Demon ∞ l.h.

∞ Chapter Twenty Three ∞

∞

The disappointed look I expected to see on Luke's face was absent, instead I was surprised to see an expression of pure understanding and- was it sympathy? The emotion swirling darkly ethereal blue eyes were enough to have me caught in a trance.

"I may be a demon, Eve, but I was once an angel and I, of all angels, know how to love and to lose. Do not be so surprised at my empathy, it isn't hard to understand why someone would do what you did." His voice was more gravely than usual, caught between his timeless drawl and the covering up of emotions so deeply buried it was a wonder they ever surfaced.

"Why is it not surprising?" I cannot help but feel a bit miffed at his statement. "Am I really that predictable?"

Luke's plump lips tilt up in a slight smirk and he shakes his head. He leans forward from the back of the couch and slides close to me, our knees brushing with every slight movement. I can feel his cool breath breeze over me as he speaks. "It is not surprising to bring someone back to life because love will make any one go to extreme lengths to protect those whom they care about. You yourself are not at all predictable, my dear Eve, it is the entirety of the human race who is."

"What do you mean?" My voice is a whisper but Luke, as usual, hears everything.

"How to explain in a way you would understand?" Luke says, almost to himself, his eyes narrowing in concentration but never leaving mine. "Okay, look at the animal kingdom- sorry for the analogy but it's the easiest way to explain it. Animals do not have a sense of wrong or right; they have no moral compass that leads them to question their motives- animals only think about survival. It is about day-to-day living, doing what needs to be done in order to survive- to not be killed.

Humans are not like this. Humans are lead by their emotions; it is about what is good and evil, wrong and right. They are defined by their decisions and those who decisions that don't align with these moral codes are exiled, seen as a villain. Humans are victims to emotions, and more often than not the emotions associated with love and loss are the ones that leave people vulnerable to irrationality. Guilt is one of these emotions. It is an emotion that leaves humans with a heavy feeling in their gut- their souls rotting because of it. Guilt is often the motivating force behind Demon deals."

His words mull over in my mind, my brain taking a few seconds to comprehend all that Luke has voiced. It all makes perfect sense in theory.

"So many people bring back their loved ones from the dead?" I ask.

"Occasionally yes. Most of the time deals are made because people are greedy, unsatisfiable creatures who think themselves worthy of more than what they have. Many wish for wealth or for fame, but there are others like you, who are driven by their emotions, hormones and co-dependency on others." Luke's eyes are bright; the blue of them tainted with cheekiness as the wide smile of his face echoes this.

My expression no longer mirrors his. Did he just call me hormone driven and co-dependent? I do give a flying fahoodle whether he is the King of Hell or not, no one insults me like that and doesn't get a kick up the ass.

The lively expression on Luke's face dims as he reads the surely offended look on my face. "I did not mean to suggest that you are hormone-driven-"

"Then what the fuck did you mean, Lucifer?" I snarl, pushing him back into the couch roughly as I stand up above him. He watches as I cross my arms tightly over my chest and pop my hip, full-bitch mode on.

"Damn it, this is what I meant when I said humans are led by their emotions! One thinly concealed insult and your anger sparks like a flame in a wooden house! And I have told you countless times, call me Luke." His exasperated tone does nothing to calm my noticeably growing anger as I step forward to loom further over him.

My dominant stance over him clearly doesn't bother him, looking as relaxed as ever with his eyes roaming my body calmly. "I will call you whatever I damn well want, asshole. Do not think because you have kept me here for a month has left me eager to obey your every command. Go suck a –"

I don't get to finish my statement before Luke's foot has shot out, looped around the back of my knees and yanked them forward. I fall with a slight scream, landing exactly on top of him, my hands only catching on his chest to keep me from crushing him. His hands hold my hips, his grip tight holding me in place.

"Be careful how you finish that sentence, darling. It would be such a shame for me to have to remove your tongue from your mouth." Luke whispers, his eyes growing darker and darker each second. I glare at him, my mouth shut tightly, but trying not to let him intimidate me.

It falls silent between us for a few seconds as I try to come up with an insult but come up short. "Fuck you, Luke." I whisper, unable to remove my eyes from his ever-darkening gaze. Luke's mouth twitches upward and his hands grip tighter the pressure making me squirm slightly, my arms linking around his neck tightly.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to strangle the lift out of him or kiss him. That I was still deciding.

His hands on my hips weren't uncomfortable, like I'd imagined. Instead they fit perfectly... almost like they were made to hold onto me. No, I refuse to believe any fate type shit, I am a realist I believe in science and fact. But the connection I felt to Luke was undeniable; there was no way I could deny that.

"What are you thinking, Eve?" His voice whispers back, the smirk now gone with a look of confusion taking its place. One of his hands lifted from my hips, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen into my eyes. I remained motionless, still with shock as his fingers lingered on my cheeks, brushing from my temple down my jaw. My head tilts without thought, leaning further into the palm of his hand.

I watched his expression as his fingers trailed down my neck where they paused, feeling my pulse thrumming in my neck. Letting his hand rest there, I let out a sigh, my shoulders sinking slightly. "I'm thinking that as much as I want to deny it, there is something here between us. It's wrong, completely unnatural on a whole new scale but there is no point in pretending that I don't feel something."

∞