Seven Devils and a Rose

In my mind's eye, I suddenly found myself in the vast, endless void of darkness, running about and searching. I'll be honest that I was quite scared because there was absolutely nothing there, just an empty abyss.

"Caleb?" I called out, my voice echoing loudly in my own ears. "Caleb?" I shouted again, my heart racing in fear.

What if I couldn't find him? Worse, what if he wasn't here?

Panicked, I started running, wondering where the hell he was if he wasn't here.

I looked around in a state of fear and frustration. Then, miraculously, I saw him, his naked body—or consciousness—floating in the air within the darkness, hugging himself in a fetal position like he was lost and didn't give a care about the outside world. Not even me.

I ran to him as I called out, "Caleb?"

Once I reached him, I touched his arm, my hands shaking. "Caleb? Can you hear me?"

I pulled at him as I continued to call out his name, and once he was on level with me, I hugged him, his head resting against my chest.

"Caleb? Please wake up. Please stop ignoring me. Please come back to me. Please…"

My lips pressed against his dark hair, I begged him softly, "Please, Caleb. I want you back in my life. I don't like it when you're not with me. Please…" Then I kissed him on the forehead.

Instantly, I saw light glimmering between his forehead and my lips, and a moment later, Caleb lifted his head and opened his eyes.

He looked at me for a moment. Then he said, his voice soft and deep, "Alfie. Say it again. Say you want me in your life."

I nodded, tears in my eyes, pleased that he had responded to me and my words and had woken up.

I said, "I want you in my life, Caleb. I don't like it when you're not with me. I… I'm in love with you."

The man smiled then, his eyes twinkling. Then, because it felt right, we kissed—gentle, slow, and passionate. I felt warm pleasure coursing through my body, and it made me weak.

When we stopped the kiss a moment later and I shifted back, I found that I was no longer in that dark world of the void, but rather, in the woods. And to my pleasant surprise, I was wrapped in Caleb's arms as he was gazing at me with that satisfied, loving smile of his that made my heart glow with joy.

I blushed, suddenly realizing that we had kissed for real, right in front of the other lords. Well, except for Felix, because he was still unconscious, lying there not too far away amongst the rubble.

I said, "You're back, right, Caleb?"

He nodded. "I'm back, sweetheart."

I smiled, tears in my eyes. Then I turned to look at Felix. Caleb knew my meaning, and he unwrapped his arms around me. With him gently falling to the ground, leaving my bubble, I then headed over to Felix, elegantly floating like an angel.

With my qi once again, I gathered Felix and summoned him to me, bringing his mighty body into my bubble of pure qi. Then with him close, I placed my hands on his temples, and instantly, I got zapped into the dark emptiness of his world.

It was pitch black here, the same as in Caleb's mind, and endless. The good thing was that I wasn't afraid this time around, as I had already experienced this darkness and isolation when I had been in Caleb's mind.

I started calling out Felix's name, again and again, as I rushed about, trying to find the man.

Finally, I found him, floating in that fetal position, hugging himself and hiding from the world.

Up close, I touched him to get his attention. I said, "Felix, please come back to me. It's me, Alfie. I know you can hear me."

I gently cupped his face, begging him. Still, the man stubbornly refused to open his eyes or give me any indication that he had heard me.

I was persistent and said, "Felix?" Then, as with Caleb, I leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.

Nothing happened. There wasn't even that small glittering of light that indicated he was responding.

I frowned for a moment as I started to panic. What if I couldn't wake Felix? Because his dark qi was so powerful that even this light couldn't penetrate him?

No. No. I shook my head, determined not to think such negative thoughts.

Light could penetrate anything if it was given the chance, and I was given this chance, so I had to reach Felix.

Despite the fact that he was stubborn man, Felix was just Felix.

I cocked my head to one side.

Felix is just Felix?

Suddenly, I smiled. Of course, Felix was just being Felix, always wanting more where I was concerned.

I cupped his masked face, my fingers digging deeply into his short crimson hair.

My face inches away from his, I said, "Felix? Please come back to me. I love you. Please come back to me. I promise that if you come back to me, I'm yours, and I will give you morning kisses routinely." Then I kissed him gently on the lips.

Instantly, I felt a spark between us, and as I moved back, Felix opened his eyes.

Greeting me was a dashing grin that made my heart glow with joy.

"Hello, little elf," he said. "I'll ensure you keep that promise of yours because I'll be claiming what's mine every morning." With that, he pressed his lips against mine and kissed me passionately and wildly until I was breathless.

When I next opened my eyes, I found that we were back in the woods, with me and Felix on the ground and no longer floating in the air. I noted then that surrounding us were the others.

Lord Geoffrey and Aaron were well and walking already, which was, I assumed, because Lord Noah had given them some very powerful healing potion. Lord Ethan and Victor looked worn out though happy because this unexpected drama was over.

As Felix and I stood, Lord Geoffrey came forward and caught my wrist. He nudged me around and then pulled me into his arms.

He said, "I feel like I'm being left out, Alfie, which I don't like." He smiled, his emerald-green eyes twinkling. "What you did was great, little one." Then he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me, his lips hot against mine.

I was taken by surprise at first, and then I relaxed against him as pleasure gently coursed through my body.

Gosh, to be kissed by three hot demon lords in one night…

Just when Lord Geoffrey was urging my lips to part for him, I felt someone—Felix—wrap his arms around me and gently shove Lord Geoffrey away.

"This is not the place to make out with Alfie, bastard Geoffrey," he said. "We need to get this bloody mess sorted out."

Aaron rolled his eyes and said, "Which you and Caleb created."

Lord Noah said, "How about we return to the palace and have a discussion?"

Everyone nodded their heads then, including me.