Of Light And Shadows

“We should stop,” Jia gasped as Lucifer’s lips moved to her throat. Every touch made her shiver.

“Uh huh,” he replied, not really listening to her. She tried to pull her thoughts into some semblance of order and failed miserably as his teeth grazed her skin.

Despite her words, her head tipped back on its own, her hands bunching his shirt up automatically between her fingers.

“This is a terrible idea.”

“Probably.”

He kissed her again, his tongue tracing her lower lip slowly enough to make another shiver roll through her. She felt him smile against her mouth.

“I can stop if you want.” He barely paused their kiss to speak. She didn’t want to stop but she knew it wasn’t right to continue. She felt like she was using him.

“Wait a minute.” He sat back, his eyes smouldering as his hair fell into them. If she’d been standing she knew she’d be weak at the knees. She tried again to gather her thoughts. “This really is a bad idea.”

She ran her hands through her hair, working hard to keep her gaze away from the exposed skin where Lucifer’s shirt buttons had come loose in her grip.

“Oh it’s definitely a bad idea.” His grin was wicked and heat curled in her stomach in response.

“You’re not thinking straight. You haven’t slept for days.”

“I’m thinking perfectly well, thank you.”

“I kissed my best friend earlier.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“Don’t you feel like I’m doing to you exactly what you said Evan would do to me?” He cocked his head and sat forwards, raising an eyebrow as he brought their faces closer.

“Are you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then it doesn’t matter.” She frowned at him and a crooked smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “I started this, so that automatically makes it my fault.”

“But I still kissed you back.”

“Jia?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

His mouth was back on hers again, drawing out every last ounce of her resolve and smashing it to pieces. In seconds she was kissing him as eagerly as he kissed her.

Working on their own, her hands unfastened the remaining buttons on his shirt before reaching out to trace the contours of his chest and stomach.

She lingered over the pact mark and this time it was his turn to shiver. Driven by instinct, she grazed her teeth against his bottom lip and he groaned, a low, wild sound deep in his throat.

He was on his feet and lifting her in seconds, locking her legs around his hips without breaking the kiss as he carried her into the shadows, stepping out of them in his room. He laid her back against the soft pillows on his bed and settled himself over her, making her heart thunder in her chest like it was trying to break through her ribs.

She sucked in a sharp breath as he nipped at the sensitive skin of her throat, his left hand tracing the curve of her waist and trailing over her hip. He gripped her thigh, pulling her closer as she knotted her fingers in his hair.

Lucifer took his time with her, working slowly and deliberately as he undressed her and worshipped every inch of her body. She didn’t think about Satan, or her father, or Evander. There was only him, his touch, and the sweet, spicy scent of his skin.

The sun creeping through a crack in the curtains made her groan. She tried to throw an arm over her face and turn away but there was something warm behind her, blocking her path.

She froze as the memory of the night before came flooding back and her cheeks began to burn brighter than a beacon. Slowly, she turned over to look at her companion.

Lucifer was fast asleep, long lashes resting against his cheeks. His lips were slightly parted and the dark circles beneath his eyes had faded.

Dark hair fell in a wavy mess over his forehead and his torso was bare. One of his arms rested over her waist, the other was tucked beneath his pillow. He was glorious.

Jia felt twin waves of excitement and nerves bubble up inside her as she studied him. Last night had been incredible and wonderful and right. Not just because Lucifer knew exactly what he was doing, but because it was him she was with. Waking up next to him felt like a blessing she didn’t deserve.

She tried to crawl out of the bed, only to be pulled back against his chest before her feet could even touch the floor.

“Where are you rushing off to?” His voice was husky with sleep as it sounded in her ear, low and infinitely attractive. The light stubble on his chin tickled her throat as he kissed the skin there.

“I have to get to class.”

“It’s Saturday.”

“It is?” She turned to face him in surprise, sitting up and hugging the blankets to her chest. He reached for his phone on the table beside the bed and showed her the date. “Huh, I had no idea the week went by so fast.”

“It’s also officially my day off.” He smiled. “Will you at least stay a little longer?” She wanted to stay beside him forever when he looked at her like that.

“Louie, about last night-”

“Let me stop you there,” he said, sitting up and pushing his hair back out of his eyes. “I don’t need you to explain or to make excuses. I know where you stand and I slept with you because I wanted to. Don’t overthink it or you’ll end up with a headache.” She smiled at him, grateful that he understood.

“There is something I wanted to ask you though,” she replied. He arched an eyebrow and waited for her to continue. “Why last night?”

“Two reasons, really. The first one is that I don’t know whether I’ll have another chance to be with you, depending on what Satan has planned. The second reason is because you wanted to too.” He paused and a mischievous grin lit up his face. “There might have been a third reason but it’ll make you mad at me.”

“Try me.” She folded her arms across her chest and she saw Lucifer’s eyes trace the sheets where they tightened around her body before they returned to her face. His smile widened.

“You don’t smell like the Vampire anymore.”

She blinked, surprised by the hint of possessiveness in his voice. She was even more surprised that she wasn’t mad about it. In fact, it was incredibly, indescribably sexy.

“Does he smell bad?”

“No. I just don’t like that he gets close enough to you to leave his scent on you. I’m not usually one for marking my territory, so it had very little to do with last night.” He winked. “Still, I can’t help being smug about it.”

“You know, I’m weirdly calm about everything.” She hesitated. “Do you mind talking about it?”

“About what?”

“Us. You and me.”

“Do you mind getting dressed first?” he asked as he looked her up and down. “I can’t concentrate.”

“You’re such a dork,” she muttered, but her stomach flipped when he gazed hungrily at her.

“I have clean shirts in the top drawer.” She crossed the room and slipped a dark navy t-shirt over her head. It was too big for her, stopping just above her knees, but it would do.

“There,” she said as she climbed back into the bed. “Is that better?”

“Nope. It’s definitely worse.” He sounded ready to leap on her again. “You should wear my shirts to bed more.”

“Focus, Louie.”

He chuckled and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the headboard. She got the distinct impression that he’d chosen that position to stop himself tearing the shirt right off her. He groaned as her cheeks turned pink again.

“You can’t tell me to focus and then blush like that. It’s not fair.”

“I can’t control my blushes,” she retorted. “Now if you don’t shut up being a dork I won’t have this conversation with you.” He pressed his lips together and raised an eyebrow again.

“So obviously after last night you now know I don’t see you the same way I see your brothers.” He nodded. “I don’t think I could ever just be friends with you.” He smiled. “I told Bell that I kissed you and he said something that stuck with me though.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me about Zach and then he said if I had any doubts about my feelings for you I should back off, for both our sakes.”

“He’s right. Satan is dangerous. The second he finds out you’ve chosen to be with me, he’ll be on the war path because I’ve defied him again. If you’re not prepared for that inevitability then the best thing to do is step back.”

His tone was reserved, though his expression was warm and did nothing to hide his obvious concern.

“You shouldn’t dive into a fight with the Demon King for my sake if you’re not sure you even want me.”

“You sound like your brother.”

“Belphegor is known to say something wise every now and then.” He paused and his expression turned guarded. “If you’re conflicted about choosing between me and Evander you should take my name off the table altogether.”

“Choosing Evan? What?” She frowned. “We kissed once when I was beyond confused and I pushed him away after literally one second. If there’s any name that isn’t on the table it’s his.”

She made up her mind then, sitting in his bed and wearing his t-shirt with her hair loose around her shoulders. It clicked into place like the last piece of a puzzle.

“It’s you. It’s always been you.”

“Do you mean that?” He looked hopeful enough that it made her pulse stutter.

“I do.”

He reached out and took her arm, tugging her closer to him. She let him draw her in, folding her arm over his chest and resting her chin on it as he lay down.

“You protected me for so long. I had no idea what kind of burdens you were dealing with and you still found time for me. I’d be an idiot to choose anyone else over you.”

“Even though my father is a psychopath?”

“That’s just one more thing you and I have in common,” she quipped. He chuckled and reached out to touch her cheek gently.

“You’re such a moron,” he muttered as he bent his head to kiss her.