Lucifer Read online

  They were done eating and they cleared away their trays. “I’ll give you that tour now.” He offered with a smile. He was more businesslike now, he had to be. “Why don’t we discuss your plan to make me famous?”

  Stef cast him a cool look. Apparently, she’d picked up on the change in his demeanor and adjusted accordingly. She was smart and professional, but her looks and personality gave her an edge. “I want to bring in a few professionals to shoot a music video. We’ll download it to the internet for free. Just one song to give them a taste but the video needs to be dramatic. We need to pull them in instantly and not let their attention waver. That will tell us what we need to know and then we’ll make adjustments based on how your band is received.” She explained.

  “How does giving away something make us money?” He asked, confused.

  “It doesn’t.” She declared. “It does other things that are equally important. It’s your introduction to your audience. If they don’t know you, they won’t buy your songs. It’s a way to generate good will and I personally just enjoy giving shit away. You’ll reach a wider audience and when you release a CD, it’ll sell like wild fire. Now I have people I’ve worked with before, camera men, makeup artists and special effects experts. Those are who we’ll need to bring in for this project, the sooner the better. We’ll do the free video, release it and as soon as we get early feedback, we’ll start on your CD. Your band will be famous in no time.”

  “I’ll let you do what you need to do but I want this done quickly.” Lu instructed. The quicker she worked her magic for them, the faster he could pursue a carnal relationship. He was an impatient demon and he didn’t want to wait long.

  “I’ll get right on it. Once my bag is in my room, I’ll start making calls.” She explained.

  “I’ll escort you back to your room.” He directed.

  They went back up to the top floor and he dropped her off at her room.

  He was sure she would get things going so he needed to do his part. He and his band planned to put out a ten song album and he’d written every song. They had already been practicing them so that wouldn’t be a problem. It was the extra song, the one she wanted to give away that he needed to write and they would have to practice.

  He went to what they called the music room. Surrounded by instruments of all types and big windows that let the sun in and allowed him magnificent views of the beach, writing would be easier.

  “Where’s our new friend?” Abe asked.

  “She’s making calls to set up a music video for us. She’s off limits to all until the video is complete. Spread the word.” Lu instructed.

  “That include you?” Abe asked and if Lu didn’t already know better, he’d think he was disinterested.

  “I said all and that includes me.”

  Abe laughed a deep belly laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” Lu asked, somewhat insulted.

  “It’s right in front of you but you refuse to see it.” Abe said as he walked off laughing and shaking his head. Lu refused to let Abe distract him with his riddles. The demon couldn’t just come right out and say what he thought.

  Lu went to the large patio doors and opened them. The clean salty ocean air hit his nose and he enjoyed the smell and the warmth of the sunshine. He considered taking the risk of stepping outside where he might be visible to anyone nearby but he was a leader and had to set a perfect example. It was the hardest part of being the leader here. At Olympus he’d been able to aggravate, tease and generally disrupt the peace at will. He had still been a leader, just not high up enough that he had to behave. Lu hated behaving. It made him feel boring and stifled.

  He was a creative individual and it was in his nature to push authority and bend if not break rules so that he and others could find entertainment and enjoyment. Now he was the authority and he made the rules. It sucked in a big way. He knew he had often gotten on Zeus’ last nerve and he had loved making fun of the big guy. None of his demons ever did that to him, they were just too grateful to be alive and free. He was the one that wanted and craved more for all of them.

  If his eccentric band idea worked, they would have money, females and a small amount of freedom. It all rested on Stef’s slim shoulders, but he’d checked her out when Sierra had recommended her and everyone said she was the best. She could make the career for an individual or group if she had any talent to work with and Lu wasn’t bragging when he said no one had the musical talent the demons had.

  He sat down and started to write a love song. His mind kept drifting back to Stef and he guessed the chemistry between them was off the charts. He’d be lying if he said he’d ever wanted a woman the way he wanted her. He thought it would limit his creativity but instead, it seemed to feed it.

  He finished the song on a long wave of inspiration. It was the fastest and maybe the best song he’d ever written. It was all about a love that couldn’t be pursued. He started singing it and heard the keyboard playing. Yeah, Abe had come back. Abe was a master on the keyboard, better than anyone with the possible exception of Lu himself.

  He and Abe had a lot in common. They’d both had about the same level of abuse from Origin. Sad as it was, their lives had been golden compared to some of the even less human looking demons.

  Abe was a blond with blue eyes and a winning smile. His wings were blue instead of the lavender that Lu sported. His tail looked similar, but Abe was just a bit shorter and his build was heavier.

  Lu was the tallest demon at nearly seven feet. Make that the tallest living demon because many had been killed and he couldn’t say if any of them had been or would have been taller.

  Devil had been taller when they were younger but there had been an age difference although Lu couldn’t say how much. Devil had been destroyed for being too much of a demon.

  Origin withheld information like birthdays and parents from all the gods. If knowledge was power, they wanted to be sure the gods had none. They kept records now and they wrote down everything they discovered. Some information was questionable but it was written down in a section where unproven information went. Relationships between gods were noted, but they were rare. Origin considered their breeders disposable because if they died, they wouldn’t have to pay them. Even males who donated sperm were rarely used twice. Origin wanted an array of different traits that they could test and use for different purposes.

  Originally, they had thought to breed the gods with females once they were mature. This turned out to be more difficult than expected. It seemed that now Origin had figured out what their mistakes had been and they were attempting to breed gods in all their facilities.

  Maybe it was wrong of him, but he was grateful they’d never harvested his seed for breeding. The thought that they would find his mate before he did and have a child of his to abuse and torture in the way they had abused and tortured him was horrific. It was one worry the demons didn’t have.

  Zepar wandered in and sat at the drums ready to listen to the song once before he added his sounds. Zepar was short for a demon at six feet two inches. He was stunning with his coal black shiny hair that he often wore braided in some fashion or another. His eyes were deep brown and almond shaped while his skin was a light tan color. He was lithe like a runner and far stronger than he looked. He excelled at martial arts, all of them. Lu was envious of his unlimited patience, it was something Lu sadly lacked. Zepar’s fast reflexes made him an excellent drummer, even better than Lu who was pretty amazing.

  Xaphan joined them before they made it through the song once. He picked up the bass guitar and would join in once he heard enough of the song to do so. Xap, which everyone pronounced like Zap, was a brunette. His hair was the color of dark honey and his eyes the brown of milk chocolate. His skin tanned easily but normally was pretty pale. He was six feet five and a half inches and built like a tank. He had a way about him that made females swoon. He had the back ridges instead of wings and his tail would wind down one of his pant legs. He could pass among humans as long a
s he was properly dressed.

  Lu was driven crazy by the fact that he couldn’t. He loved Xap like a brother but the jealousy ate at him sometimes.

  Wendigo, called Win not only because of his name but because whenever he bet he would always win, came in and took up his flute. It added a haunting note at certain points in the song. Win looked Native American and he was about 6 foot eight inches, just a tad shorter than Lu. His build was medium, he looked neither like a weight lifter nor a runner but his body rippled with muscles that moved with every move he made. He liked braids as well as beads, feathers and other adornments. His hair was black as a raven wings, smooth and shiny. His skin was a caramel color and his eyes were like milk chocolate. He seemed to have no body hair at all, anywhere. In his big hands, the flute looked small and delicate. He had black wings, slightly smaller than Lu’s which made them easier to hide. His tail also fit down his pant leg, but unlike almost every other god, he had a birth mark that looked like a tattoo. Lu was sure it symbolized something because Win was very spiritual.

  They played the song, giving it the hint of sadness that it needed. He poured his heart and soul into the song both on the electric guitar he played and in his voice as he sang. He felt an intense sense of accomplishment once they reached the end. It was good and they knew it. They had an edge playing the god card. Gods were very popular among humans these days. There was a trend to romanticize them and that would help Stef with the marketing. He had no doubt she would capitalize on it.

  It was like just thinking about her summoned her. That would be a neat trick if it worked. They all set their instruments aside and Lu walked over to her. “Everything going alright?” He asked.

  “I managed to contact everyone. Most of these guys often work together which makes things easier for us. I caught several of them just as their last job completed so they’ll all be here sometime tomorrow. The others are in between jobs or just finishing up.” She explained.

  “That’s early, but it’ll be better that way. We will all be looking forward to meeting them. Tell me what you’ve told them so we get our stories straight.” Said Lu.

  They talked nearly an hour and the time flew by before they finally parted ways, each going to their own room.

  Chapter 2

  Sing to Me

  He was fucking gorgeous and if he didn’t blow so hot and cold she would probably be in his bed right now. To say a man as masculine as Lu was beautiful would be hard to explain if you had never seen him. He looked like his namesake, the fallen angel himself, going by the old descriptions she had read. He was a charmer too, when he chose to be. He had also shown he could be cold as ice and for no apparent reason at all.

  His hair was red, not the usual red but a dark deep red that would probably look black when it was wet. His eyes were a blue green and as changeable as the sea, the color they made her think of. So tall, he was the tallest man, well male, she’d ever been close to. He moved with a fluid grace that reminded her of a cat and she could see his muscles ripple without a problem since he went shirtless. His wings were a soft lavender, it was a color she had always favored and his tail was the stuff of erotic fantasies. Even so, now that he had snubbed her, she’d find some other fodder for her sensual dreams.

  She’d touched him for just a second and lightning had surged through her. She’d never felt anything like that but maybe all demons had that effect on women. They were certainly all handsome so far at any rate. They came in a wide array of hair and eye colors but they were all tall and muscular. They also shared a haunted look. It was like a shared sorrow that wouldn’t quite go away. She knew their history so that wasn’t a surprise either.

  She was surprised or maybe disappointed was more accurate, to be sitting in her room all alone in a place full of sexy males while she was horny as hell. At least Devon was coming tomorrow and while there was no deep unending romantic love between them, they were the best of friends and had fallen into the benefits stage a time or two. The sex was great and the friendship was wonderful. She missed him when they were apart because he understood her better than anyone. She understood him the same way. She didn’t think if she lived forever, she would ever understand Lucifer.

  She moved back to her computer working through her emails and she Skyped Sierra. Doc was there too and they called Way who made it there in minutes.

  “Tell us everything!” Sierra demanded. “All the dirty little details leave nothing out. Have you fucked him yet?”

  Stef’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. “Who?” She asked and her eyes blinked like an owl. She had no idea who they were talking about.

  “Lu, that’s who. That delicious, delightful, devilish male.” Sierra clarified.

  “He flirted a little and then he turned colder than an artic wind.” She admitted.

  “Maybe he recognized your mate.” Doc suggested.

  “I think I’d have some idea if I had a soul mate lurking around in the shadows.” Stef scoffed.

  “She has a point.” Doc said. “We all suspected even if we fought the feeling.”

  “Did you guys send me here just to satisfy your curiosity?” Stef asked outraged.

  “Of course not. That was strictly a side benefit.” Way explained.

  “You guys expected me to fuck him and give you the details?”

  “Why not? We’ve just got to hear about the tail! There’s all these hints floating around but we can’t get anyone to give us the hot poop.” Sierra admitted.

  “Well, he has one!” She said like she was giving out a big secret.

  “We know that and we’ve even seen it. We just don’t know what it does. No one will say exactly.” Way whispered.

  “Maybe you don’t need to know.” Stef suggested. “You’ll just feel like you’re missing out.”

  “I’ve heard it vibrates really fast.” Doc declared.

  “I’ve heard it stings you with an aphrodisiac.” Way added.

  “I’ve heard it sinks in really deep and presses on a spot nothing else can hit and drives females wild.” Sierra admitted.

  “I’ve heard,” Stef said with a pause for effect, “that you three are married to tailless gods and should forget about demons all together.”

  “Argh, have a heart. We just want to know.” Screeched Sierra.

  “I don’t know and from the look of things I’m not likely ever to know.” She ended.

  “Kill joy!” Sierra accused as they hung up.

  Stef wished they hadn’t told her all those magical things a tail was said to do. Even if only one was true, she shivered at the thought. Now she was sure she’d think of little else the whole time she was here. As she showered and got ready for bed, she hoped she wouldn’t dream about it and especially not about Lu. Was it possible a tail could do all those things? She slipped into a fitful sleep where Lu chased her with a tail far larger than the one he actually had.

  She woke up barely rested and drenched in sweat with her alarm blaring in her ear. Maybe she should have allowed herself some extra sleep with the long trip here and the first night in a new place. She wasn’t sure how long she would be staying here. Once she got the group up and going, she could leave until it was time to promote then next CD. They had no plans on touring except via the net. It was an interesting concept and she was excited to put it to the test.

  She had so many ideas and possibilities and when she arrived and listened in to their practice session she’d been blown away by how damned good they were. They were the most talented group she’d ever heard and she knew they would blow away their audience. It would make everything easier, except figuring out how to handle Lucifer.

  She got up, showered, dried, dressed and headed out to find some food since she was starving. She managed to find the cafeteria without any trouble and she could hear a buzzing noise coming from that direction. She realized it was the sound of many voices talking and laughing. They weren’t quite like they had been when Lu had taken her there.

  She en
tered through the doorway and the cafeteria was full. There were ten large tables and not one of them was empty. Everyone seemed to be watching every move she made but hopefully in time they would get use to her.

  Some of her crew should be arriving soon and she wanted to eat before she got her hectic day started. She grabbed her tray, got her food and went to the nearest table. “You guys don’t mind if I sit here, do you?” She asked with her sweetest smile.

  A handsome blond answered. “Knock yourself out, Sweetheart.”

  “Thanks. I’m Stef.”

  “Everyone knows who you are. We all got to know your sisters at Olympus before we came here. I’m Homer.” The blond guy replied.

  “Not a demon name.” Stef mumbled.

  “No, I’m a god who came along to help and enjoy the sunshine and water.”

  “I don’t blame you. It’s beautiful outside. I hope I find some time to go snorkeling.”

  “I’m sure they won’t work you too hard.”

  “I do that to myself. I’m very driven and I won’t be happy with anything less than complete success.”

  “Lu will be happy about that. He’s quite driven himself.”

  “I hope so because everyone will be arriving today or tomorrow and we’ll hit the ground running. The animation specialist has another job in six weeks so we’ll need to work quickly.”

  “Animation?”

  “We’ll have some moving parts for the video.” She would have explained it to him but she wasn’t sure if Lu shared information with his people or not. Homer was probably even the unlucky sucker that would be getting set up with the extra parts. Still she wasn’t willing to tell him what might be a secret at least for now.