The Devil's Son (II)

Chapter 3: When Angels Die

One moment Lucian was taking a last look over the railing at the mundane lives of humans, and the next moment he was in a fit of rage.

His father's presence was overwhelming and offered a mix pot of emotions: anger, resentment, sadness, loneliness and fear. It was the latter that Lucian was most concerned with. Not only did the Devil have a keen sense of smell for fear, but he thrived in it.

In two bounds Lucian leapt from the outside balcony to the entrance of the kitchen and what's-her-face turned his way, 'There you are,' she said, in a voice that sounded tainted by something too sweet and alluring for the world above ground.

In less than a blink of an eye, Lucian had jerked Lizzy towards him. He could feel the fragility of her human frame shake as her heart beat faster than it ever should. The demon squeezed his lover's arm in comfort but in the presence of the Devil – no being could be calmed.

'This is very bothersome for me,' Lucifer continued, standing up to full height and sending his son a smile that could've cooled an entire population to its core, 'Do you understand what I'm saying, Lucian?'

In his infantile days Lucian was hot headed and would have given his father a snarky response, something filled with anger, and something filled with hate. But over time, Lucifer had successfully quelled his son's outbursts. For whatever Lucian did in disrespect, the Devil would return it in highly painful punishments – a hundredfold.

So, instead of escaping with his soulmate or going into an absolute fit of unadulterated rage, Lucian squared his jaw and responded through gritted teeth, 'Yes, father'.

Lucifer sighed, a sound that sent a spiral of fear down Lucian's spine, 'While you've been cooped up, living this...' the Devil's eyes swept the apartment in such an abnormally quick motion that Lucian felt his girlfriend jolt in his arms, 'fantasy'. What's-her-face' features contorted in a way that made Lizzy jolt again, this time Lucian was pretty sure she was going to pass out or throw up – in no particular order. 'I've been dealing with... something unpleasant,' Lucifer continued, as if the only human left in the room did not actually exist.

'Something... unpleasant,' Lucian echoed, his face emotionless. By now he was gritting his teeth so hard that his temples pulsed with his heartbeat, and he was pretty sure he could push his molars further into his gums.

For one split second, the Devil seemed concerned, the shadow above his brow darkened as if there was a frown but it was gone so fast it seemed like a trick of the kitchen light. He raised his icy eyes to his son's and said, 'An angel has died, my son'.

∞

Lizzy was in a state.

She couldn't really feel her legs, she couldn't really see anything, and she was pretty sure that Lucian was the only reason she hadn't just sunk into Hell.

Their voices seemed far away and seemed to be comprehended three seconds later than usual. A sign that perhaps she was high. And, she should be. How could the Devil be in her little kitchen?

Sometimes the realization would hit her that she wasn't dating a normal human. At those times, however, it had been easier to ignore that Lucian was a demon. He didn't look demonic all the time, and she had become used to their cosy little life together in their small apartment.

Now, however, there was no denying that she was seriously fucked up.

The only thing she could stare at to keep herself anchored were the fine hairs on Lucian's forearm. They were dark and set straight on edge, it looked like the feathers of a crow. The veins on his forearm popped dangerously and Lizzy felt that he was shaking. Or maybe it was her.