"Eliana?" I heard a knock on the door and then Dante's soft voice, calling my name from the entrance of the small cabin. I looked up at him with the same apathetic look that I had for the past two days.

I haven't slept for at least 48 hours, waiting patiently beside the bed where Lucifer was sleeping. The uncomfortable wooden chair that I was sitting in was causing a bearable pain on my entire back, but I didn't pay attention because my heart was shattered inside my chest. The ever-growing feeling of loneliness and despair was getting more and more painful, putting me in a constant state of numbness.

"Eliana..." He sighed as he saw me still in the same chair, in the same position with the same devastating look. I brought my gaze back on my sleeping mate, watching his chest move slowly as he breathed. "You need to rest. You need to eat something... Your body is screaming for your attention, you are in pain..." Dante said as he moved closer to me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. His calmness didn't phase me anymore. Not after the chaos that erupted in my mind when I saw Lucifer falling from the sky.

I moved my head, nodding 'No' to him.

"At least talk to me! You haven't uttered a single word since we healed him" He said, his voice sounding desperate for a small fraction of my attention. But I couldn't bring myself to speak or move or eat. I just wanted Lucifer to wake up. I needed to know that he was okay, my heart needed to know that he was okay.

"Eliana, I'm serious. Your body is failing! You need to sleep. And I'm not going to let you destroy yourself like that. Not after I finally found you." He said firmly, his serious and commanding voice coming to the surface. I sensed his worry coming in waves and passing through his hand and on my shoulder. I shuddered and pushed his hand away from my shoulder.

There was silence for a while but I could hear his breathing getting heavier by the second. Suddenly I saw him coming in front of me and placing his hands on my arms, picking me up quickly. He brought me closer to his face and looked at me with an angry expression, his yellow eyes piercing through my sad ones.

"I promise that if he wakes up I will immediately wake you up. Now, please go get some really needed rest! I won't say it again!" He said and slightly shook me with his hands. My body was limp against his tight hold and I could feel my eyelids drooping.

"I can't..." I whispered at him. His eyes widened once he heard my voice. "I can't leave him," I said and glanced back at Lucifer's expressionless face.

"I don't know what's your connection with Lucifer King, but I think I can guess," Dante said with an indifferent voice as he started walking towards the door, dragging me with him. I started protesting but I was too tired to make him let me down.

"Dante, no... Please let me stay with him"I protested and grabbed his face so he could see me.

"Eliana, he's going to be okay! I'll stay by his side, and if he wakes up, I will send Gabriel to wake you up. He would want the same thing... probably." Dante said, clearly confused and worried.

"When," I said bitterly and he stopped in the middle of the room, looking at me as I gripped his arms tightly.

"What?" He asked me softly, his eyebrows furrowing.

"When he wakes up... Not if..." I whispered harshly and moved around, trying to make him let me go. "Now let me go! I'm not going anywhere until he wakes up."

I started moving and clawing at Dante's arms, desperate to stay in the room with Lucifer. Dante sighed and ignoring the scratches and my protests, he started moving towards the door again. I didn't catch the shuffling sounds coming from the bed from all the grunts and the sounds of struggle that I made.

"You heard her" His rough voice rung inside the small room and I froze in Dante's arms, my movements ceasing. The relief and the hope that bloomed inside my heart, brought tears in my eyes as my head snapped up, looking over Dante's wide shoulder.

There he was, standing beside the bed in all his glory. His naked chest was moving up and down as he inhaled short, angry breaths. His body was placed into his usual defensive position as he looked over at us, glaring at Dante's head. If looks could kill...

His eyebrows were furrowed as his majestic blood-red eyes threw daggers at Dante. The one side of his upper lip was curled upwards and his left eye was twitching dangerously. His stance clearly showed that he was ready to pounce and tear every muscle on Dante's body.

"Lucifer" I breathed out, the relief taking over my body and scaring my worries away. I struggled against Dante's hold and he immediately set me down, without turning around to look at Lucifer. I skipped past him and ran towards my mate. Closing the distance between us, I crashed my body against him as my head landed somewhere between his chest and his stomach. I circled my arms against his hard body, gripping his torso tightly, and I let out a sob of relief as the tingles sprung like fireworks inside me.

I sensed one hand, slowly trying to pry me away as Lucifer took a step forwards. I immediately looked up at him, only to see that his focus was on Dante, his eyes switching dangerously between red and black.

"No! Lucifer, look at me" I quickly said and smacked his hand away from my arm. I placed my palms against his chest and tried to stop him from attacking Dante.

"No need to express your evil nature here, Lucifer. This is a safe place, and I pose no threat to you," I heard Dante's serious voice from behind me and at the same time the flames inside Lucifer's eyes flared up.

"No one poses a threat to me," Lucifer said, barely containing his rage.

"No, Lucifer, Dante is good. Please stop and look at me" I tried reassuring him but his focus was still on the target; Dante's head.

"But you...touched my mate, with your filthy hands... against her will" His eyes turned a very dark red color as he continued taking steps closer to Dante. His voice was distorted and turned really low and rough.

"Dante, please leave now!" I yelled at him, turning my head around to look at him. "Lucifer please calm down, he wasn't doing anything wrong!"

"He touched you!" He growled, not once looking down at me.

"Lucifer, he didn't! He saved me! He's good!" I reassured him, but then I realized that he probably didn't know about the attack. Maybe that's why he didn't come.

"If he saved you then why didn't he show up sooner? Why did you save her after those bastards touched her?" He seethed and his eyes turned completely black, swallowing up his red irises and spreading throughout the whites of his eyes. He knew.

I winced at his words as the memories came flooding back, drowning me in pain.

"Why didn't you?" I whispered, looking up at him in pain, hoping that he didn't hear me.

Lucifer's bottomless eyes snapped to mine as soon as those words left my mouth. The black washed away and his ruby orbs stared back at me, filling me with warmth. The pain was as clear as day inside his pupils, burning through every other emotion.

The regret was coming out in waves as he looked at my teared-up eyes. I heard the soft thud of the door signaling that Dante left.

Lucifer dropped down on his knees in front of me and I gasped, my eyes widening and my heart filling with worry immediately. But when he lowered his head and let his forehead touch my upper stomach and his arms circled my waist, hugging me tightly and bringing me closer to him, my worry died down a little.

He kneeled. He kneeled in front of me.

Tingles spread and burst everywhere his skin touched mine and I could barely stand as my body caught fire from the sudden intimacy. I placed my hands on his naked shoulders, finding balance as I glanced down at his head that dove in between my breasts.

"Lucifer.." I trailed off, uncertain of what I wanted to tell him. I could sense his pain and I wanted to take it away, but I was afraid that I would collapse from the lack of sleep.

"Eliana" He huffed out and his pained and strained voice scarred me deeply, making me squeeze his shoulders tightly.

"Eliana, I'm.."He tried but failed. I would never expect him to actually apologize in words; his ego was too big for that and he wouldn't lower it for me. Although, he is kneeling in front of me... So I honestly don't know what to believe anymore.

"It's my fault! All of it was my fault!" He seethed against my skin as he pressed his face on the soft flesh of my stomach.

"What are you saying? What's your fault? Luci-" I started worrying as his body trembled against mine and he tightened his grip around my torso, hugging my waist.

"It's my fault! The attack...It's my fault..." He muttered angrily and his body shook in rage. His fault? Did he send them? But...Why?

I was speechless. I couldn't possibly believe that he sent them to attack me. He is my mate for God's sake!

I felt a sudden wave of disgust and hate wash over me as he continued shaking against my body. I retreated my hands from his shoulders and I felt like I was the furthest away from him than ever before. I wanted him to stop touching me, to get away from me. But how could he?

"Eliana... The witches... Fucking bastard Hades... I couldn't do anything! They should have tortured me. Not you! NOT YOU GODDAMMIT!" He screamed angrily, seething and shaking against my body, the vibrations of his rough and pained voice hitting my core directly. He squeezed my waist, digging his fingers on my skin and I squirmed against his touch.

What the hell is he talking about? Witches? Hades?

"What are you talking bout? What witches?" I asked and he opened his knees dragging me to step in between them. He pressed his body against my bare legs and my stomach, diving his head on my chest.

"I didn't abandon you... I didn't leave you... I was...trapped! I couldn't do ANYTHING!" He whispered harshly against my chest and it sounded like he was punishing himself. But for what? What is he talking about?

I'm tired of this miscommunication.

"Lucifer, stop! Stand up and stop mumbling! Explain to me what happened. Why did you disappear? Why didn't you talk to me? Why is it your fault?" I sighed exasperated and tugged at his shoulders to get him up. He looked up from my chest and his bright red eyes burned through mine with an immense amount of devastation. The desperation inside his irises was burning him from the inside, torturing his mind and I could see it clearly.

"The attack Eliana... The... monsters who attacked you were sent by witches who wanted revenge on me. They trapped me inside a cage... and even though...Even though I fought for decades to get out, I couldn't. I was weak! I was weak when you needed me!" His rough voice cracked and along with it, I did too. Tears welled up in my eyes and I brought my hand to his hair, combing it with my fingers and pushing it back.

About a month ago, when he asked me not to leave him, I was so ready to try bonding with him. After he left, all I was left with was my pain and my doubts. Unanswered questions that messed with my mind. I had accepted the fact that I cared deeply for him and I knew it wasn't only because of the mate bond. I had come to care for him on my own, and the mate bond was just emitting the stronger feelings.

The physical and emotional pain that I experienced being away from my mate was getting worse day by day and I couldn't talk about it with anyone except Kara. I kept contacting him, and he never responded. I tried so hard to push the horrible feelings away but they only became stronger. And I was ready to convince myself that he wouldn't return.

Of course, I never thought that something might have happened to him...because he is the most powerful being in the world. He is the Devil, how could anyone harm him? Let alone trap him? In a cage?

But learning this new information, about him fighting for decades to get out of a cage? And seeing his skin burned and his wings destroyed like that... I knew that I had to believe him.

I recognized the honesty and the pain in his eyes. I could feel it pulsating through my veins.

"Come on, stand up," I whispered at him and brushed his beautiful black locks behind, bring my hand on his cheek and cupping it. I had never seen him like this. His face screamed defeat and pain. It was painful to look at him.

He shook his head slightly and he brought his hand towards my face, cupping my cheek too in such a delicate manner. I leaned into his hand, never taking my eyes off of his.

"I'm sorry" He whispered at me, his rough voice firm and honest. My eyes widened and my lips parted in shock as I straightened my head, looking at his face. Everything froze around me.

What?

He is sorry? Did he just apologize to me? In actual words? Did I imagine it?

I softly gripped his bicep, tugging him up, signaling him to stand up. He complied and one by one leg, he stood up, towering over me. I craned my neck so I could look at him as he stood at his full height, at about 6.5 feet. The contrast to my barely 5.4 feet was striking. He was really fucking tall.

Our hands had remained at each other's cheeks and I caressed his cheekbone softly. I retreated it and I threw my hands around his hard torso, circling his lower abdomen with my arms tightly. I hugged him as firmly as I could, colliding every fiber of our bodies.

"For what? It wasn't your fault" I whispered against his exposed skin, inhaling his addicting smell.

I felt his hands touching my head and turning it upwards so I could look at him. When our eyes met he had a very serious expression on his face and his eyes pierced again through mine.

"You had to experience that horrible shit because of me. Those witches didn't care about you. They wanted to hurt me and they achieved it by hurting you ten times more." He admitted and cupped my cheeks, looking intently at me.

"But it's not your fault, Lucifer..." I trailed off, staring back at him.

"It is! Because I was a fucking idiot and I didn't fight sooner. I should have tried harder to get out of that fucking cage! I should have been there for you because you needed me! I'm sorry Eliana!" He raised his voice slightly and then I realized that he wanted to hear it; He wanted to hear me say that I forgive him.

He needed to know that I was fine and that I forgive him, he wanted the gratification that everything between us was still alright.

I nodded at him and saw the spark inside his eyes light up, making me smile a little.

"It wasn't your fault, but I forgive you, Lucifer," I said and I blinked, letting two stray tears roll down my cheeks. He quickly wiped them away and brought his hands to my waist. With a quick tug, he picked me up and I instantly wrapped my legs around his waist.

We looked at each other with such powerful stares and I shuddered as tingles shot to my mark on the back of my head.

Lucifer walked back towards the bed and he sat down, placing me on top of his strong thighs. I scanned his face and exposed chest as his hands flexed while they held me. His skin was healed from the scars that had formed on his body and it glistened like it used to.

"Are you okay? Are you in pain? You were in a pretty bad condition when you arrived... What did those witches do to you?" I asked and I felt myself getting angrier as I thought about someone harming my mate.

"I'm fine now. You don't need to worry about them. I took care of it, temporarily." He said, his cold exterior returning. I glanced at him again and saw him staring at my lips. A fire erupted inside me as I watched the flames burn behind Lucifer's eyes, lust and need taking over them.

"I'm not worried anymore. You're here. And you're strong. But I want to know what happened...you know, as your mate, I deserve to know." I said and glanced down at his lips, coming a little closer to him and shifting on his lap. Lust engulfed my senses and my cravings intensified immediately.

"As my mate, huh?" He whispered huskily, as his beautiful lips parted. I got so enchanted by the way his lips moved while he talked to me, that I didn't even care what he said. "Later, I will explain it to you...but now, I'm going to show you how much I missed you" He huffed out and a low growl left his lips before he collided them with mine.

A million sparks flew everywhere as our lips touched, moving slowly at first and then growing into a needier and more aggressive kiss. His soft lips brushed against mine with so much passion and my mark burned.

His hand found my neck as usual, while our tongues collided, dancing together. All our feelings flowed into that one kiss, our need for each other growing by the second as he explored my mouth and I, his.

My right hand reached for his hair while he gripped my neck in just the right way, pressing softly on my artery, but allowing me to breathe properly. My heartbeat accelerated and I felt the knot tying itself on my core, my need for him breaking every previous record. I moaned against his lips as he brought our bodies closer with his other hand, but it came out muffled, sending vibrations everywhere.

He growled against my mouth and he bit down on my lower lip, receiving one more needy moan from me. His hand moved down on my lower back, sliding underneath the long shirt and squeezing my ass on top of the white boxers that I was wearing.

I tugged harshly at his hair, pulling at his soft black locks as we kissed passionately, licking and biting each other. He moved his hand in between my buttcheeks and dove it underneath me, his fingers palming me and making me hiss while he gripped me and moved me against his clothed shaft. I moved by myself as he brought me closer, grinding on him and making him grunt against my lips.

He broke the kiss and I leaned my head back as he brought his lips on my jaw, leaving open, wet kisses down to my neck. He moved his hand down to my breasts, squeezing them on top of the shirt. He started rubbing me and I threw my head back, whimpering, high from the pleasure.

His tongue and lips were burning my throat, and his hands were scorching my skin wherever they touched it. The tingles inside my stomach were driving me insane with sexual need, sending sparks to my mark.

"Lucifer" I moaned out in pure, unfiltered pleasure as he bit down on my neck and pressed his fingers flat against my pulsating sex. I want more. I need more.

An almost animalistic growl left his lips and vibrated through my neck as he bit down harder than before. I winced in pain and I thought that it would bother me, but the sensation flared the flames that were burning inside my core.

"Say it again," He said harshly against the soft skin of my neck as he removed his hand from my sex, only to dive it inside the boxers this time. I moved my hands down his shoulders, caressing his skin softly with the tips of my fingers, bringing them down to his chest and even further to his abdominal area. I felt his rock-hard abs that were flexing as I touched them, reacting to my touch.