HIS QUEEN

Chapter 6: Play to Win

-ANNA-

“No wonder they call you the Prince of Lies.” I couldn’t help but chuckle as Lucifer and I walked across the parking lot towards my Mustang. I’ll admit, that little scene we conjured up a moment ago was pretty awesome.

“Enjoy that, did you?” He asks as I lean my back against the driver side door of my car. Lucifer puts an arm on both sides of me while leaning his hands on the car, and hovers over me. I should be uncomfortable by the lack of space between us but I’m completely relaxed.

“I suppose a little bit of embarrassment on my part is a small sacrifice to keep the blood shed to a minimum.”

“Embarrassment? s*x is a natural order of life. Everyone does it. Species would die out without it.” He gently rubs his nose against mine. Why did I just let him do that? Why can’t I stop him from doing these intimate gestures to me? My traitorous body is just soaking up all of his intimacy like a sponge. “Besides, once you stop playing hard to get, you won’t be able to keep your hands off of me.”

I snort with laughter. “Cocky much?”

Lucifer smiles as I laugh. His smile disappears and his expression becomes serious. “You know that flesh bag is way beneath you, right?”

I stop laughing and purse my lips together. “You would say that if my ex would have been any mortal.”

He nodded in agreement. “Precisely. He wasn’t worthy of your affection or your tears.”

“That we can both agree on.” I say before furrowing my brow.“Those things you said about Mitch and Megan, it was the truth?”

A grin spreads on his handsome face. “Yes, darling. I can see into the souls of sinners. They are like an open book to me.”

“And what do you see when you look at me?” I ask curiously, raising an eyebrow. I’m don’t have a clean slate, that’s for sure.

Lucifer slowly looks me over like he’s reading my soul. “Well, you insult your King quite a bit...”

“Uh huh.” I say rolling my eyes. “I know there’s quite a bit of sins on my list, but what’s the worst one?”

He bites his lip then gazes at me affectionately. “Your worst sin...is that you are falling in love with the Devil.”

“Oh, really?” I say in disbelief. “You can see that in the two days of us knowing each other...that’s two days of you annoying me nonstop...I do not call that love.”

Lucifer chuckles. “Deny it all you want, love. But...” he drifted off and looked like he was listening to something. “Put your arms around my neck.” I look at him suspiciously. “Humor me, will you?”

I roll my eyes and wrap my hands around his neck. He leans down to where his lips are almost touching mine. Lucifer smiles and then moves his hands down to my hips, pulling me against him.

“What are you doing?” I gasp as he starts moving his face like...like we are kissing! I should have known better than to humor him!

His smile widens as he reads my mind. “Have I told you, that you have the most luscious looking lips I have ever seen?” He whispers and I feel his hot cinnamon breath on my face. He keeps moving his head, like he’s devouring my mouth. His nose brushes against mine and I feel my mouth go dry. My mind starts to wonder and I have the sudden urge to press my lips against his to see if he tastes like cinnamon, one of my favorite candies. Sweet cheese and crackers, what is he doing to me? “I’ve wanted nothing more than to kiss those lips, from the first time I saw you.” He stops moving his head and I feel the electrical tingling as his lips hover over mine. So close...so incredibly close. “To taste you.” He breathes against my lips. His eyes are clouded with desire and I would be lying if I didn’t say I was turned on by his words. We stare at each other in silence for a few seconds before Lucifer lets out a deep breath and pulls himself away from me. He turns to look over his shoulder and I follow his gaze to see Mitch standing there looking furious. Oh, humor him in support of his ulterior motive...I see. What I don’t get is why it bothers Mitch so much? He’s the reason we are no longer together.

When Lucifer turns his attention back to me, he has the biggest satisfactory smile on his face. I raise my eyebrows in surprise. “You sly Devil.”

Lucifer chuckles. “You won’t let me kill him, so I have to find other means to torment your ex.”

“Nothing like stirring the pot, Mr. Lucifer.” I will say, I do enjoy that Mitch is getting tormented in someway after what he did. I often struggle with my morals when it comes to mortals and their stupidity but I hold firm. I won’t harm an innocent. It’s my own code. Mitch cheating on me is not something I consider a strong enough offense to punish him with my powers...although my friends would disagree. They offered to curse him, but I told them no. Karma will catch up with him eventually. “Indeed. I must say, I am having more fun by keeping the twit alive.” He pauses briefly. “But, I imagine my satisfaction will be greater when I have him in one of the pits in Hell, torturing him for eternity.”

I roll my eyes. “Yes. I can only imagine how much fun that will be.”

“Don’t knock it til you try it, my love. However, I must be going.”

“Oh,” I say teasingly while raising an eyebrow. “Have a hot date, do you?”

Lucifer chuckles. “Why? Are you jealous?”

“Hardly!” I tried saying with a straight face, even though I wanted to laugh. “I’m just happy you’re going to annoy someone else for a change.”

Lucifer places a finger under my chin and tilts it up so I’m looking directly into his eyes. “Don’t get too excited. I’ll see you after you get off work.” I groan, which makes him smile. At least I will get a few hours to myself without my demon stalker.

~~~~~

-ANNA-

My last night at the diner went well. Darla and Scotty, the cook, had bought me a retirement cake since I was throwing in my waitress apron. Henry was there. He was a little sad but I promised I would still come by to see them.

I close the front door of my home and call out, “Aunties! I’m home!”

No response. Weird. I make my way to the kitchen but pause when I hear my aunts talking with a very familiar masculine voice. I pass up the kitchen and follow the voices to the formal dining room. Sitting at the head of the long dining table like he owned the place, was Lucifer. Aunt Zelda was sitting on his left and Aunt Beatrice was on his right. They stopped their conversation when I entered the room.

“What is he doing here?” I grit through my teeth in annoyance. When he said he would see me after my shift, I expected him to be in my room. I had no intentions of sharing my stalker with my aunts. In fact, I had decided while I was at work that I was going to banish him back to Hell since he didn’t plan on leaving me alone. Problem solved...or so I thought until I walked in seeing my aunts all chummy with him.

“Anna Rose Croft!” Aunt Zelda snaps angrily at me. Ouch, middle name. “How dare you speak in such a manner to our King!”

I can’t help but stare at the three of them. Surely my aunts didn’t fall for his claim of him being the Devil? They are a couple hundred years old. Experienced, not naive young witches. I give a short laugh. “You’re joking right?”

There was silence. Aunt Z was glaring at me, Aunt B was looking at me wide eyed and Lucifer...was sitting there looking smug. I would give anything to wipe that smug look off his stupid face right now. A smile appeared on his face and I knew he had read my thoughts. “You can’t seriously think that he is the Dark Lord?”

“Anna!” This time Aunt Z angrily slams her hands on the table and stands up. “Get down on your knees this instant and beg for forgiveness!”

Lucifer’s smile widens. Oh, this fucker...

“Anna.” Aunt B whispers. “Please.”

I shake my head. “Not happening.” I glare at Lucifer and I can feel the heat from the glare of Aunt Z. If she had laser beams for eyes, I surely would have been a melted puddle by now.

Aunt Zelda turned and bowed her head to Lucifer. “I apologize for my niece, my King. We have not brought her up to be this way. She will be punished for her disrespect and disobedience...”

“There’s no need for that.” Lucifer replies calmly, not breaking his gaze away from mine. “Anna has a right to be skeptical. It’s not everyday that you find out you’re the mate to a demon...let alone the King of Hell. Her suspicion is to be expected.” He paused. “But I assure you, Anna. I am the Devil. No other being is able to see into the souls of others and read their sins as I do. Nor is there one that comes close to my power.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Even if you are the Devil, how do you expect me to believe that I’m your mate? And that you aren’t just trying to whisk me away as some mistress?” For all I know, I could just be this asshat’s obsession.

“Anna!” Aunt Zelda snaps again but Lucifer holds his hand up for her to be quiet.

“If all I wanted was you as my mistress, do you really think I would go to all this trouble when I could just take you?” Lucifer replies, relaxing against the back of his chair.

Hmmm. He’s got a good point. He’s going through an awful lot of trouble just to add another woman to his extra long list of lovers. “Okay, well how do I know that you’re just not making me your chosen mate?” A chosen mate is when a demon, vampire, werewolf, etc. chooses who they want to be mates with instead of waiting for their fated mate. This happens often, especially for the beings that live long lives because fated mates are harder to find. A fated mate is a mate that is the one and only mate given to you by God, who is made especially for you. That’s about all I know about mates.

“Even if he chooses you as his chosen mate, it is a great honor Anna.” Aunt Zelda tells me angrily. Her whole body posture told me that she was ready to throttle me. “Anyone would accept this great blessing, especially to the King.”

I look at her as though she’s grown a second head. “Says you! You’re not the one potentially being handed off in some arranged marriage ordeal. I mean, I don’t even know him. And you’re just willing to hand me over to him, just like that?” I ask her incredulously. Me and my aunties have always had a good relationship, that’s why I’m having such a hard time accepting how they are acting.

“Anna, he is our King.” Aunt B tells me calmly. “We have no right to deny him what he wants, even if he claims you as his chosen mate.”

Fuck my life...and f**k Lucifer too for good measure.

Oh, you will. I hear his thick British accent in my mind.

I shoot him a nasty glare and he’s watching me with an amused expression. How dare you play my aunts against me!

I play to win, love.

Play to win? I am not a prize to be won! I yell at him.

No. You’re so much more than that to me, Anna. The sooner you accept that you are my mate, the easier this will be on the both of us.

“I have an idea.” Lucifer’s voice breaks the silence in the room. “Since Anna believes that I am trying to con her into a lifelong commitment, how about we prove that there is indeed a fated bond between the two of us.”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“That way...her mind is put at ease about the mate bond.” Lucifer looks at Aunt Beatrice. “I believe there is a spell to show a mate link?”

Aunt B nods. “Yes, my King! I can have it ready in a few minutes.”

“Perfect.” Lucifer looks at me smiling while Aunt Beatrice leaves the room to go prepare for the spell. “That way, we can move passed all this nonsense.”

I can’t help but scowl at him. If the spell does indeed prove that I am his fated mate, I’m screwed. There’s no way to get out of it. I will be his until I die. I follow Aunt Beatrice into the kitchen. I stand at the kitchen island while she gathers the supplies, impatiently tapping my fingers on the granite counter top. I hear Aunt Zelda and Lucifer talking in the dining room. I let out a heavy sigh as Aunt Zelda continues to apologize for my actions. After a few minutes, Aunt B is on the other side of the island with a spellbook, some ingredients, a golden ceremonial chalice, and a ceremonial dagger. I watch as she begins adding the ingredients into the chalice.

“How do you know he is the King?” I ask her softly.

A grin spreads across her pretty face. “My dear, because me and my sister have had the pleasure of meeting him before on several occasions throughout our long lives. Besides, it is well known that he does not tolerate people claiming to be him...they are quickly disposed of.”

I nod and lean against the kitchen island. “Doesn’t it bother you to think that you are predestined for someone? That you have no say so or control over your life when you meet that person?”

Her smile disappears. “You are afraid of losing your independence.”

“Among other things.” I tell her honestly. Losing my virginity to someone that I don’t love is one of the items at the top of my list...it’s one of the reasons I’ve held on to it for so long. Hoping I could find true love with a man and give him everything that I am. My friends would tease me that it was a pipe dream and that if I waited for true love I was going to be a virgin until the day I died.

“Anna, even though there are terrible things said about how the King is...”

“You mean that he is ruthless, a killer, likes to torture people...” I list raising an eyebrow and she cuts me off.

“Yes and I know that you are the complete opposite of that.” She was right. I was a friendly person and I only killed when absolutely necessary. “But, a fated mate bond is, well, it’s one of the most incredible things that we supernatural beings have. Two beings made exactly for each other...”

I let out a heavy sigh.

“He will take care of you.” Aunt Beatrice tells me softly. “For the passed several hours, he has discussed with me and your Aunt Zelda his plans for you. You might say...he’s quite smitten with you already.”

I raise a questioning eyebrow. “He doesn’t know me. How can he have any feelings for me?”

“Well, he is a powerful supernatural being. A demon god. The mate bond affect is more intense because of this...you being a human witch, it will take a little longer before you feel the strength of the mate pull.”

After Aunt B finishes mixing the ingredients in the chalice, she picks up the dagger. “Alright, I need your blood, deary.”

Not thinking, I hold my left hand out, showing her my palm and she gasps, “Anna! Did you do another spell with your friends that offered up your blood?”

Oops. My aunts weren’t thrilled when they learned about the incubus spell. The old scar was gone thanks to the wonders of healing salve, but I had a newer one from when I helped Harley with a spell earlier this week. I forgot to apply the healing salve to it, erasing the evidence. According to my aunts, I shouldn’t be handing my royal blood out so frivolously. Royal blood was stronger than a normal witches blood. It increased the power and the accuracy of spells.

“Nope! That was from me cutting an avocado.” I lie. I didn’t like lying but I was already in hot water with this mate thing. No need to stoke the coals under the pot.

Aunt B raises an eyebrow. “An avocado?” She asks suspiciously.

“Yeah.” I reply firmly. I was going to Hell anyways if this spell didn’t turn out in my favor. May as well just keep adding to my list of sins.

“Don’t let your Aunt Zelda see...she already wants to smack the snot out of you for disrespecting the King.” She warns. I hear Aunt Zelda and Lucifer walk into the kitchen. Lucifer came to stand by me and Aunt Zelda went to the other side to stand next to her sister. I wince as Aunt B drug the sharp blade across my palm. You would think as many times as I’ve done this kind of prep for spells I would be used to it...nope, still hurts like a b***h. I squeeze my hand over the chalice, watching as the blood dripped in the cup. When there was enough, Aunt Beatrice handed me a rag to wipe off the blood from the wound and a jar of healing salve. I begin to clean my wound as my aunt held out her hand to Lucifer and slit his palm as well. He didn’t even wince, just remained expressionless as he mimicked the same ritual that I had completed. I pass him a clean rag and the jar of healing salve without a thought.

Awe, you do care. I hear his voice in my head.

I roll my eyes. Being nice is a part of who I am. It comes naturally. Just as being an asshole comes naturally to you.

There was a deep rumble in his chest as he chuckles out loud. Both my aunts look at us with a confused expression.

“Alright.” Aunt B says before walking around the counter. She places the chalice on the ground in the middle of the floor. “My King, you may stay where you are and Anna,” she grabs my hand and leads me to the other side of the cup across from Lucifer. “You stand right here.” She picks up the spell book and walks over to stand a few feet away from the chalice in the middle. “Okay, so once I have completed the incantation, the results should happen within less than a minute. If there is no bond between the two of you, nothing will happen. If the Dark Lord has selected you as his chosen mate, there will be a single tether linking you both together. And if you are fated mates, and infinity symbol will appear.”

I nod in understanding and my gaze shifts to Lucifer as my aunt begins the spell. He smiles at me and I glare at him. Gods, let this be a joke. I won’t be able to spend eternity with this guy without trying to kill him. After Aunt Beatrice completes the incantation. Nothing happens for about twenty seconds. I smile. I knew it!

My smile begins to fall as an orange glowing tether gradually appears connecting me to Lucifer. I look up at the demon across from me and he’s smiling, teeth and all. I frown and glance back down at the line as a few more seconds pass and the line begins to change, gradually forming a loop around Lucifer and a second loop around myself. The infinity symbol.

Fuck.

“It appears,” Lucifer says, breaking me away from my thoughts. As soon as I saw the infinity symbol, I thought about changing sides, becoming a nun and worshipping the mortals god. I hear Heaven is a beautiful place. I just need to repent, be baptized and walk a straight line according to the Bible. “That we are fated mates, darling.”

I mutter a string of curses under my breath. I can’t believe it. What kind of fuckery is this?

“Anna!” Aunt Zelda snaps at me. I watch as the glowing orange infinity symbol gradually fades away. That’s it. I’m his. There’s no way out of it.

“And to think, if only I would have heard your prayers, I could have found you sooner.” Lucifer adds with a smirk.

I send him a scathing look. He just keeps twisting the invisible knife that is perfectly lodged in my back currently. A knife that I’m sure at this moment, Aunt Zelda is envisioning stabbing me over and over again as I continue to embarrass our family in front of our King.

“I don’t understand.” Aunt Beatrice spoke softly. “Anna, you have been worshiping properly, yes?”

I can feel the disappointment in Aunt B’s voice and it pains me. I stay silent. What was I supposed to say? That I never liked the idea of giving myself fully to the Devil? And it wasn’t just him specifically, it was anyone. I belong to myself, I make my own path. Once you sign your name in his book, which I haven’t done, you belong to him fully and he can do with you what he pleases. He tells you to jump, you jump without question. In trade, he offers you more power, protection...and sometimes other favors if he is feeling generous. I have enough power to deal with as it is without having some asshole boosting it.

“No.” I answer. “Not once have I gotten on my knees for you, nor do I plan on it.”

A smirk appears on Lucifer’s handsome face. You say that now, my love, but I’ll have you on your knees in our bedroom. His husky voice says in my mind. And you’ll be begging for my touch and the pleasure I can give you. It doesn’t matter how much you defy me, eventually, you won’t be able to ignore the mate bond between us...and then you will realize just how futile your efforts have been.

I glare at him.

Aunt Zelda walks around the kitchen island and stops in front of me. “We will discuss this later.” She tells me angrily.

I turn and leave the room without saying another word. I was angry but I had some questions that I needed answered. I walk out the front door of the house and made my way towards my car. Once inside the car, I took out my phone and texted the only person I knew who would be knowledgeable on the subject of mates as well as offer an unbiased opinion.

Anna: Hey, do you have time to talk?

He answers almost immediately.

Liam: I always have time for you. The usual spot?

Anna: Yeah. I’ll see you in twenty.