The Virgin Priest Pt. 03

Had it been cold last time he was outside? Luke couldn't think clearly as he moved throughout the village. He couldn't get his thoughts straight. The further he moved away from the demon, the more confused he got. He knew where he was going. He knew he had to avoid the eyes of the curious townspeople. He knew he looked a mess; their friendly neighborhood priest was in clothing they had never seen him in before.

He saw the church in the distance and a sense of unease came through him. How odd. He always felt comfort there. Luke took a deep breath and moved the rest of the distance with ease. His feeling of discomfort only growing the closer he got to his safe haven. What if they didn't let him back in? With a swift movement, he opened the doors of the church. Much to his surprise, it was empty. It was exactly as he had left it a few days back. Had no one been in here since then?

"Is anyone here?" he called out. He felt a stinging on his back as he moved deeper into the establishment.

"Father! What has come of you?" He heard a slight voice coming from the back of the church. Relief flooded through him. He wasn't alone. He knew the voice well, but his mind was so jumbled that he couldn't place a name.

"Help me, please," Luke croaked. He stepped up to the pulpit where the demon had taken him, it was still toppled over. Much to his horror, the small man did not take any steps toward him. The young apprentice just stood in the shadows, bright blue eyes bulging at him.

"Father, son and Holy Spirit," the man whispered as he clung to the crucifix on his neck. "It got you, Father."

"Help me, son." Luke pleaded, once again. It was at that moment when Luke realized that the two of them weren't alone. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and as soon as it did, a searing pain ripped through his back. The hand on his shoulder went to the collar of the flimsy shirt he had on and tore it off. A collective gasp came from behind him.

"You have been marked by the Devil, boy." The voice behind Luke was authoritative, one he did not recognize. Fear coursed through Luke as the pain in his back grew in intensity.

"Help me, I beg you," Luke knew the words were pointless as soon as they came out of his mouth. He had to get out of here. He had to figure out a way out of this.

"You were weak enough to let a demon mark you, why should we help you? You are a disgrace. You fell to the sin of the flesh."

Ironically, the only 'safe' place he could think of was the cottage with the demon. She had left him to stew and that's when he made his escape. He should have listened to her when she said this would happen if he came back. Was he facing death now? All for carnal pleasures?

Lily chuckled as she watched the scene at the church unfold in front of her. The only thing that slightly shocked her was the mark on the Father's back. That she hadn't expected. What had happened between them that first night? She knew she had to get him out of the mess he was in, that was certain. He was in grave danger and something in her wouldn't let anything happen to him.

With the confidence only a demon woman could have here, she marched through the doors of the church that had carelessly been left open. No one seemed to notice her presence, not even Luke. He looked far too terrified at the formidable man standing in front of him. She could see the pain coating her Priest's features, she imagined it had something to do with the demonic mark on his back and the holy land they were in. She felt the pain here too. She tried to reach out to him with her presence, letting a little bit of her seductive magic roll through his body.

She could tell he sensed it. His body loosened slightly, and he looked wildly around the church for her. She wasn't here to hurt him, and she tried to convey that in her message. She stepped from behind the man interrogating Luke, and Luke finally laid eyes on her. There was no relief in his eyes, though, just terror. She wanted to let him know that he would be safe, that she would get him out of here. Lily knew that she could take on these men who were cornering Luke, but she didn't want to put him in any danger while she did it.

"Father," she said with a slight voice. The men holding him turned abruptly and glared at her. Luke whipped around again and locked eyes with her. He was pleading with her.

"Get out of here, Lily," he said softly. Why didn't he just give her up? The way his shoulders hung admitted defeat. Lily didn't like it one bit.

"No!" She said with a little more force.

"What is a noblewoman of your stature doing here trying to entertain a disgraced priest?" The other man directed his question at Lily.

"You have to help him, sir. He saved me from the demon, I only came to see that he made it here okay." Lily said, her eyes downcast. Luke looked at her with confusion, and Lily sent out a wave of warmth to him. This man would be no one's but hers. He was hers. Lily stepped closer to Luke, now only a few feet away. He shook his head at her adamantly.

"Stay away from me, Lily, it is not safe. Let them do as they must." Fear laced through his words. His body was shaking, but Lily didn't understand it. He had the mark of Hell on his back. He had the strength to get out of here if he wanted to. She closed the gap between them and put her hand on his other shoulder. She could see the power that her touch gave him.

"I'm not afraid of you, Father. You saved my life by damning your own." She squeezed his shoulder slightly, trying to force him to raise from his knees. Listen to me, dammit! She projected into his mind. She directed her next words at the other man, "Please do not hurt him. Let me help him."

"There is no helping him, girl. He is destined for Hell." Ice ran through Lily's veins. Were they going to burn him?

Run, you idiot, run! She screamed at him. Luke didn't react. She squeezed him harder, urging him on. You'll die if you don't. And she had this awful feeling that if he died, she would too.

Many things had surprised Luke in his life, but nothing so much as seeing the demon terrified at the thought of his impending death. Hours ago, she had been threatening him and now she was trying to save him? He could hear her pleas in his head, feel the comfort she was sending him. She wanted him alive, he knew that much. She was squeezing his shoulder so hard that it hurt almost as much as the burning in his back.

The burning will stop if you leave here. Her voice wrapped itself around his mind. Why was it so damn comforting? How did she know he felt it? He saw the irritation in her eyes as well, could tell that she was scared at the situation they were currently in.

"I promise, sir. I'll take him far away from here, far from the villagers. He saved my life; my father will want to thank him!" The desperation in Lily's voice was like a dagger in his heart. "Get off your knees, Father."

With a sudden pull, she yanked him off his knees. He gasped in shock, but the movement shocked the authority figure behind him and the only hand on Luke now was Lily's. Her hand slid from his shoulder to his elbow, and she pulled him into her close. Luke should let the powers that be burn him for all that had happened. But instead, he stood by this demon as if his life depended on it.

"I don't care if you are a man of the cloth, sir," Venom sprouted in the demon's words, "My father funds this church, you will not punish a man for saving my life. I'll see to it that you're in his place instead."

"We cannot allow a demon marked man access to the outside world, miss." The man looked at Lily with suspicion.

"That's Lady to you," she spat. "And I can assure you that if you do not let us go, I will see you stripped of your stature and everything you hold dear. Never again will you step into a church and hold any kind of authority."

Luke stepped back with Lily. She was inching them out the door. Luke knew she wouldn't win the battle of the wills, but he suddenly didn't doubt her ability to get him out of here alive. She was a demon, after all.

"Yes, my Lady," derision coated the words, "Why don't you leave him here with us and fetch your father? We can keep track of him and your father can show his thanks so we can get along with our business."

Luke felt Lily's grip on him lessen. You have got to believe in yourself and run, little Father. I can handle myself here. Get. Out. Luke felt a spark in him ignite as Lily's words rolled through his mind. He knew she was right. Her arm fell from his as she looked over at him, urging him to go quietly. Luke took the hint and charged towards the open door.

"Go, Father, run towards my family's stead!" she shouted after him, "I will follow."

Luke barely heard her as he pounded his feet on the ground, running for his life. He heard the shouts of the congregation leaders behind him, but somehow he knew that Lily wouldn't let them get close enough to him to hurt him. The mark on his back burned less and less the further away from the church he was. He took off back in the direction of the cottage he had called home for the past few days. He could only hope that Lily would show up soon.

"I should kill you myself, you dumb man!" Her voice thundered through the cottage. Luke sat on the seat he had grown accustomed to and sipped on wine from the demon's stock. "Why would you go back there? I told you it wasn't safe!"

"Why do you care, Lily?" He asked, drunk on the taste of the wine. He hadn't replaced the shirt that had been torn off him. Satisfaction grew through him as he noticed Lily was staring. She was standing in front of him, eyes wide with rage. She wasn't trying to seduce him; she was genuinely concerned.

"You carry a demon's mark, Father. I have never seen that before. Not in a man who is alive." She stalked over to him and lifted the glass of wine from his hands. Slowly, and pointedly, she took a sip.

"Can I ask you why you chose me of all people?" He was genuinely curious. What was the appeal of him? He felt as she let her powers course through his body, a wave of pleasure arching up his back, his body hardening to it. He was done fighting it now. Lily leaned down to him, her lips inches from his. She grazed his lips slightly with hers, not giving in to a kiss, but teasing him. His need for her was at the front of his mind now, but he wouldn't give in to it.

"Simple, you were a virgin, and I love virgins." She didn't retreat from him. She brought her hand to his bare chest. "And one taste of you isn't enough, Father."

"I don't want you, demon." He said. It was a lie, but he said it nonetheless.

"You lie to me. You see, I can't take you unless you want me." She traced a line down his abs, "I can't seduce your mind unless you let me in. I can't harden your body unless yours wants mine."

Lily sat the glass of wine down next to them. She lifted her dress and sat on his lap. Her hands were planted firmly on his chest, and she lowered her lips to his, taking his mouth into hers. He kissed her back eagerly. This woman intoxicated him. He let his arms wrap around her frame, pulling her closer to him. He wanted nothing more than to stake claim to her, but could he really claim a pleasure demon? Luke broke the kiss.

"You know I want you, but how can I know that I can have you?" He didn't bother to lie to her this time.

"You're alive, Father. It appears you are bound to me. I could have let you die in that church, but I couldn't. I could have killed you myself and I didn't."

Lily rocked her body against his, letting the most intimate parts of herself graze over the length of him that was still painfully contained in his pants. Luke's breath caught in his throat. His fingers dug into her sides.

"Don't deny that you want me, Luke. It will only make your life harder, because I will find you again if you try to leave."

With that final warning, Lily fought off her instincts and stood from his lap. She was dripping for him, but she needed him to want her. She needed him to want to keep her around. How did she assure that a human man would stay with a demon princess?