Bride of lucifer book 1.., p.27
Bride of Lucifer: Book 1: Hell on Earth, page 27
Lucifer turns away, his word final and domineering.
Fear jolts my stomach at the announcement. At the same time, my stomach twists with disturbing arousal. Not born of his lust-hum or his power. Nor can I excuse it as a primal urge or natural attraction to the demon I first met on that balcony. This is deeper: a hungering desire, so monstrous and tempting, it preys on every celestial molecule in my body.
When my arousal trickles down my thighs, Lucifer stops mid-turn, snaps his wings shut, and swings his gaze to the rows of women. He flares his nostrils. Ohshitohshitohshit, I know that deep-hooded stare of a predator when he’s sniffed out his prey. Or in my case, a she-predator—one he wishes to conquer and mount into submission.
Over my dead body.
With no reserve or thought to the others, Lucifer advances through the crowd. The rows of women part before him. I suck a deep breath, touch one finger to Sammy for courage, and steel my spine. Electrical adrenaline heightens all my senses. Blood rushes to my cheeks, but I hold my ground, waiting for the right moment. It may not go down how I anticipated, but I’m all for winging it.
Ten steps. I exhale, keeping my breath slow and even. Five steps. Ball my hands into fists to quell the trembling. Three steps. He growls low, shadows breeding, flames curling toward me.
Wicked smirk growing, I defiantly sweep my cape off and throw it to the ground. Igniting the gem-tech programmed into my gown, I soar into the air. A grand dare and challenge for Lucifer to follow me. After all, he’s not the only one who can make an entrance.
The gold constellations erupt like a thousand flaring sparklers. The star patterns shimmer before they begin a whirling dance. Thousands of holo-cams snap upon my figure, which was exactly my intention. Once the media feeds the story of the angel bride candidate, my and Mira’s work will be done. Well, almost.
I lock my eyes onto Lucifer’s as he advances. Energy thrums inside me. His shadows turn his wings darker and more monstrous than ever, but they can’t hope to smother my light. Heat blossoms in my chest because I’ve upstaged him again. A vein throbs in his forehead, so fierce, I wonder if it will vibrate beyond his flesh. He’s a pissed-off tower of a fallen angel and demon. Brutal and beautiful, Lucifer is a mercurial force when tested. Camio’s words lurk in my mind more than ever. You’ve poked the beast one too many times. It’s how he gazes at me as if he’s about to throw down right here and now. Why do I get the nagging suspicion that whatever seven deadly trials will come, they will be infinitesimal compared to the Devil’s trial?
After this, he’s going to throw a monumental fit. Might as well go all out. With the stars spiraling around me, I blow the Devil a kiss and smile sweetly, preparing for him to catch me. If I’d believed he would wait until the constellation sparks had faded, I was dead wrong.
Once he gets his arms around me, despite the fireworks, he paralyzes me with his stare. For the first time, I don’t deadpan. Nor do I avert my eyes. Instead, I free them to roam across the sculpted angles of his face, the shadows below his prominent cheekbones, the iron jaw, back to his sensuous and sinful lips.
After an eternity of a moment, in no more than a whispering purr of thunder, Lucifer’s voice vibrates into my body, “Prepare for your punishment, Astraea.”
Molly Phipps of We Got You Covered: You’ll always be my #1 go-to for everything covers and formatting! I love how we started with The Lord of the Rings and our friendship has continued. Thank you for putting up with my OCD updates and too-many gifs.
Adalynd Graves: For the first cover of Bride of Lucifer, which I still love.
Jamie: Thank you for being my ultimate alpha reader for this book, for picking out the tiniest errors that I missed, for brainstorming with me, and listening to me ramble on about everything from plot to world-building to sexy scenes. Thank you for falling in love with Sammy so much.
Natalie/Teagan/Katherine: You have all been such champions of this book. I loved watching your gifs light up whenever you finished a chapter! And Katherine, for telling me how Sammy reminds you of Dean Winchester and bonding with Jamie about her favorite snake. Don’t worry, he will get a cute hat.
Bitchy Bookworms Super Fans: To everyone from Bitchy Bookworms who fell for Bride of Lucifer in its infancy, joined my Super Fan group, supported me all these months while writing this book took much longer than I anticipated. You’ve all been so patient and amazing. And I could not ask for a more spectacular group of readers.
Other Acknowledgments: Pam Godwin and Amelia Hutchins—whatever happens, please NEVER stop writing!
Kevin: for always supporting me through everything we’ve been through over the past seventeen years we’ve been together, including thirteen years of marriage. If we made it through 2021, we can make it through anything.
Emily Shore is a best-selling author Kindle Vella author where her books have routinely made the Top Five out of 15,000 authors as well as #1 in Fantasy Romance, Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, and Enemies to Lovers categories. As of 2022, she is the only Vella author to achieve three crowns (i.e three books in the Top 250).
Her small press dystopian, The Aviary, is a Top 100 Kindle ebook.
Emily has worked as a teen fiction awareness speaker all over Minnesota, including the annual Minnesota Educator’s Academy conference.
As a bisexual feminist and a mother of two daughters, Emily is dedicated to empowering and inspiring the next generation of girls while offering spicy fantasy romance for adults. All her 2020 and beyond work features badass, queer heroines who take on dark alpha love interests.
Identifying as queer/polyamorous, Emily bridges the gap between LGBTQIA+ and cishet audiences. She goes beyond fetishized stereotypes by showcasing positive sexuality and sex-positivity while normalizing the beauty of queer/poly relationships because #whychoose?
Please subscribe to Emily's newsletter at www.emilybethshore.com to keep up with her series projects, author promos, and contests to receive fun prizes. Join Emily's Vella Verse on Facebook and learn how to become a supporter and receive a free signed paperback.
Shore, Emily, Bride of Lucifer: Book 1: Hell on Earth
