Lucifer's Bride [Complete]

89

Lucifer replaces the stone block in the floor, then stands up and offers his hand to me. I take it gratefully, letting him pull me up so we can continue on our quest. We move to the nearest corner and repeat the process again. Still, I find nothing. Lucifer replaces that stone and rubs my back, a look of apologetic ruefulness on his face. I give the best smile I can muster, happy to know he's trying to comfort me in this. Honestly though, I don't think I'll be content until we find my jewels.

We move on to the next corner. Lucifer lifts the rock out of the way again and I feel around in the darkness. Again, there's nothing inside, and I feel my confidence slowly slipping with each failed venture. I'm beginning to doubt my idea of Leyna hiding my piercings at all. Maybe she's jut destroyed them.

A loud knock at the door pulls me out of my pity party. Lucifer looks up just as he drops the stone into place, a soft smile on his lips. His gaze shifts to me, his eyes warm and hopeful.

"We have company."

Uh oh.

"Come in," Lucifer calls out as he helps me to my feet.

The door swings open and Satan strides in, spinning around and slamming it behind him. He pounds the door once, setting the locks into place before turning to face us. His crimson eyes narrowing confusion as he watches Lucifer and I make our way to the next corner.

"What's going on?" he ask, curious about or task.

"Leyna hid Amelia's piercings when they were switched. We're trying to find them." Lucifer lifts the next block as he speaks.

Satan nods. "Ah, yes. The bitch that started all the trouble. Her little stunt certainly got Beelzebub in a pissy mood."

"Really?" Lucifer asks as he shoves the block aside. "I didn't think the old man would get so emotional about it."

Satan shrugs and makes his way toward us. "Neither did I. Although, I'm not that surprised. The old codger despised that bitch, and he was practically singing praises of our queen."

I reach in and search the hole as Lucifer turns to talk to his other half.

"I suppose that's a good thing." His hand strokes my back. "Better you have him as a fan than a hater."

I can't help my laugh. He's got a point. I may be queen now, but it's a good idea for me to keep Lucifer's head commanders on my side. Many kings have fallen because the people under them are upset.

I sigh and pull my arm out of the hole. Still nothing!I sit back and sulk, glaring at the floor. Where the fuck could Leyna have hidthose damn things? We only have one last false panel to check. If my piercingsaren't there, then I'm officially out of ideas.

Lucifer hauls the block back into place and helps me up. "Damn it,"he hisses.

I sigh hopefully. "One more."

He nods and heads toward the last corner. I follow sheepishly behind him,hoping with all my heart that my piercings are hidden under that block. If theyaren't, I'll be heartbroken for having lost them and I'll haveto go through that torture again.

Dear God, please be there.

I kneel on the cold stone floor and watch as my husband lifts the block out ofposition. My heart pounding, I reach into the abyss and feel around the smoothrock of the hole. I gasp quietly and pull my hand back, a few tears starting totell in my eyes.

Strike five. We're out of options.

I sit back on the floor, my tears escaping from behind my eyelids and drippingonto the floor. Lucifer sighs and replaces the block, a look of absoluteheartbreak on his face. The last symbols of our devotion to each other aregone, hidden away in some unknown spot by an insane succubus with a grudge.

My tears fall freely now, and the tiles of the floor do their best to absorbthem. Lucifer scoots over to me, looping an arm around my shoulders so he canpull me close. I lean into him, pressing my cheek against his chest as his coolhand strokes my hair.

"It's okay," he whispers. "They're just rings. Nothing reallyimportant or damaging."

I nod. "I know. But still..."

"Yes," he sighs. "I know."

"I just...I just can't think of where else to look." I can barelyforce the words out through my tears.

Lucifer's hand never stops stroking my hair. "Don't worry about it. We canreplace them."

As apprehensive as I am to do that again, he's right. No one –besides Leyna – was hurt or injured because I lost my piercings, and we canalways pick new ones to put in if we want. It sucks that they're gone sinceLucifer took so much care in putting them in, but yes, they're just piercings.

I wipe away a few of my tears and calm my breathing again. "Yeah, it'sjust I can't think of - AH!"

I cry out and jump back an inch. Satan has magically teleported himself infront of me, kneeling only inches from my body. He leans in, his face so closeto mine I can feel his hot breath on my skin. A sly smile graces his lips, andhis goat's eyes are glinting with mischief.

I swallow and steady myself against Lucifer. "Hi."

His smile widens an inch and he reaches out, holding his closed fist in frontof me. His clawed fingers unfurl to reveal three shining rings of gold andsmall black jewels resting in his palm.

My piercings!

I'm stunned into silence. The fact that he's so close, holding my prized possessionsjust inches away from me, seems unreal. I almost think it's an illusion, but asI watch the gems sparkle in the light, I realize it's not. He's really holdingmy jewels!

Lucifer lets out a small cry of joy. "Where did you steal thosefrom?"

Satan gives a soft laugh. "I managed to swipe them from Leyna's hidingplace before any real harm could be done. She knew no one would check her body,so... "