"Darling, you've been so dreary these past few days," Lucifer said. It had been a week since the dinner.
"Well, there isn't much to do here." I replied with a bored tone. Lucifer coyly grinned at me. He walked to where I was sitting, grabbed my hand and yanked me out of my chair. He pushed me back, playfully, into the wall behind me. His weaved his fingers into mine and lowered his head to my ear.
"There's plenty to do here, sweetie." He said mischievously. He placed a hand on my hip, pressing me further into the wall.
I snorted and pulled my hand from his and pushed him back. "Something entertaining." I mused.
"Hmm," he racked a hand through his hair, "I know just the thing." The world around us shifted and we were in the Mountains of torment, I recalled from Taverns tour. Lucifer grabbed my hand and pulled me through the rocky terrain. He led me to a cave and looked back at me, flashing a wild grin as his eyes sparkled. He pulled me in after him, navigating through the stalagmites and stalactites. He slowed down as we neared a table with a man stretched out over it. Lucifer let go of my hand and cracked his knuckles.
"I figured you might want to watch me work, luv." He wickedly grinned and pulled out a dagger.
The man stretched on the table was no more than 25 years old. He was bound with ropes pulled tight against his wrists and ankles, the skin around them red with irritation. Lucifer admired the dagger for a minute then pulled it over the mans bare chest. He let out a hoarse groan. How long had he been here? Lucifer took the dagger and made another long cut parallel to the other. The man fought against the restraints, holding back screams. Lucifer pulled the dagger up over his head and-
"Stop!" The word ripped through my throat unwillingly. I couldn't sit there and watch this. "No more. You don't-I don't," I stammered and sighed. "What ever point you're trying to prove, stop. Don't bring other people into this."
Lucifer looked at me cunningly as he stepped towards me. "I would hardly call him a person, Rachel. Do you know how many people he's murdered? How many children?" I looked away but he grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "He's in hell for a reason. This is something you will have to get used to, sweetheart," he said the last word with a hostile tone. I pulled back from his grip.
"Take me back to my rooms." I demanded. Lucifer simply walked back to the man, looking at him with cold dead eyes. There were no mercy, no remorse in his look as he brought the dagger down right into the eye socket of the man. "Lucifer." I said and he continued ignoring me. I turned on my heel and walked right out of the cave. As soon as I hit the exit I broke into a run.
I ran and I ran with no direction. No care whatsoever. I approached a forest, I was too frustrated, too disgusted to recall the name of it as I ran into it. I kept running until my legs couldn't take it. I slowed to a stop and I pulled air violently into my lungs. My throat burned and I panted as tears flooded down my cheeks. I collapsed on the ground. Sobs wrecked through my body and I shook with every one. I angrily rubbed at the tears on my face. I was in hell for a reason. I was worth nothing. I wasn't able to save Trip or Ash or Lisa. I couldn't save them. I was good for nothing. I was nothing. I deserved every punishment possible. I was no catalyst. Only a failure.
A twig snapped behind me pulling me out of my self pitied thoughts. I turned to see a beast towering over me with claws as long as my forearms and razor sharp teeth as big as my head. The beast was a rusty red color with 4 muscly legs and a tail that resembled a lions. The beast snapped it jaws and swung its claws at me.
••••
I woke up in my bed and looked down. My dirty clothes were exchanged for a silky revealing nightgown. I looked around the room to see Lucifer at the table peering down at a leather bound book. He snapped the boom closed as he realized my consciousness. He stalked over to me with predatory ease. I didn't move from where I sat as he swung on the bed. He knelt down, his face inches from mine.
"You ever do that again," he seethed "and your fate will be worse than every miserable soul in this rotting shit hole. Understand?" I nodded.
His shoulders slumped down and he sighed. "How are you feeling?" He asked. I suddenly recalled the encounter with the beast and glanced at my shoulder which was covered in bandages.
"How long was I out?" I asked, evading his question.
"Only a few days." He moved to sit next to me. I noticed his usual garb was changed for some grey sweat pants and a loose white t shirt. How long had he waited for me to wake up?
I sighed and laid down on the silky pillows. "Come here," Lucifer said, more of a plea than a demand. I slid towards him and he wrapped his arm around mine. "Most people don't survive a Scvern attack."
"A Skev-what?" I asked.
"The thing that scratched you. Gods, why would you go into the Screaming Forest? Are you crazy?" He asked.
"Well I am already dead so..."
"Your soul could have been destroyed. Sent into oblivion." He said. He shook his head. "Anyways, we found this Ash of yours."
I jumped with excitement. "Is he here?" I asked and Lucifer shook his head. "Heaven?" I asked and he shook his head again. "Then where...?"
"Earth." Lucifer replied and picked at his nails with a bored expression.
"What?" I demanded. "How I saw him die. He-I-"
"Well, luv you saw wrong. He's alive and kicking. Well not necessarily kicking. He's looking for you. Get hunks your alive." Lucifer continued examining his nails.
"What?" A million thoughts raced through my head. "How? Are the others alive?" Lucifer simply nodded.
