Date with Destiny-Demon Style Ch. 09

Hello, again! Somehow I magically managed to type this one faster, so enjoy. See? I care about you. Life just gets in the way sometimes.

* * *

She stirred, mumbling incoherent words while wrapped in the soft sheets of her bed. The blankets were insanely warm, so warm and comfortable that she debated even getting up to fight Emiline. She rolled onto her side, curling up into a small ball and burying her head in the feathered softness of her pillow.

Warm fingers trailed along the flesh of her side, making her moan softly and squirm under their touch. They traced the slender line of her waist, skimming over and around her hip and back up to her rib cage. She giggled, slowly coming out of her dreamy slumber. She couldn't see who was touching her so gently, but she couldn't bring herself to complain about being woken up. This was a fabulous alarm clock.

All too soon, those fingers stopped their playful teasing, instead slipping around her waist and wrapping around to cup her hip. Another hand mirrored the motion, pulling her back against a strong body. Her shoulders rested against a broad, well-muscled chest, her butt brushing strong thighs. Warm breath caressed her skin as her lover's cheek slid against the flesh of her neck, his soft lips dealing out seductive kisses along the curve of her shoulder.

"You are a beauty, aren't you? And a little sex kitten, too. How delicious."

Her eyes snapped open. She knew that tone.

"Oh my, yes." Lucifer's silky voice – made of liquid chocolate and oh, so tempting - slid in her ears, making her dizzy. "I could imagine having so much fun with you in our bed."

She squealed and tried to squirm away from him, but his arms held her tight to his body. He jerked her back, tightening his grip around her waist, his tantalizing voice never wavering.

"You are a little spitfire. I knew I had chosen well when I picked you. Oh, my dear girl. You and I will have so much fun together."

Danger! Danger! Pervert code black! I repeat, pervert code black!

She tried to fight her way out of his embrace, but his strength overwhelmed her own far more than even Darian's. His arms were steel, locked tight around her body and not giving an inch. She fought for as long as she could but, too late to realize it, she'd fallen into Lucifer's trap. She had exhausted herself trying to escape, and all he had to do was hold on. Her body relaxed, her breathing heavy from struggling so violently, but her mind was still sharp, her emotions still volatile. As much as she hated to, she let him hold her as her body recuperated. She could hit him with a good burst of anger later.

Satisfied that she was too tired to fight back, Lucifer made another one of his cocky moves. One hand slid away from her hip, traveling up the length of her torso to cup her breast. She groaned at the feel of his hot fingers searing her skin, the way his fingers squeezed ever-so-gently. She squirmed again, fighting the small bubble of lust growing in her belly. She hated him –despised him - for tricking her, but God, his hands felt so good...

He deep laughter made her bones turn to liquid. "So much fire, and yet so easy to manipulate. I can see how you earned you reputation as a passionate lover."

"What?" She spit the words out. "Who the fuck told you – "

He laughed again. "My dear, no one told me. I simply watched."

Watched? He had watched her make love to her princes? Watched as she shared something so precious and honest with them?

She swallowed loudly. "All of them?" Her voice was soft, barely a whisper.

His lips brushed her ear. "Every. Single. One."

She whimpered and hung her head, squeezing her eyes closed. He had watched her. Watched her every time she had slept with one of her princes. Every kiss, every touch, every move they had made. All captured by his observant eyes. No wonder he knew how to work her so well. He was probably hiding in the shadows, watching and waiting, never alerting them to his presence.

But if he had watched her, and then picked her as queen, didn't that mean he found her somewhat attractive? She wondered, in some fucked-up corner of her mind, if he had ever gone to his room after watching her liaisons and masturbated to an image of her. Upset as she was, a small sense of pride worked its way into her heart. If he did, that would mean that her body could tempt the highest demon of Hell. If he was going to deceive her and screw with her life, then she could use her body to toy with him as well. She smiled at the thought. Payback's a bitch.

Still, his actions were unforgiveable. She brushed aside the thought of him pleasuring himself to her likeness and refocused of the subject at hand: Getting the hell away from him.

She squirmed against him again, trying to put a few inches between them. "You realize that you're in my room without my consent. I can have you removed, even if you are the king of this shithole."

He nuzzled her neck. "But I'm not in your room, my dear. You think you're awake?"

Shit. Now he'll never leave.

"I can stay here as long as I like." His fingers began to gently knead her breast, making her groan again. "But, this is your dream, after all. So, yes, you could make me leave. But you could also make this world whatever you want it to be. What would you make it, Kara? A beach at sunset? A castle atop the hills of England? A cabana on the coast of -"

She buried her head in her pillow, ignoring his suggestions. She was getting nowhere fast, and his soft manipulations of her skin were making her head spin. Maybe a different approach would work. He liked her fire, but she also knew her body was his weakness. Two could play this game.

Wiggling away one more inch, she rolled over to look him in the eyes. They were still the same amber gold that had almost swallowed her whole the first time they'd met, but she'd gotten used to their effects and could now successfully fight their pull. His face, on the other hand, had completely changed. Though still beautiful, it was nowhere near the same mask of humanity she'd seen when she first met him. The angles were sharper, his cheeks hollow yet strong, with lips that begged to be devoured. He looked like a demonic version of Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries. His hair was short and choppy, and a beautiful shade of wheat blonde.

Damn it. This was going to harder than she thought.

He smiled at her, perfect white teeth gleaming. "So, our fiery little princess finally decides to look at me."

Swallowing her anger, she gave a shy smile back. "Well, you're not the easiest guy to work with, so I prefer avoiding you."

He shrugged. "We are who we are."

"True." She inhaled deeply, bracing herself. "Look, I know you've pretty much been dying to see me, but I can't sleep very well with you crowding my dreams. And I need whatever sleep I can get if we're going to take down Emiline."

He continued to smile at her, reaching down with one hand to grasp her own and bring it to his mouth. He peppered kisses along the back on her hand, his eyes never leaving hers.

"All I'm asking is for you to not bug me when I'm sleeping." She knew seduction wouldn't work here, so she settled for the innocent schoolgirl look.

His teeth gently nipped the flesh of her wrist. "I want to taste you myself."

Will you focus?!

"You can, but not here." Taking a risk, she reached out with her free hand and caressed his cheek.

His eyes widened, filled with confusion and hope. He cocked his head to the side, a sly smile forming on his lips. "And why not?"

She smiled back innocently. "Well, for one thing, you wouldn't really be tasting me, would you? You'd taste my body in a dream, not reality. So doing it here would still leave you guessing."

His smile fell, replaced by a look of contemplation. He nodded. "A good point. Any others?"

Her smile turned honey sweet. "It wouldn't be as enjoyable here for me, either. It's still a dream, which means you may be kissing me, but I can imagine it as anything. In here," she tapped her head, "your tongue could turn into a banana slug."

Kara could see his hope sinking lower and lower. She might actually have a chance to get out of this.

Pulling her hand away from his mouth, she reached out and cupped his face in both hands. "Listen, we can't do this here. But I can arrange for you to have something after the boys leave."

He regarded her closely. "Something? Be more specific, girl. I need to know what I'm fighting for."

"You said you wanted to taste me. Name it."

The corners of his mouth kicked up. "As Malnos would say it, your royal pussy is quite intriguing to me."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine."

His arms slipped around her back, pulling her in. "And just how am I going to receive this precious gift of yours?"

She thought a moment. "Come to the door of my room as soon as you can. When I wake up, I'll send the boys out and you can come in. They listen to me, so they won't ask any questions if I make them leave."

"And if they see me waiting outside?"

She scoffed. "What? They're going to challenge you? Not likely. They'll probably know what's going on, but I don't think they're going to make a scene out of it."

He smiled an instant before jerking her hard against him. He stared into her eyes. "How do I know you won't turn around and slap me like you did Malnos?"

She sighed again. She might as well be honest here. Any other answer would destroy their game. "I'm too scared to try to fool you."

He smiled broadly. "Good answer."

She hardened her gaze. "I'm only going to do this on one condition: You don't go behind my back and tell Emiline about what I can do."

"You mean about your Hammer? Why would I? I would gain nothing telling that witch anything."

She turned her head away, thinking of the deal she had just made. She knew she could let herself go long enough to allow him access to her body. But what would her actions do to Darian, Lyzander and Ladrian? Would they hate her? Feel betrayed by her? She hoped not. She cared for all of them. This was just something she had to do to keep all the players in line and make sure Lucifer didn't go stir-crazy staring at her.

A warm finger brushed her cheek. "You honestly care for them, don't you?"

She nodded.

"Did Ladrian tell you of the deal I made with them?"

She nodded again.

"Then there's nothing to be concerned about. Even when you are queen, you can still have your lovers." He kissed her cheek. "I knew you'd be upset when you found out, so I made up my mind to let them have you as well."

She smiled softly. At least he wasn't a total jackass. She faced him again, her eyes honestly softened and vulnerable. "You wouldn't go back on your word for that, would you?"

He shook his head. "I can't. An oath on the river Styx is unbreakable, even for me."

Her smile widened a bit. "Good."

Gently pulling away an inch, she rolled back on to her side and settled into her bed. He shifted closer, wrapping her in his embrace again and nuzzling her neck.

Oaky, so this wasn't so bad. He'd sworn an oath to share her with her princes, so that was good. The deal she'd struck with him just now didn't make her want to jump for joy, but at least it would keep him in line. The boys may not like it either, but she liked to think of it as a small insurance policy. She just hoped that, even with all they'd done and promised him, he wouldn't turn on them at the last second and side with Emiline at the last second.

If he did, she'd kill him.

* * *

She woke hours later, tangled in a mess of sheets and limbs, her dream fading into the dark corners of her mind. Blinking quickly to clear the sleep from her mind, she unwound her arms from the heavy bodies surrounding her and propped herself up of her elbows. All three men were still asleep, each curled up or splayed out around her. Darian and Lyzander lay on either side of her, with Darian gripping his prized dagger in his hands in case of an ambush. Ladrian slept at the foot of her bed, his long silver hair spilling over one side, his hands folded over his abdomen.

She smiled, watching her princes sleep. Her princes...well, they were hers, weren't they? They fought for her, made love to her...shit, Ladrian got one hell of a scar because of her. They really were her princes. And she suspected that each of them considered her their princess. She smiled. That was just fine. She could be a princess and a lover to each of them.

Her smile wavered for a moment, then finally fell, the peace and joy in her heart disintegrating. She couldn't be a lover to them all. Not if she was destined to marry Lucifer. If that happened, she'd spend most of her time in his bed, not theirs. The thought made her shiver, and not out of excitement. She slumped against the headboard, trying to visualize her future married to the demon king. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she imagined it...then again, maybe not.

She considered both options, her imagination running wild with possibilities. As handsome and charming as he was, Lucifer had a reputation for lying and treachery. Perhaps this was just another one of his games. The thought lifted her heart and inch. Maybe she could get out of this and laugh it off as some giant, evil joke.

No, she'd seen the look in his eyes. That small glint of lust in the depths of his gold spheres. This was not cruel trick or playful lie. He intended to marry her. And what Lucifer wanted, Lucifer got, whether it was through blood or peace. She doubted negotiations and flattery would work here.

Her heart sank again. Damn him. He sets her up to find a qualified prince to love, then tears it all away to replace it with his own plans. Her mouth tightened, her soul hardening. If she did end up marrying him, she resolved to make his life miserable for as long as it took for him to release her. He wouldn't get her without a fight first. He knew her far too well to expect her to come quietly.

And she wouldn't. She swore she'd fight tooth and nail before she gave into anything he said. Fighting was her strong point, and he was going to get the full force of it when he decided to make his move.

In a part of her mind separate from her boiling emotions, she secretly wondered what he would be like as a husband. She'd herd stories of him tempting people and then dragging their souls here for their misdeeds. But she'd never heard one story of him as a lover. He was surrounded by succubae and damned women's souls, she he'd have plenty of time to practice and perfect his technique. And he was a fallen angel, after all. He would have more than enough stamina to satisfy her needs.

She shook the thought from her head, clearing her mind of any and all things Lucifer. She'd deal with that mess later. For now, her focus shifted back to Emiline.

Something in her gut stirred, compelling her to look at the door. Her eyes flicked up to the massive panel of carved wood that separated her room from the rest of Hell. The dancing demon that was the central figure of her door gazed at her with the same red eyes as always. Only now those eyes regarded her with a look of sorrowful compassion. Confused, her eyes traveled down to the bottom edge of her door. There, where a small sliver of light escaped through the space between the wood and the tile floor, a colossal shadow blocked the glow.

Shit. That dream had been real. Lucifer was waiting outside her door, just as she'd told him to. Her heart sank even further. Now that he was here, there was no backing out of their deal or cleverly distracting him from his cause. She was screwed now.

Sighing heavily, she took one last look at the three gorgeous princes guarding her. It wouldn't be so bad if they stayed outside the door. At least then she could feel safe. She swallowed loudly and took a long breath. She had to do this - the sooner, the better.

She shifted her feet, pressing the against Ladrian's side through the sheets. She shoved gently, watching his eyes flutter open. He shook his head, clearing the sleep from his mind, and turned to face her.

"Morning." A broad smile worked its way onto his lips.

She smiled back nervously. "Morning."

His smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. "What? What is it?"

She chewed her lip. "You have to go."

His eyes narrowed in confusion. Her heart now fully smashed to pieces on the tile, she jerked her head towards the door. His black eyes followed her instructions, sliding to the smooth wood and widening at the sight of the shadow. He smiled and returned his gaze to her.

"He's here to see you, huh?"

She could only nod.

He rolled onto his side, still smiling his warm smile. "Hey, don't feel bad. You're gonna be queen. No sense in feeling guilty about sleeping with you soon-to-be husband."

"Yeah," she chewed her lip. "But you –"

He waved a hand. "Don't worry about us. Darian and Lyzander may not like it, but there's not much they can do. Besides, you're the princess we're fighting for. It's your choice, anyway."

She looked away, shame filling the empty space where her heart used to be. "Still..."

"Hey." He lifted himself up and crawled towards her, gently shoving Lyzander's unconscious body out off the way. He sat down next to her and wrapped one arm around her shoulder. "This is really killing you, isn't' it?"

She hung her head. "I don't want you guys to feel that I don't care, or that I'm just pushing you aside."

"Why would we feel that?" He cocked his head, confused.

"Because I'm doing this with Lucifer and not you." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

He pulled her closer, forcing her to lean her head on his shoulder. She complied, wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling his neck. The heat from his skin calmed her a bit, relaxing her heart and easing the tension on her soul.

"It's all right. It's all right." He whispered the words into her hair. "You know, if it's so upsetting to you, I'll just wake the guys up myself and say there's an emergency. Then the heat's off you."

She looked up at him, her eyes hopeful. "You'd do that for me?"

His smile was all the answer she needed. "Of course I would."

She grinned back and pressed her cheek into his chest. Leave it to Ladrian to make her feel safe and warm. The man could probably make POWs feel right at home with just a few words.

"You ready for him?"

She sighed to herself. "Not really, but I don't really have a choice. I'm too freaked out to lie to him about this."

"Yes, he does have a bit of a temper, doesn't he?"

"Yeah." She pulled away gently, smoothing her hair and taking deep breaths.

He leaned over and kissed her neck. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll handle the boys for a few hours."

She turned and kissed him back. "It's only oral sex. It shouldn't take too long."

He flashed a sarcastic smile. "You know Lucifer. He'll take his sweet time with anything."

Giving her one last wicked smile, he climbed over Lyzander's body and slid off the bed. We grabbed his pants and pulled them one before grabbing a long spear from his pile of weapons and holding it out to test its weight. Satisfied, he smiled, turned the spear so the tip faced the floor and swung it at full force, smashing the metal point against the tile floor hard enough to crack the stone. An ear-shattering crash resonated through the room, making her clap her hands over her ears.

Darian and Lyzander practically fell out of her bed, crashing to the floor out of shock.

Ladrian smiled and straightened his stance. He brushed his hair out of his eyes and stared at the others with an annoyed look. He rested the spear against his shoulder and clapped his hands.

"Come one, you lazy troublemakers! Time to face the sunshine!"