Chapter 23 Aeri #2
Talian’s smirk turns into a full-blown smile at Kai’s words, and being on the receiving end of it makes my stomach do a flip.
“I’ll happily take a hug for now, though,” Talian says with a wink, and before I can think better of it, I’m moving.
Pushing the chair back, I stand and walk around the table, behind Lucifer’s chair, which is a lot like a throne now that I look at it, and come to a stop on his other side next to Talian.
He doesn’t move for a moment, looking up at me, shock clear on his face.
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess he didn’t think I would do it, and standing here feeling all their eyes on me, I kind of wish I hadn’t.
My face is on fire as embarrassment gets the better of me, and for a moment, I contemplate running from the hall and back to my room.
If only I could find it. Like an idiot, I’d been too focused on the design of the castle to pay attention to the actual layout.
It would get me out of here, but would I be any less embarrassed when I ended up lost and needed one of them to lead me back to my room?
No.
Talian’s chair scrapes against the floor as he pushes to stand fast enough that it rocks for a moment, almost falling over, before it evens out again.
I don’t think about it, because I know if I do, I’ll chicken out. Instead, I move into his space until I bury my face in his chest, my arms wrapping around his waist as I breathe him in.
A deep rumble in his chest tickles my nose as it literally vibrates through him, and I can’t stop the chuckle that breaks free.
I have no doubt these guys are plenty scary, but man, are they also adorable.
Who knew?
Unlike Lucifer, Talian actually hugs me back; his chin rests on top of my head as he squeezes me.
Fuck, why does it feel so good to be hugged? As if he’s squeezing my broken pieces back together.
I pull away after a while when it becomes apparent he won’t.
Taking a step back, I glance down at my bare feet before rushing back around the table to fall into my seat and begin stuffing my face again.
Food is safe.
“Hm,” Lucifer makes a sound in the back of his throat. I’m not sure what it’s in response to, but I don’t dare look up. I need to eat, and they aren’t making that easy.
Thankfully, the conversation turns away from me and hugs, back to safer things like what Ruin wanted, which clearly wasn’t forgotten or brushed aside the way Kai had intended.
“He said Rome paid him a visit. Wanted to know where we were hiding the mortal, pulled the information from his head before he said he’d just try, but that doesn’t really matter because I’m pretty sure he already did that.
Hence, the mortal bleeding from her head in a corner, begging for death last night. ”
Lucifer slams his fork down, his nostrils flaring in obvious anger as he looks around the table at everyone but me.
“Damn, I thought he would be bugging to see Aeri. I didn’t think it would actually be something serious.” Talian says, and for whatever reason, that makes Kai sag back in his chair, wiping a hand down his face.
“He did that as well,” Kai groans. “Asked me to talk to Lucifer, but I told him to do it himself.”
“I’d love to see that.” It’s the first thing Asta’s said since we entered, and I get the feeling I’m missing something because I didn’t know Asta would like to see anything, especially not when it has to do with Ruin.
“Yes, well, we can worry about him later.” Lucifer waves his fork in the air as if waving all thought of Ruin away before he bites into a piece of bacon, and I can’t look away.
Watching someone eat shouldn’t be sensual, but for some reason, it is with him; the way his lips wrap around the bacon is…
Shit, they're talking, and I’ve heard absolutely none of it.
Tuning back in, I try to pick up on what they're talking about, keeping my attention on my food this time so as not to get distracted.
“We need to figure out how to keep him out, though. Just because she went one night without dreaming doesn’t mean anything. He might have used too much power to push her, or he’s waiting to see the results before trying again. She could forget us at any moment, and we need to be prepared for that.”
Asta’s voice isn’t cold exactly, just blunt, but still, it makes me cringe knowing he’s right.
Knowing he could just take control of my mind at any moment is terrifying. Suddenly, I wish I’d kept my focus on Lucifer and his bacon. Sure beats this conversation.
“For now, keep her close. Continue to look into what you can; that’s all that we can do. We will find a way to keep him out; it's just a matter of when.”
“We?” Kai asks the same thing I asked yesterday, but he doesn’t get the same reassurance I did. Instead, everything goes quiet, so quiet that I chance a peek up and find Lucifer glaring at Kai, and I have to resist the urge to buckle under the weight of it.
Fuck, I lied. He is scary.
The rest of breakfast is pretty quiet. Bast talks to me a little, asks how I like the food, and honestly, everything I’ve tried is delicious, so no complaints here.
Talian asks if there's anything else I’d prefer them to make, and at first, I can’t think of anything, but after looking around the table, I notice something is missing.
“Sweets.”
Talian barks a laugh before looking between Asta and Lucifer.
“You're going to have to scare the imps into not eating them all the second they finish making it.”
“Imps have a thing for sweets,” Bast says, his voice low in my ear, making goosebumps rise up on my arms.
Lucifer waves Talian’s concern away as if it’s not a big deal as he pushes to stand, his plate now empty. But I can’t help feeling bad knowing I’ve just made more work for them.
Haven’t they done enough for me?
Lucifer moves around the table toward a door I hadn’t noticed before, and I get the feeling it’s probably the kitchen as he moves to put my request in.
“Wait.” I scramble out of my chair, almost falling on my face in my haste to stop him. Thankfully, I don’t, and by the time he turns to face me, I’m right there. “Please don’t go through any extra trouble. You’ve already done so much for me, so please forget it.”
I know he’s not going to listen just by looking at him. If this…devil has never been hugged before, I think it’s safe to assume he isn’t one to listen to orders either, even if I did say please.
He leaves me no choice.
Before he can disappear wherever that door will take him, I lunge forward and hug him again.
It’s literally the only thing I can think of, and while it will only last a moment, I’m hoping it will distract him if nothing else.
“You’ve done enough,” I say with my face pressed to his hard chest, my voice muffled to the point I’m not even sure he can understand me. “If not for you, I’d still be lost, a prisoner to my mind, a puppet for Rome.”
Even saying the words aloud makes my skin crawl and my throat feel tight. Memories of what Rome has done to me in the past threaten to choke me, but as quickly as the panic begins to build, it’s gone.
Warmth wraps around me like I’ve never felt before, starting in my chest and moving to every limb, all the way down to my toes. I pull back enough to look up at Lucifer through my lashes and find him staring down at me, his eyes just as wide and confused as my own.
My heart is beating so fast I fear it might burst out of my chest as I realize that, unlike last time I hugged Lucifer, this time he’s hugged me back.
“I…” he starts to say, but trails off, seemingly needing to gather his thoughts. “I wasn’t aware I was to hold you back for a hug.”
It’s sad, but something about this is so genuine and adorable that I can’t help smiling up at him.
“You’re a natural.”
“Holy shit!” I can hear the awe in Talian’s voice, but it still takes a lot of effort for me to remove myself from Lucifer’s arms to turn and look at him, and not just for me. Lucifer seems reluctant to let me go as well.
“I guess that answers that question,” Asta says, looking between us both as he sees something I don’t.
“I told you,” Bast says with a smug look he directs at Kai, who, for once, seems at a loss for words.
“Yes, it would seem some demons have mates after all,” Lucifer says from behind me, and I whip back around to look at him.
Mate?!