Deal With the Devil Read online

  Flesh For Throne

  Deal with the Devil

  Volume two

  Coralea Cambourne

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

  First edition. April 15, 2022.

  Copyright © 2022 Coralea Cambourne.

  ISBN: 979-8201758448

  Written by Coralea Cambourne.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Deal With The Devil (Flesh For Throne, #2)

  Chapter one

  Chapter two

  Chapter three

  Chapter four

  Chapter five

  Chapter six

  Chapter seven

  Chapter eight

  Chapter nine

  Chapter ten

  Chapter eleven

  Chapter twelve

  Chapter thirteen

  Chapter fourteen

  Chapter fifteen

  Chapter sixteen

  Chapter seventeen | Padma

  This is the second book in the Flesh For Throne series and needs to be read in order.

  This book is intended for adults only; trigger warnings include the following.

  Blood, gore, torture, explicit sex, explicit language, brief mention of suicide, themes of trauma, mentions of inbreeding, and stolen children.

  Special thanks to my editor Sherry Schafer for your amazing work.

  https://sherryschaferproofing.com

  Special thanks to my cover designer Adeel Ahmad for your beautiful designs.

  https://www.fiverr.com-Aesthetic_adeel

  And a special thank you to my readers.

  All of you, wherever you may be, you’re the reason I write, so thank you, my loves.

  This book is devoted to the inner child in all of us, that hid in books to escape the monsters of our world.

  Hope will not save you, my dear; life is carving the warrior you were born to be.

  Chapter one

  I had till tomorrow night to figure out if I wanted to make a deal with the devil himself. I watched as he stood, his body rippling with so much hushed power.

  “Enjoy my guest house and dinner,” Lucifer smirked as he walked towards the hall. “Oh, and Elisse, you’re welcome for my hospitality.” Lucifer’s golden eyes narrowed down into my own, making me feel uncomfortable as I fought the urge to squirm in my chair.

  “What are you doing?” Luthigo’s voice came scolding with irritation once we were alone. “We will accept his help, Elisse, and do not make him angry for fuck’s sake; I do not need to be punished.”

  “But you love pain, Luthigo.” I smiled sarcastically as I peered into his jet-black eyes.

  “I love doling out pain.” Luthigo pointed his fork in my direction. “Not the other way around.” He stabbed his fork into the lasagne before him, the metal screeching on the porcelain plate.

  “He wants our help, Luthigo. It is blatantly obvious, don’t you think? He needs us... not the other way around.” I picked up my fork, staring at the ebony handle the color of bone. I swallowed the question, thinking it’s better not to know.

  “Perhaps... that may be true, but Lucifer will be your best option in this galaxy for finding out who your mother really is and what she is, Elisse. I do not believe we will find another being who can do the same in this galaxy.”

  I mulled over Luthigo’s words as I dug into the lasagne before me. I wanted to know who my mother was, who I was, what I was. I wanted to know like I wanted to breathe, but to make a deal with the devil for it...

  I should be storming back into the kingdom of Zinneria Nathanial had stolen from me. I should be ripping Nathanial’s heart out in the arena for all to see, my traitorous weasel of a brother had deceived me and slit my throat, but I couldn’t face that... my stomach churned with nausea, and my eyes became glossy. I couldn’t deal with that betrayal just yet. No, if I could figure out who my mother was, what else I was, I could come back stronger, taking what is mine. I looked to Luthigo, the dark lord of Zinneria, as he decadently placed pasta towards his lips.

  Lucifer couldn’t be that bad if Luthigo were his subject. My eyes took note of my own hands; after all, I had ended lives myself, and that didn’t make me evil, or the bad guy. I sighed heavily with the realization so much had changed since I had lived on earth, since I had been kidnapped from my foster mother Melissa, and so far, nothing had changed for the better.

  “What would Lucifer have us do then? What would the deal be?” my voice came muffled through the tomato pasta lingering in my mouth.

  “Probably a collection, I suppose...” Luthigo looked at the candles flickering along the table as if considering the idea.

  “Collection?” I questioned, not quite understanding the lingo.

  “Collection of a being who owes a debt to Lucifer, a runner.” Luthigo continued eating his lasagne and nodded his head as if agreeing with his explanation.

  A collection. I rumbled the idea through my head, that would not be so bad, collect a bad person, for another bad person, to help me, a good person, find my mother; I can do that. I wanted to know who my mother was and why she left me in such shitty care; I wanted to hug her, to have a real mother’s love, to know how it felt to be loved for real... but if she loved me, then why did she leave me?

  I looked at the shadows flickering along the wall of shelved antiques and crystals. Was it to protect me from this world? If that’s what she thought she was doing, she couldn’t have been more wrong. Did she even realize who she had left me with? I looked at the cigarette burns that still remained on my arm, but I was alive, wasn’t I? The same couldn’t be said for the rest of King Kronos’s kids... except one... Nathanial.

  I followed Luthigo after dinner as he led me back to my empty room. My single bed was covered in the dried blood I had shed days ago, and the small cabinet next to it was covered with the dirty cotton swabs Luthigo had used to clean my wounds.

  “I’ll be across the hall should you need me, my sweet but be careful of your stitches. With your dragon markings, they should hopefully heal by morning.”

  “Thank you, Luthigo.” I gave a gentle smile as I closed the door to ponder my thoughts. Was making this deal the right thing to do, or was I being selfish? Was I cowering, or was I buying myself time to come back stronger, smarter? Then, I could slit Nathanial’s throat and take what’s mine.

  I manifested clean sheets the color of lavender on my bed and changed my clothes into a black pajama set. The energy to manifest was slightly harder than I remember. Dying had taken a toll on me both mentally and physically; I needed a good sleep to hopefully heal both.

  I crawled into my fresh sheets while doing my best not to touch the stitches along my ribs, neck, and shoulder that were being held together by Luthigo’s thread work.

  I brought my fingers to my throat, tracing the many lines of dainty thread that dressed the skin thanks to Nathanial’s sword. Tears filled my eyes once more as my heart pounded in my chest, trying to hold back the pain; Nathanial had been my first true love. My body convulsed as I tried to hold back the sobs, silently fighting the battle in my body and losing as I gasped my next breath.

  I truly believed he had loved me the way I had loved him, how stupid I had been; I let the tears fall in silence as my chest heaved. Shame and guilt filled my being to the core; how could I have not seen the monster before me? This was my fault; I had believed in all the good in him; I had only seen what I had wanted to see. I let the tears lull me into a deep sleep.

  I sat in the warm bubble bath with Nathanial’s hands on the back of my neck as he leaned in towards me. Elisse... his breath, brushed my li
ps. I love you. His vibrant blue eyes filled me with warmth as he never wavered eye contact; he loved me! This man saw me, all of me, and he loved me. I clung to his words like a lifeline, the butterflies in my stomach doing cartwheels of glee—love was something so foreign to me. I smiled at the beautiful man before me, his dark hair slick from the bath. I love you too. I opened my eyes, and I was in the arena once more with my heart racing. I looked down to see King Kronos’s body in chunks, his blood, and flesh scattered before me in the sand. I looked at Nathanial, who stood before me with his sword to my throat.

  I AM KING! His words rang out to the arena as they cheered.

  Elisse... I love you

  Elisse ... I love you

  His words of love wouldn’t stop ringing as Nathanial held the sword to my throat and slit, the overwhelming feeling of drowning filling my throat. I couldn’t swallow the blood fast enough to get my next breath; I was dying—this was it.

  Elisse... I love you

  I screamed violently in anger, the blood spouting from my throat; I hated this man, I hated him with every fiber of my being. I would tear his heart from his chest and play with it like putty. I wanted nothing more than to see the light drain from his vibrant blue eyes.

  I woke up with a shake of my shoulders.

  “Elisse... you were screaming... are you ok?” Luthigo’s voice came gently in the dark as it whispered along my spine.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stop the tears streaming one after another down my cheeks. “I dreamt of him....” I held back a sob as shame filled me. Luthigo sat down on my fresh sheets, bringing me closer to him as he cradled me, awkwardly patting my back. The movement of it all made me think Luthigo had never comforted another in his life, that he had only wished to inflict the tears—never to dry them.

  Luthigo offered no words of kindness, his vocabulary probably not capable of such things. He simply held me as I sobbed myself back to sleep, and I was thankful not to be alone as the pieces of my heart continued to break.

  Chapter two

  I woke up cold and alone in my room. I always thought hell would be hot with all the eternal burning flames, but I was freezing this morning, my breath clearly visible before my eyes. I jumped out of bed and manifested black track pants and a matching hoodie, with black boots to match, the manifestation taking a second longer than it should have. I needed to practice. I mentally scolded myself as I picked up the clothes and shoes from the bed.

  I brought myself to the blinding white bathroom to take in my stitches before the mirror; I brought my fingers up to my throat, tracing the dainty lines of thread, the gash was healed, but a thick red ugly scar was sure to remain to remind me of the deceit, of my shame. My throat seemed to burn as I held back tears, my eyes taking in the deep gashes and stitch work.

  Breathe. Ragna hushed. We will tear his heart out and eats!

  I sighed. I’m not sure it would stop the pain... I took in the dragon markings burnt into my chest in intricate swirls and patterns; the dragon form itself seared into my back. I rubbed the markings as if to soothe.

  I had not only nearly lost my life but the life of my dragon. Before they had become extinct, a dragon was hard to catch; you had to capture the one with dragon markings, killing the being to bring their dragon to this realm. Luthigo had captured Ragna doing just that and had magically bound him below his kingdom for refusal to bond, seeking a fate to be long forgotten; so technically, I had taken Ragna from Luthigo, and that debt would never be paid.

  I twisted the hot water on in the large shower cubicle, my toes nearly frozen from the cold tiles. I stepped in, getting the temperature just right, and scrubbed myself with the licorice-scented soap as if I could wash his touch away, that monster’s kisses away, the memory of him away.

  Tears burned the back of my eyes as they threatened to fall. This is ridiculous; I scolded myself; my whole life had been pain, abuse, and loss, but not this type of heartbreak that brought with it great shame and tremendous guilt. It made me furious at myself for letting someone in so deeply, so thoroughly. Was I that desperately alone I had missed all the warning signs? I had wanted to be loved so badly... weak. I scolded myself. I needed to get my shit together; I was forged through pain, I told myself, grown in it, like a seedling of a great tree in cow shit.

  I would not let the past continue to live in my present; for as long as I did, I gave that monster, Nathanial, power, and so help me, I’d take my pound of flesh back.

  I dressed in the black track pants and hoodie I had manifested. Lifting my feet to the basin as I tied the laces of my black ass-kicking boots. I stood back after I finished, taking in my reflection in the mirror, my ash-colored hair and sun-kissed skin, my eyes currently an aqua blue from the tears, standing out vibrantly against my puffy red cheeks.

  I breathed in deeply, taking in my reflection, “get your shit together!” My voice was raw as I pointed to myself.

  I opened the bathroom door to find Luthigo lounging on my sheets with his elbow in my pillow, his black eyes taking me in from head to toe as a small smirk filled his lips.

  “You look so vibrant today, Elisse.” Luthigo’s sugar-coated words danced along my skin.

  “So glad you let yourself in.” I smiled sarcastically.

  “You had no complaints last night.”

  Heat flushed my cheeks with embarrassment at the fact I had cried to Luthigo, I had shown weakness, and my embarrassment quickly turned to anger as I refused to take in his strikingly beautiful face any longer. I paced for the door.

  Luthigo appeared in front of me in a blink of an eye, his movements too fast to track as his black eyes stared down into mine from inches away. Luthigo towered my height, his physique hard and lean rippled with power as his energy prickled along my skin.

  “My sweet,” he murmured. “I wish to talk....”

  “So, talk, Luthigo.” I challenged as I refused to step back. Whatever he had to say, he could say it quickly. I needed to get out of this room, I needed to breathe, I needed out of my head that kept circling raw memories of betrayal.

  A smile filled Luthigo’s lips as his breath whispered along my cheek, the front of his body now pressed into mine demanding I step back, his power rippling along my skin like a thousand ants. I couldn’t take it; the smell of sandalwood and rainforest was overwhelming from him.

  I stepped back, not wanting to feel my skin tingling anymore; a sigh left my lips as he smirked widely.

  “We will take Lucifer’s deal, Elisse, and we will find out who your mother is. You are only half Zinnerian, and though I am thousands of years old, it plagues me to have no answer to what makes your blood so unique.”

  Luthigo turned to pace in front of the door in thought. “Then, once we have confirmation of exactly what you are, you, my sweet, will claim your throne and lead your people.”

  The thought of Nathanial ruling Zinneria had my heart doing some weird palpitations in my chest; the rumors of Nathanial torturing Kronos’s children had been true. Maybe he had been disguised as a healer, but why wouldn’t he be happy to take out the potential competition while given the chance, and what kind of damage could a man like that do while ruling over a planet? Was I making the right decision seeking my heritage before my people?

  “Do you think I’m making the right decision... by putting my want to find my mother before my kingdom... my people?” Selfish, that’s what I was... maybe even scared.

  An odd expression crossed Luthigo’s face. “Your people have been under Kronos’s reign for six hundred years; they know how to play the game and survive... mostly.” Luthigo turned on his heel and continued to pace. “A week won’t make a difference to them, but it will to you; you’ll have had time to heal and acquire the knowledge of your heritage.” His eyes flicked to my throat.

  “Why are you so interested in helping me?” The thought hit home for me; Luthigo was the devil of Zinneria, Lucifer’s lackey; he didn’t have to be here; he had no reason to find the truth of what I was, as I
did.

  “Because knowledge is power, my sweet..., and I also despise Nathanial.” Luthigo made a face of disgust as he said his name. “Betrayal by blood is a whole other level of pain, let alone in love.”

  I had never seen Luthigo’s face so dejected; who had hurt him, would he tell me if I asked?

  “Has some....”

  “Come, I’ll show you around.” Luthigo cut my words off before I could finish my sentence. I didn’t mind; I wouldn’t force it from him. Instead, I followed him out the door.

  A genuine smile filled my lips for the first time since I had been brought back to life, Nathanial would pay, and Luthigo would help me. I spent the day following Luthigo around Lucifer’s guest house as he showed me artworks and their meanings. The dark red walls of the house gave an ominous feeling against the pristine white carpets. I looked up at the light bulbs that lit up the roof encased in small black bones; the effect casting shadows against the walls.

  “What’s this painting called?” I stopped in my tracks, looking at the intricate golden frame encompassing a familiar face; he looked so similar in the facial structure to Padma—it was uncanny.

  Luthigo peered at the small tag high above the painting. “Salvator Mundi, it’s Latin for Savior of the World... another piece by Leonardo da Vinci I believe.”

  “What is that he’s holding in his hands... a see-through orb?” I positioned my fingers over the painted piece, a small part of me begging to touch it.

  Luthigo’s fingers pulled my hand to my side. “I’m not sure what the orb is.” His voice low. “But that face is eerily familiar, it could almost be Padma, but his hair is different....”

  “You don’t think this is at all like my painting, do you?” My stomach seemed to do little flippy flops at the thought. My memory drifting back to Luthigo’s dungeon months ago, where he had shown me the life-like painting of myself with a sword on fire, my painting had come with a prophecy, and what were the odds of finding a painting with a face similar to Padma’s, painted by the same Leonardo da Vinci...