Luxure_The Cardinal Brotherhood Book One Read online

  “Like cast out of Heaven by God?” Her voice is so quiet it’s almost indecipherable.

  “Maybe. I think he chose to stay here on Earth with your mom and be here to raise you. To be a real dad.”

  “So my mom…” She’s fighting back tears.

  “Your mom is human. My best guess is that they fell in love and had you. It is forbidden for supernatural beings to procreate with humans, so you had to be hidden and protected. A father wouldn’t just walk away from that responsibility. Especially not your dad.”

  “Why would you say that? You don’t even know him.”

  “I saw the way he was with you at the restaurant. He loves you more than life itself. He loves you enough to give up the Heavens to be with you.”

  I begin to explain what this means for her, for who she is, but she cuts me off. “I need a minute. This is a lot to take in. I don’t know if I even believe you. What you’re saying is crazy.”

  “Trust me, I know how crazy it sounds.”

  “Do you? You just told me my dad is an angel from Heaven. What does that make me?”

  Fuck. She is not ready for this. This isn’t the way I wanted to share all of this with her. “It makes you half-human, half-angel.”

  She stands desperate to put distance between us nervously pacing the floor. I can sense she’s at war with herself. Everything she believes contradicts what I’m telling her, and yet she finds herself accepting it. She wants to seek comfort with me, I can feel it. “Wouldn’t I know if I were half-supernatural? I don’t even believe in all that stuff.”

  “I’ve never known of another being in existence who is half-human, half-supernatural.”

  She starts laughing an unnerving, almost maniacal cackle. “This just gets better. So not only am I some sort of half-breed, I’m the first and last of my kind.”

  “As far as I know, yes.”

  “How do you know all this? Who are you? Are you an angel?”

  If only I could give her the answer that would help her adjust, to tell her that we’re similar in so many ways. If I could change my entire existence to make this easier on her, I would. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to tell her the truth. She’ll see me differently. I’m the embodiment of evil, the polar opposite of her. “I’m no angel. And I’m not human either.” I go to her, knowing I have to look into her eyes when I reveal the worst parts of myself. I need to be able to gauge her reaction. I need to see if our connection is severed—not for her sake but mine. I’m not ready to give her up. I haven’t felt much of anything since Abi was taken from me. Sirena has awakened something inside of me, and I’m too selfish to let that go. “In the course of your research, you’ve studied all religions, myths, and cultures. You’ve heard of the seven deadly sins?”

  “Of course. A concept in the Christian Bible, a set of rules to stop society from giving in to their base urges. What does that have to do with me?”

  “It doesn’t. It’s me. The seven deadly sins aren’t a concept, Sirena. They’re real. They are a brotherhood of demons. They have roamed the Earth since the beginning of time causing destruction and chaos in humans’ lives.”

  “O-k-a-y.” I can see that she’s not putting the pieces together yet because she wants to see the best in me.

  “My full name is Luxure Zonder. Humanity knows me as… Lust.” I search her eyes for any indication of what she’s thinking. Her expression is blank, so overwhelmed that she has completely shut down.

  “You’re a d-demon?”

  “Yes.”

  “The demon of lust?”

  “Yes.” She doesn’t shy away from me, doesn’t flinch at my touch. She simply studies me looking for answers to questions she doesn’t know she has yet.

  “Is that why I feel so strongly for you? Do you have this effect on everyone?”

  I tuck a stray tendril of her luscious red hair behind her ear before cupping her face in my hands. “No. No one has ever reacted to me the way you do. And I have never reacted to another being the way I react to you. You are unique. What we have is unique. I can’t explain it, I don’t even know what it is. What I do know is that I’m drawn to you. I feel in my soul that I need to be around you. I also know that I’m not worthy of you.” The tension between us is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode with devastating consequences.

  “I need to get out of here. I need time.”

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  “What the fuck do you mean you can’t let me? I’m a grown woman, and I do what I want. I’ve managed just fine in my life until now. If anything, the moment you came into my life is when the problem started.” She’s pissed, and her tone is irate, even outraged.

  “You’re probably right, but I can’t change that now. I didn’t come looking for you just as you didn’t come looking for me. What you need to realize about the world you live in is that we don’t have a fucking choice. Free will is a bullshit lie. No matter what we did, we would have met at some point. This… thing between us will happen whether you want it to or not. When a soul is born, its path is already mapped out. So hate me, love me, beat the shit out of me, but you’re stuck with me.”

  “Like hell I am! I’m out of here. I need to talk to my dad. I want answers.”

  “Listen to me very carefully, Sirena.” I lower my voice, letting her know in no uncertain terms that I’m not asking her permission. I’m fucking telling her how this is going to go. “I know you need answers, and I will happily take you to see your dad when it’s safe to do so. But at the moment, you need to listen to your gut and fucking trust me. If I let you walk out that door tonight, you’ll be dead by sunset tomorrow. Not only you but your mom and dad, all of your neighbors, and probably me. You’re not fucking leaving this apartment.”

  “So now I’m going to be dead if I don’t stay here with you? Why am I in danger?”

  “Let’s just say some very bad demons are heading to San Francisco, and they plan to kill every last person who has been protecting you since you were born. They don’t know about you… yet. But as soon as they get here, they’ll know, and all hell is going to break loose.”

  “They’re coming for my mom and dad? I have to warn them.”

  “Your dad already knows that something is coming. I guarantee it. The Vollstrecker aren’t coming for your parents. They’re coming for your Guardians.”

  “My Guardians? The Vollstrecker?”

  I explain to her who the Vollstrecker are and how they tried to kill me. Why I’ve been ‘dead’ for a thousand years, and why we need to avoid them at all costs if she’s going to stay alive. Then I drop the bomb that she’s been surrounded by Guardian angels her entire life, and the fact that so many of them are here in the city has drawn attention because of our connection and the knowledge of my survival spreading throughout the realms.

  “So all of these… angels… are in danger because we can sense each other?”

  “That’s a bit too simplistic, but I guess so.”

  “We need to help them. To warn them.” I can sense her guilt threatening to consume her.

  “I can’t.” I tell her what happened at Thanksgiving, the fact I can’t go up against that many celestials alone, and I will be signing my death warrant if I go to them now, even if it is to warn them about the Vollstrecker.

  “And the Vollstrecker are what?”

  “Enforcers. They do Lucifer’s bidding. They are warriors with no conscience, deadly, and ruthless.”

  I give her some time to digest everything I’ve told her, and as I sit in the deafening silence, I find myself in awe of the woman before me. I don’t know anyone else who could deal with the gravity of what I’ve just told her and remain calm and practical. I can see her thinking, processing, trying to come up with a logical way to accept the fact that her world has been turned upside down. Everything she thought she knew, everything she believed in, the entire basis of her career… was wrong.

  Imagine living in a world where you believe you are the only spec
ies of intelligent life, and when you die, that’s it. You’re born, you live, you die, and you’re gone. You’ve lived your whole life believing this is the reality of existence. Then, one day you wake up to find out all of the myths and stories and things that go bump in the night are real. That you’re not alone in the universe and that human life is a blip in the scheme of things. You’re born, you live, you die, you go to Heaven or the Underworld and spend all of eternity in another plane of existence.

  I’m truly stunned by her composure. Maybe she’s in shock, too traumatized to understand what’s going on around her, but I don’t think that’s the case. She has an unparalleled inner strength which gives me hope—hope we can make it out of this alive, and we might have a shot at exploring the feelings we have for each other.

  She doesn’t speak for hours curling up on the couch and resting her head in my lap. I don’t question it. I’m just glad I can offer her comfort. It’s the first time I’ve used my influence over human emotions for a good reason—to help someone. But, it’s not a selfless act by any stretch of the imagination. Having her so close, running my fingers through her hair as I listen to the steady beat of her heart, feeling the warmth of her skin against my hand, is amazing. It’s the most content I’ve felt since the moment I first saw her. It can’t last, though. We need to leave the city tonight. The Vollstrecker will be here by morning, and if we need to warn her parents, then I’m running out of time to come up with a plan. I decide to leave her a little longer to enjoy the calm before the storm.

  “Luxure. Wake up.” I’m startled by the early morning sun streaming through the windows. I must have fallen asleep next to Sirena. “Lux, you have to get out of here. Now!” It’s Cole.

  “Fuck. What time is it?”

  “The sun is rising, brother. The Vollstrecker are coming. You need to flee the city now and take your friend with you. Neither of you is safe.”

  How could I have been so careless? I put Sirena at risk. How could I fall asleep when I was supposed to be getting her as far away from here as possible? I don’t even need sleep, and yet when I’m around her and see her in peaceful slumber, I can’t help but join her. She calms me.

  I realize she’s gone. I look to Cole. “Where is she?”

  “She went to the restroom. I told her to call her father and tell him to meet her in New York.”

  “Why New York?”

  “I don’t have time to fill you in on all the details of what I’ve discovered since we last spoke, but Kade is in New York, and he has the resources to ensure you disappear until we can form a plan and ready The Brotherhood for what’s to come.”

  “Kade? He knows I’m alive.” I told him not to tell our brothers until it was safe. This is going to put Cole and Kade in danger.

  “He needed to know. We need his help. He’s already putting a plan in motion to help you. Trust us, brother. We’re going to keep you and the lovely Sirena alive.” I don’t like anyone else knowing about her, not even Cole. I need to be in control of what happens and how I’m going to protect her.

  “I don’t like this, Cole. Not one fucking bit. How did you know about her father?”

  “I told you. I’ve been searching for answers, and I found out a lot of very interesting information. We can talk about this once you’re safely out of the city. As soon as Sirena finishes freshening up, take her to New York.” As much as I want to protest, I need to get her out of San Francisco right away, and I can work the rest out later.

  “What about the Guardians?”

  “The Vollstrecker are coming. They won’t go home empty handed. The Guardians would never betray their vow to protect Sirena. They’ll die before they talk.”

  “She wants me to warn them.”

  “Luxure, you can’t keep her safe and save the Guardians. These are the same beings who threatened to kill you or turn you over to Luc if they ever see you again. It’s better for you if they’re eliminated. If you want to stay alive and keep that pretty girl breathing, you’re going to have to lie to her on occasion for her own good.”

  I hate the thought of it, but I know he’s right. I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure her survival.

  “I need to go and take care of a situation before I meet you in New York. I’ve given Sirena an address for Kade. I’ll find you. Stay safe, brother.” Before I have a chance to ask him what ‘situation’ he needs to deal with, he’s gone.

  I go in search of Sirena finding her in my closet in nothing but a bra and a pair of my boxer shorts. I’m lost for words when she turns around and smiles. “Sorry. I wanted a fresh pair of underwear and a t-shirt. I hope you don’t mind.” She pulls one of my black t-shirts over her head laughing at how large it is. It could be a dress on her. She quickly slips into her jeans and pulls on her boots. Her hair is wet from the shower falling into natural waves cascading down her back. She looks stunning.

  I want nothing more than to strip her bare right here in my closet and taste every last inch of her body, but time is of the essence, and we need to leave. “We better get going.” I don’t recognize the sound of my own voice—thick with desire for this woman.

  Her labored breath and racing pulse only serve to heighten the tension between us. She can hardly speak. “I know. I’m ready to go with you…” Holy fuck she’s amazing. I pull off my t-shirt and grab a fresh one from the shelf behind her, her breath hitching as my chest brushes against her body. “Mmm.”

  “Don’t make noises like that, angel.”

  “Why?” The playful look in her eyes is going to be the death of me.

  “Because it’s sexy as fuck, and it makes me want to devour every inch of you. It makes me imagine what you’ll sound like as I slide my cock deep inside you. How fucking beautiful you’ll look when you come for me… over… and over… and over again.”

  “Mmm.”

  “Fuck me, just one taste.” I pull her into my arms and kiss her with everything I have. I don’t need to open my eyes to know they’re glowing. My entire body is on fire. She wraps herself around my body as I back her into the wall savoring the smell of my shampoo in her hair and the feel of my t-shirt against her skin. I feel strong when I’m with her, and I know the time is now. Without interrupting our kiss, I make the jump. She doesn’t stop, and I don’t stop her. We’re lost in each other, and nothing else matters in this moment.

  I don’t know how long we stay like this, but when Sirena finally becomes aware of the wind in her hair and the chill in the air, she breaks our kiss, her eyes sparkling red in the bright morning sunshine of New York.

  “The view from here is unbelievable.”

  I can’t take my eyes off of her. “You’re right. It’s breathtaking.”

  She meets my gaze, her eyes wide and filled with wonder as she studies the effect she has on me. “Your eyes, Lux… they’re so beautiful.”

  “You do that to me. Only you, Sirena.”

  She turns her back to my chest wrapping my arms around her for warmth as we take in the city around us. I know that our lives are about to become complicated, and I may not make it out of this alive, but there’s no place I’d rather be than right here, right now, with Sirena at the top of the Empire State Building.

  9

  LUXURE

  Walking through the streets of Manhattan with Sirena by my side is such a stark juxtaposition to the plight we find ourselves in. We blend into the crowd of New Yorkers making their way to work and the tourists taking in the sights and sounds of the most iconic city in the world. Onlookers would never guess we were anything other than a regular couple—not a demon and an angel’s love child on the run for their lives from Lucifer’s enforcers and God’s warriors.

  I relish the normalcy of the day—grabbing breakfast in a little diner on 42nd Street, walking through Times Square, taking a cab up to Central Park, and enjoying a walk through the leafy oasis at the heart of this burgeoning metropolis. We don’t talk about anything supernatural deciding to wait until Sirena’s dad arrives to open that can
of worms. Instead, we get to know each other a little better discussing our favorite foods, movies, and places we’ve been. For a human, she’s surprisingly well traveled. Of course, she’s intrigued by the thought that I’ve seen the world evolve from a desolate planet into the world we know today. I’ve been to every country in the world thousands of times, and I’ve lived through every influential time period in history. I regale her with stories of what Manhattan was like when the first buildings were under construction and how it grew and expanded into the most famous city in the world today. The anthropologist in her can’t help bombarding me with questions, but I don’t mind. I love just walking and talking with her, and it’s fun to have someone to tell my stories to remind me of happy times, sad times, and exciting times throughout human history.

  She’s truly exceptional. Anyone else would be holed up in a padded room after the revelations of the past few days, but not Sirena, her thirst for knowledge trumps anything else. She sees this as an opportunity. Her eyes have been opened to an entire universe of discoveries to be made, species to be studied, other worlds to learn about. She has taken something negative and turned it into a positive. There is an air of excitement emanating from her today. She’s anxious to see her parents and know that they are safe, but she’s also desperate to quiz them about every aspect of her life—who they are, who she is, and why she had to be kept a secret under such heavy protection all these years.

  It’s early evening by the time we head toward Kade’s apartment. I’d have been happy to put this off all day not knowing what to say to him after all these years, but I can’t wait any longer. I need his help to keep Sirena out of harm’s way.