THE VIRGIN PRIEST 7 & 8

As hard as she tried, Lily couldn’t feel Luke anymore. She hadn’t realized that she could until the essence of him wasn’t in her anymore. She felt hollow inside. Her power felt weaker. She had the distinct feeling that he was no longer in this realm, but it was hard telling which one he had been sent to. She didn’t know enough about the mark connecting them to use it to locate him. The only thing she knew was that he was alive. Whether he was okay or not? She shuddered. She didn’t want to think about that.

Why had her uncle taken Luke in the first place? What made Luke so important? Or was it the fact that he made Lily happy that caught her uncle’s attention? Everything that had happened in the last hour ran through her mind. The fact that Asmodeus had taken her priest the way he had? It lit a fury in her she didn’t know she had. Her power rose at the strength of her emotions. It felt like a faint flicker in her bones compared to what it had felt like over the past couple days. Since she marked Luke.

She set her resolve. Lily had to find out more information about the mark and get Luke back. There was only one person she could think of that could help her. Lily had planned on taking Luke to him earlier that day, in fact. Now that travelling between realms wouldn’t be a problem, she pictured her father’s home in her mind and closed her eyes.

Cool air whipped around her, and when she opened her eyes, she was in front of her father’s magnificent home. Being back in her demon realm made her uneasy. It felt like home, but it was empty. Nothing in this realm ever benefitted her. Most humans thought Hell was a fiery, hot place. In reality, it was more like a beach scene. Her father’s home sat atop a cliff that overlooked the demon equivalent of an ocean. In front of it was lush green grass. Her father always loved the comforts of life. She hadn’t seen him in so long.

With a deep sigh, she walked in the door. Her parents had changed nothing about the house. She hadn’t stepped foot in it in almost 500 years, since her father’s ‘friends’ had run her out. She caught tingles of her mother’s magic. The essence of it wasn’t strong enough for the famed Lilith to be near, though. She walked through the foyer and turned instinctively to her right where she remembered her father’s study to be. She touched the wide oak door lightly and pushed it open.

Her father was nothing if he wasn’t a creature of habit. He was perched at his desk, head dropped, poring over a document that was no doubt important to the health of the realm. Not only was her father the King, but he also had his own territory to govern over. Most of the time he gave that duty to his Queen, but his subjects only answered to him. Lily walked over to him slowly, clearing her throat as she approached his desk. Her father looked up at her, surprise glinting in his blackened eyes. He stood abruptly from his desk and walked over to her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Shynra!” he said warmly, “What brings you here?”

He let her go, holding her at arm’s length. Lily smiled widely. Her father projected to his subjects that he had disowned his only heir, but in reality, she still had high regard in his heart. As high a regard as one demon can have for another, that is.

“Hi, Dad,” she said. He backed away from her and sat back at his desk. He motioned for her to take a seat, and she did so. “I have a problem.”

The expression on his face told her that he expected nothing less, “What is it this time, Shynra? We haven’t seen you here in hundreds of years.”

Lily took in a deep breath and recounted the story of her Priest. Her father listened aptly. She never thought she would see the great Samael, Prince of Wrath and King of Hell, as surprised as he was when she finished her recount. He leaned forward in his seat and settled his chin into the palm of his hand. He tapped the fingers of his other hand excitedly on the desk.

“Oh my! You found him!” he exclaimed. The surprise on his face changed into excitement, then into concern. “How did my brother get him, Shynra?”

“I already told you,” Lily said. She didn’t want to go through it again. She had left out a few key details, like Asmodeus finger fucking Luke, but the premise was the same.

“You’re not telling me something. It’s not easy to send a human through realms. It takes a great deal of power and not even Asmodeus can do it without your priest being willing. Or unless his defenses were down.” Samael led her on.

“Do I really have to say it?” she asked. Her father nodded.

“Tell me what actually happened. It’s important, it may let us know where my brother took him.”

“He seduced Luke,” Lily said, her voice tingling with jealousy. “My priest got his release and then he was gone.”

Samael sat back in his chair, clearly trying to choose his next words carefully. “You marked this man, right?”

“Yes. My wings are on his back.”

With those words, Samael’s eyes shot up, “You told me you marked him, Shynra. You didn’t tell me you gave him your wings.”

“Does it matter?” she shrugged, “Either way, I marked him. If he dies, I die. I’ve got to find him.”

“That’s not quite how it works, daughter,” Samael said softly. “I’m afraid I need to get your mother to have this conversation, though.”

“What does mom have to do with this?” Lily asked, confused.

“We’ve been waiting for you to find this man. We didn’t know who he would be, but since you’ve found him, we can tell you. You’re not going to be happy. But we can’t let him die.” Samael stood from his desk and disappeared out the door.

Lily stayed put. She sat there in stunned silence. What secret had her family been keeping from her? She hadn’t seen her mother since the last time she was in this house. Lilith didn’t care for the human realm. After Lilith followed Samael into the demon realm, she never left. Her children were spread far and wide, feeding her with the conquests they made. It felt like an eternity before the study doors opened back up and her father strode in with her mother. Lily’s breath caught in her throat. She had never been sentimental about her mother. Lilith had never been overly affectionate with Lily. Nevertheless, Lily fought the urge to embrace her mother. 500 years was a long time.

“Mom,” Lily said weakly. Lilith smiled down at her.

“Stand up, child. Is that how you greet your own mother?” Lilith opened her arms and Lily walked into them. They embraced tightly, albeit briefly. Lily sat back down after. Her parents took their seats across from her.

“So, what do you need to tell me?” Lily cut to the point. She was tired of being in the dark about her own life.

“Shynra,” her father began slowly, “You have a very important role in this family. We have always tried to shield you from it, but it seems as if you have unlocked the key to being able to fulfill that role.”

“Congratulations on finding him, by the way. I’m sure marking a human physically was a shock to you. We never expected him to be human.” Lilith said. “Tell us a little about what you know.”

Lily sighed, “I don’t know much. Asmodeus told me the mark bound Luke to me eternally, that our lives were linked together. He said that he didn’t know if that gave me a human life, or if it gave Luke immortal life. But that if one of us died, so would the other.”

“Is that what he told you?” Samael raised his eyebrow, clearly amused. “I’m surprised you went to your uncle at all, child. Given what he’s done to you in the past.”

“Trust me, I didn’t want to. But I knew I couldn’t bring Luke here to get answers. He was my only resource.” Lily said, her voice filled with regret. Introducing her uncle to Luke had led to this. Now she didn’t know what was happening to her priest.

“You did the best you could. Now we need to fix it.” Her father said shortly. “But now onto why it’s so important. You are my only heir, and for a female ruler to take over, you have to come into power.”

“What do you mean?” Lily felt like her priest now. It was her turn to ask all the questions.

“Female heirs need to prove themselves in ways that male heirs don’t. You aren’t born with your full powers; you have to come into them. How that happens depends on many factors. Your mother’s lineage determined how you needed to be brought into your power.” Samael looked over to her mother, who continued.

“Strong females of my line have always been able to take any man they want. However, not every man-or even most men-have been able to survive our seduction. For you to come into power, you needed to find a man who was your equal,” Lilith paused, giving Lily a chance to soak in that information.

When the meaning became clear to Lily, she scoffed. “Since when does a princess need a man to complete her power?”

Lilith laughed lightheartedly, “I forget that you live in the human world, child. Our powers are linked. I am stronger with your father, just as he is stronger with me. Your equal needs to enhance your power as much as your father enhances mine. I stress, Shynra, he is your equal, not your superior.”

“That makes no sense,” Lily said.

“It will in time,” her father interjected, “The bond that you gave your priest bound his life to yours, not the other way around. You can live without him, but you will be significantly weakened. You will revert to a human lifespan.”

“Wait, what?” Lily asked, incredulous.

“And you can never assume your rightful place as my heir, either Shynra. Your priest is the key to your rule. I won’t even comment on how ironic your choice of man is, though,” her father said with a playful glint in his eye. Lily rolled her eyes. “We sent you away when you were young to protect you from everyone that wanted to do you harm. Everyone thought that your equal would be amongst our kind. They were offering their sons to you.”

Samael took a deep breath, “Asmodeus wants my throne, child. He has been plotting against me and our family since you were born. He has been waiting for the day you found and marked your equal. He wants to destroy you. Ending my line would give him access to what he wants.”

“I mean, I knew he hated me, but I didn’t know he wanted me dead,” Lily said, “I thought he just despised that I was weak.”

Samael laughed, “You are far from weak. You hold mine and your mother’s power. With ours combined, you are stronger than I am, you just needed your priest to unlock it. How do you feel being away from him?”

Lily thought for a second, “Powerless.” It was a simple answer. She felt like her power had been sapped from her body ounce by ounce. That was saying something, because she always felt weak. Now she felt drained.

“It makes sense,” Lilith said, “Luke is the source of your power.”

“But why are you just now telling me this?” Lily asked.

“Because we wanted to protect you from your uncle,” Samael said, “As I said earlier, he has been waiting for this to happen. I can rule indefinitely. The only way for you to assume my role is for me to abdicate or die. I can live with you being weakened, but I will not have your death hanging over my head.”

“Then find Luke.” Lily said. The hole in her was growing larger every second that he was separated from her. Where was he?

____________________________________________________________________________________

Luke was escorted into a lavish castle by a surly looking demon. He supposed that answered his question as to where he was. He was literally in Hell. But this went against the very construct of Hell he had been taught. Wasn’t this place supposed to be fire and brimstone?

“Keep up, mortal.” the gruff voice commanded.

Luke snapped back into reality and jogged to catch up with the demon. He was escorted through the castle. As he peered into rooms, he could see its inhabitants engaging in various acts of pleasure. He shuddered. How could they be comfortable doing that in the open? He was barely comfortable doing it with just him and Lily. A need for her deep within him rose at the thought of her. He felt her need for him burning in his back, could feel how frantic she was.

He wanted to let her know that he was okay…. for now. He wasn’t sure how long he would stay intact, or even sane. Judging from the direction the demon was taking him, Luke wasn’t going to be enjoying the same pleasures the rest of this castle was. It was buzzing with Asmodeus’ magic. It was a familiar magic now, almost comforting. Luke knew it shouldn’t be. Asmodeus was clearly dangerous, but he got excited thinking about the demon.

After one more turn down a dark hallway, the demon opened a door and led Luke inside. The room looked innocent enough. It had a large plush bed in it, a lamp on a bedside table, and a simple dresser. Other than that, it was dark and very clearly meant to strip Luke of dignity. Luke walked over to the dresser and opened the drawer. To his surprise, there were clothes in it. He didn’t know if they would fit him, but it was better than having to run around nude.

Luke startled as the door slammed shut behind him and a lock clicked into place. He was definitely a prisoner here. It was then that Luke realized he actually was nude. Embarrassment rolled through him. Everyone in this place had seen him. He quickly grabbed some of the clothing out of the drawer and threw it on. It fit him perfectly, and the material was more comfortable than anything he ever put on. The church issued clothing was scratchy.

Luke trudged over to the bed and sat down. The bed was also soft. Everything about this room was contradictory. It screamed of a prison cell, but everything in it was made for comfort. He sighed and laid back. He had only been awake for a few hours, but fatigue pressed on him. He closed his eyes. Nothing sounded better to him than a nap, but the knock on the door assured him that he wasn’t going to get one. His eyes opened as Asmodeus himself stepped in. A huge grin covered the demon’s face.

“Welcome to my home, Priest. I hope everything is to your liking,” Asmodeus said.

“It’s a little gloomy, but it’s comfortable,” Luke admitted. The demon shrugged.

“We like it dark here,” he replied simply. “I assume you know that you won’t be leaving any time soon. My sweet niece Shynra will come looking for you, but she wouldn’t dare take you from me.”

“Why do you say that?” Luke knew he was giving in to the demon’s teasing, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Because you’re my pet now. I’d rather you, and Shynra by extension, die than give you up for someone else to play with. Especially her.” Asmodeus laughed. The laugh unnerved Luke.

“Why do you keep calling her Shynra? And I’m not your pet, I don’t belong to anyone.”

“That’s her name, Priest. She’s the heir of Samael and the daughter of Lilith, the most powerful demon couple in the realm. She has what I want, and now that she found you, she can rightfully take it. I’m not going to let that happen.” Asmodeus explained as he tapped his foot on the floor.

“What do you mean she has what you want? She said she was a weak demon.”

“That’s not entirely true. But I’m not telling you anything else, not yet. You have to earn that information.”

“Earn it?” Luke asked. “How do I earn information?”

“I can think of a few ways,” Asmodeus said. “Enjoy your clothes while you can.”

Luke scowled, “I’m not going to…”

He was cut off when the demon disappeared. Luke sighed heavily. He didn’t want to trade sex for information. All he wanted was his demon back. He never thought he would miss her as much as he was. He could still feel her longing for him, her worry, and her determination to find him. He wondered idly if she could feel the same things coming from him. Resigned to the fact that he was trapped here, Luke laid back on the bed and fell into a very welcome sleep. He hoped that when he woke, his demon would be at his side.

CHAPTER 8

Lily had more questions than answers. Her parents were still standing in front of her, observing her, waiting for her to speak. The only thing on her mind was finding Luke, and how this bond came to be. The latter could wait but finding him needed to happen now. She could feel the slightest bit of him deep within herself. She wasn’t sure if it was actually him or just wishful thinking on her part. If Asmodeus had him locked in the demon realm, it should be easy to find him. His life would be in danger, though. She was certain her uncle wouldn’t keep him around very long.

“I feel something,” she said faintly, “I’m not sure if it’s him. But I feel him.”

“That means he’s not far,” Samael said lightly. “Knowing my brother, he isn’t trying too hard to hide him. He wants you to come looking for your priest.”

“So he can take us both out at the same time?” Lily scoffed.

Her father nodded, “Most likely. Or so you can watch him take Luke out, whichever fits his mood the best.”

“Where could he possibly be? It’s not like Hell is a small place,” Lily asked.

“Probably at Asmodeus’ castle. It isn’t far from here, and he didn’t take your priest in secret. He wants you to come looking for Luke.” Lilith interjected. Lily’s eyes widened.

“How are we supposed to get in there?” Demon etiquette required an invitation to enter a Prince’s home. It wasn’t a law by any means, but it was expected. “You know he isn’t going to invite us over for dinner.”

“You forget that your father is King,” Samael laughed, “I can force an invitation, or just force my way in. It doesn’t matter to me which.”

“Please don’t get him killed,” Lily whispered, “I promised I would keep him safe.”

Lilith reached down and ran her fingers through Lily’s hair gently. “We will do everything we can to help you keep that promise, Shynra.”

“Yes, what your mother said,” Samael said, “Although, it would be fun to start a war.”

Her father’s eyes glittered with anticipation. Lily rolled her eyes. “Leave it to the Prince of Wrath to want a war.”

“He’s worth starting a war over, is he not?” Her father laughed. The humor reflected on his features.

“He is, but I’m not sure he would appreciate it. He’s not exactly my biggest fan,” Lily said. A hint of pain went through her.

“Oh? Why do you say that?” Samael pressed.

“I had to…show my dominance over him. He wanted to do something stupid, and I had to keep him safe,” Lily explained, “He said that he hates me. I don’t blame him. I tried to suffocate him.”

Samael’s laughter roared throughout the room, “You are my daughter, aren’t you? I doubt he hates you. He’s mad at you. But focus, Shynra. He is the key to you holding this kingdom in your hands. He is worth whatever war I wage against my brother. He needs to be reminded that he is my subordinate, after all.”

“You act as if you know Luke,” Lily responded. “He’s against everything that we are.”

“It’s up to you to change that,” Lilith said, “But we need him back first.”

Lilith turned to face her husband. Lily could see an idea forming. “Why don’t you request a dinner invitation for the three of us, Samael?”

“That can be arranged,” he said.

“Make sure you demand to know that the priest is safe,” Lily interjected. Her parents looked at her.

“That will come in good time, Shynra. Your uncle loves to flaunt his conquests, your priest would make an appearance, I’m sure of it.” Lilith said softly.

“I don’t want to see him mangled,” Lily said. She had never felt fear as strongly as she was now.

“I swear on my throne that if any bodily harm has come to your priest, there will be retribution. I will go to war with my brother.”

________________________________________________________________________________

“Oh Little Priest!” The sing-songy voice of the Demon Prince echoed through the room jolting Luke from his sleep. Luke groaned in protest. He hadn’t been able to sleep enough the last week or so.

“What do you want?” Luke asked, sleep still heavy on his voice.

“It’s time to wake up! We have some very important guests coming over tonight. Wouldn’t want you to miss it,” Asmodeus said, “You are the guest of honor, after all.”

“Me? I thought I was more worthless than a toy,” Luke shot back.

“As a human, you are. As a demon’s bond mate? Your value goes up exponentially. I’ll send someone in to help you get dressed. Wouldn’t want you to look so beaten down for our special guests!” Asmodeus stalked towards him. “If you want, I can help you loosen up, Priest. You look a little nervous.”

The implications of Asmodeus’ words sent a shiver of excitement through Luke that landed square in his cock. Damn the demon. He was fully aware that he was standing at attention for Asmodeus, but he did his best to ignore it. The room was void of any demon magic, Luke noted, much to his dismay. His body’s reaction to this man went against every teaching he had been given throughout his life. He wanted Asmodeus with every fiber of his being. He wanted to feel the demon’s mouth wrapped tightly around his….

“Oh,” Luke moaned. It was as if the demon could sense his thoughts. Asmodeus’ mouth was indeed wrapped firmly around his length, the demon’s black eyes locked onto his. When had he even got close enough to… “God, don’t stop.” Luke begged.

Asmodeus chuckled around his length, the sensation sent a new feeling through Luke that he couldn’t quite describe. Other than exquisite. The next thing Luke knew, his cock was sitting firmly at the back of Asmodeus’ throat, the demon was tickling Luke’s balls with his tongue. What kind of magic was this? Luke was caught up in the sensation of the man’s mouth on his most intimate parts, he didn’t notice that the demon had pushed his legs apart. Luke gasped as the demon probed his bud with lithe fingers. Something in Luke wanted him to stop the demon’s advances, but another part of him remembered what had happened earlier. He remembered the intense pleasure the demon brought him from that one little spot. Luke opened his legs wider, allowing the demon access. Nothing about this was right or savory, he thought idly, yet it felt so right.

Asmodeus pressed inside Luke, quickly finding the spot that had driven him crazy the night before. Luke arched his back off the bed, the pressure of an impending orgasm building low in his stomach. To his surprise, he found himself grinding against the demon’s fingers. The feeling was just too good not to. The more pressure he put there, the more intense it was. Asmodeus’ other hand was pumping up the length of his cock in tune with his mouth. Luke looked down to watch. Seeing his dick disappear inside the demon’s mouth…. It was enough to send him over the edge in a white-hot flurry of pleasure.

Unlike the first time, the demon had retracted so his seed could not spill inside his mouth. The tension released from Luke’s body, and he fell back down onto the bed, completely spent. He was breathing heavily. Asmodeus was towering over him on all fours. Luke looked up at him with amusement. The demon leaned down and claimed Luke’s mouth. Luke reciprocated willingly, eagerly. The taste of the demon was intoxicating. Almost as intoxicating as Lily… guilt stabbed through him, and he stopped. Asmodeus looked down at him, curious.

“What is it, Priest? Do I not make you happy?” He chided.

“That’s not it,” Luke said, “Lily…”

Asmodeus flicked his hand, “Ah, don’t worry about my niece, you’re mine now.” He laid a kiss on Luke’s neck, “You’re mine to do with what I please. And I want to please you.”

“To make Lily jealous?”

“Amongst other things.” Asmodeus smiled, “But mostly to help you accept this gorgeous body of yours and all it has to offer. Dear Shynra wasn’t doing such a good job of that.”

Heat rushed into Luke’s cheeks, “I thought she was.”

“You’re bonded to her, you would say that. But I will show you all the wonders of your body, Priest. Just stay with me. Now, we need to get ready! Don’t want to keep our guests waiting!”

With that, Luke watched as Asmodeus waltzed out of the room. He was unsure of what the night would bring, or who these ‘special guests’ were, but he supposed he was going to find out whether he wanted to or not.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Since her uncle had accepted their invitation, the day had gone by at snail’s pace for Lily. She was so close to seeing her Priest, to laying eyes on him. Her parents had left her to get ready, but all she could do was worry. The feeling of Luke being near had become stronger. She had sensed his pleasure, but she didn’t know if it was a trick. Or maybe it was her uncle trying to rile her. With a sigh, she finished getting ready and headed down to meet with her parents.

The ride to her uncle’s castle was uneventful. The seaside ride was exactly what she remembered, along with the sharp change in scenery to her uncle’s territory. His was more closely modeled to the Scottish Highlands of the human realm, the rolling hills covered in lush green grass. His castle stood in harmony with the scenery. It was stone and formidable, yet it was lavish and oozed with the lustful magic her uncle projected. Lily took a deep breath as they approached, and the gates were opened to allow them entry.

“Here we go,” she said quietly. Her parents grunted their acknowledgement. Their carriage drew to a stop in front of the entrance, and they stepped out.

Her uncle hadn’t skimped out on the Royal welcome. The inhabitants of his castle were waiting for them to enter, lined up along the entryway. Of course, they were in various states of undress. The lustful expressions in their eyes haunted Lily. They were absently petting each other, as if they couldn’t keep their hands off one another, but their eyes were all focused on the royal family. Lily averted her eyes and walked through the castle; they were ushered into a grand dining room where they took their seats at the head of the table. Asmodeus joined them in his usual dramatic fashion and sat at the opposite end of the long table from her father.

“To what do we owe this surprise visit, dearest brother?” Asmodeus asked. He laced his fingers together and placed his hands on the table in front of him. His eyes wandered to Lily. “Ah, it all makes sense now.”

Lily bit her tongue. She wanted to eviscerate the smug man sitting across the table, but she knew it was in her priest’s best interest to stay silent.

“Can I not just want to see my brother?” Samael asked, his tone light.

“Not with your absent, and banished, daughter in tow,” Asmodeus hadn’t moved his gaze from Lily, “I think she knows I have something she wants. Such bravery to show up in a realm that doesn’t want you, child.”

Lily sneered at him, but her mother shot her a look of warning before she could speak. Her uncle chuckled. “We’re trying to be diplomatic, I see. Well, why don’t I just bring out what you all want.” Asmodeus turned to face the other entrance to the dining area, “Priest, why don’t you join us. Come stand by my side. Let’s show my niece how much you prefer me.”

Apprehension coursed through Lily. The muscles in her back tensed as she sensed Luke in the room. She wasn’t sure that she was still breathing as he walked out of the darkness into her view. He walked timidly over to her uncle’s side, stopping when Asmodeus wrapped an arm around Luke’s waist. Lily’s breath caught as she took him in. What little clothing he wore accented his body. The gold of it deepened the brown of his skin. The cut of the pants accentuated the deep V that led to his… tears welled up in Lily’s eyes. He looked completely content in her uncle’s arms.

I’m going to get you out of here, Luke. His eyes met hers as he heard her silent statement, but he didn’t respond. He reached over and ran his fingers through Asmodeus’ long blonde locks. What had happened in the time Luke had been here? I promised I’d keep you safe, and I’m going to do just that. We will go to war for you, Priest.

You can’t give me what he can, Lily. Lily’s heart dropped with his response. She closed her eyes to stop tears from spilling out of them. Her mother’s hand came to her arm, shocking Lily. The knowing look in her mother’s eyes let Lily know that she had heard Luke as well. Being able to read thoughts was unique to succubi, and Lily knew her mom had eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Sit next to me, Priest, you will enjoy dinner as well,” Asmodeus directed him. Luke complied and took the seat immediately to his right. “I’ve brought in some of the finest human delicacies to satisfy your priest, Shynra. You should be happy.”

Thick cuts of meat were placed in front of them as he spoke. Luke’s eyes lit up with delight as he took in the meal.

Lily smiled tightly, “As long as he is content.”

“Oh, he’s much more than content, aren’t you?” Asmodeus directed his question at Luke.

Luke nodded, “Yes, I’m content.” His eyes shot over to Lily, “How are you, demon?”

The playfulness in Luke’s voice shocked her a bit, “I’m fine, I guess.” Lily stumbled over her words. The loneliness inside her was growing at every nonchalant word of his. Did he not want her protection anymore?

“Can we cut to the chase here?” Asmodeus said as he cut a piece of meat and stabbed it with a fork. “We all know you’re here for something, best get it out of the way.”

“Since you are so keen to know, brother, we have come for the priest,” Samael’s voice radiated with authority. Asmodeus laughed and directed his next statement to Lily.

“Niece, do you remember what I said would happen if you came looking for him?” He taunted. “Do you really want to see him die? Because I’ll never give him to you. It would be such a shame to see all this beauty fade away.”

Asmodeus reached over to Luke and ran his fingers down Luke’s cheek. Luke leaned into his touch. Seeing it made Lily burn with jealousy. Especially because she felt the willingness behind this. Luke was not being coerced. “Show them how much you’ve come to like me, Priest.”

Luke stood from the chair and turned to face Asmodeus. With a smile on his face, he leaned forward and seized Asmodeus with a kiss. The demon grunted in pleasure. Luke grabbed the demon on either side of his face and pushed his hands through his hair. Lily looked down and saw exactly how much Luke was enjoying himself. In a fit of rage, she stood from the table. Her power whipped around the room, breaking up the show of affection and bringing Luke’s attention back to her. She saw the surprise on Asmodeus’ face as well.

Her power was raw and unyielding, and she focused it all on her uncle. She imagined squeezing the life out of him bit by bit, seeing the air driven from his lungs, and was surprised to see just that happening in front of her. Asmodeus clutched his chest much like her priest had, his eyes wide. Lily walked over to him slowly, relishing the feeling that this power was bringing her. She couldn’t kill her uncle, he was immortal, but she could cause him pain. As she approached him, Luke stepped back.

“How dare you think you can walk into my house and steal what is rightfully mine, uncle. We may need to give you a lesson in manners,” She smiled tightly. Asmodeus coughed in response, his hand gesticulating wildly at his throat. “You think you deserve to breathe? That’s funny. I don’t think you do. As a matter of fact, I like you better this way. Unable to talk and disrespect your superior.”

“Shynra,” her father warned. Lily paid him no attention.

“Because I am your superior. It’s best you don’t forget that,” Lily looked over at Luke. “Priest, join my father at the other end of the table.”

_________________________________________________________________________________

Luke didn’t move. He seemed frozen in place. He cast a glance over to Asmodeus, shocked to see his demon holding her uncle captive. He had sensed danger towards Lily when he first entered the room. He was scared out of his mind around Asmodeus. The way his body reacted to the demon and the way his mind did was confusing. He wanted nothing more than to leave with Lily, but he feared that if he did, he would cause her downfall. Lily’s power tickled at him, urging him to do as he was told.

Her power was stronger than he had ever felt it. It was rolling off her. All of its fury was directed at the gasping demon sitting in the chair beside him. Luke remembered what it was like to be on the receiving end of that assault. He watched in horror as blood started to seep out of Asmodeus’ eyes.

“Uncle, I will tear you limb from limb if you try to stop me, that I swear.” Lily’s voice had changed. It was no longer human. “If you lift one finger to hurt me or him, it will be the last thing you do.”

Luke snapped out of his trance and started walking backwards slowly towards the opposite end of the table. He was sure Lily could keep her promise, but he could see the fatigue wearing at her. She couldn’t hold Asmodeus like this much longer. He stopped when he felt strong hands clutch his shoulders. “Follow her out, son.”

Luke looked back and saw an auburn-haired goddess looking at him with curiosity. He walked towards her and followed her out as he was told, but something about the whole situation seemed much too easy. He passed what he assumed was the Royal Guard and stepped into a carriage that was big enough for all of them.

“Is she…” Luke swallowed harshly, “Is she going to be okay?”

“Your concern for her is touching, but I assure you, my daughter can hold her own.” Luke turned to face the woman. So this was Lily’s mother. Her allure made sense now.

“Asmodeus isn’t going to kill Lily?” he asked. Lily’s mother laughed.

“Is that what she’s calling herself in your world?” Lilith extended a hand to Luke, “My name is Lilith, I’m Shynra’s mother and Queen of this realm. To answer your question, I don’t know. But we all will know soon enough.”

____________________________________________________________________________________

Lily’s power waned as Luke walked out, but not enough to release her hold on Asmodeus. The traitorous son of a bitch. Samael walked over to join her, placing a soft hand on her shoulder.

“Shynra, that’s enough.” He said quietly, “Your priest is safe now.”

Lily whipped her head around. “He will never be safe as long as Asmodeus is allowed to roam free.”

“Be that as it may, release him by order of your King.” Samael boomed. Her father turned to face the Guard stationed around the room, “Seize him, take him back to the holding cells in my home. Make sure it’s fortified; it will be your head if he escapes.”

Lily released her hold over Asmodeus as the Guard took him into their custody. Asmodeus took in a large gulp of air. He shot her a look of pure hatred.

“You will regret this, niece. You will regret this when you watch your priest die an agonizing death at my hand because of your insolence. You will regret this when you live a human life in solitude.” He spat.

Lily didn’t engage him. She turned and walked out to join her priest in the carriage. There was nothing she wanted more at that moment than to embrace him. She wasn’t sure how he would react to her touch, but she couldn’t help but want him. She approached the carriage quickly, paying no heed to what was going on around her-which was chaos.

She ripped the door to the carriage open when she approached it. Luke was sitting inside, safely seated by her mother. His eyes darted over to her, relief covering his features. Lily stepped into the carriage and pulled her priest into an embrace. Much to her surprise, he didn’t stop her. She pulled him close and inhaled his scent as if she would never get the pleasure of holding him again. Gingerly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her hug. It felt strange to her to hold this man in her arms. He was easily twice her size, but he cuddled up to her easily, as if he were meant to be there. And she supposed he was.