The Devil's Mark (Book 1)

Chapter Thirty Eight: Pain & Loss

Jason

After all this time. I never thought I'd be returning home to see my parents again let alone get married in less than forty-eight hours. The jet touched down on the tarmac as it reached hanger B-12 with a car waiting to take us into town. I was the first to step off the plane. The familiar sight, smell and sound of New York hit me like a freight train as John F. Kennedy International airport gleamed in the early morning light while Lucifer helped me into the passenger seat of a McLaren P1 LM. He slipped into the driver seat and wrapped his fingers around the steering wheel as he put his foot on the brake and started the engine.

He looked at me and smirked, like a child who just did something he shouldn't as he hit the gas and swerved into oncoming traffic as my hand held on tight to the door handle. Cars honked, drivers shouted in profanity. Just another day in the life of a Morningstar. As I looked out the window, seeing the people pass me by on their way elsewhere. I started to wonder about the future and what it would mean for the both of us. If what Lucifer told me about Hell being unstable was true, then that would mean that the rest of the world is on the brink of an apocalypse. I feared the worst was yet to come.

"Where are you right now?" Lucifer asked as he pulled up to a red light.

"What do you mean? I'm right here."

"I'm not talking about physically. I'm talking about mentally. I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes."

"Oh. Sorry about that. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About how surprised my parents are going to be when they see me." I lied.

But the light turned green before Lucifer could respond and he hit the gas as four burning tires screeched off into the distance. Butterflies formed in my stomach by the time we turned onto my old street. The houses on that blocked stayed exactly as I remembered them from my childhood days. It's like nothing had changed in the months since I'd been gone. I even wondered if my bedroom was still the same as the night I left it. The engine idled to a crawl as Lucifer pulled over to the side across from my house. I took a deep breath in anticipation of this moment. For so long I've wanted to see them again. To see the smiles on their faces and feel their arms embrace me in the security of their hugs as I cried tears of joy.

A hand touch mine with our fingers entwined. I looked over at Lucifer and stared into his eyes. I tried to remain calm and prayed that Lucifer would keep me check during those first few moments. His hand grasped the door handle as he asked me if I was ready. I tried to breathe through my mouth instead of my nose because it was the only way I could get my lungs to work properly as I nodded and stepped out of the car. Freshly manicured lawns could be seen on every street corner as we walked across the road and stood on the edge of my driveway. God, how it felt weird to be back here again after such a long time.

My footsteps matched to that of my heartbeats as I took the necessary fifty-four steps needed to make my way up to the front door. I didn't want to barge in announce myself in front of my parents and give them a heart attack. So instead, I rang the doorbell and waited as I heard someone on the other end walking through the house. Locks clicked, a knob was turned, the person on the other side had to use all their strength just to get the door open. I started to smile but then quickly lost it when I came into eye contact with a man who clearly wasn't my father and a woman that didn't look anything like my mother.

"Yes?" The man asked. "Can we help you?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for Mr. and Mrs. Hale. They're my parents and they use to live here. But I believe I may have remembered the wrong address. I'm sorry to have bothered you."