Requiem: Book One in The Apocalypse Trilogy

Chapter Eight

Lorelei stepped in front of the barrel of the rifle, blocking Lawrence from Kent’s view. Lawrence looked up at her. He could grab her. She was in arms reach. The thought of holding her hostage until they let him go crossed his mind, but then again, she was the only one preventing them from sending him back to Hell.

“Policies are policies, Kent,” Lorelei said, shoving the barrel of the rifle back at him. “No harm is to come to him before his trial, understand?”

“If your father wasn’t the town Preacher and one of our Leaders, I swear to God--”

“God isn’t here at the moment. Care to leave him a message?” Lorel asked and Jadis, the Angel, coughed, hiding a laugh.

Kent’s face was bright red as he stormed out of the cell, the other mortal following along beside him. The Angel lingered by, seeming torn. Lawrence could tell by the way the Angel’s hazel eyes danced between Lorelei and himself, that he did not trust leaving her alone with a Demon. It was a rather smart choice to stay behind, Lawrence realized as the Angel leaned against the cell bars, his eyes locked onto Lawrence.

“Now, onto more pressing matters,” Lorelei said as she grabbed a chair, pulling it up and took a seat in front of Lawrence. “I need to ask you some questions.”

“As long as your trained monkey isn’t around, I don’t mind talking to you, darlin’,” Lawrence said with a smile as he settled back into his cot.

A flicker of what Lawrence could only register as unamused, danced in her emerald green eyes as she leaned forward, resting her elbows onto her knees. “Why did you save the girls? You could have left. You could have let them die, yet you decided to save their lives. Why is that?”

“A Demon can’t do something out of the goodness of his heart?” Lawrence asked.

“Demons don’t have hearts,” Jadis pipped up.

“I don’t believe I was talking to you, Son of Heaven,” Lawrence commented, turning his black gaze onto the Angel.

“Enough,” Lorelei snapped and took in a bracing breath, trying to calm her nerves.. “I just want to know why you saved them.”

“You see, darlin’,” Lawrence explained, turning his attention back onto her. “When I left Hell, I promised myself I would never be the Demon I was when I was in Hell. In other terms, I tuned over a new leaf, so to speak.”

“Demons don’t change,” Jadis glowered.

“Apparently, neither do Angels. Looks like we’re both in the same boat without a paddle,” Lawrence said irritably.

“I have a question for you, Son of Satan,” Jadis said, narrowing his eyes. “How did you know what those symbols meant?”

“Demons can read Enochian,” Lawrence began as Lorelei flicked her gaze onto him, her auburn eyebrows pulling into a tight V. “Well, only some of us can.”

“How?” Jadis demanded, taking a step forward.

“Did you happen to forget that Lucifer is, in fact, an Angel? A Fallen Angel to be more precis, but he is still an Angel nonetheless. Therefor, he can read and write Enochian. I just happen to be one of the few who were taught how to.”

“Why would he teach you?” Lorelei asked, and Lawrence caught the suspicion in her voice.

“Do you want the truth? Because if you ask for it, I cannot promise it will settle too well for you, my dear,” Lawrence said, his tone serious.

“Lorel, just forget about it. If Demons have never told the truth in their whole existence, what makes you think one will change the pattern?” Jadis said.

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not like other Demons, you rat with wings,” Lawrence flicked his gaze at Jadis before he returned it to Lorelei. “I’m only giving you one opportunity--one chance--to hear the truth from me.”

“Then tell me the truth,” Lorelei said, a hardness in her green eyes. “Why would Lucifer teach you Enochian?”

“When I was in Hell, I was one of his many Generals that were supposed to lead his armies on Earth. He taught me Enochian, because Lucifer believed that he could trust me. As the Apocalypse let us free from Hell, I betrayed Lucifer. I never wanted a part of this pathetic, egotistical war. I just wanted to be free. And here I am,” Lawrence said, extending his hands out. “Although, the ‘free’ part worked so well, up until now.”

“You were a General of Hell? You?” Jadis asked, his voice rising a few octaves.

“Not what you expected of a lying Demon with no heart, I assume?” Lawrence smiled as Jadis’ cheeks grew red, either with anger or embarrassment, but Lawrence couldn’t quite tell.

    “How do I know if you’re telling us the truth? That you’re not still working for Lucifer?” Lorelei asked, her emerald eyes gleaming.

    “You don’t,” Lawrence replied with a shrug of his shoulders. “I suppose you’ll just have to trust me.”

    Lorelei stood from her chair, her eyes locking with Lawrence’s. “I’m only going to tell you this once. If you betray my judgement, you will regret it. Understand?”

    The corner of Lawrence’s mouth twitched, forming a smile. “Is this your way of telling me that you believe me?”

    Lorelei said nothing. She turned and stormed out of the cell. Lawrence watched as the Angel hesitated before he followed behind her, shutting the cell door with finality.

    “Could you at least bring me something to read?” Lawrence called through the bars of his cell, but the other door, leading to the outside world, shut before anyone could hear him. “I guess not.”

    Lawrence sank back into his bed, rubbing at his aching wrist. He lay his head down on his pillow, gazing up at the concrete ceiling above him. Lawrence laid there in silence with only his thoughts for company. His eyes finally closed after a little while and he began to drift off to sleep.

    The sound of his cell door opening awoke him.

    Something hard landed on his chest and Lawrence reached up, gripping onto something thick and papery. He pulled the object back, staring at it. In his hand, was a book. Lawrence turned toward the man who loomed over his bedside.

    The man had thick, auburn hair and wise old eyes. Glasses rested at the bridge of his nose. The clothes on his back were nothing like the soldiers Lawrence had seen before hand. He wore a pair of simple jeans and a deep blue sweater that was too big for his thin frame. The man had his hands folded behind him, a sign of respect.

    “My daughter said that you requested a book,” The man said, smiling lightly. “It’s odd, really. I’ve never heard of a Demon that saves children’s lives, then asks for a book to read.”

    “Then you’ve never met a Demon like me,” Lawrence replied, oddly comfortable with the man’s presence.

    The man smiled in response to Lawrence’s comment. “My name is Samuel Grace. I am the town Preacher and one of the four Leaders. Who, pray tell, are you?”

    “I’m Lawrence, ex-General of Hell in Lucifer’s army,” Lawrence said with a smirk, but the kind smile never fell from Samuel’s lips.

    “As long as you no longer have association with Lucifer, it would be my pleasure to welcome you to Haven; a sanctuary for humans, Angels, and now, Demons,” Samuel gave a respectful nod toward Lawrence before he shuffled out, shutting the door behind him.

    Lawrence glanced down at the book in his hand. A smirk spread across his lips as the words Holy Bible stuck out against the black leather. For a Preacher, Samuel had a sick and twisted sense of humor.