Daemon watched Lucifer as he walked over to Jaenelle and shook his head. He knew Lucifer enough from their two encounters and the information he obtained from Azazeal to know that, like him, the only thing that mattered was his Lady. So he wasn't afraid for Jaenelle but with Lucifer's reputation, he was concerned with what he might say to her.

He watched as Lucifer settled himself on a couch next to the one she was on. It was close enough to have a relatively private conversation, but still maintained the distance that Lucifer had established. Jaenelle smiled at Lucifer pleasantly but defiantly and made him proud.

Daemon then glanced at his father, Saetan who looked uncomfortable but amused in between Cassie and Elizabeth who where grilling him about himself. He had told his father mind-to-mind that these angels were just as protective of their Ladies as Warlord Princes were…but maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that while Azazeal was not as powerful as Lucifer or blatant about his concern for Cassie, he was just as protective. Not even Daemon knew what would set Azazeal off but that was by design, so that once the line was crossed, you wouldn't know what was coming until it hit you. Daemon and Saetan were extremely dangerous, but then again, they were used to the rise and fall of anger and fear and rage, while these males, once provoked, had, if possible, less control then Warlord Princes.

Oh well, Lucivar had given him strict instructions to find out just how much damage they could do to these angels and vice versa, so it was time to see if he could get Azazeal to spar with him…psychically, of course.


"My dear," Lucifer started and then jumped right into what he had to say, "You are going to have to learn to accept that people really do love you."

"I know," she said stubbornly, but he continued without giving her a chance to say anything more.

"Then why do you hide what you feel from them and then become annoyed with them when they don't understand? Hm? I'm not going to scold you for using your power to purge your world of evil and nearly killing yourself in the process. But expecting them to automatically understand why you would chose to come back with lesser power…"

"But…," Jaenelle interjected.

"It is in their nature to worry about you. They were only worried that you might be unhappy and vulnerable."

"No, they were worried that my power didn't exist any more! They crave that power."

"Of course they do because your whole society revolves around power and the males need to be controlled by a strong Queen, but don't lie to yourself, honey, you have Black power in you still."

She only huffed at this.

"All I'm saying is that you need to let the pain of growing up with all that power and being different from everyone else go and admit that Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan and the people of your former Court still love you. If you show them that you are happy with your power and that you're not weak and are still capable of…what I know you're capable of, then they will accept you. Those who don't can go to Hell!"

She laughed at this.

"And one more thing…Daemon is hopeless, you're never going to get rid of him, so stop torturing him," Lucifer said with a mischievous smile.

"I've never…," she started, but Lucifer cut her off again.

"First, you wouldn't touch him because you were afraid to make him feel like used pleasure slave again and then you were worried that he was only staying with you out of a sense of duty when you were so fragile after the purge, with other smatterings of distrust along the way. He loves you, you love him. Tell him what you need and he will give it to you, it's that simple. And don't come crying to me if you refused to explain yourself to him and you both end up yearning for each other from afar again."

Jaenelle nodded like a student and smiled to think of this being, who was older than Lorn and Draca, the dragons who had given the Blood their power so long ago, giving her relationship advise. She knew he was right but that wasn't going to make it any easier to implement this course of action.

"And how do you cope with having so much power and being so different?" Jaenelle asked him.

"I have Elizabeth," he said, "and like you, it took some work but accepting that she loved me was the key to everything."

"Then why did you let her hurt you?" Janelle asked because she hadn't really been satisfied with what Daemon had learned on the subject.

"Well, 'let' isn't really how used to happen," he rumbled, "Provoke her to it is more accurate and I suppose it had to do with how angry she had to be to allow herself to want to do it and the complete focus on me. And when she's that focused and wants something that much…I'm shamefully aroused by giving it to her," he said but his expression was anything but shamed. He liked it for other reasons too, she had no doubt, and she already knew that he had fetish for giving Elizabeth exactly what she wanted, so she just stared at him waiting for more. He soon smiled and continued.

"It's different for me. I cannot be harmed or scarred and I have no fear of it. It is just pure and glorious sensation, searing the nerves, obliterating thought, dragging me out of fear and hatred, until there is nothing left to hide. My true self is laid bare and I don't think I've ever surrendered with such abandon as those times when it has been so hard won."

He shrugged and smiled, "But it quickly became more and more rare that I was willful enough to resist her more delicately persuasive techniques in bed, particularly after I discovered that being sent away from her was worse than any other punishment that she could devise, but that is a story for another time," his smile became sad for a second but then he grinned. "What you want to know is, yes, I always went with her willingly when she'd given up on subtlety and she pulled me out of bed and pushed me against the bedroom wall. I knew what was coming, the lash or some other thing, and I never stopped her, except by welcoming the submission when it came and speaking the words that had always let her know that it had taken me." He paused.

"Her anger would break then, every time, and only gentleness would follow when she took be back into her bed. In my eagerness, I would send waves of love and adoration and she would sometimes cry, not understanding how I could feel that way after…but she understands me now and now I don't need that kind of...," he smile wickedly, "urging...but there are plenty of other reasons for a little...well, we won't get into that."

He paused again and became teasing, "And, my dear, it is all because I explained myself to her, in the ways that I could. You should be more open with Daemon and stop trying to protect everyone all the time."


Meanwhile, Saetan had been answering more questions that he had thought anyone would have been able to come up with regarding his world. He was exhausted and had gleaned no information whatsoever from the girls about their world. These two were almost as bad as the whole Coven put together.

"I really think we should ask Jaenelle bring Lucivar next time, Cassie, because I think the boys need some lessons in fussing and Lucivar appears to be an expert."

"I wholeheartedly agree," Cassie replied.

Saetan decided that he had to respond to this.

"You actually want to be fussed over?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Cassie asked with a playful smile.

"Well, females always want to do things for themselves and push themselves beyond their tolerance to do so but they despise to be forced to sit and do nothing and they snarl at us when we try to help, so it's a delicate balance…"

"Well, my reasoning is different," Elizabeth interrupted, "you see, Lucifer's not so good at telling me 'no' and from the stories I've heard about Lucivar, he really knows how to dig in his heals."

"My God, Elizabeth," Cassie said, "The last thing we need is him saying 'no' to you."

"Oh, just on certain things. You have no idea the crazy things he lets me do and he can't look out for my best interests unless I want what's in my best interest. I'm finding that I need a reality check every once and a while."

"Then come see me!" Cassie exclaimed.

Elizabeth laughed, "Hey, I married him and I expect a husband-like creature from time to time, even if it's annoying."

Cassie laughed back and they both looked expectantly at Saetan as if he would have something to add to this discussion but he merely put his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes.

Just then the shock waves of a strong burst of Black power rippled through the room. Elizabeth and Cassie were oblivious, but Saetan immediately looked up and then rose and turned towards were his son and Azazeal had been taking. The girls rose and looked too. Lucifer growled and disappeared so quickly that Jaenelle jumped, but it was Witch that rose and walked over to stare at Daemon who was standing next to…a massive swirl of strange particles of light.