The Reclaiming

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight:

"Do you truly love Persephone?"

The god turned to look at him, a large tome cradled in his spindly fingers. The black of his tunic making his pale skin stand out starkly, fitting was the image for a god of the dead.

"Why do you ask, Samael?"

"My name is Lucifer."

The taller man raised a challenging brow, "Last I checked, that was the latin bastardization of your name, your true name is Samael."

"I no longer have rights to that name, He willed it to never belong to me when he exiled me."

The god sighed, annoyed, snapping the tome shut and stalking across the library. He dropped the heavy tome on the desk between them as he loomed over him, where he'd been sitting at the desk with a scroll. The god's fists balled up and planted on the desk as he cut him a stern glare.

"Your father created you, beyond that, he has done nothing of note. He gave you a name, but he does not hold the right to take it away. You are no longer his property, no longer his marionette to be played with and tugged around to his whims and fancies. Stop giving him any more power over you than you already have."

"He raised me, clothed me and fed me, he gave me a home and a family -"

"As was his duty. If his love for you hinged on obedience and subservience, his love for you is conditional, and last I checked, love was never meant to be conditional, that's just a manipulation tactic to control people fool enough to fall for it."

He stared at him in silence, then asked again, "Do you love Persephone?"

"Yes."

"Truly?"

"Truly."

"Then explain to me how you can indulge in this .....this debauchery."

The god sighed and sat down in the chair across from him. "The word you are looking for is adultery, and we're Greek, monogamy isn't strictly enforced or expected among divine beings."

"And she wouldn't hate you for it?"

"Considering she has her own lover, it would be hypocritical of her."

"What about Minthe?"

"Minthe was my lover before Persephone, she decided to open her big mouth and taunt a goddess, she got what she deserved. I warned her enough."

"Are you going to warn me too?"

"Are you going to taunt my wife?"

"Not expressly, no."

"Then you're safe from being turned into a sunflower or something just as ridiculous."

"Why sunflower -"

"My wife has an odd sense of humor."

"So you love her but you'll take lovers on the side anyway?"

This time the god frowned, "Don't expect me to love you. You are simply convenient, and extremely handsome."

"You're a bastard."

"My parents were married before I was born, so no, I am not. And Samael, be honest, would you even want me for more than sex?"

"I would."

"Then you obviously need to get a whore, your lack of sexual experience is simply saddening."

"Fine, I'll go find a whore then."

"You do that."

He materialized into the throne room, only to gasp as something was immediately thrust into his arms. He caught it, the bundle of messy bloodied sheets and a cloak. He jerked his head up and stared right into the gods stark green eyes, gaping in shock.