Wicked | Ambrose Spellman and Nicholas Scratch [2]

34 | the fallen angel

thirty-four
the fallen angel.

SELENE WAITS ANXIOUSLY as Lilith takes Sabrina and Salem to meet the Dark Lord. As she waits, Dorian comes into the room, eyeing her carefully as he sits down next to her. She turns to face him, pain in her eyes. "Did you know about all of this?"

"No," Dorian answers honestly, not having known about the prophecy until recently. "But knowing you and Sabrina, you're probably coming up with a plan to fix this."

"Maybe," Selene shrugs, not wanting to tell him that she doesn't have a plan. Yet. She then looks at him curiously, wondering why her and Sabrina happen to be the key to everything. "Gray, why do you like me so much?"

"Do you really have to ask?" He questions, appearing to be confused by her question. She nods, wondering what seems to make her and Sabrina so special. When he realizes how vulnerable she looks, his face softens and he gently leans forward, cupping her face. "You, Selene Blackwood, are extraordinary. You're beautiful, brilliant, selfless, and so full of light. It's like... you're filled with goodness."

"You really believe that?"

"I do."

A small smile finds its way to her lips, and she feels her heart warm for a moment. But then she notices Dorian inching towards her face slowly and she pulls away from him. "Gray, do not kiss me. You can't."

"Well, if this isn't an interesting sight," Lilith intervenes, smirking at how close they're sitting next to each other. Selene moves away from Dorian, but he stays put as Sabrina rushes out of the room, completely ignoring Selene trying to check on her as she goes. "He's ready for you."

Selene watches Sabrina walk out the door, contemplating going after her as Lilith shakes her head. "You mustn't keep the Dark Lord waiting."

Selene glares at the mother of demons before pushing herself to her feet and walking into the lounge of the Gray Room. An oak table is now in the middle of the room with a grand feast set out on it. An old, raven haired man is setting at the end of the table, and he uses his telekinetic powers to pull out a chair for the redhead. "Welcome, Selene."

She hastily sets Violet on the ground as she takes a seat, eyeing his red silk shirt. She sits back in her chair, raising her chin to appear more powerful. "So, you're the Dark Lord. The most beautiful of all God's angels."

"All angels are so much more beautiful when they fall," he counters, a wicked smirk on his face. "Don't you agree? I've been watching you for some time, Selene. You want so badly to be good, but what if you didn't? What if you just gave in to your desires? To those voices in that pretty little head of yours telling you to do bad things."

She shrugs, playing it off like it's no big deal. Truth be told, she's terrified of giving into the malevolent voices constantly whispering in her ear. "I don't wanna be like my father. That's why I choose to be good."

"And what if you didn't have a choice?" He demands, making her scrunch her nose in confusion. "All supernatural beings have ties to me. But every person from your bloodline possesses a special darkness. Some can fight it. Others go insane. It's as though a coin is flipped every time a Blackwood is born."

"I don't wanna talk about my family anymore," Selene declares, only for him to shrug as if he couldn't care less. "What do You want?"

At this, he lists off all of the things he could possibly want from her. "Respect? Love? Gratitude?"

"Why would I give you all of those things?" She remarks, staring at him in utter surprise. In her opinion, he's done nothing to help her.

"Have I not given you every worthwhile thing?" He retorts, pointing to her to make his point. "Beauty, strength, power above all mortals?"

"I never wanted any of those things."

"Now, that is a lie," he corrects her, making her wince. Part of that is a lie. She never asked for any of those things, but she does like feeling powerful. "And there should be no lies between us. The truth is, dear girl, you have loved the power I have given you. You've reveled in it. Your wrath, when you've shown it, has been magnificent. So has Sabrina. I've waited a millennia for such a fit consort and protector. I won't be denied it now."

"I won't let you manipulate me and Sabrina the way you manipulated Lilith," Selene narrows her emerald eyes at him, sitting forward to make her point clear. "We aren't as weak as she is."

"I don't doubt it. Her purpose is to serve whereas yours... yours is much greater," he admires her, leaning forward so that his face is only a few inches from hers. His tone is forceful, and she doesn't doubt for a second that there's nothing he won't do to ensure she does what he wants. "When Sabrina opens the Gates to the Pit for the aristocracy of Hell, you will control the demons that will attend her coronation. She will wear the crown. She will sit on the throne. And you will stand by her side as her protector. And then, once me and Sabrina have dance the Mephisto Waltz, the world will be remade in Hell's image. All the demon hordes will be freed, and me and Sabrina will rule over Hell on Earth, together, for all eternity as you protect the Gates of Hell."

"You can't force me to do anything."

At this, he chuckles, like it's funny. Selene frowns at him, not finding any of this funny as he continues to laugh. "That's shocking. Sabrina has said no every step of the way since her 16th birthday while you have always welcomed the Path of Night. You've protected Sabrina for the last 16 years, went through your Dark Baptism willingly, and when I came to you and asked you to bring back your Aunt, you were ready to do it. This is the only path for you. Your every choice you have ever made has lead you here. I have made quite sure of that. Haven't I, Nicholas?"

At the sound of Nick's name, Selene feels her heart stop for a moment. She feels it sink as one of her boyfriends walks into the room, looking like his guilt might eat him alive.

He approaches her hastily, dropping down in front of her as she feels tears pool in her eyes. How could he do this to her? Has he been faking this entire time?

These are the kind of thoughts that run through Selene's mind as she listens to him, silently beginning him to say something, anything that will make this not as bad as it really is. "Selene. The Dark Lord asked me to get close to you. To be nice to you. To hold your hand. But then I really did fall in love with you. Selene, you have to believe me. I never would've hurt you-"

"I don't wanna hear your lies," she cuts him off harshly, not wanting to hear any more of it. She feels her heart breaking into a million pieces, and doesn't want him to see it. Especially if he actually doesn't care about her. But what she doesn't know is that he actually does love her, he always has.

"I didn't know this was the Dark Lord's agenda-"

"That doesn't make it any better," she scoffs, wanting so badly to hate him. To spit in his face and tell him how bad of a person he is. But she can't, because she loves him. This realization just now hits her, and it should make her feel happy. Happy to love someone. But it doesn't.

"Don't blame him. Wasn't his choice," Lucifer intervenes, amused with their issue. "There is no such thing as a choice. There is only My desire."

"And what if I'm not okay with that?" Selene proposes, gritting her teeth in an effort to keep herself from sobbing. "What if I make my own choice and try to screw with your plans?"

"Selene, you don't have a choice here. You see, Sabrina isn't Edward Spellman's daughter. She's mine. There is nothing to do but submit. Prepare yourself. Sabrina will blow Gabriel's Horn at sundown in the clearing where she signed My book and you'll be there to help control my demons."

UNEDITED