Page 212 of Crimson Promises
I was sick and tired of everything.
I had expected to return to Lucifer’s grand ballroom or some other opulent chamber within his castle.
Before me stretched a vast chamber perched high in one of the castle's towering spires. Arched panoramic windows made it feel like you were standing in the dusky sky of Hell’s permanent twilight.
The room was adorned with massive telescopes, their intricate brass frames gleaming in the soft, ambient light.
“Hello?” I called out.
Silence was my only answer. Where was everyone?
I inwardly groaned.Please tell me nothing went wrong from The Threshold of Whispers to here. Leave it to me to mess up being summoned by some otherworldly supernatural means.
I shook my head, clearing out any negative thoughts. What I needed to focus on was being positive. Ben would be here shortly. I'd occupy myself in the meantime.
I couldn't resist the urge to approach one of the telescopes. Back home, I’d read about the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. The most I knew about astronomy was through history: the Ancient Greeks, Nicholas Copernicus, and Galileo. ACU had an astronomy tower. Every quarter, they would have a night where you could spread a blanket and watch the stars. Undergrads were forced to rotate hosting these as part of their extra credit. I had always planned on going, but I never made it out. This was my first time seeing one up close.
I ran my fingers over the smooth, polished metal, marveling at the precision of the celestial apparatus. Somehow, I wasn't surprised Lucifer had these. For all his perplexing ways, he possessed a deep and abiding fascination with the universe and its workings.
The telescopic lenses were like giant eyes, ready to unveil the universe's hidden mysteries. Nearby rested an ornate astrolabe, adorned with delicate engravings of constellations. It looked like a compass, with one-quarter of the back consisting of a grid made up of concentric quarter circles (or arcs of sine). Each arc represented the date or zodiac sign in which the Sun would be found on that particular date.
Circling the corner of the astrolabe, I looked for the Leo symbol, representing Ben’s zodiac sign. It felt like a lifetime ago that he shared that, and it probably wasn't even the truth.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Startled, I jumped, nearly losing my balance before catching myself. Whirling around, I found myself face to face with Lucifer, his ruby eyes glinting with amusement.
"Lucifer," I breathed, clutching the telescope for support. "You startled me. Where's Ben?"
A sly smile played on Lucifer's lips as he leaned in closer, his gaze fixed on me. "Oh, don't worry about Ben. He'll be along shortly, I'm sure. But first, we have matters to discuss, the two of us. Alone."
My heart quickened at his proximity, and I stepped back, my eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Admiring the sky?” His voice, low and husky, was a caress that sent tremors through my core.
I turned my attention back to the telescope, focusing on the distant expanse. "I find solace in the sky, the wide expanse andfreedom, Lucifer. In its constancy amidst chaos."
He moved closer, enveloping me like a warm, silken cloak. "Constancy can be overrated. Sometimes chaos is far more exhilarating."
The heat in his words made me shiver, and I had to fight to keep my composure. Lucifer had a way of stoking the flames of desire, of awakening something primal and undeniable within me.
Turning to face him I forced myself to speak, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my chest. "We have important matters to attend too, Lucifer. Now is not the time for distractions of desire."
He chuckled, a low, sultry sound that seemed to resonate deep within me. "Ah, but my Aurora, isn't desire the ultimate motivation? The spark that fuels all actions?"
I turned to face him, unable to deny the longing between us. "Desire can be a double-edged sword. It can drive us to greatness but also lead to our downfall."
His gaze bore into mine, and I could see the flicker of something more than desire in his eyes. "You've always had a way of seeing beyond the surface, Little Star. It's one of the things that intrigues me about you."
I swallowed hard, feeling the tension in the air like a physical force, ready to snap free at any moment. “I cannot afford distractions, Lucifer, not now, when you have threatened mine and Bennett’s freedom.”
He leaned in closer, his breath a warm caress against my ear. "But what if our desires are intertwined with our purpose? What if they lead us down a path we are meant to travel down?"
The temptation was overwhelming, and I closed my eyes for a brief moment, seeking the strength to resist.There are only so many times I can walk away from him.But when I opened them again, I found myself inches from his lips, his smoldering gaze locking onto mine.
Lucifer's lips brushed the corner of my lips, a feather-light touch that sent a jolt of electricity through my veins. We were playing a dangerous game.
"Lucifer," I whispered, my voice trembling. “Please.”
