if you're going through hell, keep on going [lucifer]

still breathing (part 3)

The first thing she felt upon awakening was that she was really cold. The next was that her limbs were strapped down to whatever cold surface she was laying upon. Eyes opened only to shut again as a bright white light made itself known. Aaron turned her head to the side and opened her eyes then only to see darkness beyond the light above her. Blinking, she glanced down at her arm, panic setting in as she found out that her clothes were gone, leaving her naked on what she discovered to be a metal table. On the other side of her she could see a table holding various instruments, tools that doctors used when performing surgeries.

She wanted to laugh and cry hysterically, realizing that the demon wanted to take his time in torturing her. In order to make sure her friend didn't become the next victim, Aaron had gone and made herself the next target instead.

If she didn't die here (which her odds weren't that great honestly), John was sure to kill her himself for running off, unaware that he wasn't behind her anymore. Oh God, what about Lucifer? She would never see that handsome, stupid face of his again with that wicked grin and personality of his. He was so fun to be around, so charming. Oh God, she was falling for the stupid Devil and it took this for her to really realize it as she tried so hard to ignore it. Her! In love with the Devil! Laughable. Of course she could never tell the idiot how she felt. She wasn't even sure if he could feel such a thing.

But he is, a part of her mind whispered. He's still an angel and all angels are apparently capable of love. His is just more unique than others.

Bloody hell, she was arguing with herself over what Lucifer might or might not feel. She was starting to lose it.

Breathe girl, breathe, she repeated mentally as she felt her breathing intensify rapidly, signaling a panic attack. You got yourself into this situation. How are you going to get out of it?

"Sleeping beauty awakes," a voice hissed from out of the darkness, startling Aaron. She turned her head, catching sight of the demon as he stood beside the table of tools, fingers delicately grasping a scalpel and holding it up to his eye level, inspecting it, the light glinting off the metal. "This makes it even better as I get to hear you scream." Niluhr grinned evilly, causing Aaron to shiver in fear and feel violated as he looked her up and down with his slimy gaze.

She sounded braver than she felt. "They'll come for you and send you straight back to Hell."

Niluhr laughed. "The exorcist and what army? All he will find is you with your guts spilled out on the floor and in pieces sending him into despair over his precious Sight being killed, making it that much more fun for me."

Aaron spat in his face in response, Niluhr's expression turning cold. Her head snapped to the side as he slapped her harshly, Aaron spitting out blood from her now busted lip. She turned back to stare at him, smiling, causing him to scowl. She was supposed to be terrified, pleading with him to let her go. The girl was putting on a brave front and they both knew it. Now it was his time to break her. He grinned wickedly, the silver of the scalpel glinting in the light as it neared her chest.

Aaron bit her lip in pain causing it to bleed more as he sliced open the skin. She would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream god damn it, no matter what he did.

-----

Lucifer jerked, causing his car to swerve before righting himself as a small annoyance of pain unexpectedly popped into his chest, tongue prodding his lip to make sure it wasn't bleeding. He clenched his teeth, scowl permanently dominating his features, which set Constantine on edge. The torture had begun. He relayed this information to the exorcist reluctantly.

"Fuck," breathed John.

That didn't even begin to describe it. Lucifer was pissed at John, this situation, Aaron. Stupid woman getting herself into this situation to save her friend from being a target. So typically human of her. He was glad he had an outlet to take his anger out on, making a promise to himself that for every ounce of pain Aaron was dealt, Lucifer would deal ten times more to Niluhr before letting the exorcist send him back to where he belonged.

He pressed harder on the gas, engine rumbling loudly in response, feeling the pain begin to bloom into his chest, mind half on the road and the other half on finding her location by feeling through the bond. The more intense the pain he felt, they closer they were.

The Devil just hoped he would get there in time.

-----

Pain overwhelmed her body, lungs gasping heavily for air as one drowned in blood, a lone scalpel having pierced through skin, muscles, and bone to puncture it with deadly accuracy, leaving the tool stuck in place. Her chest was covered in blood, the first slice having starting from between her boobs and ending before her belly button, left open to bleed slowly. The punctured lung had been the second thing followed by the hammer, used to break her right hand and fingers. Now, now Niluhr was starting to slice open the old wounds on her wrists, intent on having her bleed out it seemed.

A sudden buzzing had her looking from the dark ceiling to the demon, barely reacting to the fact that he had turned on the bone saw. Oh goodie. She was going to get cut into pieces while still aware of it. She giggled deliriously at the fact, starting to lose it. She blinked slowly as the bone saw neared her right shoulder, completely unaware of a loud banging as a door flew off it's hinges into the darkened warehouse.

Niluhr paused with a frown, turning around only to drop the saw in surprise as a hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him into the air causing him to choke. "Y-You're...!"

"Lucifer!" Aaron giggled before coughing and gasping, blood spilling past her lips.

The Devil took one look at her before turning to Niluhr with a deep and dark growl, face shifting into something more dark and dangerous causing the demon to quake in fear as brown eyes flashed a brilliant bright red. "Take care of her Constantine. I have work to do," Lucifer growled with a grin causing Niluhr to pale even further as he was tossed into the darkness with a scream, Lucifer stalking him slowly, disappearing into the darkness as well with a sadistic and evil grin.

Ignoring the Devil, John ran to Aaron, paling at what he saw. "Oh lass, ya fool," he muttered, taking off his coat and ripping it into pieces to tie up her wrists before releasing her restraints, using the rest of his coat to cover her up and put pressure on her wounds, causing her to cry out.

"It hurts Johnny," she cried.

He shushed her, one bloody hand grabbing his phone from out of his suit jacket and dialing for an ambulance. "You'll be fine Ron. Just stay with me."

"I don't want to die. Not yet." They both ignored the piercing screams of fear from the surrounding darkness accompanied by a bone chilling laughter.

John got a stern look on his face, relaying information to the dispatcher quickly as they answered before hanging up. "You're not going to die luv. Not if we have anything to do with it."

She raised a shaky and bloody hand to weakly grasp his own that was putting pressure on her chest, blinking wearily. "I'm really...tired."

That alarmed John. "No, no lassie! Stay awake! Help will be here soon. Morningstar!" he called to the now silent darkness.

Speak of the Devil and he shall appear. She blinked, Lucifer having suddenly taken John's spot as the exorcist went to go send the broken, beaten, bloody, and terrified demon back to Hell. Lucifer's hands were now covered in her blood as he held the wound closed, a pained expression on his face now. "Sorry," she whispered, spitting out blood.

"For what?"

She exhaled slowly, eyes closing briefly before opening them again to stare at him. "This," she breathed.

A hand brushed her cheek, forehead resting upon hers. "You bloody fool," he whispered angrily.

She laughed weakly, trying to make light of the current situation. "That I am." She stopped though when she sensed, no, felt his anger through the bond among other emotions, panic being one. Was that her own or his? She was too tired to tell. Ah, there was alarm, was it?

"No no! My Father has to wait for you yet. I am not letting you go!" he growled, smacking her cheek lightly as the edge of her vision started to turn black.

Lucifer.... was her last thought before the world faded away once again.