Of Light And Shadows

Chapter One...

"Lisbeth, get up!" Her father's voice grated on her as she sat up in bed and groaned quietly to herself. Another day, another nightmare.

She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was five in the morning. Her classes didn't start for another four hours but her father had other plans for her. "Lisbeth!" His voice was sharp as she swung her legs out of bed.

"I'm awake," she replied.

She hated that name. It didn't feel like it belonged to her any more than her life in the human world did. When she was twelve she'd been found wandering the streets by Lucifer and his brothers.

She hadn't been shocked when they'd carried her to another world and told her they were Demons. She hadn't panicked when they had to teach her to read and write again, or when she had to learn how to speak. She'd spent almost a year away from the human world while she learned how to function again.

"Get out here!" The shrill yell cut through her thoughts like a knife. She sighed and stood, pulling on a jumper and a pair of leggings before entering the living room to find him standing by the sofa with his arms crossed.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"You're supposed to be awake before me."

"I'm sorry, father." She saw his shirt buttons weren't done. The cuffs of his sleeves were unfastened and his tie was over the sofa arm. She stepped forwards, suppressing a sigh. "I was up late last night."

"I gathered." He shot her a disdainful look as she began fastening his buttons for him.

Abe Vandemeer was a politician. He was happy portraying the perfect picture of a suburban family man to the masses when he was out campaigning, desperate to climb the ladder towards a position of power within the government.

Behind closed doors he was cruel, violent and controlling. She hated the twist of his mouth as he stared down at her.

In her mind she wasn't Lisbeth Vandemeer, daughter and servant. She was Jia. She would always be Jia.

She pushed back her anger, careful to keep it out of her eyes in case she earned herself a slap.

"It won't happen again, sir."

"See that it doesn't." She moved to the cuffs, smoothing them down over his wrists and clipping the cuff links into place before reaching for the tie. As she tied the knot she thought of her time in the Demonic Realm. She'd thought about it every day for eight years.

She finished fastening the knot and straightened the tie, careful to make sure it was perfect as she smoothed it down. Without needing to be told, she got down to her knees and slipped his dress shoes onto his feet, tying the laces in two perfect bows.

She didn't rise when she'd fastened them. If she did he'd hit her, so she knew to wait until he let her move.

She ground her teeth silently when he walked away to admire himself in the mirror, leaving her on the floor with her head bowed. He went to fetch himself something to eat from the fridge and she heard the kettle flick on, and still she waited.

Jia studied the mark on her palm, the symbol from the Demonic Realm recognising the pact she'd made with Mammon before she left. She could call him to her at any time if she wanted. She knew he'd tear her father apart if he saw how she was treated. She knew Belphegor would knock every one of his teeth out. And Lucifer? He'd wipe her father from existence.

But she didn't call Mammon. She knew even if she did that eventually she'd have to return to the human world. She wasn't a Demon so she couldn't stay with them in the Demonic Realm. She had no money and she was still finishing her studies. So she stayed where she was and she waited for permission to get to her feet, keeping her eyes on the carpet.