No Rest for the Wicked

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Raven POV

This young girl who laid on the slab in my laboratory was named Allie Thornton. She was fairly young and had dreams just like any other girl who came to Los Angeles. Her parents were surely worried sick about her. I was currently making plans to contact them about their daughter and try to comfort them on some level of at all possible.

Though, I was absolutely terrible at comforting anyone. Not to mention, the fact that I can't even maintain a healthy relationship with a man.

I was sitting at my desk, finishing the autopsy paperwork when I heard a knock on the door frame. I looked up to see it was Lucifer, which definitely made my blood boil. Then I noticed that he had a bouquet of roses in his hands and that signature smirk of his that made my heart rate increase.

"Figured you were still mad, so I decided to bring you a little something help with the scent of death," he jested as he approached my desk.

I put my pen down and looked up at him, my rage bubbling up again. I then yanked the flowers from his hand and violently threw them into the trash bin. My eyes were filled with rage and my fists clenched at my sides as I rose.

"Lucifer, do you have any idea why I am angry with you? Because usually when men purchase flowers for women it is a clear sign that they have no clue what they did wrong," I snapped while he merely took a step back.

"Well of course, I have no idea what I did wrong, Raven. You're a bloody irrational woman. You refused to even look at me at the crime scene," he responded calmly.

All I could do was glare at him for a good minute before speaking,"You insulted what I do. And that was hurtful, Lucifer. What I do is important. I love my job and what I do for the world. I help give people closure, tell them the answers to the questions I still ask myself today. It should matter to you too because it is such a big part of my life. Now... I don't know if I can even try to make this work."

Something in his eyes shifted, maybe it was hurt or heartbreak. I couldn't tell. I wasn't good with reading people or their emotions. There were two things that could be the cause of his behavior. The fact that I was giving up on him or the fact that I just basically dumped him.

"Raven, I made a mistake. I'm sorry," he swallowed hard to push through the lump in his throat,"I don't wanna lose you. Tell me what I can do to make this up to you."

"I don't know if you can, Lucifer. What you said was very hurtful and I do have the habit of holding grudges," I cleared my throat,"Now can we just discuss the case instead?"

He paused a moment before nodding quietly, clearly dismayed by the way this conversation headed.

"The victim's hyoid, the bone in the neck situated by the mandible. A mandible is the jaw," I noted as I explained,"The hyoid was slightly fractured, which confirms she was strangled. Although, there was a large amount of fluid in her lungs."

"And what exactly does that mean, Ray?," he asked softly. Clearly, he was still calming down from the shock of our talk.

"It means that the victim wasn't choked to death, merely until she was unconscious. She could have been resuscitated, but she was thrown into the pool. Meaning the cause of death was drowning. She did have a chance at survival, but the killer believed that he choked her to death."

"How do you know it was a man? Ty wouldn't have done this."

"Never said it was Ty. I measured the bruises on her neck and Ty's hands are too small to have caused them. I drew up a calculation as to the exact size of the hands that did the damage. So if you find a suspect, we can confirm who is responsible for her death."

"It's really that easy?," he asked quizzically. Showing some form of interest in what I was talking about, as if to make up for our previous discussion.

"Yes, it is. Also, I can most likely get some epithelial cells from the nail marks in the victim's neck. With those cells, we would have concrete DNA evidence. I estimate  that the likely of a conviction is 85%," I added plainly as I closed the autopsy report.

"No offense, Raven, but I really don't care," he replied.

I tilted my head and gave him a inquiring look, displaying my inability to understand what he meant.

He sighed before turning to me with a longing look in his eyes,"I understand I haven't known you that long. It's been barely even a month, yet you're all I can think about. My difficulty to comprehend why I have you on my mind is frustrating. I said something I shouldn't have because not knowing things irks me to the core. It makes me behave in ways that I end up regretting."

"Lucifer, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say that.... That I have strong feelings for you that I don't understand. I don't know what is happening, but Dr. Linda thinks that you're.....changing me."

I said nothing as he simply gazed at me, which clearly showed he wanted me to say anything. My silence was frightening him.

"I will admit that I feel the same way. I don't do well with emotions either. I prefer to just block them out whenever possible. And I tried to do so when we started sleeping together."

Lucifer then interrupted me with a sparkle in his eyes,"You did?"

"Please let me finish," I halted him with a simple raise of my hand,"I don't believe people change. They can merely improve or get worse. I do believe, however, that a person can bring out something that lies dormant inside another. And I think that you do that for me. You make me want enjoy life more. To indulge myself in even the simplest of pleasures. And I believe I make you feel at peace. We provide what the other wants the most. You just want to be at peace and I just want to experience all that life has to offer."

Lucifer stood there for a moment, staring at me blankly. He was clearly taken aback by my words. I wasn't sure how he'd respond. I honestly believed it would be a negative response at the very least.

When I raised an eyebrow in reaction to his behavior, he started to smile. And before I knew it, his lips crashed against mine in a passionate kiss. I smiled against his lips as we fought for dominance in the kiss.

Eventually, we had to regrettably pull away for air. Lucifer leaned his forehead against mind as he slipped an arm around my waist.

I chuckled and looked at him,"Guessing you were happy to hear that, huh?"

"You have no idea, Raven," he replied breathlessly before pecking my lips,"Am I forgiven?"

"Somewhat. Although, I do expect you to make me dinner one night,” I smirked before continuing the kiss once more.

Damn, it felt good.