Of Light And Shadows

Chapter Twenty Four...

Jia woke with a start as the image of Satan sliding a knife into Lucifer's heart lit up behind her eyelids, trapping a scream in her lungs. She sat up and sucked in a deep breath as she tried to get her bearings, relaxing when she realised she was safe in the Infirmary.

Her entire body ached, telling her she'd been asleep in the chair for a long time. Lucifer was still laid on the hospital bed with his eyes closed, but his bruises had faded somewhat and his hand was warmer in hers than it had been. She watched his chest, almost crying when she saw the faint rise and fall of his breathing.

"Thank God," she whispered to herself, pressing her free hand to her face as relief washed over her.

"What did God do that's so great?" His voice was raspy as it whispered from his lips, but Lucifer opened the eye that wasn't covered and he smiled at her. She'd never seen a more wonderful sight than that.

"Louie!" She couldn't help it. She leaned over and hugged him.

"Careful, I'm still tender." Despite his answer, his one bandage free arm came around her gently until she sat back.

"You got stabbed in the heart." Her voice cracked. "He stood on your head."

"I know. I'll be alright. Did he hurt anybody else?"

"No, but he told me he'd see me again soon."

"I was afraid of that."

"Why?" He took a breath that looked painful and closed the eye not covered by a bandage.

"My father has a fascination with having things nobody else has. He likes oddities, rare items and creatures that he can collect and keep for himself. You happen to be the rarest of all because you're a cross between an Angel and a Demon."

"He touched my face with your blood on his hands." She shivered. "He kissed me before he left." She felt Lucifer's hand clench around hers. "Be careful, your fingers are broken," she warned.

"I don't care about my fingers." He sounded angry, though it was a mere shade of what he was capable of when healthy. "Right now I want to tear Satan's head from his body."

"You're not in a fit state to tear anything from anyone," she replied. "You died. He's gone now so you don't have to worry about me."

"He wants you for his collection. He's going to come back and try to take you." His words made her mouth dry up.

"I don't want to be taken. Why would he want me? Aside from my blood I'm not useful at all. There's nothing I could give him that would be of any good to him." She was aware that she was beginning to babble as fear dug its claws into her, the words tripping over themselves as they tumbled from her lips.

"Yes there is."

"Like what?" Lucifer's expression was grave.

"The same thing your mother gave Abaddon."

"More power?"

"A child." She fought the urge to be sick.

"Please don't let him take me," she whimpered.

"I don't intend to. He likes to humiliate me so I have no doubt he'll wait for me to heal before he returns here. He doesn't enjoy kicking me around if I'm already half dead." Lucifer sighed faintly, careful not to stretch his bruised lungs. "I think we'll have a few weeks before he makes another appearance. Maybe months if we're lucky."

"How is anybody going to stop him taking me if nobody can disobey him?"

"I can disobey him."

"But you won't." She didn't say it in an accusatory way but it seemed to hurt him all the same. He turned his face away and she saw a muscle in his jaw tick.