The Old King and the New Bride Ch. 02

In the center of the room is a considerably large group of humans, maybe thirty at least. They're dressed in a variety of clothing, from the fine linen of the wealthy to the torn rags of the destitute. They're here to see my husband and barter their soul for a promise. My heart breaks for them. They'll never get out of that bargain even if they tried.

I'm lead towards the thrones, the sea of demons parting as we walk. They bow their heads in respect to us, even me. My gut tells me they have to; either they bow or they burn. The humans notice us as well, scurrying back as we pass by and ducking their heads to avoid my gaze. I avoid their gaze, my fear of being judged as a traitor suddenly bursting to the surface.

As we make our way to our thrones, I spot Leyna standing beside the far wall, chatting away with a group of succubae. I suppress a grimace. That man-eater is annoying as shit. She's conceited, vain and relentless when it comes to my new husband. She's been trying for centuries to catch his attention, and hates me because I caught it instead of her. If I weren't queen, I'm sure she'd try to kill me.

Leyna sees me as we draw closer to our seats. She shoots Lucifer an overly-flirtatious smile. He answers with a dark glare. She giggles girlishly and brushes aside his rejection, a response that literally drives me nuts. When she spots me, her spine straightens and a look of enraged jealousy comes over her face. That makes me smile. It's nice to know that having my status as queen is enough to piss her off and keep her in her place.

We climb the steps of the staircase, with Lucifer right at my side. The thrones he's commissioned are quite beautiful actually, if you're willing to look past their dark presences. They're made of solid black iron, twisted and sharpened in accordance with Lucifer's own eccentric tastes. A multitude of black spikes radiates out from the crests at the top. The backs and arm rests are encrusted with jewels of every color and shape. Thick velvet seats have been sewn in to make sitting a bit more comfortable. They're a perfect blend of opulence and wickedness.

Lucifer steps aside and lets me sit first. I sweep the gown around me feet as I sit, smoothing the skirt over my knees. I hear the soft squeak beside me as Lucifer takes his own seat. He leans over to one side of the chair, resting an elbow on the armrest and cupping his chin in his hands. He stretches his free arm out and flicks his fingers at the mass of demons surrounding us.

"Out!"

The herd of demons turns to him for a second, then scatter in all directions from the room. The chamber empties in seconds, leaving only the small group of humans behind. Two armor-clad guards stand behind them guarding the main doors. As the last of the demons exit, I catch a glimpse of Leyna leaving the hall. She whips her head around, gives me one last withering glare, then vanishes.

I roll my eyes and focus half-heartedly on the humans that are left. I try my best to ignore Leyna, but her constant jabs and stares are starting to get on my nerves. My rational mind begs me to talk to Lucifer and see if he can put out a restraining order on her, but my own personal ego won't allow it. I don't want to go crawling to my husband at every mean word and nasty glare aimed towards me. That will make me look like I can't handle holding my ground as a queen. If she wants to fight me, then she can.

The hall is completely empty now except for me, Lucifer, a few guards and the mass of humans. The huddle together slightly, terrified to be here and to be standing in front of my infamous husband. If I was them, I'd be freaked out, too. But I'm not. I have a different perspective than they do being married to him. It's a bit like living in a glass house: they're on the outside looking in, and I'm on the inside looking out. Our perspectives will never match.

Lucifer turns to me and smiles softly. "You can tune this out if you want. It's all selling souls and making promises."

"You should have told me to bring a book.' I smile back.

He snorts a laugh. "I could find other ways to entertain you."

I pause, pondering the prospect. I reject it, though. As much as I look forward to another round of mind-blowing sex, I'm no exhibitionist. I have no intention of having these poor souls watch me fuck minutes before they make a deal.

Might put a bad taste in their mouth.

I flick my eyes to the small crowd. "Later."

He sighs and nods. He turns his attention back to the crow of humans. "Which of you is first?"

They shift uncomfortably, looking at one another as a sense of horror envelops them. My heart breaks for them. They have no idea what they're getting into. I want to warn then, to jump out of my seat and yell for them to run away, but I hold myself back. Get between Lucifer and the acquisition of new souls? Even for a queen, that's suicide.

Finally, an old fisherman steps up to the plate. He's a wizened old scarecrow, with sunken black eyes, thin lips and a full grey beard. Time has not been on his side.

"Your name?" Lucifer asks thoughtlessly.

He coughs for a moment, then answers in a harsh, raspy voice. "Michael Hasen."

Michael...oh, boy. This won't go over well.

Lucifer nod politely. "And what's your request, Michael?"

"The catching's been slow this year. Those damn sea pirates on the Wendigo are catching every crab in the ocean. There's almost nothing left for my crew!" he cries.

That's it? That's why you're selling your soul?

I sigh and turn my attention to the elaborate stained-glass window above us. People are nuts.

"Michael, you know I can't just create more crabs in the ocean. That would upset the natural order of things." As if I really care about keeping order.

He nods vigorously. "Yes, I know. But can't you do something?"

Lucifer nod. "I suppose the Wendigo could have a minor accident at sea."

Michael's beady eyes light up. "That would save my ship!"

And screw you into the ground, old man. Oh, you poor baby.

"You're really ready to sell your soul just to have your competition knocked out of the race for a few months?"

Do you really have to ask?

He nods again. "My ship and my crew are all I have. If we lose this, we'll have nothing."

Lucifer stares at him impassively. "You do know the price for having me do this for you?"

He drops his head. "Yes, sir. It's a risk I'm willing to take if it means saving my business and my men."

My heart twists again. Oh, this poor old fart. He's selling his soul for a few years of good fishing so he and his crew can survive. Not for power or money or sex, just to survive. I stare harder out the window, doing my best to ignore the situation. If I keep watching, I'll break my silence and try to scare him off so he can save himself.

Lucifer smile at him. "Consider it done, then."

Michael perks up, staring at us jubilantly. "You're certain?"

"Of course. When have I ever backed out of a deal?"

The old man breathes a sigh of relief. "My God. Thank you, sire."

I keep my smile plastered to my face as Lucifer waves him out. He turns to me as his next victim steps forward.

"How are you?"

"Fine. A little bored. But fine." I'm lying through my teeth, but I don't want him to see the pain this causes me.

He shrugs. "There's a lot of boredom with this part. Yes?" He turns to face our next customer.

The next couple of hours pass by quickly, albeit heartbreakingly.. Darren, a father of two sick girls, bargains his soul for their cure. Natalie, a lonesome secretary, wants the looks of a supermodel. Brian, an underappreciated employee, wants his corrupt boss chucked out the top window. It's tiring, really, having all these people walk through our doors just to help themselves to something more. At least Darren had a noble reason to sell his soul. The rest just wanted what they themselves were too cowardly to chase after.

Finally, the last customer steps up. He can't be older than twenty four and he's quite the looker, with full lips and bright green eyes. Dressed in an immaculately tailored navy suit and black tie, I'm sure he makes quite the impression on women. His short blond hair is plastered to his head with two gallons of hair gel, his nails are cleaned to perfection, and there's not a single blemish on his face. He's every part the shark he's perceived to be. What could he possibly want from my husband?

"Your name, boy?" Lucifer calls out.

The young man looks indignant for a moment, then regains his composure and clears his throat. "Bradfield Pellistar, sir."

Well, that's a high-born name if I've ever heard one.

Lucifer has a similar reaction, but only shows his feelings toward the man in his eyes. The rest of his face is warm and welcoming. "And what deal did you plan on making today?"

Bradfield gives a sly grin. Those bright green eyes find me, narrowing as he focuses in. my gut twists slightly. I have a bad feeling about this one.

He laughs, a move that actually surprises me. "Nothing that the others would want. No wrecked ships, no superhuman looks, no dead bosses. I make enough, and look good enough, not to worry about those things." He smiles, showing of two rows of perfectly straight teeth.

Cocky little bastard. What's he after?

"Again, Bradfield, what's your deal?" Lucifer's as irritated as I am by his attitude.

He shrugs. "Something out of the ordinary, I suppose."

Lucifer scowls. "How so?"

He smiles again. "I've noticed your pretty little friend."

Oh no.

I flick my eyes to Lucifer, my stomach twisting tighter as I do. There's a look of horrified outrage on his flawless face, something I'd never thought could exist. He looks ready to launch himself at this cocky little wannabe politician, but he manages to hold himself back...just.

"You're referring to my queen, I suppose?" He grits his teeth.

Bradfield's eyes light up. "Queen? I never read about you having a queen in the Bible."

Lucifer narrows his already burning gaze. "New addition to the family."

Bradfield's smile grown an inch. "Well, that certainly makes things a bit more interesting?"

He's caught my attention now, and I'm just as curious as Lucifer is to know what he wants. At the same time, I'm scared to find out.

"Interesting in what way?" Lucifer's words are methodically chosen.

Bradfield shrugs. "Royalty's always a better score."

Oh, he's fucked now.

I look at Lucifer to see his reaction. I can practically see steam pouring out of his ears.

"A better score?" My husband's composure is held together by some glue, a lick and a promise.

"They're harder to get to, so getting the chance to fuck any royal, even one from the underworld, is a great achievement." His voice is smooth, his tone even. He's done this before. "And by the looks of your queen, you've scored in the fucking department."

Lucifer takes a long, slow breath. I can see him nearly shaking from rage, but he holds it back. I can understand his fury. As much as I appreciate the compliments, I'm not interested. Men like that make my skin crawl. That, and I'm really not in the mood to get incinerated by a jealous husband because someone else touched his toy.

Lucifer manages a small smile. "Quite lovely, isn't she?"

Bradfield grins back. "Got a hell of a chest on her."

Well, aren't you subtle?

For a moment, Lucifer's able to calm down a bit. He glances at me, his eyes flicking down to my generous cleavage, then back up to my face again. "I'll have to agree with you on that. She's got a fantastic rack on her."

I smile back shyly. An idea pops into my mind then: a playful, devilish idea that will drive this unwelcome guest nuts. I decide to go for it. I feign absentmindedness and pluck at the chains that hold the front of my dress together. The action causes my breasts to giggle a bit, making my more-than-generous cleavage all the more enticing. From the corner of my eye, I watch Bradfield's eyes widen in shock.

Lucifer catches on almost instantly. He smiles back at me, a glint of mischief in his hypnotic eyes. He's as tired of this asshole as I am, so blowing off a little steam by making him squirm will help both of us.

"Alright," he whispers. "Let's play."

I smile back, and he reaches out to caress my face. His touch is icy, but calming.

"How is my queen doing? I hope you're not too bored with this process."

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He stars at me intensely.

I start to answer, then stop. His fingers have gone from arctic to hot, and the heat is spreading over my entire body. I'm not sweating at all, and there's no alarm bells ringing in my head, so I'm technically fine. I'm confused for a moment, until I start feeling uncomfortable in my gown. I'm sweltering now, and I long to undo the chains at the front and relieve myself...

I almost burst out laughing. I know the game now, and I'm more than in the mood to play along.

"I am feeling a little warm. Would you mind if I cooled myself off a bit?" I ask in the most innocent voice I have in my arsenal.

He grins at me. "Of course, my queen! I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable in your new home."

I smile back shyly, the lean back from his touch and settle into my seat. My high school drama classes kick in, and I start acting like it's July back in Phoenix. I tug at the top chain of my dress, happy that it comes undone relatively easily. The front of my dress pulls apart another inch, revealing even more of my awesome cleavage. Is grin to myself and look down at our unwelcome guest.

Bradfield's jaw has smashed through the tile floor.

Lucifer turns his attention to Bradfield. "Now, where were we?"

"Dear sweet God," he whispers.

"Mister Pellistar?" Lucifer feigns annoyance.

The young leech shakes his head a bit, tearing his gaze from me and reluctantly going back to my husband. "Forgive me, sir. I just-"

Lucifer waves his hand. "It's nothing. She can be quite an exhibitionist at times."

I smile back, toying with the free chain.

"Now then. What was the deal you wanted to make?" Lucifer leans forward an inch, gazing at the man with barely contained joy.

Bradfield manages to center himself again. "With all due respect sir, I was wondering if I could make a deal about your queen."

"A chance with my queen? Why on earth would I allow that?" There's a sly smile on those perfect lips. He's relishing this.

Bradfield's gained his balance again, and his cocky attitude has resurfaced. "I figured, since she's going to be stuck here with you for so long, she might need a bit of real company."

Lucifer's smile fades replaced by another scowl. Bradfield's made the fatal mistake of accusing Lucifer of being a less-than-passionate lover. From what I've experienced so far, that's a damn lie. But now he's set himself up for annihilation, and as annoying as he is, I don't want to step over a giant bloodstain every time I walk in here.

The asshole shrugs. "I only figured she might like a real man have a chance at her. Who knows how long it's been since she's had a good, long fuck. Maybe she'll actually enjoy-" He stops and stares at me.

I've unclipped another chain on my dress, my chest now nearly bursting out of the fabric.

Whoops. Silly me.

Lucifer turns to look at me, the first hints of a smile touching his lips. "Michelle!" he admonishes me sternly.

I look at him, genuinely afraid I've gone too far with this game.

He gives me a look of exasperation. "We have a guest! Control yourself a little."

I drop my head and pout, convinced I'm screwed up. From the corner of my eye I catch him staring at me. We lock eyes for an instant, and he smiles softly. His gaze slips down to the third chain of my dress, then back to me. I catch his game and smile back, reaching down the play with thin metal hook cautiously.

He grins, then looks back at Bradfield. "Forgive her. She hasn't learned to control herself around others."

Bradfield shakes his head. "It's no trouble at all."

Lucifer's warm tone disintegrates. "For you it is." He rises from his chair, glaring down at the mortal below him. "You come into my house, insult me, upset my queen, then demand a night with her?"

Our adversary takes a step back.

"You honestly thought that I would ever allow a maggot like you to even touch my queen?" he roars. "How dare you, you insignificant little piece of sewer shit!"

Bradfield has stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over his own feet. He's staring at us, petrified with fear. Although it serves him right, I know Lucifer is nearly about to lose control and kill him. I rise up from my own chair and race toward him, catching his arm just as he starts to descend the stairs.

"Lucifer, don't!"

He turns to look at me, confused fury in his eyes. The fury is for Bradfield, the confusion is for me.

"He's a stupid young man," I try to calm the situation. "He's an idiot with an oversized ego and a tongue that isn't attached to his brain. He's insulted us, yes. But let this be a lesson to him so he can gain a few brain cells."

Lucifer's rage has eased a bit, and Bradfield has steadied himself again, grateful for my intervention.

"Let him go. He doesn't have to be killed just because he's pissed me off. I've dealt with hundreds of jerks in my life and you haven't killed any of them." I grip his arm a little tighter. "Please. Give him one more chance to knock a few of the rocks out of his head so he can learn."

Lucifer sighs and looks away fro a moment. "Fine. He can go."

"Thank you." I let go of his arm and lean into kiss his cheek. I turn to glare at Bradfield. "And you! The next time you come down here, have an actual deal for us instead of wasting our time with your pathetic insults. Go!"

He nods and scrambles backwards, racing out the main doors of the room and never looking back.

Lucifer pulls me back to our seats. He collapses into his, staring up at the ceiling, annoyance still marring his flawless face. I take my own seat and collapse into it, still reeling from having to save that jerk's ass. Still, the games we played with him were hilarious. Seeing his face when I undid that last chain was perfect.

I start laughing, cupping my face in my hands so I can muffle the sound. Lucifer stars laughing, too, a musical sound that resonates off the marble walls and wraps around my skin.

"So my little queen has a just hand!" he calls out. "Oh, Michelle, you're something else."

I lean back in my chair, barely able to breathe. "That was fun!"

"Yes, the cocky ones are always a joy to fuck with." His voice is lighter now and I'm relieved that he's calmed down.

"Oh!" I drop my hand to my sides and stare up at the ceiling. "I want to do that again! That was such a fun game!"

"Every day, my dear. There's one of them every day."

"And his face!" My laughter starts all over again.

"That was a cruel little trick you pulled." He looks over at me. "I don't know if he'll ever get that image of our tits out of his mind."

I smile back innocently. "Poor baby. And you had to watch, too."

He sighs and leans back in his chair. "I got a fantastic view."

"You're welcome," I grin.

He looks back at me, his eyes bright. "You keep those two top chains undone."

"Why would I ever put them back?" I ask. "It's way too hot here to ever have my dress fully closed."

He laughs again. "Good."

"What now," I sigh.

"We wait."

"For?" I'm curious. Why wait for anything? We rule the place don't we?

"Your presentation. You're going to be officially inaugurated tonight. The staff is finishing up the last few details now, so all we have to do is wait for a few hours and we can start the show."