Azza motioned to the servants, who immediately exited between the hanging silk. Once they were gone, he reached for me. I scrambled to him, and he embraced me, kissing me deeply but quickly, before releasing me. I gasped at the lack of him when he did.

"Olivia, I'm so sorry for Erebus. For compelling you. For... everything."

The look of profound sadness on his face dropped my heart into my stomach. "Oh, Azza, I don't blame you. You warned me."

He nodded. "I've tried to arrange things so that they are better for you than what they might otherwise have been. Nyx wanted me to compel you and then bring in an orgy of all of her most favored worshippers to have you. I convinced her that time with her brother would be more humiliating for you because he will objectify you."

I swallowed. "I will play along. But," I stepped closer to whisper, "how is Laz? I saw him in a vision a few moments ago, and he seemed physically fine. I fear for his mind, however."

"He is no longer immortal. This is dangerous, but also to our advantage. Nyx is less apt to do him much harm for fear of killing him before she is ready."

The reality of what he said hit me. I could no longer simply find Laz and portal him out; it might kill him in the process now. The blood drained from my face, and I felt clammy. I staggered back, dizzy, and sat abruptly on the bed when I ran into it. He knelt in front of me and took my hands.

"Breathe, Olivia," Azza urged. "Erebus sent me to keep an eye on you while he gathers some of his favorite lovers personally. He will be back in a few minutes. I am here to make sure you are appropriately guarded."

I struggled to regain control but managed.

As I finally calmed, he stood and stepped away. It was good timing; the God of Shadow parted the silk and strode into the alcove. Behind him, a woman and three men followed. "Good! She has recovered!" he exclaimed when he saw me. "We will go back to her bed and enjoy ourselves." He flashed a smile at Azza, admiring him from head to toe. "Would you like to join us?"

Azza chuckled, an appreciative survey of Erebus returned. "Tempting, as always, Erebus. But, you know how jealous Nyx gets."

"Yes, I do, which is precisely why I asked. One of these nights, you'll be in the mood to piss her off a little."

"Perhaps, but not tonight," Azza laughed.

They clasped wrists and clapped each other on the back as brothers might. Erebus waved a portal to my suite and helped me step through, the other three following close behind. I looked back at Azza, but he had already turned away.

I glanced up at Erebus, and he caught my gaze. An uninvited need to have him blossomed in me. I pushed it aside as much as I could. "Erebus, I would like to have a shower. Or bath. I would like to get out of this dress."

"Hmm. Yes. The dress is lovely, but I have had you in it now. You can remove it. Then, we will have our companions bathe us."

I retreated to the dressing room with the woman in tow. We removed the dress and the feathers from my hair but left the jewels. I wanted something of Lucifer with me, and, with the glamor of Death, my hair would maintain its shape for as long as I desired it.

As it turned out, the idea was for naught. "Oh, Death, no, I want to see your hair. Take it down," Erebus ordered when I emerged from the room covered in a loose-fitting near-transparent shift provided for me. The compulsion to please him hit me again, and I immediately began removing the jewels, letting them clatter to the floor for the others to pick up. Jewels and pins removed, I shook out my curls, and they cascaded down over my shoulders onto my back.

He came to me. "You are lovely." He buried a hand in my hair and pulled me down. "Suck me off. I want to see your lips around my cock with all that stunning hair."

Unable to resist the compulsion, I obediently sprang him free of his leather pants and was grateful that the desire that rose in me, wanted or not, including making things pleasurable. I took him in my mouth, moaning at the feel and taste of his silky skin wrapping the hardness of him. He fucked my face, and when he came in a flood, I swallowed what he gave and licked him dry.

"Good. Now, a bath is in order, I think." He let go of my hair and walked away, confident I would follow.

I did.

The entertainment for the bath didn't include me. As my mind cleared of the most recent control, I was thankful for it to be gone. Erebus buried himself in one of the men as he watched the second man go down on the woman. The third man, tasked with washing me, made no untoward advances. Once Erebus had gotten his fill again, we bathed him.

At some point, Maximillian arrived with food and drink. Erebus wouldn't allow me to feed myself. We reclined on the bed, and he tucked me under his arm, then gave me morsels of meat, cheese, and fruit himself. Occasionally, he would pass me my wine glass to sip. It didn't take long before exhaustion overtook me. I couldn't help myself; I fell asleep snuggled into Erebus.

"Olivia... wake up."

I opened my eyes to see Lucifer kneeling next to me, smiling. "Lucifer!" I exclaimed, reaching for him so he could take me into his arms. He crushed me to him, and I clung to him as eagerly. "Wait," I pulled back, "you can't be here! Nyx said you couldn't."

"I have worked a deal with Nyx so I could come and see you. Are you not happy to see me?" he asked.

Something felt off, but I couldn't place what it was. I pushed the worry aside and hugged him again, kissing the side of his neck.

He pulled away and stood, holding a hand out to me. "Come. I have to fulfill my end of the bargain."

I took his hand, as I always did, and followed him out to the terrace lit by the now low-hanging moon in the west while the eastern sky began to show signs of dawn. The furniture had changed; where there had been a table and chairs with a substantial umbrella, there was now a large bed. I gasped when I saw the bed occupied by Nyx.

"Well, Lucifer. You've seen her now. It's time to pay up."

To my horror, he gave her a knowing smile and began to undress. "Gladly. I have wanted in your bed for years."

I gaped at him as I felt my heart crush. I couldn't seem to look away as he crawled across the bed to her, his tattooed muscles rippling. "Lucifer..." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around myself.

A portal opened behind me in the doorway, and through it, I saw Azza and Lazarus emerge from Laz's cell.

"Lazarus!" I exclaimed as I ran to him. He ignored me, shuffling behind Azza as if mesmerized, following him to Nyx's bed. I grabbed his arm and whirled him around. "Laz! It's me!"

He scowled and yanked his arm from my grasp to continue his trek to Nyx's bed. I watched as they, too, undressed and joined Nyx and Lucifer on the bed. The scene jumped, and I let out a sob when I saw Lucifer bury himself in her. The scene changed again, and Azza penetrated her from underneath while Lazarus locked his mouth on her mound. One after another, their bodies flashed before me in a series of still shots, each in a position designed to bring Nyx maximum pleasure. In each, she was laughing at me as my men had her.

I crumbled to the cement, unable to stop watching, my heart aching and stomach rolling at what I saw. My men, the men I loved, in bed with the woman who held Lazarus captive. Only, he didn't look like much of a captive to me. I sobbed as the waves of betrayal drowned me, eventually curling into a fetal position. At last, as the four of them laughed at me one last time, I closed my eyes.

I sat bolt upright when a portal opened in the room. Crying in my sleep from the dream had tightened my throat and wet my face. I flung myself from the bed, half fearing that the portal would be Lucifer and that my nightmare would become reality.

When I saw Nyx emerging, my insides burned. I set my jaw tight and my stance wide and glowered at her. She was the Mother of the Night, and she had dealt me a nightmare, as her powers allowed.

She smirked at me. "Oh, good, you're awake. I hope I didn't interrupt a pleasant dream."

My nostrils flared. "What do you want, Nyx?"

She tossed her hair and brought out her tablet. "You have a collection you must make."

I huffed out a breath, then nodded. "I'll get dressed."

"No. You have a collection to make right now. Twenty seconds." She waved a portal open to a darkened room. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Lucifer standing across the bed from me, where the old man lay.

He didn't seem surprised to see me; this was a collection only I could do. He did, however, narrow his eyes and glare at Nyx.

"Provide her with clothing due her station, Nyx," he demanded.

Nyx rolled her eyes. "Do it yourself."

I'd never seen murder in Lucifer's eyes, but I did then. He snapped and dressed me in a simple black dress with the perfect shoes and a long strand of black pearls as an accent. Nyx dismissed me with a wave, but anyone with eyes could see the jealousy in hers.

I stepped through the portal and moved to stand beside Lucifer, but Nyx stopped me. "No! You will remain on this side of the bed, Death."

It was my turn to give her a death stare. She looked away after a moment, pretending to check her tablet. "Five seconds," she told us.

The man was peaceful and, when his time came, he simply stopped breathing. I reached for him, and he came to me willingly. Lucifer held a hand to me, and I gave him the old man. Lucifer used both hands to take the man from me so that his touch would linger.

"I love you," I said quietly.

"And I, you," he said in return.

"Yes, yes. The collection is all done, Death. Return to Erebus. He will be awake soon, and he always wants company in the morning."

Lucifer started to say something, but I gave him a subtle shake of my head. He pursed his lips; I didn't know what would happen between Nyx and me, but I had an inkling of an idea of what would go on between Nyx and Lucifer if he had his way.

He snapped a portal and pulled the man through into a location I didn't recognize. He looked back over his shoulder at me just before the portal closed.

I let a sob slip before I covered my mouth to hold the rest of them in. I heard the smugness in Nyx's voice before I turned to see it on her face. "Missing your Devil?"

"I want to see Lazarus," I demanded.

"Oh, do you?" she asked, putting a hand on her hip and shifting her weight to one side. "Well, something like that will cost you."

"Cost me what?"

"Oh..." she glanced at the ceiling, pretending to think. She was grinning before she lowered her head. "I have five High Priests and three High Priestesses. I think they deserve a reward. You will feed them."

"You want me to have sex with eight people?"

"Yes, of course. And for you to die for them."

"I can't do that spontaneously. I'll need Azza's help."

She tapped a long fingernail on her lips. "Yes, I think that would be acceptable."

"Energy to eight people in exchange for a visit with Laz," I stated. "That's the deal."

"Yes, that is acceptable. We will begin in two hours."

I nodded even though I knew she'd find a way to make it terrible for me. I waved a portal back to my suite, opening to find Erebus spending his waking energy on the other women in our party as the men continued to sleep.