Demon Bound (Bound Series, Book One) (9 page)

And fucked if he knows what that is.

Luc takes his time getting dressed. Axelle seems to like his suited look. He catches her glances at him when she thinks he is otherwise occupied. He preens in the mirror in his bedroom like a proud peacock and then scowls at himself. Why is dressing himself for
her
? And why is he making himself attractive to her? Surely he should be trying to repel her instead. He ponders, briefly, if he should change into a Stanford look-a-like, knowing her distaste for imps, but even he shudders at the thought of looking anything less than his best. He convinces himself that it isn’t to please her, but himself. He knows though that he isn’t all that convincing. He straightens his cuffs and peers in the mirror, he adds more sparkle to his bright blue eyes and then he is satisfied.

***

Axelle is starting to grow worried about Evan. No,
concerned
. Axelle doesn’t worry about anyone other than herself and she has more than enough worry for her own plight to have any left over for anyone else.

She hasn’t seen the Reaper for a few days now. Okay, granted, there has been a “weekend” in between the days and she was pleased to discover she wasn’t on the weekend shift. But in the two days she has been at work there has been no sign of Evan. He is assigned to her desk so he is either taking some vacation days or Luc has taken matters into his own hands not trusting her to stay away. One thing is clear: she
will
stay away.

She has always enjoyed defying authority and seeing how far she can push to get away with things, but she knows which battles to pick, and the Devil will most definitely beat her every single time. She has racked her brains to come up with what he needs her for, and she has come up with every idea known to man, including the one he has already dismissed - that he is looking for a wife. Although now that she thinks about that, it doesn’t make sense either. If he wanted a wife, any demon bitch in this place would beg him to pick her. He could have anyone he wants, so there would be no need for all this ceremony.

Axelle brings her thoughts quickly back to Evan. If she goes over what Luc wants with her one more time, she is going to go insane. Maybe that is his plan?

She is relieved when the light comes on and when she opens the door she is even more relived to see Evan.

“Hi,” she says softly.

“Hey,” he replies curtly.

“I haven’t seen you for a few days,” she ventures, not wanting to sound like she cares or anything.

He ignores her and she lets him. After all, she did lead him on and then drop him like a hot potato after Luc told her to.

After she has stamped his scroll and sent it on it’s way, he lingers for a moment. She keeps her hand on the door, giving him time to say what he wants to say and eventually--after the way too enthusiastic soul cleared his throat in anticipation--he says, “I’m glad you are still alive.” And then he disappears into the blackness.

Axelle ponders that as she closes the little door. How does he know of the danger she is in? He does seem to have some knowledge of this ritual. She might have to try and pin him down about it next time he comes through.

She slumps in her seat, her thoughts going back to herself when she feels someone staring at her back. She straightens up and smiles. It will be Luc. She hasn’t seen him in days either and she is quite looking forward to laying eyes on him again. There was a definite fire burning in his eyes after she masturbated in front of him. She is going to try and break him if it kills her… and it likely will.

Her heart leaps into her throat when she sees it is Darius. He is just standing there leering at her in a way that makes her stomach churn and for her to inadvertently press her legs closer together. There again, as he just stands there staring at her, she gets that he isn’t actually leering at her. That is just the way his very ugly face is with its wide mouth and buggy eyes. She takes a second to wonder why he looks like that. Is that the way Luc wants him to look? Interesting, however when he speaks she forgets about everything else and gulps.

“Come,” he says in a voice so deep and menacing, she nearly shits herself. He holds his hand out for her to take and she hesitates in a big way, clutching her hands to herself so she doesn’t have to touch him.

“Where to?” she squeaks out. How come she is more afraid of this beast than she is of Luc?
Perhaps because Luc is all smooth and suave looking, you idiot
!

“To your master,” Darius says, enjoying her discomfort. She is a pretty little bitch. He wonders if his master will let him play with her after he is finished with her.

“Why doesn’t he come himself?” Axelle asks boldly and Darius sneers at her.

“He sent me,” he rumbles, waving his big, clawed hand for her to take. “Come now or I will speak of your disobedience.”

Axelle leaps off her stool and inches forward. She grabs her purse from under the counter and clutches it to her like a shield. She stretches out her hand and scrunches her eyes closed as she feels his stone-like skin touch hers and his powerful grip around her wrist.

In an instant she feels his bestial presence dissipate and she cracks one of her eyes open to see where she is. Thankfully, she is alone and in a room so darkly beautiful it makes her cry out with longing. There are whips and chains adorning the black walls, lit by several fire torches scattered around the room. She sees a mace that she wants to reach out and handle, but the thing that makes her mouth water is a cat o’ nine tails with blood still coagulating on it and dripping heavily to the floor. Oh how she wants to take that whip to a man and make him bleed. She thinks fondly of her ex-slave, Slade, for a brief moment before Luc appears in front of her. He takes her breath away and she gasps and steps back. His eyes glitter wickedly and it forms a puddle in her panties. She is so desperate for him now it is driving her crazy, which is bizarre because she has had him, three times and it was pretty crap sex as crap sex goes. Maybe it is because she can’t have him now that is making him all the more appealing to her?

“Axelle,” he says in his rich, smooth voice. “Thank you for coming.”

Axelle balks at him. “I didn’t exactly have much choice,” she says in annoyance.

“Did Darius hurt you?” Luc asks immediately and with a concern that she finds intriguing.

“Well, no,” she starts suddenly feeling foolish.

“Oh,” Luc says and brushes it off. “Is this room to your liking?” He circles it with his hands behind his back as he inspects it.

“Very much so,” she breathes like a fool, still looking at the whip.

Luc sees where her gaze is and he is annoyed to find it not on him. That is until he sees her practically panting at the bloody whip on the wall.

“Well, do make yourself comfortable, dear,” he says and she snaps her eyes back to his.

“Pardon?” she asks in confusion.

“Make yourself at home,” he says and gestures towards the bed, draped in a blood-red coverlet and mountains of deep-red pillows.

“I’m not sure I understand,” Axelle says feeling even more the fool. She always thought she was as smart as a whip (pardon the pun), but since associating with Luc she definitely feels inferior to him in every single way.

Luc frowns at her. “Did Darius not mention anything to you?” He looks around for her belongings, but all it appears she brought with her is her purse.

“About what?” Axelle asks getting pissed off. “All he said was ‘come or I will speak of your disobedience’.” She does an impression of Darius’s deep voice that makes Luc snicker.

“Sounds about right,” he mutters. “Well, I wish you to stay here, with me, until the ritual is concluded.”

“Stay here with you?” Axelle says and looks around again, now with her heart hammering. Is this Luc’s actual bedroom?

“Yes, I want to keep an eye on you tomorrow,” Luc says formally. “I will leave you to get settled. My quarters are just down the hall if you require my assistance with anything.”

“Wait,” Axelle says, putting her hand on his arm to stop him from leaving. “What is happening tomorrow?”

He hears the waver in her voice and tries to ignore it, but it twists his insides anyway. He softens slightly and says, “You will be going into the next phase tomorrow.”

“Oh,” she says faintly and sits heavily on the bed.

When she looks up at him with those big, blue eyes he gave her, he wants to crawl onto the bed with her and ravish her, instead he says, “I will be with you, Axelle.”

“That’s hardly reassuring,” she says. “I may die tomorrow.”

“It’s a possibility,” he says.

“What will happen to me?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” he says with a frown. “I wish I could help you, but I just don’t know.” It really irks him that he doesn’t have the answers for her. Well, him mostly, but her too.

“I see,” she says straightening up her back. “So this could potentially be my last night. How about you make it worth it?”

Her lascivious smile and her bravery almost brings him to his knees in front of her. She is so strong. He was worried she would weep and complain and make a fuss, but she has accepted her fate and he respects that.

“Double bag it and I’ll ride you gently,” she says in a whisper that makes him moan out loud.

He catches himself as her ears perk up knowing that she has gotten to him.

Fuck! No bitch ever gets to him. He is not interested, incapable and completely shut off from any emotion except derision, the humiliation of others and his own satisfaction. His desire for a child is his only weakness and it is a weakness that no one knows of and cannot exploit. The fact that he is so very close this time is making him lose his head for the wench who can give it to him. He has to keep remembering that she is just another bitch to test, nothing more.

“I don’t do gentle,” he rasps at her. “If I ever get my hands on you, I will rip you to shreds.” He threatens her right in her face, leaning his hands heavily on either side of her on the bed.

Instead of making her cower, though, he has done the exact opposite. The lust and excitement flashing in her eyes makes him lick his lips and pull back.

“I don’t do gentle either,” she says.  “
When
you let me get my hands on you, I will fuck you like you have never been fucked before, while I flog you until you bleed.”

“That’s a tall order,” he scoffs. “I have bedded more creatures than you can count in my lifetime. What makes you think you can out do any of them?” This is better. Scorn her, make her feel inferior.

“Come here and you’ll find out,” she says with a lick of her lips that has him mesmerized.

Oh shit, he is falling, falling, falling for this female. Not even Jezebelle had the ability to make him sweat with just a few words.

“Not today, sweetheart,” he says and turns his back on her before he pounces on her in his natural state.

“Whatevs,” she mutters and the disappointment hits her hard. She is going to die tomorrow without one last screw.

Luc walks stiffly to the door intending to leave her but the plaintive plea that comes next whacks him across the back of the head.

“Please don’t go,” she says. “I don’t want to be alone on my last night.”

“You keep saying this is your last night,” he tuts at her. “How do you know you won’t survive?”

“Prepare for the worst,” she says with a shrug and it’s all over. His heart thuds for her in a way that makes him wish he had never laid eyes on her.

“I expect a huge reward then when this is all over,” she says.

“Anything you want,” he says happy with the distraction.

“Good, I want out of Admin and into a proper assignment. On earth,” she says forcefully.

No, he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want to send her away, but right now he will give her what she wants. “Even though it is against the rules, I will make an exception,” he says.

Axelle leaps up and flings her arms around his neck in a moment of excitement. He catches her and twirls her around as she laughs and thanks him. It makes him sad that she doesn’t want to stay here with him. But, that is nothing for him to worry about. He will
make
her stay and that is all matters.

“Sorry,” Axelle says releasing her hold on him, cursing herself for being so familiar with him.

Luc clears his throat and straightens his suit jacket. “I may not be able to give you what you really seek tonight, but I am starting to get a feel for your tastes. I have something that will make you equally as happy.”

“I doubt it,” Axelle says to him with a leer, “but, I’ll bite. What distractions do you have for me, oh lord and master of this domain?”

“Wait and see,” he says and loops his arm through hers and leads her away. Chances are she
will
die tomorrow and he isn’t happy about that at all, and not just because he will lose yet another chance to have his heir. He needs the distraction from that revelation just as much as she does.