Red Eyes and Roses

Epilogue

Told from Third person POV

As they sit at the bar, Cerin and Lucian stare down at the table. Each has a drink in their hand and thoughts in their mind.

Luke knows that she would never stay in that room. He could have begged her, pleaded with her, but she would have never listened. If it meant the people she loved would be in harm's way, it never would have happened. No matter how many times he asked her, her brain was set. The kiss before he left wasn't going to be enough to stop her from climbing out of the window.

Cerin knows that she was filled with love. She has a huge heart in her chest. Nothing was going to be able to kill her love. From death do her part, she would be there to hold onto those she cares about. He knows how important Cerin was to her, but he also knows how important he is to her. If he wasn't she would have made a decision between the two.

Cerin stirs the drink in his hand before turning his body towards Lucian. "Do you think we could have stopped her?" The confusion in his voice comes out slightly desperate. Despite the tears running down Lucian's face, he looks towards Cerin. Cerin knows that Lucian cares about Annabella. He realizes that. And, yet, he can't find a way to sympathize the man next to him.

Lucian watches as Cerin rolls his eyes. He knows in his heart that nothing was going to stop the girl they have both come to adore. Nothing they said or did would make any difference. Despite this, he hates Cerin for taking her from him. "I think if we tried harder to make her stay, yes, she would have. I couldn't do much from above, but maybe." Lucian pours accusations into his words. There's a sense of pettiness over weighing his love for the girl.

She has such a big heart and would never let anyone she loves get hurt. It drives them both crazy sometimes, but they would still break boundaries to keep her happy. Her drive is absolutely insane. When she wants something, she's filled with a fierce determination and power to obtain exactly what she's after. When she puts her mind to something, it happens due to her. It's incredibly impressive but also incredibly irritating. She does not listen to a word that comes out of either man's mouth if it isn't something she agrees to. Neither are used to people defying their orders with such ease. Yet, they love her. They love her more than words can explain. They both knew that they needed her from the moment they saw her. They both knew that they would fight for her in any battle. They both knew that they wanted her heart. She's an angel that was forced down into hell. And now they've lost her to their own egotistical ways.

"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Cerin was speaking in response to Lucian for a few minutes now, despite the thoughts running rampant in his mind. Lucian, not a professional multitasker, was completely tuning out the other man. After a few moments of speaking his peace, Cerin realized this. "Look, I know we don't get along. We both love the same woman. We both lost the same woman. I don't know about you, but I'm determined to bring her back." A fierce look crosses Lucian's face as he actually listens to his sworn enemy speak about the person they both have fallen in love with.

With a sarcastic smile, Lucian shoots a look at the man his angel also cares about. No matter if he denies it, they both love her. They would both do anything to get her back. "Cerin, I hope you realize that I love her. I would burn down heaven and hell myself in order to hold her in my arms once more." Cerin's red eyes darken into a maroon anger. He knows they both care about Annabella more than anything. But he also knows that she loves his family. Not only will Lucian be against Cerin, but he will also be against the entire Asmodeus family.

Cerin decides to speak up. "Good, I'm glad you love her. Then it must have occured to you that we need to figure out a way to earn her back. She said that she wanted it to be an even battle, but one with no violence. We need to find a way to earn her heart without causing harm to one another. As we learned, violence just leads to us losing her once more." Lucian takes a moment to think about this. In his mind, he knows Cerin's right. Annabella demanded that they find a way to earn her fully. She also demanded that no violence be involved. In his heart, he wants to play dirty. He met the girl first, he saved her life. Instead, him and someone he doesn't like now have to come up with a plan to win her back.