Genesis Queen (The Road to Hell Series) (48 page)

He exhaled a sigh. “It’s where she belongs.”

“You believe he’s better for her than you?”

Unequivocally, yes. “He’s who she wants. I won’t interfere. I owe her that.”

He didn’t need to be an empath to recognize the surprise on Lucifer’s face. “Don’t give up on her yet. She remains undecided. She’s not wed to the conventional path.”

What the fuck does that mean
?

***

Walking off steam, Micah took the scenic view back to his bedchamber. Thoughts of snuggling down with Madison in his arms were interrupted when Elias slithered into his mind with telepathy.

zkihtak
, we did it. Convinced our girl to claim her seat in Hell.

Calling him brother wasn’t nearly as big an insult as referring to Madison as ‘our girl’.

Where are you, Eliel
?
I want to thank you personally
. Thank you by ramming the
Scepter of Spirits
through your black heart.

A long pause dragged out before his twin replied.
I think not
.
You’re still angry
.
And require time to cool off
.

Angry was a mild term for what he currently felt.

At Micah’s silence, Eliel went on.
We agreed at the beginning, anything to gain our victory
.

Rancid words Micah no longer felt. How could he have been so cold and distant toward the love of his life?

He scraped his fingers through his hair and winced when they caught on a tangle.
Where the fuck are you, Elias
?

I don’t understand your changes
, zkihtak.
We discussed forcing her when you covenanted Phoenix’s lineage. Anything to gain her submission. It’s what we decided and now you’re irritated because I held true to our agreement
.

Their plans had been very different when he covenanted Phoenix’s ancestry. Madison had died twice since then, and as he’d confessed, her death had changed him. Forced him to acknowledge the injustices he’d perpetuated against her.

Gaining her submission is very different than trying to kill her
. Why couldn’t his brother understand that?
You know how I feel about her.

You’re not ready to appreciate my sacrifice
.

His sacrifice? What the hell had Elias sacrificed? Micah had lost everything, his brother, his plans to infiltrate Heaven, and he would lose his wife, too. Maybe even his son. He would forfeit everything for his family, and Hell, while his brother surrendered nothing except their relationship.

A weary mental sigh came from his twin.
You’ll eventually come around. I can wait. But know every action I took was for your benefit, Beliel
.

Micah saw red. His claws pierced his palms.
Her death served your purpose, not mine. Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy torturing her
.

Thinking of her suffering incited epic rage that he’d be forced to nourish against a soul before rejoining Madison and Phoenix, delaying his time with his wife.

I’m wounded that is what you believe. Torturing her was
…. A long pause.
Be proud of her. She did not break until she believed she killed Phoenix and Amos. We will meet again, zkihtak, my beloved twin
.

Silence descended as his brother disconnected the mental call. When they met again, Micah would be prepared with the
Scepter of Spirits
. Hielel had been right. He and his brother had been traversing a dark path of bitterness. He found his salvation in Madison. The only escape in Elias’s future was Micah’s revenge.

Retracting his claws, he punched the swishing wall.

Fuck
!

The one person he’d trusted above everyone had been disloyal to him. How could he depend on anyone in the future? But how could he not rely on Zennyo Ryuo or Phoenix? They’d both Fallen for Madison, proven their devotion to her.

Unlike my brother, who said he was with me until the end
.

Micah exhaled raggedly. This betrayal hurt so much worse than Father’s, tripling his bitterness. His twin’s deception impaired his judgment. He’d once believed demons better simply because they were a loyal lot compared to humans.

He hated his brother for proving their likeness to humanity. Despised him for washing away the good memories of their bond with one grave act of treason.

He sniffled back the weakness of his human-like emotions. Teeth clenching, he vowed not to shed tears for his brother. He was unworthy of them. Maybe he’d cry for Madison when he let her go, but not for his twin.

How he fucking hated his brother and doing the right thing by his woman.

Chapter Forty-Six

Madison threw a blue fireball across the lawn and watched FiFi and Devlin scramble to retrieve the magical toy. Draped over her shoulder, Taz’s tail swished back and forth. Just as Devlin went to pounce, Madison twitched her finger and the fiery orb exploded into two pieces. Both Hellhounds captured their prizes and raced back to drop the supernatural balls at her feet. Distracted, she scratched both canines behind their ears, ignoring their pawing to toss the ball again.

The hot summer day smoldered along her skin, but did nothing to thaw out the coldness that’d settled inside her. Since coming out of Hell, Micah and Nix were somber. Madison was more confused now than before her bout with Elias in Hell. Had no idea which man she should remain with.

Sex with Micah blew her mind. No different than sex with Nix, other than she’d once despised climbing into bed with her husband.

Something had happened when she made love with the King, and again when she showered in Hell, but she couldn’t quite figure out what. After waking from her husband’s sleep spell, she’d decided to bathe to loosen up her overused muscles. Both guys had joined her, taken turns bathing her. With her hands flat on the wall, Nix had fucked her from behind. On the heels of that mind-blowing climax, he’d handed her over to Micah, who’d fucked her face-to-face, standing up against the same wall until she orgasmed with him deep,
deep
inside her.

She could’ve sworn a piece from inside her touched each man, a very vital and intangible part of herself connecting with both of them. She’d felt their love, their pride, their devotion…and she’d almost ruined the beauty of the moment by weeping.

Neither could she pinpoint why she’d allowed them the privilege of sharing her.

So we could see what it’s like to have two men adoring us at once.

Yeah, maybe, but….

We liked it
.

Madison snorted.
Correction
.
We embraced it, Usha
. And just because they’d enjoyed it, didn’t mean it was right.

At least the Sterillium sickness had abated.

Confused two days after their exit from the hellish domain, she wasn’t sure what to make of their time in Hell. The ramifications of her actions were still unknown. Claiming her seat as Queen felt like she’d come home after an extended travel abroad, with earth as the vacation. Not that she desired to commit the atrocities she knew the Kings were capable of, but…yeah, she couldn’t really explain why she felt this way.

One thing she knew with certainty: Nix did not belong in Hell.

Madison rubbed her temples as FiFi issued a fearsome growl and chomped on Devlin’s ear. The two pups rolled around on the lawn, taking turns being the aggressor.

Which man should she remain with? There were pros and cons for both of them. Not that she’d asked for Amos’s opinion; he’d given it anyway. He wanted her to keep both, because it’d be neat to have two daddies.

With a sigh, she shook her head. She wished she could see the world as simply as her son.

Madison was half-tempted to leave both men behind. That’s what would be fair to all involved.

She caught the approach of Alessa before she descended the porch stairs. Turning her head, she asked, “Zen or the guys send you to check on me?”

Alessa chuckled and pointed to the ground. “Mind if I sit?”

“Of course not.”

“They were all getting antsy.” The other woman sat beside her. “Micah especially dislikes you so openly exposed. I thought he’d come out here even though Zen and Nix insisted you needed some time to yourself.”

Madison smiled. She could picture that scenario playing out with three dominant men, each determined to have his own way. If Nix hadn’t been on Zen’s side, there’d be no way Micah would’ve sent a human instead.

“Do you think now’s a good time to say I told you so?”

Madison whipped her head about to face Alessa. “About what?”

“You and Nix.” Her friend waggled her dark eyebrows. “I told you he wasn’t interested in me.”

“Yeah….” She tossed her hair over her shoulders. “So you did.” Too bad she faced a decision much harder than accepting her Lynx.

“If you don’t come inside soon, Daddy’s going to have an aneurysm.” Model-perfect, Petra sat at an angle on the other side of Alessa, back ramrod straight, shoulders squared, wearing an ‘I want to fuck you’ expression. But the succubus always wore that appearance. “Phoenix got between Daddy and the door, and I thought they were going to go to blows for a second. It was tense and I got the hell out of there. That human has the biggest balls I’ve ever seen.”

“
Jesus Christ
.” Madison’s demon step-daughter hissed. “What does Micah think’s going to happen to me three feet from the front porch?”

“First, I wish you’d stop saying that. It hurts me.” Wincing, Petra rubbed her temple with her fingertips. “Secondly, he’s worried you’ll die. Again. Seriously, I’m beginning to think you have nine lives like the cat he nicknamed you after.”

“You did die in front of his eyes on this same lawn.” Alessa pulled FiFi into her arms, cradled the canine, and began to rub her belly.

Madison pulled her knees to her chest, feeling bad for making Micah worry more. “He was a bit freaked out in Hell with my close call.”

Devlin plopped down beside her with a big yawn and she ran her fingers through his fur.

“He’s usually so calm and collected.” Petra shook her head and leaned back on her hands. “I’ve never seen him so unreasonable. He’s kind of freaking me out. But more importantly….” Known for her dramatic flair, Petra waited until they both peered at her. “Do you want to eat me, Madison?”

“Pardon?” What kind of fucked up question was that?

“You know, ingest my magic so you can access my power?” The teasing grin turned her step-daughter from stunning to sexy.

“I would like to be able to portal.”

“I was joking, Mommy Dearest.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Good thing I know you well enough not to be afraid for my life.”

“Think you know me, huh?”

Petra gave her a look that implied Madison was an open canvas.

“I slept with Micah in Hell.” Dead silence. No more like she murdered it with a sledgehammer of words. “Don’t know me as well as you think, do you, Petra?” She gauged their reactions, and stunned failed to accurately describe them.

“Holy shit.” Petra sat up straight. “Good for you, testing your succubus taste buds.”

“My God.” FiFi batted her paws at Alessa when her hand froze on her stomach. Petra grimaced and glared at Alessa. “Was it good?”

The blush hit Madison’s cheeks before she could attempt to hold it off. “I am
not
answering that.”

“No need.” Alessa went back to loving on the animal. “You answered it for me.”

“Demons and debauchery are synonymous. We’re elite that way.”

Nix’s former lover rolled her eyes. “Jesus.” Petra flinched and Alessa smiled. “You’re so full of yourself, Petra. Humans have skill, too. Nix, for example. Speaking of Nix, what was his response to you and Micah getting it on?”

Not in a million years would she share the details.

“Was he present while the naughty went on?” Alessa persisted. “Was he involved?” Why’d she sound hopeful over that question?

“Alessa, I repeat: I’m not sharing the details with you.” Madison wrapped her arms around her knees and clutched them tight against her chest.

“Throw me a bone here, Madison.” FiFi’s glazed eyes and tongue lolling to the side suggested she’d found her proverbial bone in the horsewoman’s arms. “I just want to know if angel-jelly is as good as I suspect he is.”

“Of course he is. He’s pure sin,” Petra said in the haughtiest fashion Madison had ever heard come out of her mouth.

“That praise is just gross coming from his daughter.”

Alessa could say that again. But she figured that was no weirder than Elias finding his niece an orgy in Hell so she could survive the angel attack. “I’m not sure which man I want to remain with.”

And I’m not sure why I just confessed that to anyone other than myself
.

Not like we should take either of their advice. They’re both biased
. Yeah, her Lynx was probably right.

“Christ on a stick!” FiFi jerked in alarm at Alessa’s squeal.

“Nix is who everyone is counting on me staying with, right?” Madison dropped her forehead to her knees.

Silence was her sole answer. Again. Great! Just great! She’d stunned them both.

Zen’s noiseless tread brought him unnoticed to the powwow. “I need to speak with Madison alone.”

“Whew!” Petra blew out a breath and executed a graceful roll to her feet. “Saved! I was getting worried I’d have to counsel Madison with girl talk.”

Alessa palmed Madison’s shoulder. “I want you to be happy, Madison. Nix is the most honorable man I know. But….” A long pause where she took her time putting FiFi on the ground. “I can understand why angel-jelly appeals to you.”

Her sister-friend squeezed her shoulder and departed.

“Chocolate ice cream?” Her immortal friend held out a tub of the treat.

“You reading my mind or something?”

“Yes. You’re driving me peanuts.” He shook his head. “No…nuts?” He lifted an eyebrow, his silent way of asking if he got the saying correct.