Book 1: The Wrong Girl in the Devildom

Not Another Therapy Session

"Asmo, get the fuck-" Mammon gripped Asmo by the shirt and threw him off of him. He caught his breath and got up. "Why are you so sure she's going to run to Barbatos?"

"Where else is she going to go, Mammon?"

"She could be on her way to Purgatory hall."

"With Solomon? Please."

Lucifer watched his brothers' argument and shook his head. He looked at the damage to the painting and the vase. He wasn't going to be able to replace either of the items. "Someone tell me what's going on, right now."

"I have it handled!"

"Clearly you don't, otherwise our exchange student would not have just run out in the rain." Lucifer's eyes glowed, and he backed Mammon into a wall. "Start talking, now."

Despite the fact that Lucifer had him against the wall, all Mammon could feel was rage and regret. He started explaining everything to Lucifer, from Saphonya threatening Alicia's life... to their intimate time together, to the blow-up that just took place. He barely paid attention to the emotion on his brother's face, missing the anger and annoyance. By the time Mammon focused on him, Lucifer just looked disappointed.

"So...We just let an emotionally distraught human-run out of the house, apparently with untapped magic potential, a witch out for her head, and we can only hope that she's at Lord Diavolo's palace." Lucifer shook his head and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is why I insisted that you keep your relationship professional."

"I'm going to call the palace." Asmo pulled out his phone and started to dial Barbatos' number when Lucifer grabbed his arm.

"Please don't, not now. It's late, Diavolo is more than likely already asleep...Mammon, how's your pact mark?"

"It's fine. There's just a dull burning, nothing serious."

"Then she's fine, physically anyway... I'll reach out to the palace in the morning. Asmo, in the meantime, please try to reach her cell phone."

Asmo nodded and dialed her phone number. A moment later, the three would hear the song Selfie blasting from her bedroom. Asmo frowned and ran into the room, snatching the phone off the bed. "Damn it."

"Then at least we know she'll come back. None of you can live without your phones." Lucifer looked at Mammon one more time, trying to figure out what to say. The regret he had on his face wasn't the same type he had when Lucifer caught him in a scheme, this one looked like pain. "I'm going to fix this...We'll talk more in the morning. I'm going to bed, and I recommend you all to do the same." Lucifer walked off to his room and Mammon went into Alicia's.

"I didn't think she'd run away..."

"I don't know what you were expecting when you said that shit to her, but if you wanted her to stay away from you, you did a great job. I just hope she doesn't cut me off because of it." Asmo walked out of her room, leaving Mammon alone. The Avatar of Greed looked around the space and sighed. Any good memories he had here were stained by their screaming match. He noticed something shiny sticking out from under her mattress and he snatched it up. He turned the pink, leather-bound journal in his hands. Did she keep a diary?

"There we go...Calm and settled. This tea should help you get some rest." Barbatos sat the cup of tea in front of Alicia and took a seat across from her. "In the meantime, would you like to tell me what happened?"

Alicia took the cup and thanked him. She stared at the liquid, letting the steam clear her sinuses. She took a small sip and cleared her throat. "I got the answers I was looking for."

He nodded once, that much was clear by how she arrived at their doorstep. All he could do at this point was let her vent her frustrations. "I take it they were unpleasant."

"Very."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Not in full detail."

"Then tell me what you want to, I'm here to listen."

"I don't want this to become another therapy session." She said in a small voice, almost as if she were talking to herself. 

Alicia sat silently and Barbatos waited for her to say something...anything. He could easily step back in time to see what happened if she refused, but running the risk of upsetting her further just wasn't worth it. His ears perked up when she finally spoke.

"You're going to laugh at me again."

"Alici-"

"It has a lot to do with my morals..." She put her cup down and ran her hand through her hair. "I don't need to be laughed at right now."

"I'm not going to laugh at you, you have my word."

Alicia gently tapped her foot on the carpet, absently raking her nails over the skin on her wrists. She told Barbatos everything that happened, the night of the ball, how Mammon avoided her like the plague afterward, and the recent blowup. He watched the emotions hit her like a ton of bricks again, but she didn't cry. She just kept scratching her wrist. He reached out and carefully wrapped his fingers around her hand.

"If you keep doing that, you'll bleed." Letting go of her hand, he sighed. "Alicia...I'm not going to laugh at you, but do you realize where you are?"

"I realize I was stupid."

"I didn't say that. I asked you if you realized where you were."

"I know where I am, I just-" Alicia took a deep breath to keep her voice calm. "I feel...incredibly worthless now."

"Ah." He never understood why human mothers' did that to their female children, putting the entire weight of their worth on their bodies.

Alicia took his silence for judgment and slouched in her seat. "Just forget it."

"You have a lot of unlearning to do, Alicia." He gestured for her to take another sip of the tea before he continued. "Please understand, there's no value in being a virgin. I don't know why human mothers guilt their daughters into such a concept. You're no less valuable now than you were almost a month ago."

"Barbatos-"

"I'm not finished. You're a living, breathing person. Most living breathing people feel sexual desire. I've noticed that the men of your world are free to act upon these desires without consequence, no matter what they result in, but women are shamed into feeling less worthy of respect once they give in. Yes, he took advantage of a situation, that's within a demon's nature. You're well within your right to be upset by this news, you're a person with feelings, but you are still the same headstrong, kindhearted person, selfless person who fell to the Devildom almost four months ago. Nothing's changed, and I understand it might take you a while to get past this feeling of betrayal, but you must get past this feeling of worthlessness. You're far from it."

Alicia felt her face warm-up, and she focused her eyes on the cup in her hands. Barbatos noticed the red tint in her cheeks, the sound of her heartbeat picking up. He felt a long-forgotten sensation stir inside of him, but he kept his cool. He looked at the empty teacup and got up. "Perhaps it's time for you to get some rest. If you aren't feeling well in the morning, you'll be excused from your classes."

She nodded and grabbed the cup from his hands. "If it's all the same to you, I'll wash it." She didn't give him a second to respond, she simply walked to the kitchen. When she finished, he escorted her to her bedroom.

"Please get a good night's rest." He offered her a small smile and found comfort in the one she offered back.

Alicia rested against the bedroom door for a minute, weighing her options. She took a step and hugged Barbatos tightly. The demon's eyes widened in surprise, and he gently patted her head. She laughed a little and let him go.

"Goodnight Barbatos, thanks again." She turned and entered her room. He stared at the door, refusing to move until he heard the sound of the blanket rustling. Once he was sure she laid down, he walked off, smiling at the lingering feeling of her hug.