The Devil and I

Chapter 18:Make Believe-Memphis May Fire

Comatose-Coheed & Cambria **Two songs for this one. :)

The second he left, I got up from the bed and grabbed my backpack and made sure all my stuff was inside. The door that led to the hall was locked. No surprise there. Of course, he would lock me in after I asked him to let me go. I turned toward the balcony with the thought that I could possibly climb down.

When I opened the balcony door and stepped out, giant stone wings flared from on top of the balustrade, and a gargoyle craned its head back at me. I stumbled backward and scrambled across the floor to get away. Its wings flexed as they settled against its back, but its glowing red eyes stayed locked on me until I shut the door.

So much for my plan to escape. I dragged myself across the room and slumped into chair by the fire. There were still so many conflicting emotions roiling inside of me that I didn't know how to come to terms with. My mother made a deal with Lucifer out of her own selfishness. Not that the one I made was any better, but at least the person mine affected was deserving of it. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her.

The worst part of all of this though, was that I understood why he did everything. I wanted to hate him for it, but how could I when he thought he was doing what he had to in order to avoid whatever destruction would come to earth, which in hindsight, he neglected to explain. But his life was complicated and vastly different than mine, and I couldn't imagine what I would have done if put in his position.

All he wanted was to be loved, and who could love the Devil? Maybe I was just too screwed up. My mother had sold me off before I was born and then left me to rot with an abusive father. My whole life I had felt like I was never loved either. It was something I had wanted too, and he was offering it to me, but was the cost of his love worth it? Worth my body and soul?

I turned as I heard the sound of the doorknob turning. Lucifer walked through the door, and cradled in his arms was Styx. He held the door open and Amiah walked in behind him. Her eyes were wide, and she looked terrified and confused. I jumped out of the chair and ran over to her and threw my arms around her neck. Lucifer shut the door and set Styx in the floor. He darted under the bed. I imagine the trip down was a shock to them both.

"What the hell is going on Keiran? Where are we?" Amiah said as she hugged me with trembling hands.

"It's hard to explain," I replied as I pulled back from her and glanced at Lucifer. He tipped his head for me to come to him. "Give me a minute," I told her before I turned to him. He took me by the elbow and pulled me aside.

"This is the best I can do little one, but I will have to take her back soon." His hand brushed my cheek tenderly.

"Thank you . . . for bringing them." I looked up at him, and I could still see the fear and worry etched on his face despite the soft smile he gave me.

He smoothed his hand down my arm as he said, "I just want you to be happy. Seeing you cry makes me want to do murderous things, little one."

"How long do we have?" I asked.

He breathed out as he stepped closer and leaned down. "An hour, then she must go." I nodded and went to turn away, but he caught my wrist and pulled me back. "I love you, Keiran." His hand came up around the back of my neck as he kissed me, then he left out the door without turning back.

"Okay, I am missing so much information here," Amiah said from where she had perched on the end of the bed. I sighed as I walked over and sat beside her.

It was a long conversation to explain it all. Had I told her any of this before, she wouldn't have believed me, but since she was here, it made it hard for her not to. Styx finally came out from under the bed and curled up beside me as I scratched behind his little ears. Amiah sat in silence for a few moments after I finished. Then she said, "So you're telling me the Devil is your husband and wants you to have his babies?"