Arrival of the Beast (Lucifer's Clock Series, Book 2)

Sixteen Years Ago

Lucifer sat in the back of a taxicab across from the park where Robinette and Angelica were visiting. He grinned as he watched Robinette playfully throw Angelica up in the air and catch her. It would be easy for him to take her, but he didn't want her at this age. She would be nothing but a burden with her not being able to walk, talk, or take care of herself. He would let her mother enjoy her for now.

His nemesis, the archangel Michael, entered his line of vision as he patrolled the park. Lucifer growled at the sight of him. He had heard from his subordinates that the Creator had assigned Michael to Angelica as her guardian angel. He didn't know what game the Creator was playing, but no matter what he tried to do, the little beast was here, and she was going to fulfill her purpose of destroying his precious innocents.

"Are you ready to go, Master?" the taxicab driver asked, looking at Lucifer in the rearview mirror. A normal person would've looked at the driver and not noticed anything peculiar about him, but Lucifer recognized the demon that inhabited the man's body.

"Not yet." Lucifer sat up at attention when he noticed a man tussling Angelica out of Robinette's hands. Lucifer chuckled to himself as the innocent took off running with Angelica tightly in his grasp.

"These innocents are a piece of work, aren't they?" Lucifer laughed deeply, throwing his head back.

"Yes, master," the man said, giggling insanely. "They always want what they can't have."

Lucifer watched as Michael stopped the man and rescued Angelica.

"Apparently, he's good for something," Lucifer muttered.

"Are we going to collect the soul, sir?" the man asked excitedly, biting his lip until it bled, then hungrily licking the blood off his lip with his tongue.

A tablet materialized in Lucifer's hands. There was a list of endless names on the screen. He scrolled to the bottom of the list of possible new residents of Abyssal. A new name popped up at the bottom of his list just as he got there.

"Get him," Lucifer commanded.

The driver floored the gas pedal and sped the taxi down the street. He ran the red light and hit the man that was attempting to cross the street. The taxi stopped and waited for the man to come back down and land on top of the windshield. The taxi driver screamed with glee when the man landed and his blood splattered, covering the windshield.

"Can I taste it, master?" He asked clasping his hands together as if he was praying.

"No, you fool. Exit the innocent's body now. We have more important things to handle." Lucifer stepped out of the taxi. He took his time walking around the car to the paralyzed innocent. The man's eyes moved in Lucifer's direction when he saw Lucifer approaching his broken body.

Lucifer leaned over and whispered in his ear, "You shouldn't have tried to kidnap my daughter. You bought yourself a first-class ticket to hell."

"Who are you?" the man gasped aloud, in-between mouthfuls of blood.

"I'm your worst nightmare for the rest of your life," Lucifer said, grinning and showing a glimmer of his true self.

The man tried to scream, but his screams died in his throat as the breath left his body.

Lucifer smiled to himself. "Look at that. My little girl is already collecting souls for me."  

Interesting Fact:  Before and during Medieval times illnesses were thought to be caused by demonic possession. Hearing voices and having seizures was thought to be caused by Satanic influence.