Page 63 of To Crave Madly
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I clicked off the intercom and sat back in my chair. I didn’t know my assistant’s name. I never bothered to learn them. I seemed to go through them faster than the Divine One went through prophets. Lori would probably tell me off for that. I could see her now, stood there with her hands on her hips telling me that if I needed an assistant I needed to learn their names. It was polite and the right thing to do. I chuckled at the thought. I liked that she felt like she could tell me off. It was nice to have someone who didn’t cower in fear all the time, who didn’t see a King but instead just saw a man worthy of being with, despite his past.
Dear Lord, I was turning sappy.
“What are you doing to me, Lori?” I muttered to myself as my hand found the mark that bound us together. It pulsed beneath my fingertips and I knew she was thinking of me, too.
A sharp knock on my office door pulled me from my thoughts. “Enter.”
The door opened to admit the head of my security, Darius. He was a beast of a demon. Tall, wide and covered in muscle. He was intimidating to look at, but he was also clever. He could manipulate and coerce people almost as well as me and he was a definite asset in a place filled with sinners looking to escape and find freedom.
“You called, Sire?” His deep tone reverberated off the walls and he bowed as he approached my desk.
I stood from my chair, buttoning my suit jacket. I loved this suit. It was well cut and tailored to perfection. You can’t deny the usefulness of a well-made, expensive suit. “We’re going on a little trip.”
“Of course, Sire. Where to?”
“The Upper Realm.”
Darius blinked. It was the only sign he showed of disapproval. “When do we leave?”
“Now.”
He blinked again and I chuckled. He really didn’t like the idea of going to the Divine City and I couldn’t blame him. It reeked of righteousness and self-serving assholes which was mightily unpleasant, but I needed to see the council and I needed to know what they knew about this whole witch stealing mystery.
“Darius, I can see you don’t approve but the Council have refused my request to visit. So, I am just going to swing by and see if I can’t persuade them to think again.”
“Very good, Sire. And I’m going because…?”
“Because you’re scary as Hell itself and I could use another set of eyes and ears. And besides, who doesn’t enjoy tormenting angels?”
His lips curled into a lethal-looking grin. “Who indeed, Sire.”
Excellent. Time for some fun.
***
The elevator ride always took forever. And they really needed to invest in some new cheesy elevator music. It was like listening to nails on a chalkboard. I mean, seriously, who ever enjoys the music in elevators? It would be different on the way back down. I had control over the elevator for its downward route and I had it programmed to descend with no music at all. Silence was a brilliant tool for torture. Your brain went into overdrive and your inner thoughts became louder, more insistent and more negative the closer to Hell you got. By the time you arrived, you would most likely be screaming already, and I hadn’t even got started yet.
First things first, I had to make it past the gatekeeper. Luckily, she had a bit of a soft spot for me, and I could use that shamelessly to my advantage.
“My dear Arella, how are you?” I turned up the charm and dropped my voice to a seductive timbre.
She giggled before covering it with a cough. “Lucifer, you know you aren’t supposed to be here.”
“But I’ve come all this way to see you,” I said as I perched on the edge of her desk.
She looked up at me and batted her eyelashes. Her big blue eyes were quite charming, and her lashes were thick and dark as they fluttered flirtatiously up at me. She flicked her silver-blonde hair over her shoulder and tutted at me.
“You know I don’t believe you. I know you’re only trying to get to see the council and they won’t let you in.”
Dammit. She always knew everything that was going on in this place, but not to worry. I wasn’t giving up yet.
“Arella,” I caressed her name, drawing out the syllables and making her pupils dilate. “I am trying to help my friend. Don’t you want to help me?”
“I wish I could, Lucifer, but you know the rules. You’re banished and you can only enter the gates with express permission from the Council.”
I sighed despondently and heard a stifled snort from behind me. Darius clearly thought I was hamming it up a little too much. Arella’s eyes darted over my shoulder to where Darius stood to attention and her mouth dropped.
