The truth shall set you free

14. The road to Hell is paved with good intetions

The sense of falling was overwhelming and it felt as if she was about to lose consciousness. She had never been especially fond of rollercoasters, but this was so much worse. Going to Hell wasn't supposed to be a nice experience she reflected later, but during the fall she couldn't think at all. It was a vortex of horror despite her knowledge that it was for her safety only. What if she had been sentenced to an eternity of damnation here. She didn't want to think about it.

"Are you okay Chloe?"

She barely understood the question, all her senses was assaulted and it took some time to acknowledge Lucifer's support on her upper arms. They had reached their destination. Slowly her eyes regained focus to see his concerned face. "I, yes, I think I'm okay." She grabbed whatever she could get hold of for stability. Eventually she noticed it to be Lucifer's shirt as her statement turned more true. "Yeah, I'm okay." It was warm and dark here and something smelled foul. Strange sounds echoed around them, making every hair on her body stand upright in fear.

"Good, let's get out of here." He took her hand and started to walk. "Stay with me." There was really no need for him to say that, Chloe clung to his arm with both hands. It was as if she had lost her sense of sight; not completely, but enough to lose her perception. It was dark and everything seemed to move like a mirage. "It is not far now," Lucifer assured her as they slowly walked along some horrific corridor where the ground seemed to move as they stepped on it. Chloe noticed Lucifer looking upwards and murmur something that sounded like 'bloody ash', but she wasn't sure. Even her hearing was impaired here.

A huge portal appeared before them, Lucifer opened it and led her through. The strange terrifying sounds ceased as soon as Lucifer closed the door behind them.

"Oh my God," slipped out of Chloe's lips but Lucifer looked disapprovingly at her. "Don't you think 'what the hell' would have been more appropriate?"

Had she not been so frightened she might have blushed, but this was not the time nor the place for that. "Where are we?"

"In my quarters," he answered instead of the obvious one; in hell. "Come on, let's get you settled in."

Her senses took some time to recover; to register that the stifling heat had cooled down in here. It turned out that these quarters of his were quite comfortable. Had it not been so dark, it had reminded Chloe of Lux. Dark shiny surfaces in the bar and plush cushions on the couch. The bedroom he showed her had of course black silk sheets, and she wondered where he had gotten them. It was quite far to the closest store. The very next moment she wanted to scold herself for the silly distracting thoughts.

"I'm sorry, but this is a one bedroom suite," he somehow felt the need to apologize. "I can sleep on the sofa if you don-"

"You will not leave me alone in this place, you hear me," she interrupted him with fervor. Just the thought gave her icy shills.

"I won't, I promise." He had uttered the phrase before he had thought it over but as he heard himself say it he knew he would never leave her alone here. The thought of her close by in bed awakened more than erotic notions in him. He wanted to keep her safe. "When I first arrived here, when my father cast me out," he explained quite unnecessary, "I was terrified." This was something he had never told anyone.

Chloe watched him with wide intelligent eyes and he instinctively knew that she would never hold it against him, whatever he revealed to her. He had already revealed the worst; his devil face. She still wanted him close.

The dinner they shared later that night was exquisite. Chloe hadn't even thought about food until Lucifer had cooked for them in a vast well equipped kitchen. Her stomach had started to rumble loud enough for him to notice and she had felt embarrassed. His cooking was as it had been on every earlier occasion; delicious. "Are these the good intensions that Hell is paved with."