Lost Hope Isn't What I'm Worried About

Lucifer

"Thank you for getting me out of that cage. It was a little humid in there," Was the first words that rolled smoothly off the Devil's tongue, the split muscles flicking from his lips as he stretched, his wings arching up until they pressed against the ceiling, the few remaining feathers shivering against the outline of bone.

"What does it mean now that you are out?" Sam asked, deciding to just cut to the chase, his eyes narrowed as he clenched the gun tighter in his hand. He wouldn't be able to kill the fallen angel, but he could wound his wings if he could hit them, "Are you just going to wreck chaos?"

Lucifer looked merely amused by his words, taking a step forwards, only to stop when light shot from the edge of the binding circle, pure energy flowing through the wall. The Devil tipped his head, his smirk only growing as he let out a sigh, looking at the circle.

"We need to finish the ritual, Sam. Come closer," Lucifer said, reaching up and tracing the symbol across his throat with far too much intelligence in his eyes. Sam didn't move, his eyes narrowing in distrust.

"Why the hell would I do that?" Sam asked, scowling when Lucifer let out a chuckle. Yet, he couldn't help but jump when the Devil's smile dropped from his face, his fist slamming into the wall of light and sending a flare of lightning through it, making Sam jump back in alarm.

"Because I cannot help you unless you bind the symbol to your own being," Lucifer spat, his eyes glowing dangerously as red light flared across the flesh of his wings, "You wish to save my brother, but you need me to do that."

"What happens when I let you loose?" Sam asked, meeting the Devil's glare evenly. As long as he was in the circle, he didn't have to worry about the fallen angel ripping him apart...hopefully.

"I cannot do anything against your will, so no worries about me destroying the world," Lucifer assured, a dark grin splitting his face that made Sam feel sick to his stomach. Nevertheless, he gave a hesitant nod, reaching out slowly and let his fingertips just brush the wall of light. His fingers instantly went through, and he didn't have a moment to react before Lucifer grabbed at the appendages, pain shooting through his arm up into his throat, a burning flare of smoke reaching up into his nose and making him choke on his own breath.

He was released, and he fell back, the wall of light disappearing with a flash and what sounded like a soft rumbling of thunder. He clutched at his throat, taking a gasping breath as he struggled to get away from the smell of smoke, only to hiss in pain when his hand hit tender flesh.

Lucifer grabbed his wrists, pulling his hands away from his body and ducking in, swiping his tongue along the sensitive skin of his throat, causing Sam to shiver in disgust and struggle. Lucifer pulled back, that grin still on his face as a cooling air settled over Sam's throat, and he froze, staring up at the Devil in confusion.

"W-what the he-"

"I healed your mark. Getting it infected isn't going to help anything," Lucifer answered with a shrug, stepping back and looking around the room. His wings fell in tattered heaps behind him, trembling every few moments or so before they raised, the tips of the feathers glowing red as he turned his gaze to the window.

"The creature is heading north," Lucifer commented, the glow reaching the spine of his wings and spreading across them in crack-like lines, "It likes the cold."

Sam clasped his hand over his throat as he stood, finding nothing but scarred skin poking out over his unmarred flesh, "What is it?" Sam asked, watching the fallen angel with wary eyes as he stepped closer to the window, looking out into the darkness.

"Maneluctus, the creatures born at the very beginning of time. They existed before even I was created," Lucifer answered, his eyes turning to Sam, the red glow of them barely lighting the features of his face in a cherry glow, "I thought I had driven them to extinction when I fell from heaven, but that was not the case. The last civilization they had was in Canada, so that must be where this one is going."

"Civilization? You mean, they were...like humans?" Sam asked, his lips twitching into a frown when Lucifer scowled, the red flaring the slightest bit as he turned away from Sam with a clenched jaw.

"Yes, and I had planned to do to the humans what I did the Maneluctus," Lucifer growled, his eyes narrowed in the reflection of the window, "Do not mistake this deal for kindness, Sam. I am simply completing what I began thousands of years ago."

"And when you complete that? What will happen to humanity?" Sam asked, his voice almost small compared to the rage that rolled off the fallen angel, red light flaring from him like heat waves.

Lucifer let out a little snarky laugh, not moving otherwise, "I am bound to you until you die, Sam. I cannot do anything against your will. Think of it as a guardian angel type deal. The symbol binds us together beyond anything that I could hope to overcome," He explained before his shoulders seemed to slump the smallest bit in what Sam could only assume was defeat, "And after your death, I will be banished back to Hell, where I came from to begin with."

"And since I'm bound to you, does that mean...?" Sam asked, trailing off. He didn't need to finish his question by the look on Lucifer's face.

"I wish I could tell you that you will face an eternity in hell for this ritual, but nothing could bar your path from heaven at this point," Lucifer said, giving a wave of his hand in a dismissing manner, "Predestination and the like."

For a moment, they were silent, then Lucifer turned away from the window, walking across the room towards the exit, "I will stand outside as guard for tonight. Get some sleep," He mumbled before he walked out the door, leaving Sam alone with his thoughts.