Page 171 of Crimson Promises
His eyes searched mine—for what, I wasn’t sure. He rubbed his nose against the side of my jaw. I needed to move, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn away.
With a smirk of triumph, he placed a delicate kiss on the corner of my mouth.
I jerked my head backward.
Lucifer released my hand with a flourish, and I stepped away, trying to catch my breath.
"Until next time, Aurora," he whispered, his tone laced with a hint of promise and warning.
I struggled to find my voice, my mind clouded by a heady mix of desire and horror of losing myself in the moment.
My fingers inched to shove him, but I had to remember I had a role to play.
"Thank you for the dance,” I managed, my words a mere breath swallowed by the revelry around us.
He gave me a curt nod, his eyes still probing for something—though I was not sure he found what he was searching for. His eyes were still locked with mine as he let himself get swallowed by the crowd. I was left standing in the middle of the dance floor, alone.
* * *
The terrace offered a fleeting respite from the whirlwind of emotions that had consumed me during the dance. Gripping the railing tightly, I sought solace in the cool night air, hoping it would calm the storm raging within me. I gazed out onto the sprawling city below, trying to focus on anything other than the feeling of his warm lips against my skin.
Conflicting emotions churned within me. I yearned to resist Lucifer's charm, to escape the tangled web he wove around me, yet my thoughts kept returning to him, drawn inexorably to the magnetic pull he possessed.
If I truly loved Ben, why was I feeling this way towards another?
Dark magic! That explained it. He must be manipulating my feelings, using the emotions I have for Ben and bending them to suit whatever he wanted from me.
My mind ventured to the plan I had roughly constructed back in my rooms. What conditions would I need to fulfill to leave this realm? Lucifer mentioned: “There are rules, ancient and binding, and they demand a price, a proof of worthiness.” Maybe there was a way for me to get out of here via his personal chambers, a path in and out of Hell that wasn’t subjected to the usual rules. Goosebumps erupted over my arms. From desire or fear?Damn the connection that pulled me to him.I rubbed my hands up and down my arms to keep me warm. And if that plan failed, Henry, the bookcase Angela mentioned, could have some knowledge of how those conditions, or a way around them for me to get out of here. I would be naïve to assume I could slip in there undetected. He had to walk me in; I’d have to offer myself as the Trojan horse.
I tapped a finger against the railing, forming the scraps of an idea into place.
Lost in my thoughts, I was startled when Lucifer's voice pierced through the silence.
"Chilly out here, isn't it?" he remarked.
Startled, I turned to face him, my cheeks flushed, my breath catching in my throat as I took in his presence.
"I didn't expect you to follow me out here," I managed to reply.
A wicked smile played upon his lips as he shrugged off his cloak, extending it towards me. "You looked like you could use some warmth," he said, his tone dripping with an undeniable sensuality.
Uncertainty swirled within me, and I hesitated a moment before I took the cloak from his outstretched hand. A tremor coursed through me as our fingers brushed. The fabric, heavy and scented of roses and brimstone, enveloped me, cocooning me in its warmth.
As I wrapped myself in the cloak, I couldn't help but feel the weight of countless eyes upon us. The other couples and demons on the balcony whispered and speculated, their gazes fixated on the scene unfolding before them. I could practically taste their curiosity. The weight of their scrutiny was unsettling.
Lucifer stepped closer, his body mere inches away, his eyes gleaming. He traced a finger along my jawline, a feather-light touch that sent sparks cascading through my veins. "You intrigue them, Aurora," he murmured. "But let them wonder. Our story is ours alone to unravel."
A blush crept onto my cheeks as I met his intense gaze crackling with raw energy. And then, in an act that defied reason and caution, he leaned in, capturing my lips with his in a fierce, passionate kiss.
At that moment, everything blurred into a haze of sensation. The press of Lucifer's lips against mine ignited a fire within me, a hunger that consumed every inch of my being. I tasted the darkness and desire that emanated from him, an intoxicating blend that left me wanting more. I pulled the lapels of his jacket towards me. He deepened the kiss.
The balcony, the other couples, the demons—they all faded into the background. The coolness of the railing pressed against my back, grounding me in the reality of this forbidden encounter. Never before had I felt this. I thought I knew passion with...
Ben. What had I done?
As we finally broke apart, breathless and disheveled, our gazes locked. I wanted to crumple in on myself at my betrayal. Admittedly, the desire for Lucifer was real. I could not manufacture that as much as I wished I could. But any feelings towards him were not. I had to keep reminding myself of that, that it was all part of the plan.
A coy smile tugged at my lips.
