❝ WHERE'S THE DREAMS THAT I'VE BEEN AFTER? ❞
In which Mariah Rose, an undercover legend, returns to the LAPD and faces her number one fan.
[LUCIFER SEASON 4]
BOOK FOUR IN THE ❝ CHILDREN OF DARKNESS ❞ SERIES
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A HEAVY PIT weighed down on Mariah's soul as she stood in the bleak hospital room, unblinking eyes trained on Mateo's body hooked up to the incessantly beeping machines. He was yet to wake up, and the doctors had made it very clear how lucky he was to still be fighting, but at least there was a heartbeat keeping Mariah company in the silent room as she leaned against the wall with her arms folded over her chest. Sleep was as distant as ever and there was a pounding headache awaiting her temple, but she wasn't allowing anything but concentration and determination to invade her thoughts.
It hadn't taken her long to realize that the photographs she had found on her doorstep hadn't included just her and Ella — right there in the corner, a blurry figure could be recognized as Mateo if inspected close enough. She had missed it, and that had evidently been Edwards' plan all along. Lull her into a false sense of security only to snatch the rug from beneath her feet when she least expected it, just like she had done to him.
She'd get him, though. If she hadn't been motivated enough before, then now, she was borderline desperate.
"Chlo's reviewing the crime scene", Kai's voice startled Mariah out of her thoughts, but before she could go on the defensive, she recognized the man entering the room with his third cup of coffee. No wonder, if the bleary eyes, tousled hair, and bloodstained clothes were anything to go by. "I mean, the apartment", he corrected with a cringe, a heavy sigh accompanying his own voice as he gave a long stare at the sugary coffee and decided against it before tossing the paper cup into the nearest trash.
"I could have done it", Mariah countered quietly, and when the words were barely hanging in the air, Kai was turning to her with an incredulous stare and a ghost of a smile that was anything but happy.
"You can't do everything on your own", he argued, his voice breaking as he pointed a frustrated finger at Mariah and blinked away tears. "You don't have to, either. I know you want to, but you need to accept help when it's offered to you. I know Maze tried to", Kai went on, an anger that Mariah had never heard draining out the usual optimism in his voice.
Scoffing, Mariah forced her eyes to look away from Mateo's unconscious body so she could glance at Kai before turning to her boots. "You mean the woman everyone keeps calling a demon?" she clarified, only for the Nolan to throw out his arms in exasperation.
"Who cares! At least she's on our side", he fumed before stepping back and huffing. "You're fantastic at what you do but everyone needs help sometimes. If you just accepted that, maybe I wouldn't have another friend's blood all over me", he added finally before turning away from Mariah and grabbing one of the chairs in the room to sit beside Mateo's bed.
Silence landed in the air and they could both feel the regretful truth hang between them, yet neither said anything more when Mariah was sucking in a defeated breath and heading out of the room. Right at the doorway, she nearly bumped into Chloe, but when she saw the detective open her mouth to say something — condolences, no doubt — Mariah ducked in the other direction and stalked down the hall with only one goal in mind.
