Terror and excitement shook my bones.Lucian will be there with me. He won't abandon me again."Yes."
He slid his arms around my waist and pulled me tight against his hard body, then dipped his head. "May I kiss you?"
I nodded, unable to speak.
His wings circled around the both of us, creating a warm, dark cave only he and I shared.
His soft lips fluttered against mine, a silent question in the movement.
I answered by threading my hands in his air and opening my mouth.
Heaven and Hell collided in a rising chorus as he and I lost ourselves in the sensation of connecting once again.
Chapter 32
Lucian Elysium
Present Day
"Holdontome,"I said as I pulled Anna's soft body closer. I relished the feeling of her warm flesh and the floral shampoo scent in her hair. The temptation to strip the drab pajamas from her skin rose, but I fought it. My Anna deserved the proper attention when the time was right and she'd had proper time to recover.
I placed a gentle kiss to her temple. "The ride will be turbulent. Your physical body is not made to withstand the stretching of time and space, but I'll shield you from the worst effects."
Those big, beautiful brown eyes widened. "Will it hurt?"
"No, but it won't be comfortable. I can put you to sleep if you'd prefer."
"Uh, no thanks." Her lips formed a tremulous smile. "I've never travelled more than a few hours from the church. Visiting an entirely different world is terrifying and exciting."
"Well, let's just hope you still feel excitement and no terror when you see where I live." Doubt crept in.What if she thinks Hell is ugly, unlivable? What if she demands I never see her again?Would I comply?
Unfortunately, I knew the answer to that question, though it would pain me to no end. Anna brought out the tiny fragments of good I didn't know still lurked inside, and this lifted me in a way I hadn't felt since God had sentenced me to exile.
"Okay, Love, here we go." I blinked into the layer of space between worlds, tunneling my power as a wormhole.
The pressure of travelling pushed the air around us in a cyclone of wind and shrieking screams.
Anna gripped my upper arms tighter and buried her face into the crook of my neck. Her frizzy hair became wilder as it whipped around us.
Shooting through the nether, I cocooned her with my body, wings, and power.
I'll do everything I can to keep you safe, I silently promised her.
With a pop that probably pulled on her eardrums, we busted through the skein of space into Hell.
The smell of sulfur and volcanic ash welcomed me with its comforting, acidic aroma.Nothing beats the smell of hellfire, except maybe Anna's skin.
With both arms still wrapped around her for support, I hovered above my fortress, letting my wings buffet the warm air around us.
Ahh. How delightful to be back home.
"Are we—" She cleared her throat and pushed her face from my shirt. "—here?"
"Yes. That's Sheol. My home sweet home."
Still clinging to me, she darted her glance downward, then out to the horizon. Her mouth dropped open. "Is that a volcano?"
I nodded. "Yes. One of many. It's Mount Ignis, the largest here. Would you like to get closer?"
