Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 88

Bella's P.O.V.

They both look at me in confusion. "Are you sure?" Lucien asks.

I stand there, trying to put myself back in that night, desperately wanting to make sure it was only one man because the Devil and his son are hunting two. What if I'm wrong and they exact punishment on someone who doesn't deserve it? No, that can't be right. Samael was sure John Henry's buddy, Skylar Schmidt, was way worse of a human being, and they both have a mark on their record for June 29th. I didn't see anybody else, but that could have been my terror clouding my vision and suffocating my mind. My subconscious won't let me go back to that night, so I cannot do anything but stick with the story I have been telling since it happened and say, confidently, "Yes, I was violated by only one man." It may or may not be the truth. Up until fifteen minutes ago, I thought there was only one man, but now they're telling me it might have been two? I don't know what to believe anymore.

"That's something we can verify once we confront them," Lucien's father says in that deep, smooth voice of his. I can feel it's resonance and timber all the way into the individual cells of my body, releasing the tension and fear I've built up in them. He must be using some ancient power to keep me tethered to reality, and I find myself agreeing to meet my attacker, even though it's the last thing in the world I want to do. He is so extraordinarily adept at making me understand I am safe in their presence that it prevents me from second guessing my hasty decision. Logically I know my attacker can't physically hurt me with the two of them around, but emotionally...

Lucien pulls me to him and kisses me passionately. At first, I'm embarrassed because his father is standing within five feet of us, but he doesn't make a sound, and in a moment he's forgotten. All I can think about is Lucien's soft lips, how they tease with a promise of things to come. "Lock the door once you're situated. If you need me, just call out to me, okay?" he says, his breath, an inch from my ear, sends goose bumps shooting down my leg.

I pull back and look at him, "You'll be able to hear me if I call for you?" His eyes soften and nods his head. "Please be careful, both of you," I tell them, stepping back to include his father in my statement.

They both smile at me and Lucien says in a sultry voice, "I love that you worry about me. We will be back soon," and in an instant, they're gone. I couldn't tell you if they ran, walked, or flew away, but one moment they were there, the next, poof...no sign of them. Weird. My life has gotten so undefinable and complicated since I've met Lucien, but at the same time so full of promise. Heaven is real! My Mom is in Heaven and someday my Dad, Chris and I will join her. Then I think about Tommy as I get back into the SUV and lock the doors. What part did he play in my assault? Is he going to Hell for it? If not, the men Lucien and his father are hunting surely will be. I wonder, idly, if they've ever thought about the consequences of their actions. They can not possibly understand what fate holds in store for them, otherwise they would never commit crimes in the first place. But the real question I need to answer is, can I face them? Sam thinks I should, so I settle in to have a stern taking to myself. I overcame my fear of Lucien's father, right? Now I just need to convince myself I can handle confronting my attacker or, possibly, attackers.