I’ll treasureyouforever, my sweet Anna.Instead of saying this, I hugged her to me, then led her down the steps and walked her home.
Chapter 15
Lucian Elysium
Six Months Ago
“Iwantnoexcuses.Find out who her parents are—or were—and report back to me. If you fail, I will be personally insulted and forced to deliver punishment.”
A rumble of Mount Ignis cracked the air above my fortress, the sound ominous, portraying my mood. I decided to task Malachi with uncovering Anna’s origins. If I found them, and they didn’t have an exceptionally good excuse for her abandonment, I would personally see to their punishment.
If they’re not already here.
Malachi’s purple gaze widened. “But, My Lord, I don’t understand why this is so urgent.”
“Do I now answer to you, or seek your approval into my doings when it comes to ruling Hell?” I flapped my wings and let the ether coil around my forearms, the power shifting into black-scaled bracers.
“Of course not.” He bowed low. “Forgive me, please.”
“If you cannot do this task, then I will turn to Cain.”
His head snapped up and he rose to full height, throwing back his shoulders. “You will have their names and whatever else I can find. I swear this.”
“Good.” I smiled, stood from my throne, then embraced the dark angel who wanted to be my first in command. “Do this for me, not as a servant, but as my friend, and I will see you rewarded,” I said, releasing him from my embrace. “It is important, and I trust only you to get the job done.”
He nodded. “I seek no reward, My Prince, except to continue serving at your side and to have your counsel.” His stare lowered and a blush crept along his neck. “It is my greatest honor.”
“You are precious to me, Malachi.” I squeezed his shoulder and turned. “Any detail you find is not too small. I want a full report on anything that has to do with her parents.” I pulled my wings inward. “Oh.” I swiveled around. “And please keep mum about this mission. The information is to be shared with no one, not even Samael.”
The less my angels knew of Anna, the safer she’d be. And Malachi was one of my most trusted of the War Council. He would obey my command, but as a safety measure, I laced the order with an ether bond to ensure his loyalty.
Once I bound someone with a request, they were forced to do my bidding lest they suffer steady bouts of increasing pain until compliance. If the angel offered no resistance or subterfuge, at the end of their mission the binding rewarded the recipient with exquisite pleasure.
Like a dopamine release in humans, the desire to carry out my tasks and their successes kept most in line and happy to comply with whatever I desired. Was I proud of how easy it was to control them?
A ruler does what one must to protect his realm.
It had been a while since that night on the Ferris wheel with Anna. I hadAs badly as I wanted to see her again, I made myself stay in Hell. The thought of being alone with her terrified me because I didn’t know if I could control myself.
After our kiss, she’d engulfed my thoughts with her taste, her smell, her flesh. I tried to flush her from my mind and heart with several new arrivals, but once their mouths or hands touched my skin, I pulled back in disgust and sent them away.
You are ruining my sex life, dear Anna.
Why did I prefer a human over anyone else? The answer eluded me, setting my teeth on edge and my temper to flare.
Most of the Chosen veered from my path when they saw me coming. My moods, never exactly stable, had worsened with the self-imposed exile from Earth.
As I reached the hallway leading to my quarters, I stopped, sensing Samael’s presence behind me.
“You have news?” Turning, I met his golden stare.
“Yes.” He sauntered forward, then gave a stiff bow. “I’ve finally located the archangel.”
Of all my generals, Samael was the most irreverent. Some days it annoyed me to no end, other days it was amusing.
Today, I was not amused.
“It only took you, what, four Earth years?” I eyed him, my gaze settling on his wings, the color of ash with silver streaks throughout. My attention roved his long, black hair then settled on his neck, where a small, circular bruise lingered.
