Of Light And Shadows

Chapter Fifteen...

Jia awoke from the nightmare with a start and hissed in pain as the jerking motion of her sitting up sent lightning shooting through her skull. She collapsed back against the pillows immediately, burying her face in the black fabric to try and blot it out. And then she lifted her head and frowned at the pillowcase through the white spots clouding her vision. She could've sworn her pillows were grey.

"I take it by that noise that your head still hurts?" The question held a hint of amusement as she turned to see Lucifer still lying beside her. They were both on top of the bedding, still in yesterday's clothes, and he was on his back with an arm crooked over his eyes again to shield them from the morning light slanting in through a gap in the curtains. It seemed they'd slept right through the night.

"I feel like I got kicked by a moose," she groaned.

"...A moose?"

"It looks like a horse with a giant nose and weird horns."

"I know what a moose is. I just wonder why you picked that animal specifically."

"They have big hooves and they look mean," she shrugged. He chuckled and removed the arm across his face to look at her. He had dark circles under his eyes and the red of his irises had dulled somewhat. "You look exhausted."

"I told you it'd leave me out of action for a day or two." He turned slowly onto his side to face her, groaning as the movement stirred another wave of nausea. "I can't remember the last time I felt ready to be sick at a moment's notice."

"Don't throw up on me," she warned.

"I won't. I'm probably more likely to pass out again than I am to actually be sick."

"You're still feeling faint?"

"Yes," he answered. "I've never seen mental defences like that. You must really have been afraid as a child to do that to yourself. It seems that you acted on pure instinct." He paused. "Are you ready to talk about it?"

"It's not like I can hide it anymore is it?" she sighed. "You've seen the sort of things he does to me." She ground her teeth. "I can't believe I only exist because that beast attacked my mother. We have to help her." Any familial affection she harboured towards Abaddon was long gone and in its place burned white hot hatred.

"I agree. You and I must be the only ones that know. If either of my brothers were involved in helping an Angel they could be hurt."

"Won't they be mad if we keep it from them?"

"They can be as mad as they like. It's for their safety."

"Why would they end up hurt?"

"If my father finds out he'll come for me." Jia's stomach knotted.

"Then I can't ask you to help me. I won't."

"You don't get a choice. You're coming with me or I'm going on my own." He spoke so calmly about something so dangerous. She almost laughed. Of course he did. He was Lucifer Morningstar. The name wasn't famous for nothing.

"It's strange to see the reason the other Demons respect you so much. You're fearless," she said quietly. He chuckled.

"I'm not fearless. Not in the slightest. I just can't stand the idea of someone suffering because of the Demons when it's my family's job to keep them in line. The Ruling Caste exists purely to govern this realm and my father is failing miserably at it, apparently." She watched as his brow furrowed. "We'd be best going for your mother when Abaddon is out. If we can avoid facing him I'd prefer it. It's the safest way to get Lauviah out of the house."

"He's usually out during the day for work. He's a politician."

"A politician? Odd. Demons don't usually bother going for positions like that in the human world. It risks drawing attention to them." He shook his head, brushing it off for the moment. "It would be better to go in at night to avoid being seen, but if he's out through the day we should risk it."