A/N: Special thanks to my wonderful beta-reader, TempestJuvano!

Chapter 10 – Along the edge

Lucifer arrived at Lieutenant Pierce's house, right on time. He had to admit, Pierce's place appeared very nice. He knocked on the door and found that he didn't have to wait too long; Chloe opened the door, flashing a kind smile at him.

"Lucifer, hi!" Chloe quickly stepped aside, a little out of his view, inviting him in the house.

"Hello, Detective," Lucifer said, his gaze avoiding looking immediately at Chloe behind him, as she shut the door.

He looked around lazily. There wasn't too much decoration in the hall and the living room, but the place looked quite pleasant, although minimalistic. Before he could properly acknowledge the Detective hovering behind him, Marcus appeared from the kitchen.

"Lucifer." His smile seemed forced, as he said, "Please, have a seat." He gestured towards the couch in the living room.

Lucifer walked around the coffee table and sat down on the right side of the couch. Pierce stepped closer and put three shot glasses on the table.

"I thought we could ease the mood," he suggested, and this time his smile looked more sincere.

"You read my mind," Lucifer grinned. He had emptied several bottles of scotch from his well-stocked personal liquor display before he arrived, but their effect had already started to fade.

A tiny creaking noise caught his attention. Chloe was standing next to the bar cabinet, one hand still on the door of the cabinet and the other holding a bottle of gin.

For the first time since his arrival, he took a closer look at the Detective. Although he always found her beautiful, now he couldn't find the proper words to describe how breath-taking she appeared to him, as he eyed her from head to toe. She was wearing a red lace dress with matching red stilettos and her honey-blond hair cascaded over her shoulder. The crimson silk lining stretched from her chest to the middle of her thigh and the meticulously crafted lace of the dress brushed the top of her knees. The delicate lace formed a rounded, scalloped neckline and short sleeves. It was tasteful, yet somewhat provocative.

She stepped to the table, unscrewed the cap, filled the glasses, and took one of them. Marcus and Lucifer followed suit and grabbed their own glasses.

"To this little experiment," Chloe raised her glass boldly and clinked it to first Marcus's and then to Lucifer's who were standing now around the table as well.

They drank the shots and put down the tiny glasses. Chloe crinkled her nose. It was a high-quality gin, but it was too strong for her taste. However, it would calm her nerves a little. She didn't want to get drunk, but she did want to loosen up a bit. She glanced at Lucifer. He was as handsome as usual in his black suit and crisp white shirt. His pocket square was, surprisingly, the same red shade as her dress. He put his hands in the pocket of his trousers and she couldn't help but wonder what those slender fingers of him could do to her body. Lucifer caught her gaze and the corner of his mouth quirked up.

"I'm more of a scotch guy, but I have to say, this gin was downright delicious," he smacked his lips, descending into the corner of the sofa slowly.

Marcus took the other side of the couch, eloquently leaving the middle pillow empty. She glanced at Marcus, who smiled at her reassuringly. They had spoken about it before Lucifer had arrived but looking into his calm blue eyes helped her relax a bit. She nodded and walked around the table to sit down between them.

Chloe leaned back and her gaze flickered between the two men before she started to laugh nervously. Seeing their questioning gaze, she shook her head.

"Sorry, it's just…I'm quite nervous," she said, keeping her gaze firmly on her hands in her lap.

Marcus leaned forward and tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"It's okay, Chloe. You are in charge. Nothing will happen that you do not want."

"That's true, Detective," Lucifer said as he leaned forward as well. "If you find it more comfortable, we can just chat for now, or play a little game." When her eyes widened, he added hurriedly, "Not that kind of game."

Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"What do you suggest?" she asked finally.

"Well, it's a simple game, really. You have to say three things about yourself, only two of which are true. We have to figure out which one is not true. If we make a mistake, we will have to drink. Then someone else takes the lead and we play for as long as we'd like. Or until everyone is too drunk to put together an intelligible sentence," he grinned mischievously.

Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled at him.

"That sounds actually fun," she admitted.

"Lovely," Lucifer smiled proudly, and he grabbed the bottle to refill their glasses.

"I'll start," Chloe said and tapped her chin with her index finger as she was thinking about the possible statements. "Okay, I'm ready. The first: I was once banned from a wildlife reserve for a year after trying to escape a mule deer. The second: I had a role in the movie Invasion of the Space Slugs. The third: Once I had an undercover job where I had to play a prostitute."

Lucifer's eyes widened in surprise; that was an impressive start. Marcus seemed to be taken aback as well, so Chloe nudged them a bit. "Well? It shouldn't be so hard," she smirked.

Lucifer had almost voted for the third option, which seemed completely absurd, but then something occurred to him. After seeing Hot Tub High School for the first time, he had thoroughly explored the Detective's IMDB page to see if he would find a similar treasure. By then, the Detective had given up acting, so if she had had a role in some embarrassing sci-fi movie, Lucifer would have found it by now.

"I think the second one is false," he said confidently.

"I choose the third," Marcus said. "If you had had such an undercover job, I would have known about it as a lieutenant."

Chloe's smile turned triumphant. She grabbed two glasses and handed them to Lucifer and Marcus.

"Drink. Both of you," she grinned.

"No way-"

"You must be cheating-"

Lucifer and Markus spoke at the same time, utter surprise written all over their faces. Chloe was quite proud that she could come up with something unpredictable but felt the need to give some explanation.

"The deer rescue was not true. Well, not entirely. That was my mother's doing, although I was there and watched the whole thing. I have to give it to her that the poor deer was indeed malnourished. While the staff was escorting us out, my mom kept threatening to report them for animal cruelty. Since I was still a child back then, I avoided being banned."

"But what about the undercover job?" Marcus asked, still flabbergasted.

"And the sci-fi movie?" Lucifer added. "Why didn't I see it on your IMDB page?"

"I had that undercover job before I joined homicide – that's why you didn't know about it. I used to work for the Gang and Narcotics Division, and this was the only way we were able to catch a very slippery dealer. As for the movie, it was a less known, independent film. I had a small yet important role in it, but I was so heavily masked that it didn't end up in my cinematic portfolio. And please, don't ask what the masking entailed. You can guess it from the title of the film."

At this, Marcus laughed heartily. Lucifer, on the other hand, smiled at her fondly; the Detective was clever as always.

"Well, aren't you a little rascal? At least, I have the perfect film for my next movie night. Cheers!" He clinked his glass with Pierce and they both drank their shots.

Lucifer took the next round.

"All right, here are my facts. First: drawing is not my strong suit. Second: I'm afraid of heights. Third: Once I had a pet crocodile."

Chloe snorted at the last. A pet crocodile – how typical of him. But after thinking through the three statements, this was still the least likely. Yes, Lucifer seemed cocky and overly confident on the surface, but he was full of insecurities. And in the course of the game, he may have unconsciously chosen statements that would reveal his imperfections. Besides, she had had first-hand experience of Lucifer's drawing skills when she had visited him at the psychiatric hospital, when he had been after God Johnson.

Marcus, on the other hand, was sure that Lucifer would choose this opportunity to show off, so he thought that the third statement was definitely true. He smirked a little when he thought about the second one; he was familiar with the story of Lucifer's fall, Michael tossing him out of Heaven. The fear of heights was a quite logical consequence and a clever choice for the game. He would most likely trick Chloe with it. But the first one – there was no chance that Lucifer had not learned to draw during his many visits on Earth.

"I vote for the first," Marcus said eventually.

"And I for the third," Chloe chimed in.

With a satisfied smile on his face, Lucifer refilled the lieutenant's glass and held it to him.

"Come on, Marcus, drink!"

"Really?" Marcus asked incredulously.

"Well, I always wanted a pet crocodile, but I moved too frequently in the past, thanks to my dear brother, and then as a consultant for the LAPD it would have been inappropriate to keep an exotic animal, right?" he said and winked at the Detective.

Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled. As if Lucifer had ever paid attention to appearances. Now, Marcus took his turn.

"Okay, let's see… First: I hate Oreos." The small indignant gasp from Chloe and Lucifer interrupted him for a second, but he continued with a small smile. "Second: I can dance the tango. Third: I always wanted to be a cop."

Chloe frowned. Well, this could be tricky. The Oreo-thing could be a distraction. Marcus liked sweets, but he was much more into the lemon-cake type of things. But what about the other two? He was so devoted to his job that she couldn't imagine the third statement to be false. Dancing the tango, on the other hand…

"I choose the second," she said.

Lucifer flashed a lopsided grin. He had the advantage of knowing Pierce's past, so he was quite sure about his decision this time.

"I think the third one is false."

Marcus held a glass to Chloe, and it was her turn to be surprised.

"Wow," she mused as she drank the shot. "But what else did you want to be?"

Marcus scratched the nape of his neck.

"Don't laugh…but…a farmer."

"No, I think it's kind of cute." Her gaze slid to the empty glasses. "Well, it was a nice round. I guess it's my turn again."

A few more rounds later, Chloe's belly was almost sore from the laughter. Lucifer was right; this game was fun, and it had really eased her mood. She'd had three shots during the game and was starting to feel a pleasant buzz in her head. Marcus had had four, and his eyes were gleaming as well. Maybe it was time to move to the next level.

She cupped Marcus's face and grabbed Lucifer's hand at the same time. Lucifer glanced at their joint hands, then his gaze flickered to Pierce. The lieutenant nodded slightly. Chloe could see the silent conversation of the two men and was really glad that they got her silent message.

Her hand slid down from Marcus's face to his hand and she stood up slowly. She was relieved that she was sober enough to stand straight in her stilettos. The two men followed her dutifully as she pulled them towards the bedroom.

When the Detective grabbed Lucifer's hand, reality suddenly hit him, and his mind switched to autopilot, as he internally mildly hyperventilated. This was really happening. Now. The fact that he was able to stand up so gracefully and follow her into the bedroom, was only muscle memory. A small lamp provided some light in the bedroom, not too bright, just enough to see each other well.

The Detective stopped in front of the king-sized bed that was covered with a dark grey bedspread and turned around to face them. The silence lasted only for a heartbeat before she stepped closer to Marcus and kissed him gently, but passionately.

Lucifer had seen them kiss before, and it had always stirred an uneasy feeling in his stomach, but this was different now. First, the Detective wasn't holding herself back this time. He could always see a spark in her eyes during the years they worked together; the inkling of burning passion. But she was always so composed, so restrained. It was strangely arousing to see her this way. And there was another thing: she hadn't let go of his hand. It was a small gesture, but it warmed his heart. He felt like there was still some bond between them that nothing could tear apart. At least, he hoped so.

After a while, the Detective pulled back, her face a curious question. Pierce understood. When he just smiled and nodded, she turned to Lucifer.

One of her hands still holding his, she raised the other to cup his face. Her fingers buried into his hair behind his ear and she stroked his cheek with her thumb ever so slightly. A myriad of different emotions swam in her bright blue eyes, and her gaze was so intense, Lucifer felt he'd be burnt alive. She tilted her head up, rising on her tiptoes.

Lucifer finally broke out of his trance. His hand moved on its own accord, as he cradled her head from behind and his fingers tangled into her silky hair. He closed the small distance between them and breathed a feather-light kiss on her lips. Every nerve in his body was focused on the feeling and her reaction. A barely audible, covetous sigh left her lips, and his heart fluttered with joy.

He leaned forward more bravely this time and closed his lips on hers more resolutely. She parted her lips and he angled his head to deepen the kiss. He could feel her breast pressing to his chest and his body started to shiver. He licked her lower lip, begging for entrance, which she granted him immediately.

It was different from their first (and until now, what he'd begun to think would be last) chaste kiss on the beach, and his heart sank at the thought that he had made the wrong decision when he had fled to Las Vegas, and that he might have missed his chance with her forever.

Marcus watched the unfolding scene intently. He gave his approval to Chloe, still, he couldn't avoid the uneasy feeling growing in his stomach. He wasn't jealous. He couldn't be. This was all a part of his plan. He would grant Chloe what she wanted, and it would strengthen their relationship —like it did for that couple in her current case—and she would finally fall for him.

Although his plan still was to get rid of his mark, so he could finally die, he did feel a twinge of sadness, thinking about the inevitable end of his relationship with Chloe. He tried to shake off this unwanted emotion, choosing to focus on other, different emotions; the strange mixture of arousal and jealousy from seeing Chloe with another man, Lucifer, no less. When he saw Lucifer's tongue sliding into her mouth, he felt that arousal was getting the upper hand. They were both beautiful, and he couldn't help but think about taking both of them tonight. Would Lucifer let him? And would Chloe want him to do that? Or would she want them to take her at the same time? To fill her completely?

His mouth went dry and he couldn't help but release a shaky breath. It was very subtle, but Chloe seemed to subconsciously react to it. Although she didn't break the kiss with Lucifer, she let go of his hand, her fingers in the air, searching. Marcus stepped closer, and he stroked her hand gently. She responded by entwining her pinkie with his forefinger. Marcus's heart filled with warmth, and he stepped behind her. He placed one of his hands on her waist and stroked her hair with the other. He leaned forward and pushed her blonde curls away, to be able to kiss her neck.

Chloe didn't break the kiss with Lucifer when she sensed Marcus behind her, but she tilted her head in the other direction to give him better access. The added sensation—Marcus's wet kisses on her neck and Lucifer's talented tongue brushing against hers—was maddening. She let out a wanton moan and felt Marcus's chest pressed to her back immediately after that. She enjoyed the two men's attention for a while, but she could feel that Marcus was becoming impatient. His hands were roaming on her back and her sides and his kisses, licks and nibbles became more intense. She broke her kiss with Lucifer reluctantly and heard a soft whimper.

Her eyes snapped open and they met with an equally surprised pair of dark brown eyes. But she couldn't contemplate on this short moment because she felt Marcus's kisses on her jaw now. She turned her head a little and he captured her mouth immediately.

Lucifer couldn't compare the feeling to anything else he had experienced in his long life when suddenly, he was bereft of the Detective's delicate lips on his own. It was a cold, empty feeling – and the sound he just made, … a whimper! The Devil never whimpered! He made other people whimper in need. Apparently, Chloe Decker could do this to him, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to run in embarrassment or submit and give her everything she wanted.

Her hand slid to Lucifer's chin, but she was now kissing Pierce, and Lucifer just stood there and watched it. So, submission it is. Her lace-covered chest was rising and falling faster than a few minutes before. She broke the kiss with Pierce and opened her eyes. Her gaze was dark. Impossibly dark. She glanced at Marcus, then at Lucifer, and slowly slipped out from between their bodies.

Both Lucifer and Marcus watched her hungrily, but they waited for her next request. She raised her hands and started to play with their collars. Marcus was wearing a jet-black shirt, which hugged his body in all the right places, accentuating his strong arms and broad chest. And it was in nice contrast with Lucifer's bright white dress shirt. They were like yin and yang; just like in her dream. Her eyes lingered on the top buttons for a moment before she stepped back.

The sensual make-out had made her bold, so she could formulate her next wish.

"Take them off," she instructed them in a soft but firm voice.

The men complied without a second thought. Lucifer shrugged off his jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair. His dexterous fingers worked quickly on the buttons of his shirt; it was a movement he did million times. And his body already knew almost automatically what was coming; he could feel himself harden in his pants. Though Marcus's movements seemed more measured, they were done and slid out from their shirts almost at the same time and looked at Chloe expectantly.

She stepped closer again and raised her hands to touch them. It was a tentative gesture. Explorative. Her hands landed on their sternum and slid lower. Marcus's chest was broader, and his abs were solid and familiar. Lucifer's upper body on the other hand was a whole new territory. It was like a statue. She saw it a few times, at the beginning of their partnership—he was always so shameless—and her dreams also had helped to create a vivid replica of his slender form, but this was the first time she had touched it. She caressed his abs with her fingertips and couldn't help but notice the slight shiver of his body. She also noticed that his skin was a few degrees warmer than Marcus's. Interesting.

Her hands stopped when she reached the hem of their trousers. She became a little bit nervous again. She could ask them to take them off and she had no doubt they would comply immediately. But it would be too fast. She wanted to feel their hands and mouths on her waist, lips, and neck again. And maybe on other parts of her body, too. She felt a sudden jolt of arousal at this thought and it eased her increasing nervousness.

She stepped closer again with a sudden determination. She gathered her hair as if she wanted to pull it into a ponytail, but instead, she brought her honey curls forward and smoothed them onto her chest. She turned her back to Marcus.

"Please, help me with this," she told him, and he knew what she meant when his gaze slid to the zipper of her dress right in front of him. As he reached for the zipper, she tilted her head to kiss Lucifer. His pupils were so dilated that his already dark eyes were almost black. He responded eagerly, catching her lips as if they were a lifeline and he was a drowning man. He cupped her face with so much gentleness that she didn't assume he possessed. Still, here he was, Lucifer Morningstar, cocky club owner, master seducer, sin incarnate, treating her as if she was a precious treasure. Was it possible that he cared about her more than he showed it? She didn't want to relish the thought. It was too painful.

Marcus finished with the zipper, and slowly pushed the sleeves of the dress down her shoulder. She helped him and a moment later the dress pooled around her ankle. She was wearing a lacy bra and Brazilian panties, which were as red as her dress. She pulled back from Lucifer and stepped out from her stilettos.

When Lucifer opened his eyes after their second earth-shattering kiss, he nearly stumbled. The Detective stood in front of him wearing bright red lingerie. She was absolutely stunning. After she stepped out of her high heeled shoes, she turned towards them again. She bit her lower lip, and Lucifer could tell she was struggling to phrase her next wish. Before he realized it, his lips formed the oh so familiar words.

"What do you desire, Detective?"

He knew it didn't work on her, he felt it, but she answered anyway.

"I want you to touch me. Both of you. With your fingers and tongues and..." she trailed off and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. After a moment she added, "I want to feel you everywhere."

And Lucifer knew it was the point of no return. It was a wish, a command and also a permission.

It was Marcus who reacted faster. He was there next to Chloe in an instant, snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her fervently. Her arms wrapped around Marcus's neck as she surrendered to the kiss, and Lucifer saw her hips pressing to Marcus's groin, looking for friction. A soft moan left Marcus's mouth. He broke the kiss and looked at Lucifer with a What the hell are you waiting for? expression on his face.

He stepped closer and was facing the Detective's back. Marcus resumed kissing her, but he replaced his hands to her jaw and hipbone to give Lucifer space. How generous. His gaze slid from her delicate arms to her perfect waist and hip then stopped on her round bottom. His mouth became dry and felt a very distinct twitch in his pants. He placed his hands on the Detective's hips, grazing the delicate lace with his thumbs and placed a wet kiss on her shoulder. Her right hand found his and she started to caress his thumb with hers. He looked at their hands with awe for a minute before he placed another kiss on her shoulder, slightly lower this time. He wanted to caress every patch of her skin he could reach with his lips. He descended slowly to his knees as he drew a sensual path of kisses on her side and on her back. He reached the upper line of her panties and he pulled his mouth along the edge. He didn't touch it, but he knew she could feel his hot breath on her skin.

He felt the Detective's hand tighten around his and pull it upwards. He obeyed and as he stood up slowly, he could see that she pulled back from Marcus and grabbed his hand, too. She pulled them towards the bed. She climbed in the middle of the bed and they followed her, Marcus lying on her right and Lucifer lying on her left.

Chloe's gaze flickered between Lucifer and Marcus. She knew that they were waiting for her decision: who should go down on her and who should make out with her during that. Did she want it to be like in her dream? She shivered when she thought about Lucifer's hot breath above the hemline of her panties and imagined his tongue on her lower lips. But then she thought back to the kisses they shared a few minutes before. The kisses she already started to miss. She wanted his mouth on hers, she decided. She wanted that gentle passion.

She turned her face towards him, and both men acknowledged her decision. Marcus nibbled her earlobe for a moment, but right after that, he directed his kisses lower. He took his time as he licked and sucked on the junction of her neck and shoulder and caressed her thighs.

Lucifer's gaze flickered from her eyes to her inviting lips. He couldn't decide how he felt about her decision. More precisely, one of her first decisions tonight. He desperately wanted to explore her body, to find that sensitive little bud and make her tremble around his mouth and fingers. On the other hand, he was incredibly glad that he could just kiss her again. And this utterly surprised him. He was usually after the much naughtier fun. Apparently, everything was different with the Detective.

His eyes closed when their lips met again. He was lying on his side, leaning on his elbow, while his free hand was constantly caressing her cheeks and neck. His breath hitched when he felt her hand trail down on his chest and belly. And it went even lower this time. When she cupped his bulging erection through his trousers, his hips bucked forward slightly and he ground himself against her palm. He felt as if he could come right there, upon her simple touch. He panted heavily as he broke the kiss and his pleading gaze was searching hers.

At the same moment, she opened her eyes, her phone started to ring loudly, startling all three of them. She propped herself into a sitting position reluctantly and scooted to the end of the bed. She left her phone in the pocket of her jacket and fumbled a bit before she could fish it out.

Chloe wanted to cancel the call, but she decided against it when she saw the ID. She looked back at Lucifer and Marcus apologetically.

"Sorry, but I have to answer this."

She pressed the green button and turned her back to the men, so she missed the annoyed expression that crept over their faces. She listened intently for a few seconds, then her posture tensed.

"I'm on my way," she said and ended the call. Her voice was shaking, and both Pierce and Lucifer knew that something serious had happened.

"Who was that?" Lucifer asked warily.

"It was the hospital." She wanted to keep her voice steady, but she could feel anxiety washing over her. "Dan had a car accident. He's unconscious."

Before any of them could utter a word, she hurried to the cupboard and pulled out a shirt and a pair of jeans, then rushed to a drawer to grab a pair of socks. Lucifer felt a little pang in his chest when he realized how many pieces of clothes the Detective had at Pierce's place.

"I'll go with you," Pierce offered as he hopped off the bed and bent down to grab his shirt from the floor.

"Thanks," Chloe told him with a weak smile, but her expression turned worried in an instant. "We have to call a cab. We drank too much to drive," she said as she shimmied herself into her jeans.

"Nonsense, Detective," Lucifer said as he started to button his dress shirt. "I'll drive."

Chloe glared at him.

"Lucifer, as much as I appreciate the offer, you drank as well."

"But I can't get drunk on a regular amount of alcohol. I'm the Devil, remember?" Lucifer opposed, but only earned an eye-roll from her.

"Lucifer, we don't have time for your weirdness right now," she grumbled as she put on her jacket.

Right. The Detective still didn't believe him. And why would she start it now? Since he didn't want to grant a floor show right now, de decided to change tactics.

"Fine. But I drank less than you both, and you know I'm a decent driver. And fast, might I add."

He knew that she wanted to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

"Okay," she nodded finally. "But we will go with my car. You can use the sirens."

At any other time, he would have welcomed this opportunity with bursting joy, but now he just nodded and headed for the front door. Although he always had a controversial relationship with Daniel, he was worried about him as well.

Lucifer was about to hop into the drivers' seat when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and his expression turned confused.

"What is it?" Chloe asked.

"That's odd. This is the hospital. I'm quite surprised that Daniel added me to his emergency contacts," he chuckled perplexedly, but answered the call anyway and listened to the dispatcher. When he thanked for the notification and ended the call, his face was unreadable, but his skin became a few shades paler. He turned towards the Detective and Pierce as he shared the news.

"They didn't call me because of Daniel. They informed me that Amenadiel had been admitted to the hospital as well. Apparently, a car accident."

Without a further word, he got in the car and inserted the key into the ignition.