Out of the Lamp

Chapter 6: Owned

Alia

I feel the air shift once more. This time an immense heat coursing through the atmosphere, almost suffocating me. Hells fire, it was hot! Cupid makes a funny face as he feels the hot waves too. He pops back to his normal size as the unwelcome guest makes an appearance.

'Daemon.' He says. Giving the new guest a curt nod.

'Cupid.' A low baritone voice replies, snaking across my room, creating an ominous echo that otherwise, wasn't there before.

Daemon. What's can I say? Son of Satan himself, and his half-year spouse Persephone, the lovechild of everything bright and beautiful. The born blood of spring and hellfire. Illegitimate as he wasn't supposed to technically exist. A walking hyperbole if I ever saw one.

His natural form overshadows Cupid in size, dwarfing him and filling up my room. He's no man, no human man. Standing around six feet and seven inches, he's not even fully grown. It's suddenly a lot more crowded in here.

'Well, you know what they say, two's a couple and three's a crowd.' He chuckles at that, dark brooding eyes darting over me. Raking me from head to toe.

Ugh, shiver.

I grit my teeth and focus my mind. Sending up my walls and protecting my last sanctuary from his intrusion. Ali taught me this skill years ago. One of the first basics, and it was paramount to master it. Especially when dealing with those of the underworld. Because letting someone into your last line of defence, your mind, friend or foe, is never, ever, results in a good outcome.

Daemon snickers, amusement flashing over his face. 'Spoil sport.'

'Don't you know it's impolite to read another's mind without permission?' I throw back, feeling myself slightly relax at having blocked him out, for now. It gets exhaustive eventually, training that much mental effort.

Cupid gives the demon son a side glance. Naturally, he was impervious to the dark lords offsprings skill. Being half mortal meant I wasn't quite as lucky. The Devil's son gives him a look. A silent conversation exchanges between them. Or through the mind-link, leaving me out. Either way, I don't like it.

'Well, I'll leave you to it.' Cupid says, all chipper like as he looks to me.

'Oh no you don't!' I jump up from my bed to grab at him. Throwing myself across the room, he blows me a kiss and with a wink, he's gone.

Poof.

I catch air as he disappears and fall flat on my face. 'Oofft!' I grunt at the sharp smart on my elbows upon impact.

'Classy.' 

I look up to see two feet, no shoes, poking out beneath a floor length cape. Yeah, he goes with the cape thing. But not for style, apparently to cover his bare feet because, all, ew-toes. Why does the devil son not wear shoes you ask? It's his half fairy nature, Persephone likes to feel the earth, and by default, so does he. Confront him about it though, and he'll send your soul to the fiery pits of hell. Sensitive, that one.

I scramble up and take a step back to crane my neck up at the small giant. I narrow my eyes to slits. 'Why did you give diaper-butt the Seventh Sin?' I hear the whiney edge to my voice.