chain when I’m dreaming. That’s how I know when I’m home, awake, and safe.
Sure enough, when I reach behind me, I’m greeted by the familiar grooves of the sterling silver chain. However, the pendant on the end doesn’t feel quite right. When my father’s necklace combined with mine, the two pendants together became heavier than they ever were separately. This pendant feels lighter, somehow. As if pieces are missing. I twist in my bed to look over at it, and nearly roll off the edge out of shock. Instead of the winged pendant I was expecting, I’m looking at a pewter pentagram identical to the one Alyssa used to wear.
“Took you long enough,” whispers a smoky voice from the corner of my room. I sit upright to get a better look at my surroundings, and the lights flick on automatically, revealing a man leaning against my bookshelf. I could swear I’ve seen this man somewhere before; he seems so familiar. His tall, muscular build fills out a charcoal gray suit, as well as the blood red buttoned shirt peeking from the folds of his jacket, the top buttons undone. Light mocha skin shows in the spaces where his clothing ends, otherwise only covered by jet black facial hair that’s been cropped as close to the skin as it can without being completely removed. Glittering, mischievous hazel eyes peek at me from between his lashes, and a smile plays across his lips as I appraise him.
I have no idea who this man is, but he’s beautiful, in an odd way. I want to chastise myself for thinking so, but it can’t be helped.
“We have a lot to talk about, Heather,” the man says, his perfect white teeth peeking out of his mouth when he speaks.
I fold my arms across my chest; I seem to be dreaming, so I’m probably not in any danger. All the same, I’m not happy with this man’s intrusion, so I’m not about to be polite. “Of course we do. How about we start with the basics: who the fuck are you?”
The grin plastered on the stranger’s face widens a little before he answers. “I have too many names to count. Samael. Beelzebub. Satan. Belial. The serpent. The Lawless One. That asshole with the pitchfork. But I prefer to go by the name my Father gave me, so you can call me Lucifer.”
I nearly jump out of alarm, but I force myself to remain seated on my bed, and try to appear nonchalant. What could the devil possibly want from me? A) There’s no way I’m already dead, and even if I am, I’m pretty sure that B) Lucifer wouldn’t be getting his own hands dirty collecting souls. Not to mention C) I highly doubt that I’ve screwed up enough to deserve a spot in Hell. I clear my throat a couple of times, and say, “I was expecting horns and a tail.”
“Don’t believe everything you read.” Lucifer brushes a piece of lint from his sleeve, and adds, “Never forget, the Bible is a fairly well-written book, but at the end of the day, still just a book .”
“Noted. So, Lucy-“
“Lucifer.”
“ Lucy , what can I do for you?”
“Oh no, Heather. The question here is what can I do for you ?” At that, I pause to wonder what he means. Lucifer continues, “I know my brother visited you some time ago, no doubt to give you the rundown of how he wants his big show to go. But I’m sure he left out a few crucial details. Like my side of the story… Michael may be a do-gooder, but he’s always had a habit of withholding the whole truth.”
I stare wide-eyed at Lucifer for a moment. If Michael is his brother, then… that means my uncle is the devil. The more I learn about it, the more I realize there aren’t adjectives negative enough for how fucked up my family tree is. “There are a few things he neglected to mention,” I say in as even a
Sure enough, when I reach behind me, I’m greeted by the familiar grooves of the sterling silver chain. However, the pendant on the end doesn’t feel quite right. When my father’s necklace combined with mine, the two pendants together became heavier than they ever were separately. This pendant feels lighter, somehow. As if pieces are missing. I twist in my bed to look over at it, and nearly roll off the edge out of shock. Instead of the winged pendant I was expecting, I’m looking at a pewter pentagram identical to the one Alyssa used to wear.
“Took you long enough,” whispers a smoky voice from the corner of my room. I sit upright to get a better look at my surroundings, and the lights flick on automatically, revealing a man leaning against my bookshelf. I could swear I’ve seen this man somewhere before; he seems so familiar. His tall, muscular build fills out a charcoal gray suit, as well as the blood red buttoned shirt peeking from the folds of his jacket, the top buttons undone. Light mocha skin shows in the spaces where his clothing ends, otherwise only covered by jet black facial hair that’s been cropped as close to the skin as it can without being completely removed. Glittering, mischievous hazel eyes peek at me from between his lashes, and a smile plays across his lips as I appraise him.
I have no idea who this man is, but he’s beautiful, in an odd way. I want to chastise myself for thinking so, but it can’t be helped.
“We have a lot to talk about, Heather,” the man says, his perfect white teeth peeking out of his mouth when he speaks.
I fold my arms across my chest; I seem to be dreaming, so I’m probably not in any danger. All the same, I’m not happy with this man’s intrusion, so I’m not about to be polite. “Of course we do. How about we start with the basics: who the fuck are you?”
The grin plastered on the stranger’s face widens a little before he answers. “I have too many names to count. Samael. Beelzebub. Satan. Belial. The serpent. The Lawless One. That asshole with the pitchfork. But I prefer to go by the name my Father gave me, so you can call me Lucifer.”
I nearly jump out of alarm, but I force myself to remain seated on my bed, and try to appear nonchalant. What could the devil possibly want from me? A) There’s no way I’m already dead, and even if I am, I’m pretty sure that B) Lucifer wouldn’t be getting his own hands dirty collecting souls. Not to mention C) I highly doubt that I’ve screwed up enough to deserve a spot in Hell. I clear my throat a couple of times, and say, “I was expecting horns and a tail.”
“Don’t believe everything you read.” Lucifer brushes a piece of lint from his sleeve, and adds, “Never forget, the Bible is a fairly well-written book, but at the end of the day, still just a book .”
“Noted. So, Lucy-“
“Lucifer.”
“ Lucy , what can I do for you?”
“Oh no, Heather. The question here is what can I do for you ?” At that, I pause to wonder what he means. Lucifer continues, “I know my brother visited you some time ago, no doubt to give you the rundown of how he wants his big show to go. But I’m sure he left out a few crucial details. Like my side of the story… Michael may be a do-gooder, but he’s always had a habit of withholding the whole truth.”
I stare wide-eyed at Lucifer for a moment. If Michael is his brother, then… that means my uncle is the devil. The more I learn about it, the more I realize there aren’t adjectives negative enough for how fucked up my family tree is. “There are a few things he neglected to mention,” I say in as even a
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