Chapter 23 Aeri
The bath was amazing despite it starting out more than a little awkwardly.
Bast washed my hair, and I know we're in Hell, but I could swear it was Heaven for a minute there.
Nobody's ever washed my hair for me before, and I wasn’t ready for how good it would feel, which is also what I blamed for the embarrassingly sexual noise he pulled from my mouth when his fingers first pressed into my hair.
He chuckled but otherwise ignored it. I wouldn’t have even known it had any kind of effect on him if I hadn’t felt the evidence pressing against my back.
The water never cooled, which was nice, and even after we left the water, the room was still warm enough to be relaxing.
I haven’t been to many rooms in the castle, at least not that I can remember, but this was definitely my favorite.
The towels were plush and big enough to get lost in. Bast brushed my hair for me while I sat on a stool he pulled from under the counter and stared at my reflection in the mirror.
He wasn’t joking when he said the water had healing properties.
There wasn’t a mark on me. Not the spot on my forehead that I’d bashed against the wall ‘til it bled, not a bump or even a scar.
I’d sat lost in my reflection until Bast snapped his fingers, and my towel was replaced with a beautiful black dress.
It touches the floor. The long, flowing black material is soft, yet still hugs me in all the right places. The plunging neckline did great things for my boobs, despite the fact that they weren’t huge, and whatever bra this is, I’m going to need him to snap at least three more into existence for me.
While most of my chest is on display, lace drapes my neck and shoulders, forming a type of collar around my throat. The shoulders are slightly puffy, while the rest of the sleeve hugs my arms.
It looks amazing, and the contrast to my hair is striking.
“You look like a queen,” Bast whispers in my ear. His lip brushes along the shell, making me shiver.
Judging by the smirk that curls his lips, he knows exactly what he’s doing.
Not to mention he can smell me… I hadn’t had the courage to ask him what exactly he meant by that earlier, but I’m pretty sure he meant my arousal.
How embarrassing.
“I love when your cheeks light up like that,” he says, and this time I glare at him in the mirror, almost certain he’s teasing me.
He holds his hands up in surrender, but doesn’t move away. I roll my eyes because he didn’t say he was joking, and the longer I look at him, the more I think he might actually mean it.
My stomach chose this moment to growl, and just like that, my face is red again.
“Let’s go get something to eat, my lady,” he says, bending at the waist in a dramatic bow despite the fact that he’s shirtless with only ripped-up black skinny jeans.
Damn it, that shouldn’t be as attractive as it is.
He offers me his hand, and I take it without hesitation.
I might not understand a lot of what's happening right now, and I might not trust my mind, but I know I’m in good hands with Bast.
I almost break my neck trying to see every inch of the castle we pass as Bast leads me down hall after hall before we finally reach the grandest staircase I’ve ever seen.
I’m still barefoot. Bast’s outfit only included necessities, it would seem, but I’m grateful; had he put me in heels, I definitely would have.
Bast pulls me behind him with a chuckle, and one moment we're in the hall and the next the grand hall as my stomach rolls.
Damn, he’s fast.
Asta, Kai, Talian, and Lucifer are all present, their gazes snapping to me the moment we walk into the room.
“Wow.” Even with their focus on me, I can’t tear my eyes away from the marvel that is the room we now stand in.
If you can even call it that. Honestly, it’s too big to even call it that, but I’m at a loss for something more fitting.
There’s something so disorienting about knowing I’ve probably seen some of these rooms before, but being unable to recall them properly.
“It’s okay,” Bast says, his hand on the small of my back as he leads me further into the room. His touch is reassuring, and I take a moment to breathe past the panic that threatens to overwhelm me.
All four of them are on the far side of the room. Kai and Asta sit opposite one another with Talian on Asta’s right and two empty chairs to the left of Kai. Lucifer sits at the head of the table, but he pushes to stand as we get closer.
For a moment, I wonder if it’s some weird manners, but he moves away from the table toward a small cart. It looks like the ones rich old men often have for alcohol in movies, but instead of auburn liquid, this is darker.
Wait…is that blood?
He only pours a small amount before he slams it back like a shot, his back to us as Bast leads me to the two empty chairs. Thankfully, he isn’t going to put me next to Kai, but I get the feeling I’m the reason the devil is drinking.
What a life…
I annoy demons and devils while making angels do evil things to try to trap me with them for all eternity. I must have murdered puppies and shit in my last life because this is rough.
Swallowing down my nerves and pushing past my panic, I pull up my metaphorical big girl panties, because it didn’t slip my notice that Bast failed to give me any, and make my way over to Lucifer.
It takes him a second to turn around, but I wait, and I get the feeling he’s well aware of my presence.
I don’t give myself a second to overthink it as I step toward him, throwing my arms around his waist and burying my face in his very bare chest.
Maybe not my best idea, but even as my face heats up, I can’t bring myself to regret it. Just like last night, being this close to him settles something in me. It makes the voice that sounds a lot like Rome quiet, even if just for the moment.
I breathe a sigh of relief, and when I inhale, it’s his spicy and smoky scent mixed with the metallic hint of blood, probably from his drink. It’s strange, but not bad.
He doesn’t hug me back, and somehow I didn’t expect him to. Last night was different. He only did that because I needed him, not because he wanted to, and honestly, I don’t want him to hug me if he doesn’t want to.
I pull away after what feels like an eternity but was probably closer to thirty seconds. I smooth my dress before I force my gaze up to his face.
“Thank you.”
His brows shoot up to his hairline as he looks down at me as if he’s never seen me before.
“Between you and Bast, I didn’t have any nightmares, and I’ve been myself more than I have been in…” I trail off, unsure how long it’s been. I don’t even know how long I’ve been here.
Damn.
“Yes, well, whatever that was, leave it for Bast.” He moves around me, heading back to the table to sit, leaving me confused.
“A hug?” I ask, looking at Bast, who stands behind his chair with a smirk on his face.
It’s Talian that answers, though.
“I’m not sure he’s ever been hugged before, Darling.”
My head snaps back to look at Lucifer, waiting for him to deny it, but he doesn’t. In fact, he seems to be ignoring us altogether as he cuts up pancakes.
The devil eats pancakes?
No, stay on topic, Aeri!
“You’ve never been hugged?” I all but demand moving back toward the table; I don’t even try to keep the disbelief from my tone.
“Who would hug the devil?” His voice is even, as if the question is obvious, but even if it is, it makes my heart hurt.
Even I’ve been hugged. Back before my parents sold me off to Rome, they had been perfect. I had everything I ever wanted; I just never realized it came with a time limit.
“What did Ruin want?” Lucifer asks, and my head snaps up.
Ruin.
I look around at the others, unsure who he’s talking to.
“Nothing worth wasting my time to go to the border for,” Kai answers, and I should have known it was him. He and Ruin seem to have a strange friendship I can’t wrap my head around.
Like a Sour Patch Kid, Ruin is the sweet, and Kai is the sour.
Nobody speaks, and after a moment, Bast gestures me toward the chair next to Lucifer.
I take it because, as entertaining as this all might be, I’m starving.
My stomach, of course, agrees, loudly rumbling as Bast pushes my chair in like a gentleman, and I can’t even find it in myself to be embarrassed.
When was the last time I ate?
Logically, I know it couldn’t have been that long ago, but it feels like it as I look at the huge selection of food before me and attempt to stop myself from drooling.
Pancakes, eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage, bacon, French toast, waffles, and every fruit in the world, some I’ve never even seen before. And that’s not all; there's pizza, mac and cheese, burgers, tacos, and no less than ten pitchers of different-color drinks.
“I wasn’t sure what you might enjoy, so I had the imps make a little of everything,” Lucifer says, and I turn to look at him, only to find his attention still on his plate.
Again, I find myself thanking the devil before I shake the thought away and load up my plate. I doubt I'll be able to eat half of it, but I’m sure going to try.
Talian lips quirk up in a smirk as I reach for the plate of sausage that sits just out of my reach. The table is huge, which is great for fitting all the food, but it's also a problem since I have short arms.
“Here, Darling.” Talian grabs the platter and holds it out for me, and I snag a few to put on my plate. “Do I get a thank you hug?” he asks, fluttering his eyelashes at me in a way that is so very him.
Rolling my eyes, I shove a sausage link in my mouth and almost melt at how good it tastes. Peeling my eyes back open, I freeze mid-bite when I see his eyes still fixed on me.
“What?” I ask after I swallow down my mouthful of food, wiping my face for good measure.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Wait, he was serious?
“You want a hug?” I ask, ensuring that’s still what he’s talking about.
“He wants a whole lot more than a hug,” Kai huffs, and I don’t need to look to know he’s rolled his eyes.