In the lion's den

Lucifer's POV

It took me sheer willpower not to break every bone in Hawking's body. I was tolerating this particular act just for his good deed decades ago. I could not explain the anger surging inside of me when he laid his hands on her and yet again the over-protectiveness and possessiveness of the mate bond were having hold of me again and I could not control it.

Not just the mate bond, Ashlyn was doing something to me I was sure of it but right now I did not want to banter with myself about what spell the enchantress had cast on me.

"Sia, Juliette, Meridith," I called out and they urgently came towards me.

"Have them all and any other woman you want but leave her alone," I said to him.

He smiled and tapped my shoulders. "This should not be a fight between us. We've come a long way together." He said.

"That's why I haven't broken the bones in your body yet," I said to him with a menacing smile.

"What's all these rackets Lucifer," Sofia said. "Is she not part of your mistresses? Any friend of yours can have her just like the rest of us." She said. "Is she that special?" She asked I said nothing and noticed the guests, Lycans, and werewolves alike focusing on us.

"Merry to the fullest everyone. There's nothing to see here. Music, music." I said and the once bubbling feast came to life again as they went back to drinking and eating and some whoring.

"I'll have all three of them Lucifer, including Sofia." He said and I grinned.

"Fine by me," I said and none of my mistresses disagreed.

And as the gathering began to cover up the floor dancing as the music tuned up, I did not see Ashlyn anymore. I looked around the crowd scanning for her until I caught a glimpse of her red dress heading toward the balcony.

I followed her and she immediately turned around at the sound of my footsteps.

"What do you want now? You have a feast holding downstairs." She said with angry eyes and looked away.

I grabbed her arm. "What was that little show you put on back there?" I demanded.

Her eyes lit as she smirked in self-triumph. She had it all planned all along! She devil!

"Can't I spend quality time in the arms of who sees me as a goddess?" She asked saucily.

"That's why you dressed up and behaved like a whore?" I asked frowning at her.

She smiled dryly. "Who am I Lucifer? I'm a whore. Isn't that what a whore does?" She asked me.

I pulled her tightly to me and she heaved at the impact.

"You're my whore and nobody else's," I said leaning into her neck and grazing my teeth on her flesh. "Your body belongs to me and shall not be touched by anyone else," I said and she held her breath as my lips found her chin. I knew the impact I had on her whenever I was close.

I held her waist and pulled her tighter. "All these," I said running my hand on her body and then grabbing her arse tight. She swallowed in nervousness and the sensation I was creating. I could hear her heart thumping fast in her chest. "Are all," I lifted my lips to her ear. "Mine," I growled in the faintest whisper and she inhaled sharply.

When I looked back into her eyes, I saw a look I'd never seen before there. A look that held no remorse, hatred, anger, or enmity towards me, and yet I did not understand what was in her eyes, and when I was about to grasp a hold of it, she masked it.

She was about to say something when suddenly I heard the cry of a werewolf and the angry growl of a Lycan shifting into his form just below the balcony.

I let go of Ashlyn as my senses picked up immediate trespassers. I jumped off the balcony down to the ground and I could hear Ashlyn's gasp. I got to the ground in one piece and looked around and saw those bats. Those beasts of the nights swinging into my territory as if they belonged to them. Vampires. I raged and charged forward as I saw them landing down.

With just a shout of signal from me, Rage, Ripper, Kill, and Stealth were out of the house and transforming.

Heads were ripped. Hearts were pulled out. Many dropped dead. Some of my pack got bitten but luckily, a Lycan was immune to a vampire's bite.

They came prepared with bows and arrows and as they fired, I evaded all till Kill was shot on his arm twice. I charged forward in anger as Steel took over threatening to break free from the restraint I had placed on him as he shredded the vampire that had dared hit Kill piece by piece, limb by limb through me.

Kill growled as he broke the arrow that pierced his thick skin but still yet he did not relent in fighting off the enemies who had dared enter our territory.

They had flown in. If they had walked in through the lands, they would have been caught by the traps laid out for trespassers. Trespassers like them.

The pack members inside fetched the silver plates and reflected light on them, the vampire bursts before letting out a cry of agony.

This could affect Ashlyn and ruin her perfect body and as I looked up to the balcony where I left her, she was no longer there. My instincts told me she was not inside the house and when I looked in the east direction, I caught a glimpse of her red dress I immediately followed up taking the other direction to corner her, and I did. I was quite surprised by who I saw with her.

I stood before her and saw her brother holding her protectively.

Ashlyn's POV

As soon as Lucifer jumped down the balcony to find out the chaos happening below, I noticed someone crawling on the wall and I knew immediately it was a vampire. Why won't I know my kind when I see one?

Does this mean it was vampires stirring trouble in the Nightwing pack house? But what were they doing here?

"Ashlyn, it's me, Darius." I heard the unmistakable voice of Darius and I felt my heart soar.

"Darius? Is that you my brother?" I asked and he leaped off the wall and into the balcony standing before me.

I could not believe it. It was my brother standing before me in flesh and I hugged him tightly.

"Come now, let's not delay any further. We must leave." He said and without refusing I followed him. This was my chance for freedom and when I get free from Lucifer, I'll find a way to get free from my father my chances got ruined when we stumbled upon the agent of darkness himself. Lucifer.

"Do you have no fear of coming into my territory?" His voice thundered as his expression darkened.

"For my sister's sake, I shall cross even the deadliest seas belied with monsters," Darius said to him.

"You're not taking her anywhere," Lucifer said to him in a determined tone.

"I've come to take her and I will do it even if it means me dying first," Darius said.

"Then death shall you receive," Lucifer said mercilessly and charged toward Darius throwing him off the ground. I gasped. This was not going to be a fair fight.

Darius was a good fighter but no match for Lucifer, why then did he intend to fight with him?

Lucifer threw Darius many times on the ground without Darius laying a finger on him and dealt several blows to his face.

Instantly Lucifer's fingers sprouted into claws which showed that his Lycan was taking over and he raised it to bury it into Darius' chest and take out his heart.

"No! Stop!" I yelled rushing towards him pleading and crying. "Let him go please." I pleaded.

Lucifer's eyes were completely golden. His Lycan could refrain no more.

"Please I beg of you. He'll leave here. I'll do whatever you want. Please just spare his life." I pleaded.

"Your whole bloody family turned her away the instant they realized she was a ticket to freedom and here you are in a pretentious act like you care for her." Lucifer spat out angrily. His hand is still in the air.

"I do care for her," Darius said spluttering blood from his mouth. My heart bled for him. He was at a point of death all for my sake. "I'll never sell her out. I would have preferred to die in your hands than let her get taken by you." He said and Lucifer grew angry the more.

"No, no, do not pay any attention to him please," I said to Lucifer knowing what he could do. I turned to Darius. "Please, I beg of you to go," I said to him and Lucifer pulled him to his feet.

"I'm sparing your life for the last time but the next time I do see you, I'll ensure to separate your head from your body." He said and pushed him off.

Darius held his chest as he stared at Lucifer and then at me. Tears dropped from my eyes as I mouthed "Go." To him.

"I shall be back," Darius said.

"Do ensure to bring a casket to have your body buried in, that's the highest respect I can pay for your act of bravery tonight," Lucifer said and in a swift, Darius was gone.