Grounded ~Book Four of Winged~

Disagreements and Conflicts

"I really hate you." Lucifer glares down at me and I breathe fast. I scoot backwards before getting to my feet.

"What do you want?" I question and back up. He quickly approaches and punches me, I fall to the ground.

"You're so weak." Lucifer spits on me and I flinch before looking back up at him. He adjusts the cuffs of his suit. I hear the music and people talking on the other side of the door. He pulls his foot back and then kicks me in the stomach. I can't breathe. I struggle to crawl away into the dark room. He suddenly stomps on my ankle and I cry out, he keeps his foot on my ankle and I can't crawl any further.

"What do you want?!" I shout at him in pain.

"I want you dead." I pause and look back at him. He reaches down and drags me up by my hair. I dig my nails into his arm.

"Stop! Beleth will kill you! Ow! Stop!" I yell and claw at his hand and arm.

"He won't find me and eventually he'll see that he was wrong." Lucifer summons his demon blade and drops me. I land on my feet, but my ankle bends and snaps at a strange angle and I start to fall, but Lucifer grabs my throat. He squeezes tight and I dig my nails into his hand. He starts to bleed, but he doesn't care. He drags his Demon blade lightly down my cheek.

"They'll hunt you down and kill you." I barely get out and he smiles.

"They'll never find me and when you are gone, that weird hold you have on them somehow will snap and they'll come to the realization that you were Human and did not belong around them. King Beleth will grant me a noble for ridding the world of you who have somehow deceived them into aiding you. There is nothing special about you and I see that. You have not deceived me. I'll snuff you out and everything will return to normal and Demons will win the war." His grip around my throat tightens, cutting off any air I was barely getting through his already tight grip. I dig my nails in even more, making him bleed more. I close my eyes tightly and focus. I open my eyes again and darkness closes in quickly around my vision. My head is killing me and I need air desperately. My hand drops to my side and my grip on Lucifer's hand loosens. His smile widens. My mind wanders and my hand closes around a handle. A dagger. I swipe suddenly at Lucifer and cut across Lucifer's abdomen. He hisses and drops me, backing up quickly while bringing a hand to the slash. I drop the demon blade. I quickly limp to the door and swing it open, stumbling back into the ball room. I glance back and Lucifer is gone. I shut the door and rub my neck, turning and running into Beleth. He stares down at me intensely.

"Where were you? Are you okay?" He questions and I quickly stop rubbing my neck.

"I just stepped out to get fresh air. I'm fine." I lie and force a smile.

"What happened to your neck then?" I quickly bring my hand to my neck. "It's all bruised. What happened? Who?" He reaches out to touch me and I quickly back up to keep him from seeing into my head. Although they might not love each other, I think Eli would be sad to lose one of his siblings plus Belphegor and the other siblings would be very sad to lose a sibling.

"I fell?" I don't even try to hide the rise in my voice as I shrug.

"Into a pair of hands?" He questions playing along with me and reaches out to try to touch me again and I smack his hand away.

"It's fine." I spot Dominic and Eli enter the room in tuxes and behind them Belphegor enters in a suit with a peach colored bow tie. I brush past Beleth and start toward them. Eli spots me immediately and starts toward me followed by his two brothers. Eli eyes my neck before wrapping his arms around me tightly. He releases me and opens his mouth to say something, but is stopped before he can start.

"Who choked you out?" Belphegor questions and takes a step closer. "Lucifer..." He answers his own question and I realize that I completely forgot that he can read my mind.

"What? Why did he do that?" Dominic questions and I see Eli fuming as he scans the crowd around us for Lucifer.

"He hates me and he wants to kill me even though Beleth warned everyone that if they hurt me they will be killed." I reply and glance around for Beleth. I see him walking through the crowd to us.

"Hello." Beleth greets all three of them as he walks up beside me. "What are you guys talking about over here?" He questions, smiling at them. Eli stares at him and then looks at the bruises on my neck.

"We are discussing how clumsy Trinity is." Belphegor says, reading my mind of what I told Beleth. Beleth raises his eyebrows and looks at me.

"I don't believe I quite remember your names and as close friends and ex-lovers of Trinity, I think we should be on friendly terms too." Beleth sticks out his hand for Belphegor to shake. Belphegor looks down at his hand and then back at his face.

"I'm Belphegor and a germaphobe so excuse me for not shaking your hand." Belphegor smiles and suddenly his eyes flicker off into the crowd and he excuses himself quietly before leaving. Beleth watches him go before turning to Dominic and they move to shake hands.

"Asmodeus..." Beleth whispers as he clasps and shakes Dominic's hand tightly. Dominic freezes and stares into Beleth's eyes. Beleth is getting exactly what he wants from Dominic. Probably a lot more than just the name of who attacked me. Eli snaps out of scanning the crowd with hatred and looks at Dominic and Beleth, confused on why they are still holding hands. Beleth lets go of his hand and Dominic snaps out of it, looking around confused before looking back at Beleth.

"What did you just do?" He questions confused. Beleth doesn't answer the question and moves on to Eli. Eli slowly shakes his hand and Eli is only frozen in his place for a few short seconds.

"I'm Mammon..." Eli speaks slowly, understanding now why Dominic was frozen for so long.

"It's nice to meet you Asmodeus and Mammon." Beleth says like he didn't just pull what he wanted and probably more from their minds.

"King Beleth, it's nice to meet you too."