Azza said nothing as he scooped me up and took me to the bathroom. He sat me on the ledge and turned on the tub to set the water's temperature. It began to fill, and he knelt in front of me again. This time, his head nuzzled between my legs, and I moved to accommodate his movements until he tasted me. His power trickled into me, not to bring me to the edge, but to warm, comfort, and relax me. He was attentive as I whimpered from his gentle exploring.

He turned off the water when the tub had filled. He got in and reached for me. "Come here. Let me slip into you, Olivia, before I wash you."

I straddled him, and he held me in his lap. He brought me to him slowly and slid into me easily as if made for me and me alone. He kissed me, rocking me until it focused me on nothing but him. A small pitcher appeared in his hand, and he tipped my head back to wet my hair, then he washed it with a shampoo that smelled of roses. I scooped my hair forward so the soap would run over me where he could watch. He traced its path down and over my breasts and further, touching all the sensitive spots as he did. I cried out for him, low and quiet.

He rinsed my hair, then took more of the liquid soap in his palms and lathered it on me with just his hands. I moaned at the feel of him running his hands everywhere he could touch. His washing of me complete, he poured water, and I rinsed under the magically steady stream.

Done, I leaned forward and put my hands on his chest, and he started to rock me again. I worked my hips, rolling against him moving the water in time with our motion. His power filled me slowly, and I skirted along the edge of my orgasm until I begged.

"Please, Azza, take me over."

"Command me, Olivia. I am here to serve. No begging tonight."

"Azza. Take me over."

He slipped me over the edge with a tenderness I'd never known, and I gasped. Then, he built it again and kept rolling me, creating spirals on the edge of pleasure tighter and tighter until I was frantic to come again.

"Azza! Do it!"

I fell so hard and fast I could help but cry out, "Lucifer!"

Azza went still under me as my awareness snapped into focus when I realized what I'd done. A breeze swirled around us, blowing out all the candles.

My breath hitched, and the day's events came flooding back. I collapsed onto Azza and sobbed great, gasping breaths filled with warm wetness on my face, highlighting the coolness of the water in the bath. He lit the candles again, and the scent of roses enveloped me. He held me close, his flesh warm against my clammy skin.

I lost track of time, but it didn't surprise me to wake in Azza's arms sometime later in the night. It was raining, another storm with tremendous peals of thunder and forked lightning. I turned in his arms to gaze on him, running my hand through his curls and the back of my hand down his cheek until his breathing changed and he lazily opened his eyes.

He smiled at me. "Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," I echoed, voice soft and as caring as I could make it.

We lay caressing each other as the storm raged. Lightning flashed blue hot, reminding me of the fierce blue ice of Lucifer's rage. The thunder which chased it rivaled the howling I'd heard in Hell. The rain pounded the windows in great sheets as it did on the night He was angry when Lucifer came home to us from Heaven.

I sighed and had the feeling everything would remind me of him for some time.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's just... I was so convinced, Azza! I believed he loved me, I truly did."

"He does love you, Olivia. I know he does."

I swallowed. "Then why isn't he here?"

Azza ran a hand through my hair. "I don't know."

I took his hand and kissed it. "I'm glad you are, though." I exhaled quickly, trying to put the events of the day behind me. My stomach reminded me I'd never had dinner. "I'm hungry."

Azza nodded in agreement. "Will we rouse Deirdre if we go to the kitchen?"

"No. She has always slept soundly. I don't think even the storm will wake her."

"Let's go raid the fridge," he said with a gentle smile.

We crawled out of bed, and I ignored the pang in my soul when I became aware of how it was only the two of us. I put on my usual night attire, fuzzy socks included. I smiled at him and kissed him lightly, then opened the bedroom door.

Down the hall, in the living room, there was a telltale red glow. My heart thumped in my throat, and I scrambled toward it. I slid to a stop in front of the terrace's sliding glass door. George jumped out of Lucifer's lap and ran inside, dry despite the rain, bell jingling, but my eyes were for no one save him. He stood in the downpour, dry and protected by some unknown shield.

Azza rushed to wrap me up in his arms from behind again, wings unfurling and wrapping around me too, protecting me. His energy bristled, and I caught his fierce reflection in the glass.

Lucifer took in the sight of the two of us and nodded. He snapped a portal and disappeared.

My stomach dropped as I crumbled to the floor, sitting inside the folds of Azza's wings as he stood watch. When it became clear Lucifer would not return, he helped me up, and we went back to the bedroom, food forgotten.

I sat on the edge of the bed.

Empty, I proclaimed once more, "I don't understand, Azza."

George jumped up and pranced over to me, jingling as she did. I petted her, running my hand over her head, but her collar got in the way.

Wait. She hasn't had a collar before. I looked down. She had on a black, diamond-studded collar with a bell and a capsule on it. I looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I don't know, Olivia," he said to my unasked question.

George calmly sat as I opened the capsule and fished out a scrap of parchment. After putting the cap back on the tube, the collar slowly dissolved until it was no more.

I stared at the tiny roll of paper in my hand. I took a deep breath, then opened it.

I lied. I love you.

I gasped, dropped it, and covered my mouth, trying to keep the sobs from flowing out again. Azza picked it up and read it. Once he did, it, too, disintegrated.

I threw myself into his arms, knowing he would comfort me, which he did, as he always did. He got us into the bed, and we snuggled and cried together, our tears matching the surge of the storm, until we both fell asleep again, spooning.

I woke when he moved. I looked around, bleary-eyed, until I focused on a sight I never thought to see again: Lucifer standing at the foot of the bed, watching us. He looked haggard and tired, leaning against the post on the corner.

Azza hugged me closer and kissed my head. I watched as Lucifer undressed and crawled up on the bed. Azza made room for him and invited him under the covers, but he stared at me before gesturing to the space Azza created.

I nodded, and he came to me and wrapped me up as if he never left. Azza fit himself behind him, and when we settled, Lucifer sighed.

"Home..." he whispered in my ear. I smiled, closed my eyes, and slept.