You Belong To Me || ✔️

-45-

Delilah PoV

I sat on a bench outside the palace. I was overlooking a beautiful garden.

Satan and I were going to spend the day together, and get to know each other better. Maybe this would do us both some good.

So far, we had eaten breakfast together. He made these delicious wraps that were honestly to die for.

And apart from already knowing every single thing about each other, there was still a lot to figure out and process.

"Are you just gonna sit there or are you gonna ask me some questions?" came his deep, demanding voice.

The truth was I did have questions. So many questions. But they were all of the same.

Why he never tried to reach out to me. Did he ever watch me?

Well probably not since he didn't know right away I was his...daughter.

He recognized me by my scent, and apparently I smelled like my mother.

But I just wanted to know, most importantly, could I trust this man.

He was in fact still the Devil at the end of the day.

"Um...why did you leave my mom?" I wasn't sure how to start the series of personal attacks, so this seemed like fair play.

"Well," he cleared his throat and folded his hands in his lap. He wore a suit that complimented his build, making me feel incredibly underdressed in my simple jumper and leggings.

"As the king of hell, I laid ground rules for myself. There hasn't once been a ruler that has been with their mate...and so I decided that if I were to ever find mine, and I was still on the throne, that I wouldn't acknowledge. And in all of my 4,000 years, I didn't. So once I felt that strange notion, I didn't pay it no mind.

"I just assumed that I was...well, incredibly horny," he said the last part with a grin.

"Woah, TMI," I giggled and looked across the garden.

"I'd never...fraternized with a human, so I was already going against my own personal rules. I most definitely wasn't thinking about a pregnancy at the time." Satan looked down at his shoes and ran a hand through his hair.

"I stayed with your mother for nearly a month. Way too long. But this is where my responsibilities are. I couldn't betray my kingdom to be with anyone."

He looked at me a smiled.

"I supposed your also wanting to know if I ever thought about you once I learned of your...existence. Simple answer, yes. I thought a lot of what the...literal spawn of Satan was doing. But I forbid myself years before from ever searching on the screen."

I nodded. I didn't really know how to respond. It really did stab at my heart the fact that he never tried to interfere. But if I sat for a while and thought about it, really thought about his reasoning, I'm sure I'd understand.

"You have to know that I've been waiting centuries for someone to outgrow me. Sure, being a king was fun and all but after the first handful of decades, it lost its spunk. But to think that my very own offspring would be the one to take the throne...I'm beyond proud.

"I'll teach your everything to know. I know it won't be fast, but once you officially take over, many skills that you didn't have before will suddenly be in your head. You'll know everything. What everyone is thinking , when someone says your name poorly. You'll know every language in the book. You-"

I interrupted him before he could get any farther.

"Actually, I don't know if I wanna become the... queen. I'm still new to the whole demon thing as it is."

He looked at me as if I'd just punched him in the jaw.

"Well I'll teach you, of course. It'll take a few months to fully take control and learn but I know you'll get the hang of it." He smiled reassuringly.

"Well-er Um I don't know if I want to...ever become...ruler."

This shouldn't be that big of a deal, right?

Satan cleared his throat and sat up straight.

"Well, that's very unfortunate. But you don't just get to avoid it. It's in your blood. It's your destiny. It's what you were created for. I've had my time. I've been king for over 3,000 years. It's someone else's turn, and that someone else is you, Delilah."

"That's not who I am. I'm not a ruler, I'm a follower," I was getting worked up for some reason. I felt tears about to fall, but I held them in.

"It's who you'll become."

"No, thank you. I'm truly thankful for the offer, but I'll have to decline." I took in a deep breath and looked at the man across from me.

He stood and there was a fire in his eye.

"You. Do not. Get. To. Decline. I am your king and I say your gonna take the throne. You do not have a choice in the matter." He turned briskly and started walking back inside.

What is it with the men in my life thinking that they can just say something and that is that.

"No!" I said sternly.

Satan stopped in his tracks and turned around. He had a sarcastic smile on his face and a vein above his eyebrow was showing.

"Why don't we have this conversation with your mate present."

Satan snapped his fingers and we were in our bedroom.

Zac was laying on the bed with Tara reading her a book. He didn't realize we had appeared.

"Mr. Tracey. We've some things to discuss." Satan was keeping his voice cool and calm, and I was a complete mess.

Zac jumped and closed the book. Once he took in my red face and exasperated expression, he jumped to his feet and was at my side in an instant.

"il mio amore! cosa c'è che non va, mia regina?" He narrowed his eyes at the devil.

"I have no idea what you said but..." I started.

"But we've some things to discuss," Satan interrupted.

Zac nodded and took my hand, leading me back toward the bed.

Feeling Zac's hand in mine calmed my nerves. He was my safe place.

"What's up?" Zac asked casually, looking between the two of us.

"Well," I started. "I told...Satan that I didn't want to become the queen. And he did not like my answer."

"Well, like I told you, this is not something that you can just decide. It's your purpose. Maybe your mate can talk some sense into you."

Satan plopped himself onto a sofa and looked at us.

"Well, whatever my mate has decided, I stand behind." Zac looked to me, and I smiled.

"Well I hate to break it to you. She doesn't have a choice. She will become Satana and she will rule until either she is outgrown or someone kills her." He glared at me while he spoke.

"I hate to break it to you, but I do have a choice. I chose no. I chose to just live, not to be held back by such a responsibility. I just want to be with my mate. Why can't I do that?" A single tear slipped down my cheek, and I hated myself for showing weakness.

Satan got up and walked toward the door. I thought I finally got through to him.

"Fine. I'll give you a choice. Either you step up to the throne and rule, which is your duty. Or, yourself and your mate will be fallen. You'll be human and you'll have no contact with the Underworld or it's inhabits. You'll live and die, on Earth. And once an illness or maybe even a mugging gone wrong takes your life, you'll think back to this very important decision. Either rule, or take your mates choice away just for your own selfish desires. You have two days to decide." With that, he slammed the door.

I gasped.