Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 39

Lucien's P.O.V.

I listen, entranced, while Bella tells me things about herself I would never have known if we didn't spend the afternoon talking about them. Her favorite color is lavender, her birthday is July 18th, just a few weeks from now. She wants to study Pharmacology in school, her favorite movie is The Green Mile, her favorite candy is anything with dark chocolate. She loves the rain and lightning storms, has never been skiing and is an avid swimmer. I memorize everything she tells me in case she lets me shower her with gifts someday. I don't know how I'm going to survive if she decides she wants nothing to do with me...she's opened Pandora's Box and has given me a taste of nirvana. Now I cannot imagine a future without her in it. 'Please Grandfather, let her accept me,' I silently pray when I know it's my turn to start opening up.

We walk hand in hand down the river bank, following it's flow, until we hit a picturesque meadow, replete with blooming wildflowers and butterflies flitting about. It's what I imagine Eden looked like back in the day, and I think, 'how apropos,' as I pull my backpack off and hand Bella a bottle of water. She murmurs her thanks looks at me expectantly, waiting to hear what I have to say. If only she would continue to look at me like that once I start opening up. Okay...here goes nothing.

"I was always partial to the color black until I saw you in that bikini, now my favorite color is red," I tell her, getting the smile I wanted to see from her. "I can't say I have a favorite movie, but I admit to liking the darker mysteries and horror genres. My favorite food is anything edible," I stop speaking to smile when she giggles. I could listen to that every day for the rest of eternity and never get tired of it. "I'm not a big sweet's guy, I'm more of a savory guy, and I love the rain and thunder storms too, we don't get a lot of those where I'm from."

"And where are you from?" she asks, taking a sip from her water bottle.

There it is, the innocent question that has such an astoundingly difficult answer. I look around, it's so peaceful here. If she screams, will the wildlife take off in a cacophony of disharmonious noises, or will I have to catch her when she passes out? I guess we are about to find out.

"Well, I was born in France, but when my mother died, my Dad took me back to...his home." I finish lamely. 'You're such a coward,' I tell myself scathingly.

"Oh? Where in France? When's your birthday?" Bella asks.

"September 14th. We lived in a town called Montreuil. It's on the river Canche."

"Sounds nice. Where did your Dad take you after your Mom passed away?" she asks, innocently.

I look at her, memorizing her carefree and happy face before I tilt her life on it's axis and alter her reality. I have no idea how to put this delicately, so I just say, "Uhh...well...since he's the Devil, he took me back to the Underworld."