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

Sixteen Years Ago

Connie dusted the shelves her mother's potion bottles sat on while Adaira, in her usual cat form, sat not far from her and watched with a look of disgust as a rat scurried across the floor.

"You're supposed to catch those, you know?" Connie giggled.

"I'll pass. I think I'm going to go for a walk in the park. Anything to take my mind off this dismal place."

"Can I come with you?" Connie asked, excitedly. "I'm done with my chores."

Adaira sighed and shook her head. "No."

A disappointed look fell across Connie's face. "Is it because I'm hideous and you don't want to be seen with me in Corporis?" Connie said softly.

"Heavens no!" Adaira exclaimed. "I don't want you to get in any trouble if you're seen in Corporis."

"I don't care about getting in trouble," Connie said, crossing her arms and pouting. "Besides, I'm almost 13 years old. I can take of myself."

"Fine. Drink some of your mother's invisibility potion. We don't need you drawing any attention from supernaturals or innocents."

Connie squealed with delight. She hurriedly found the invisibility potion bottle and took a sip. Before she knew it, Adaira whisked her out of Abyssal, and she was perched on a bench surrounded by lush greenery.

Connie jumped up in awe. The sight of Corporis always astonished her. It was so bright and alive, everything Abyssal wasn't. She smiled and closed her eyes as the sunlight beamed down on her face. Abyssal didn't have sunlight. It was always dark and dreary.

She was startled when she heard a loud giggle mixed with a gurgle. Connie turned around and saw a woman holding a baby. Connie's jaw dropped at the sight of the baby. It was enchanting and almost hypnotizing. She wondered if all babies looked like this since she had never encountered one before.

The woman bounced the baby on her knee then she threw her in the air and caught her. It looked dangerous to Connie, but from the shrill sound of laughter coming from the child, she enjoyed it. Saliva dripped from the baby's mouth as she showcased a mouth full of pink gums.

"Did you hear that Lucifer had a baby?" Connie asked Adaira.

"Yes, a little girl," Adaira said, perched on Connie's shoulder as she watched the woman and child.

"The prophecy said it would be a boy," Connie said, looking at Adaira frowning.

"Yes, but the prophets are a lot like weathermen. They predict things that don't always come to pass."

"Weathermen?" Connie asked, clueless as to what Adaira was talking about.

"The innocents that predict the innocents' weather," Adaira explained calmly.

"Wow!" Connie whispered. "Innocents have magic, too?"

Adaira snorted. "Yeah, it's called technology. Now let's take this walk before your potion wears off."

"Bye!" Connie waved to the baby, who surprisingly looked at her and gave her a big smile. Connie's smile faltered when she saw the child's eyes. She quickly shrugged it off. It could've been the sunlight playing tricks.

Connie and Adaira walked around the park slowly, as Connie took in all the foreign sights and sounds. Everything intrigued her, from the assortment of passing cars to the bees and butterflies.

She was entranced by a group of colorful flowers when a high-pitched scream sounded throughout the park. Connie turned to see the mother chasing a man as he ran away with the child.

"Adaira, we have to help her!" Connie exclaimed.

Connie stood in the path of the man who was running her way. She didn't know what she was going to do, but he wasn't getting away with the baby. Connie was readying herself for the blow she was going to receive when an angel materialized between her and the man.

Panic grabbed hold of Connie at the sight of the angel. She hurriedly fled behind the nearest tree, forgetting all about the man. She peeked from behind the tree and watched as the angel stopped the innocent by punching him in the face. As the man went down to the ground, the angel snatched the baby out of his arms and gently sat her down on a nearby bench.

The man screamed in agony as he jumped up, holding his bloody nose, and took off running.

The mother was there in seconds, picking up her baby as she sobbed uncontrollably. The angel stood over her and the baby, looking down on them like the guardian angel he was.

"We need to go right now," whispered Adaira. Adaira touched her hand, and Connie was instantly whisked backed through a nearby portal into Abyssal.

Later that night, as Connie lay in the cage that her bed was in, she thought about Lucifer's child. Was she as innocent and good as the baby she had seen today? She hoped so, because if she was, Connie wouldn't think twice about saving her.

Interesting Fact: Many religions believe in angels. The main difference between the eastern and the western concept of angels is the fact that for Hindus and Buddhists, the devas which are similar to angels are beings in evolution, having passed through many incarnations as humans before they reached the state of consciousness that allowed them to become "angels". So, every human being has potential to become an angel after many incarnations.