage and Tarioc takes off again. I stare out the window, slightly more at ease with what's happened. True, I'm not particularly happy about being married to Lucifer against my will, but I've resolved to make the best of it. I still avoid his hypnotic gaze and stare out the window. The sun is setting, painting the sky in vibrant shades of burgundy, tangerine and violet. Set against a backdrop of marble gravestones, it's quite a sight.

Tarioc snaps the reins and our carriage takes a sharp left. The ground seems to slope downward now, and we're gradually gaining speed. I look out the window to see nothing but darkness. The horses' hoof beats echo in the surrounding blackness, and I suddenly feel claustrophobic.

I look at Lucifer. He's reclining in his seat, his head tossed back with his eyes closed and his hands folded behind his neck. He looks so relaxed. I'll bet I look terrified.

"Where are we going?" I try to keep the fear out of my voice.

He never opens his eyes. "Home. Don't worry. We'll be there soon."

"But we're going down!" I barely keep myself from screaming in terror. The darkness is starting to turn me into a five-year-old.

Finally, he cracks one golden eyes open. "Michelle, where is Hell according to your Bible?"

Oh, of course. Hell is the Underworld, below Heaven and earth. I want to bury my face in my hands out of embarrassment. I sit back in my seat and turn my head away, avoiding his gaze and wallowing in my stupidity.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice small flashes of light pass by the window. I peer at them, trying to get a better look. Small bits of flame, no doubt breaking off of the now flaming wheel of our carriage, whip by as we descend deeper and deeper into the earth. I watch them as we continue on, secretly hoping Lucifer has closed his eye again and is no longer watching me.

Moments later, the carriage levels out, the sound of hooves nowhere near as frantic as before. We're slowing down, which must mean we're nearly in Lucifer's

domain. I swallow loudly as I start to shake again. We're finally home now, and I'm nervous about how I'll be received. There must be millions of demons waiting to greet Lucifer and his new bride. I just hope they don't eat me.

The horses come to a halt, which means we're finally here. My heart is pounding out of my chest. I'm trembling at the thought of being welcomed by a mass of demons. The chilly reception I got from Leyna was enough to make me assume the worst. Still, I intend to do my best, so I stand and smooth my dress, hoping to make a good first impression.

Showtime, Michelle.

Again, Lucifer rises and heads for the door, opening it and standing outside waiting for me. I grip his hand for balance and exit the carriage, stepping into a world more wondrous that I've ever imagined.

I'm standing in an enormous caver of a hallway that stretches on for miles. The walls and floor are inlaid with black marble slabs. Granite statues of fornicating humans and demons line the length of the hallway. Elaborately carved metal sconces are imbedded in the marble, cupping soft white flames that cast beautifully curved shadows along the floor. There are enormous cutouts the run along the length of the wall, each bathing the cold floor in the soft orange light that glows beneath the window..

Above me, an arched ceiling is filled with stained glass panels. Soft streams of cobalt, crimson, emerald and gold trickle through, coloring the dark marble. It must be sunlight pouring through those hunks of colored glass. I'm not surprised. This is Hell, and Lucifer can make it any way he likes.

Damn.

Who knew Hell could be so gorgeous?

I stare up at the ceiling in wonder. "This is nothing like what the bishops said it would be."

He laughs, a beautiful sound that drowns my sense of reason for an instant. "Ah, you're thinking of the pits of fire and ice that hold the damned. Those are below us. You needn't worry about that area. You won't be going down there until you're ready. Come."

He begins to walk down the hallway. I scurry after him, still distracted by the absolute beauty of this place. If the preachers knew this was the part of Hell where Lucifer lived, they'd throw a fit.

"Why so lavish?" I admire the craftsmanship of the statues.

"Why not. If I'm going to live and work with the lowest filth of the human race, I might as well make my home as comfortable as possible."

"Was Heaven anything like this when you were still up there?" I ask without thinking. I suddenly wish I could take the words back. Reminding him of his old home was an awful idea.

A sly smirk crosses his lips. "Not even close."

I drop my head, mortified and hoping I haven't pissed him off. We continue down the hall in silence; the absence of noise allows me to understand what he meant by the pits being below us. I can hear the screams of tortured souls as they're ripped apart and crushed under the weight of their sins. But the sounds come from outside the windows, emanating up from the soft orange glow.

I shiver and rush forward to keep pace with him. I stand beside him, putting him between me and the open windows. If a wayward demon accidentally shoves me, he's going to be my barrier between those pits.

The hall is empty besides us, which means I'm not going to be shown off tonight, more likely, Lucifer is waiting until tomorrow to introduce me to his followers. I'm slightly relieved. That will give me time to either adjust to this wondrous place or completely lose my mind.

We stop in front of an enormous door imbedded into the marble slabs. It's solid oak and stained so dark it looks black. It's expertly carved with effigies of human souls wrapped in fire with elated demons dancing above them. Horrifying, but such lovely handiwork.

Lucifer steps up and opens the door. Inside, a vast room decked out in gleaming white marble, lush fabrics and a hoard of female demons awaits me. He motions for me to enter, a move I counter with a confused look.

He smiles at me. "It's our wedding night, Michelle. And while you've earned a reprieve from consummating our union, I can't have you coming to bed in your wedding dress, as lovely as it may be." He motions to the group of demons inside the room. "They're your assistants. They'll prep you, set out your clothing, and anything else you may need."

Oh. I have hired help. How upper-crust.

"And I need them now because..." I eye him cautiously, trying to imagine what he's thinking.

He grins. "I've given them instructions for how I want you. They'll have you ready for me."

I glance at the girls, then back at my husband. "You do remember giving me the night off, correct?"

His smile never falls. "Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the view. In you go."

I sigh and nod, turning towards the open door. I just barely make my way inside when he moves to close the door behind me. Just before he does, his smiles through the small crack between the door and the wall.

"I'll see you in a moment my dear."

He closes the door behind me, cutting me off from everyone and everything but my new maids. There's ten of them standing in front of me, each a striking beauty that makes me feel incredibly insecure. They're dressed in an array of clothing styles: some wear dresses, other in jeans and shirts and others in what looks like leftovers from a cutting room floor. I certainly have an interesting menagerie to work with.

They start immediately, rushing forward and beginning their duty of turning me into a queen for the night. They undo my dress and help me out of it. My heels are removed, my hair is brushed and makeup wiped away. While they clean me up, I take the time to look around my dressing room.

It's solid slabs of pure white marble from floor to ceiling. The ceiling itself is made of carved wood effigies pieced together like an enormous puzzle. There are marble columns reaching up to the ceiling, with black marble vines twisting up to meld with the dark wood at the top. The décor is sparse, but it's all carved stained wood and polished mirrors. There's no bed in this room, so my nights will be spent with Lucifer's bed, not here.

One of the girls reaches out for my necklace. I know she's just doing what she's been told -- undress the queen and clean her up -- but my hand flies to my throat. I shake my head. I promised Lucifer I wouldn't take it off, and I don't want to get in trouble because a naive demon wants to follow orders.

She nods and pulls her hand back, giving me an apologetic look. She rushes over to a rack of clothing hidden behind an enormous dresser and wheels it out so my outfit can be chosen. Two more demons join her and start scanning through the rack, nodding and shaking their heads at different pieces of clothing. The rest of the girls finish undressing me. I'm stripped completely naked and stand awkwardly as I wait for my newest outfit.

After several minutes, the group of girls nod together and make their way back to me, carrying heaps of clothing in their arms. Another maid drags a long fabric-covered bench over to where I'm standing. She helps my designers spread out the clothing on the bench, allowing me to take along at my choices.

It's all skimpy lingerie. Corsets, garters, stockings, thongs, the works. There's at least ten choice of each item, all in different colors and designs. Two more girls come rushing out carrying armfuls of shoes. They set them out on the floor, lining them up along the edge of the bench. Stilettos, I should have known.

Shit. So I am going to be paraded around tonight.

I sigh and cross my arms over my chest. Well, this is certainly unexpected, isn't it? Lucifer wanting his new little bride dressed up like an expensive escort even though he's not getting any ass tonight. I have the urge to dress in every piece of clothing available just to piss him off, but I reject the thought. Instead, I jump at the chance to feel sexy and scan through the scraps of cloth laid out fro me.

I reject anything yellow, green or white, along with any shoes I don't feel are a safe height to fall from. I'm left with three sets of lingerie to pick from. I scan the again and settle on a satin burgundy corset with black lace panels on the side, matching thong, sheer black thigh-highs and red patent leather heels. If I'm going to be with Lucifer, I might as well be dressed hot enough to set fire to everything.

The girls lace me into the corset and help me keep my balance as I step into my shoes. Two more start painting my face and fixing my hair. I'm sure by the end of this I'll look enticing enough to put the whores of Babylon to shame.

"He likes it down," I tell the girls working on my hair. The stop and nod at me, removing the pins and adornments they've started to shove in my scalp.

Five minutes later, I'm ready for show and tell. The girls all smile and step back, admiring their work. I wither look absolutely fabulous or horrifyingly awful. One of them rushes off, returning with a large free-standing mirror covered with gold filigree. She drags it in front of me so I can see how I look.

I'm stunned. The shoes make me five inches taller, and the stockings I've picked are just sheer enough to tease the eyes. My legs look fantastic here. The corset shows off my waist and shoves my breasts up to my chin. My hair is pulled away from my face and held in place by a single jewel-encrusted hair in. The makeup is minimal but striking: red lips, barely flushed cheeks and smoky eyes. The girls have done their job.

Bravo, girls. You've made me look like a Wall Street hooker.

Before I can take a breath, the girls begin to usher me to the door.

Oh, we're going now?

The answer is yes as they rush me out of the room. I'm lead down the hallway, surrounded by a gaggle of laughing demon girls. I'm still clad in nothing but my lingerie and I suddenly feel self-conscious. I cross my arms over my chest and stare at the ground as we walk. Heaven forbid any stray demon walks into the hallway and sees me. I think I'd race back into the dressing room and Lucifer would have to come collect me from the closet.

We stop at the end of the hallway, coming to another enormous door. This one is solid oak like the last one, only its carvings are of huge bonfires and dancing pagans. It's far more intimidating than the door of my dressing room. The girls all gather behind me and gently shove me towards the door.

This must be where Lucifer and I are to sleep together. It's certainly dark enough. I take a deep breath and take a reluctant step towards the door. I turn back and thank my girls. They smile happily at me, then scatter into the hallway, leaving me alone.

Well, they're certainly supportive, aren't they?

I gather my strength and raise my fist to the door. This is what I have to do. Now that I'm in Hell, running away won't do me any good, especially not in these heels. Besides, where am I going to run to? Lucifer can find me anywhere. I shake my head, cursing my fate and knock on the door.

"Yes?" Lucifer's deep voice booms through the door. He sounds annoyed, like he doesn't want to be bothered.

Fine, then.

"You want to let me in or not?" I snap.

The door swings wide open. I smile to myself. He may not be getting anything tonight, by the threat of not having his virile new bride in his bed is enough to wake him up. I straighten my spine and step through the archway, listening as the door slams behind me.

Dark grey marble, strewn with thick veins of blue and white, is the central theme here. Again, more enormous columns stretch from floor to ceiling, with clusters of small carved coral flames licking their way to the top.

Our marriage bed is the central masterpiece of the room. Rich dark wood has been molded into a beautifully sculpted headboard. Spires of oak reach up from the four corners of the bed, cradling a mass of sheer black and cobalt fabric that spills halfway down the bed frame. The thick sheets are pure white and embroidered with rich crimson scrollwork on the edges.

It's going to take me a while to get used to all this luxury.

Lucifer stands beside the bed, leaning against one of the thick posts. He's naked, allowing me to see every rippling muscle and sinew in his perfect body. His brows are raised a slight smile plays on his lips. Oh, yes. I look like a perfect little escort, don't I? I hope he like the view, because he's not getting any of this just yet.

"You look stunning," he purrs. His voice is low, and I can almost feel the lust radiating off him.

I square my shoulders and smile back. "Thank you. Your girls are very proficient."

"Aren't they?" He strides towards me, his smile growing another inch with every step. His walk has a natural, perfect swagger to it that most wannabe rappers would sell their souls to have. "Although, I do believe you're far too overdressed."

I swallow, suddenly concerned that he's backing out of our deal. "You promised me the night off."

He nods. "I did. But I still want you naked."

I step back, my hands flying to my hips and a scowl plastered on my face. "And if I refuse? Maybe I like this outfit."

He stops in his tracks, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and outrage. "You're going to challenge me on this?"

I shrug, calling forth every ounce of strength I have. "Maybe. Depends on how bossy you're going to be tonight."

He scowls at me and my gut twists. Oh, boy. Now I've set him off. And while my mind is begging me to apologize and strip naked, my ego won't let me. I stand my ground, determined to prove my point, even if it means bodily harm.

He closes his eyes and sighs. "I was hoping you'd be more agreeable than this."

I shrug again. "You take my mother for a ride, steal my life as collateral and force me into a corset for your entertainment. You expect me to call you 'master' as well?"

His eyes narrow at me. He lifts one hand, points his finger at me and swipes his hand through the air.

My eyes nearly pop out of my head. Try as I may, my lips are sealed shut. My vocal cords are frozen, so I can't even squeak out my shock. I can't talk! No...I can't argue.

He smiles again and continues striding towards me. "Your mother warned that you had a mouth on you. The fantastic blowjob aside, she was correct."

Damn it, mom.

He steps around behind me and leans forward. I can feel his chest against my shoulders, his nose in my hair.

"Now, let's get you out of this lovely corset."

He taps my shoulder and a chill roars through me. I try to turn around, but I'm stuck. Panicked, I try to move my arm, my foot anything. He's frozen my body as well, a precaution, no doubt, in case I try to break free. Damn him.

I feel his cool fingers as they work at the ribbon laces of my corset. He flies through them, and my top falls to the floor within seconds, leaving me completely exposed.

"Still wearing your necklace?" His fingers caress my collarbone. "Good girl. So you're not completely insubordinate."

He moves around to my front and drops to his knees. He starts working at my stockings, pulling them off my legs. At the touch of his hand my legs unfreeze, though I'm only allowed to move as much as he allows me. My stockings gone, the pulls my thong down as well, tossing it aside as he stands.

I'm naked now, and feeling more exposed that I've ever felt in my life. A deep blush works up to my cheeks, though I manage to hold my expression still. He stares at me for a moment, taking in every curve I own. A new smile breaks onto his face.

"You're very nice, Michelle. Very nice. Now, let's go to bed."