Olivia Chase, a successful woman who sold her soul to the Devil in exchange for a baby, is offered a second deal of a lifetime after her daughter dies: she must harvest Lucifer a series of souls he claims belong in Hell in trade for her daughter's m...
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"I have something to show you, Olivia," Lucifer stated. I could feel him willing me to say yes.
At last, I looked up. Lucifer was so beautiful; I thought my heart would cease to beat. "Why? Why do you want to show me anything at all?"
"I need you to understand why I did what I did."
I scoffed, "I know why you did it. It is your 'job' and your pleasure to exact 'punishment.'"
He loomed over me. "Did it look like I was enjoying my job, Olivia?"
I recalled his face. He had looked angry, fierce, and an array of other emotions, but pleasure was not among them. "No," I had to admit.
"Then I have something to show you," he held out his hand again, insistent. "Give me this."
I stared at it, trying to decide if I would go with him or not. A part of me desperately wanted to take it.
I lifted my eyes to his once more and said, "No. I can't do this."
He swallowed and clenched his jaw, perhaps to ward off tears of his own. I didn't care. "Olivia..."
"No," I whispered as I turned away, not able to muster more volume. I shook my head. "I can't. It's too much."
He reached toward me, imploring. "You must. Unless you want to be separated from Deirdre forever."
I hung my head, "I can't. Please go." I hid my face in my hands.
With his snap, and the portal opened. His feet turned away.
I looked up. "Lucifer?"
He stopped but didn't turn around.
I spoke to his back. "I will never fulfill this contract."
He coughed, and he swallowed again. "I will do what I can for Deirdre."
He stepped forward, and he left me alone in the deafening silence.
I wandered through the apartment to the door halfway down the hall. I stood in front of it with my hand on the handle. My mother had come while I was away and cleaned, putting what belonged to Deirdre back in her room. I'd refused to go in, until now.
I turned the knob and flipped on the light. It was like she never left. I surveyed the walls covered in pictures of us, selfies taken in every imaginable place. Mom had done her job well; the room was immaculate, though Deirdre had been a tidy kid, so it seemed like she was still there. It even smelled like her. I sat on the bed and gathered a pillow in my arms to cry.
His portal opened again. Without looking up, I declared, "You can't come in."
He held his hand to me again through the portal. "I want you to come with me, Olivia. I do not want this to end this way. Please?" he begged.
