Deal with the Devil (Dark Desires Book 1) Page 2

  I don’t think anyone had ever looked at me like that.

  I’d captured the groom’s reaction for them to cherish always. Those were the shots I loved taking.

  With that, I turned my camera on the bride and her father. She wore a stunning mermaid-style dress, ivory and lace with beautiful beading. She carried a huge bouquet of ivory flowers and foliage. A floor-length veil followed behind her. I snapped shots of family and friends in awe of the beautiful bride. Some beamed, some cried, and no one could take their eyes off her.

  The ceremony had gone perfectly, and I had helped Simon with the formal family shots. We both took photos during the speeches and cake cutting, and the afternoon was drawing into night.

  It was common to stay at weddings until at least the first dance, but this couple had wanted us to stay until the very end. They wanted everything captured.

  I never saw the point in that. Most couples had an open bar, so the final shots of the night were mainly of drunk idiots in various stages of stupor.

  I carried on though; I was getting paid no matter what the late-night shots looked like.

  The first dance started with the happy couple moving in harmony. Sheer bliss was visible on both their faces. This one will last, I thought to myself. As they moved together, they gestured for others to join them, and people did. It was that moment I noticed the usher from earlier as he staggered onto the dance floor, no partner to dance with in sight.

  He stood on the spot swaying by himself. The happy couple looked anything but happy to see him, so I decided not to get any shots. The best man guided him from the dance floor to behind me.

  “Christ, Barry, you’re wasted,” the best man snarled.

  “Fuck off, Stuart, what has it got to do with you?” the usher snapped back.

  The best man, Stuart, was not impressed and apparently didn’t have time for Barry’s bullshit. “Pull yourself together. You’re an embarrassment.” He turned to walk away, but Barry grabbed his arm.

  “Who the fuck do you think you are to talk to me like that? I’m the bride’s brother,” he spat.

  “Exactly. You should know better than to ruin your sister’s big day.” Stuart snatched his arm from Barry’s grasp and walked away.

  I became aware Barry was very close behind me as I continued taking shots of the guests mingling and dancing.

  “Well hello there, beautiful,” he breathed into my ear. The smell of alcohol filled my nose. He was much closer than I thought he’d been.

  “Excuse me,” I said, trying to move to another location.

  He grabbed my arm and turned me to face him. “Are you British?” he asked, still swaying.

  “Yes, could you please excuse me?” I was trying my best to get away, but his grip was tight, and he wasn’t letting go.

  “Don’t rush off,” he slurred. “Don’t you want to party?”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m working.” It wasn’t a lie, and I thought that was better than saying he repulsed me.

  He still hadn’t let go of my arm. “Say something for me, anything, I don’t care what. I love your accent.”

  This had happened a few times since I had moved to New York. Apparently, a lot of American men were hot for my accent. Not that it did me much good—I wasn’t ready to go there just yet after everything that had happened.

  “I’m sorry, I really have to work.” I was insistent and managed to free my arm from his grip.

  He was persistent, though, and moved to block my path. “Come on, there’s no need to be like that about it,” he breathed his words into my face, and the smell of alcohol on him made me retch a little.

  He began to walk forward, and I had to back up to prevent his sweaty body from making contact with mine. I’d tried to be polite.

  “Look, I’m not interested. Leave me alone and get out of my way.”

  Everyone was still dancing, so no one had noticed what was going on.

  “Come on, baby; I can show you a good time. I’ve got a friend we can call. We’ll both take turns on you. You won’t regret it.” He was deadly serious.

  Well fuck, I thought to myself, that I was not expecting. I was through being nice.

  “Wow, well what an offer that is. Firstly, if you are that bad in bed you need to ask a friend to come and help, I’ll have to pass. Secondly, I’m no one’s to “take turns on.” Now leave me the fuck alone before I break your nose, you small-dicked prick.”

  I noticed the best man had again spotted Barry was causing problems and was on his way over to us from across the dance floor.

  Before he could reach us, however, Barry grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.

  “You are a feisty little bitch, aren’t you? I’ll fucking show you,” he hissed.

  I was done. I was tired of men thinking they could put their hands on me and that I wouldn’t do shit about it.

  When I’d moved to the city, I was broken and scared and hated the feeling. I wanted to learn to protect myself, so I’d enrolled in self-defence classes. I’d been going the entire time I’d lived in New York and was pretty proficient.

  I twisted my wrist and pulled free from his grasp; it wasn’t too hard given his intoxicated state. I then grabbed his own wrist and twisted it back upon itself to an awkward angle, and he let out a throaty shout.

  The music was too loud for anyone other than the best man to hear—he was now nearly on top of us.

  I leaned in to Barry and said, “Touch me again, and I’ll rip your arm off.” In order to reiterate my point, I applied a little more pressure to the wrist lock, and he collapsed to his knees.

  Stuart arrived. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Your friend tried to grope me. Can I leave him with you?” It wasn’t really a question.

  “Miss, I’m so sorry. God damn it, Barry, you dick. I’m putting you in a cab home now before you can do any more damage.”

  “Fuck you, Stuart. She’s a fucking tease, she was asking for it,” he said through gritted teeth.

  I smiled while I applied a little more pressure to his wrist.

  “Argh,” he moaned.

  “I have it, Miss, I’ll take it from here. Again, I’m so sorry for the trouble.”

  I let go of Barry’s wrist, and he cradled it like a newborn. Stuart pulled him to his feet, grabbing his uninjured wrist and pulling him away from me.

  Barry turned to me. “Fucking stuck-up bitch,” he shouted.

  I looked him dead in the eye and blew a kiss in his direction.

  3

  Lucifer

  Movement to my left-hand side woke me. I stirred, opening my eyes to see what it was. I recognised that I was still in my London home. I had places all over the world—it was easier for business that way.

  My main home, though, was the innermost circle of Hell. That was all mine; no one could enter unless invited. It was my most private sanctum.

  On my left was the waitress from the club the night before. She was sprawled out on her stomach with her arm draped over the edge of the bed. She was naked, her lower half covered by a bedsheet.

  Before I could admire her, there was a noise to my right. I turned and noticed a brunette fast asleep. She was on her side, facing away from me. The curve of her figure enticed me to touch her naked ass.

  It had been a good night.

  After Daniel had left, I’d found the waitress easily and invited her back to my place. She’d asked if it was okay to bring a friend along. Well, who was I to say no to that?

  I thought back to three of us moving as one as I kissed them, they kissed each other, hands roaming everywhere. I’d taken both of them over and over throughout the course of the night. Stamina was key. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. By the look of the two of them beside me, I’d say I was successful.

  I hadn’t asked their names, it didn’t really matter. It was doubtful I’d see them again—very rarely did that happen.

  Lust was one of my favourite sins, and I’d indulged in it anytime I was give
n the opportunity. There was so much of it displayed by these two women last night. It was safe to say I had an extensive sexual history; when you were as old as me, it was hard not to. I took most sexual opportunities that presented themselves to me. Who wouldn’t?

  As I lay there, remembering the events from the previous night, I became aware I was being watched. I felt eyes burning into me. I raised my head to scan the room, and there she was.

  At the end of my bed stood Bee, arms folded across her chest while she shook her head in disapproval.

  “Lucifer, you’re too old for all of this shit. There are matters that require your attention,” she said wearily.

  I climbed from the bed and made my way to the full-length windows of my bedroom. I was naked and hadn’t bothered putting any clothes on just because Bee was there. She’d seen it all before. Sure enough, she didn’t flinch.

  I placed a hand on the window and looked out; I was hungry—I’d have to grab some food before I did any work.

  “How was the meeting?” she probed, all business today. I waved my hand dismissing the question.

  Bee—or Beelzebub, to address her by her full name—had known me the longest of all my demons. She was a fellow fallen, arriving in Hell shortly after I had been tasked to rule it. She had helped with my rebellion, so she’d been cast out like so many of my disenchanted brethren.

  She was my second in command, my chief-lieutenant, and a force to be reckoned with. Bee had proven herself to me on countless occasions over the years.

  She was around five-foot-six and had a small, compact, athletic build. She was very capable of looking after herself and putting a stop to anyone who challenged her. Queen Bee, I called her. She hated it.

  Today her long, flowing black hair was fixed to the top of her head in a severe bun, scraped back from her face and exposing her milky white skin. Not much scope for a tan in Hell really, despite the heat.

  Her piercing blue eyes fixed on me. “Really?” She nodded her head in the direction of my bed and the still passed-out women.

  There was never anything amorous between Bee and me; she loved me, and I knew that she would always be by my side, but those romantic feelings were never there. She was extremely loyal, and I trusted her implicitly.

  “You know I can never say no to a pretty face… or two.” I smirked at her, and she shook her head.

  “Do you never tire of it?” She studied me, waiting for my response.

  In all honesty, I didn’t. Why would I? Despite my initial misgivings, which had landed me in Hell, the human world had brought me innumerable pleasures and I partook in as many as I could.

  “My dear, there is very little I tire of. Except his bullshit,” I said, nodding my head up to the heavens. He hadn’t bothered me for a while, though. The tussle between Heaven and Hell had been steady for some time. For now, things were easy.

  “So the meeting? Are you going to fill me in?” she probed once more. She was business first and everything else second.

  “He agreed to the terms. He was a prick though; he kept me waiting.” I turned to see her reaction and walked over to the huge closet.

  “How dare he,” she said, but I could tell in her tone she was mocking me.

  I searched the closet and pulled on some loose-fitting trousers. I made my way to the large sofas where Bee had made herself at home. I’d closed the door to the bedroom. I doubted either girl would be awake yet after the previous night’s activities, but I decided to stay on the safe side.

  “Honestly, Bee, he’s a piece of work. You’d like him,” I said, raising my eyebrows at her.

  “Dick,” was the only comeback she had.

  “He wants a woman, and he wants her so he can kill her. No matter what happens, we’ll be getting his soul. It’s just the level of Hell that he’ll end up in. That is still to be determined.”

  “You think he’ll mess up?” she asked. She was sharp; I could always rely on her for that.

  “I do, and I think his soul will be ours to torture much sooner than he thinks. He’s hot-headed, and that will be his downfall. His temper will get the better of him, and eventually he’ll pay for it with his life.”

  She studied me for a while. “So a girl? Do we have anything on her?” Bee already had a plan, I could see it in her eyes.

  I made my way over to the living area and picked up my suit jacket. Various items of clothes littered the floor. Our activities had started in here last night and moved to the bedroom after we had all disrobed.

  I plucked the information Daniel had handed me last night out of the side pocket of my jacket and strode back over to her. “This is all he had. Apparently, she’s been gone two years. So it’s a little outdated.” I handed the bundle to her, and she began scanning it.

  “This won’t be much use, but least there is a photo.” She held the photo in her hand as she studied the couple. “They look happy,” she commented.

  “Things change,” I remarked, remembering the look of possessiveness in Daniel’s eyes as he spoke of the woman.

  Then we started our search. The information we had would be distributed to all of our eyes and ears. The reach of Hell was vast, and we would have her tracked down in no time.

  “I’ll take this down to be actioned; it shouldn’t be too long. What should we do once she’s found?”

  “I want to know as soon as you have anything. I’ll be handling this one personally. I might even take a hands-on approach,” I said with a smirk that she was all too familiar with.

  “Really, Lucifer, this one too?”

  “Hey, he kept me waiting, so now he can wait a while. If things happen and I have a little fun along the way, then what’s the harm? The girl still dies either way, but at least this way she can say she fucked the Prince of Darkness.” I laughed, but Bee simply rolled her eyes.

  I thought about taking what Daniel wanted most. He had, after all, said she was his. Well, after I finished with her, she wouldn’t even remember his name. No, my mind was made up. I would have some fun with her before she died—making him sweat would be an added bonus.

  I stood up from the sofa and Bee was aware she was being dismissed.

  I made my way across the floor to the bedroom door, opening it and stepping through. I saw her watching me as I looked out into the living room.

  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a couple of matters to attend to.” A wide smile played across my mouth as I closed the door, glancing at Bee who was shaking her head.

  I removed my trousers again and climbed onto the end of the bed, trailing a hand up each woman’s body until I got to their backsides and squeezed. Both women stirred and turned to look at me.

  “Ladies, you’ve slept long enough. I want to know which of you can come the most.” And with that, I began to find out.

  4

  Tess

  "Can I have another please, Harry?" I asked the bartender, raising my glass to him.

  "Be right with you, Tess," he said with a smile.

  It was busy in the bar tonight, so I sat and took in my surroundings while I waited. I felt at home here; it was comforting.

  My first apartment had been a short walk from O'Malley's Bar, and I’d stumbled on it one night when I was out exploring. At that point, I'd been stuck in my apartment unpacking and adjusting to my new life. I'd felt the urge to get out and familiarise myself with the area surrounding my new place.

  As soon as I'd walked into the bar, I was met with warm smiles and a good feeling. That first night in the bar was when I first met Emma. She was a waitress there, and we quickly became friends.

  It had been so long since I'd had a female friend, we just clicked. I'd been alone for so long. I had my ex, but I was still alone. He did that; he'd isolated me.

  But now I had Emma.

  She was a typical American “girl next door” but with an edge. Her blonde hair was cut into a short wavy bob, and she had a thick fringe. “It’s bangs, not fringe.” Emma would always correct me. “You’re in
America now, you need to speak American,” she’d say. She was small at five-foot-two, but that never stopped her. Since she was slim with a big chest, I always said she looked like she'd topple over. She'd used her “assets” to her advantage, though, on many occasions. Emma was forward and not afraid to go after what she wanted. The complete opposite of me.

  "Where's your head at tonight?" She appeared behind me, making me jump. I turned to her and shook my head.

  "I'm just a bit tired, long day." It wasn't a lie, but there was more to it, and I didn't feel like sharing tonight.

  As she bounced to the bar to gather a tray full of drinks, she looked at me. "That's bullshit and we both know it. Spill."

  "Fine, today is the anniversary of me deciding to leave London. It just weighs on me a bit that's all." She knew about my past—well, not all of it, but most of it. I couldn't find the strength to tell her everything. I was still so ashamed and embarrassed. I had done nothing wrong, but the whole thing still brought up those feelings. I hadn't been strong enough then, but I was now.

  "So why are you moping? Surely that is one of the best things you ever did? Leaving that asshole and getting to meet me." She winked at me with one of her grey-blue eyes. "We're going to a club when I get off work, so we can celebrate properly."

  "I don't really feel up to it, to be honest, Em.” I had mixed emotions about the day. Happiness and sadness, but not in equal measure.

  "It's happening, deal with it." With that, she took the tray of drinks and disappeared.

  I watched her deliver them to a large group at the front of the bar. She was flirting with one of the guys. Shameless.

  Harry had filled my glass up for me. I turned to thank him, and that's when I saw Jerry. He was the owner of the bar, and it was rare for him to be here this late on a Saturday night. "Hey, Jerry, what are you doing here so late?"

  "Well, if you're here, sweetheart, someone needs to make sure Emma does some work and doesn't chat to you all night." He shook his head, but I knew he was joking.