Page 51 of The Human Element (The Human Element Collection #1)

Lorelei

Lorelei’s eyes shot open. Her head was spinning so much she needed to take several moments to ready herself for the unwelcome greeting gravity would have for her as she sat up on a plush black, leather couch.

Eyes adjusting, there was no doubt this couch wasn’t used very much.

If ever. It was stiff as she adjusted herself to get a better look at where she was.

Lorelei took in her surroundings and saw she was in a swanky office room that had a giant, black marble desk sitting prominently in the center.

On either side of the desk behind it were intricate bookshelves holding a manner of odd objects and several jewels bigger than her head.

Other than that, the room was mostly filled with stunning artwork depicting all kinds of religious figures; most notable of all was a painting hung directly center above the desk: an exceptionally handsome man with short black hair, a muscular physique, holding in his arms a beautiful, petite, blonde woman.

She was fairy-like in comparison to the man who looked to exude power and masculinity, while the woman radiated pure light and joy.

The embrace was intimate and the passion that illuminated both figures was the focal point in the painting.

It might have been the most immaculate painting Lorelei had ever seen.

Sitting up, Lorelei winced and grabbed her arm as the memory of the vicious dog demon’s damage surfaced.

Instinctively she felt each side, but now there were no longer gashes shredded in her skin, but the burning, cloying sensation remained.

She had either healed quickly—or took a long time—her sense of how long she'd been unconscious was making her more confused.

Finally sitting up on the couch, a soft cough alerted her to another presence in the room.

Behind her stood the man who she saw before passing out.

Lucifer.

Panic set in when she looked all around and Samuel wasn’t there. She was about to ask for him when Lucifer read her mind.

“He is safe, for now. But his wounds will no longer heal. I have made it so. You and I have something to discuss before he will be healed any further. Weigh your words wisely, daughter. They could mean his life or death.”

Lucifer spun around, and the same face as in the painting above the desk faced her.

Her body sang with warning; the desire to run as fast as she could away from this man filled her, but there was nowhere to run, no way to know where “where” was, and apparently no way to help Samuel unless she stayed to talk.

Daemon will never be able to find me now.

What if he has already gone back to Stonehenge looking for me?

And Samuel…what if he dies?? I can’t let that happen.

No. There’s no way I can let him die for trying to help me in a war he didn’t want anymore than I.

He’s just a kid. He doesn't deserve what I’ve put him through.

Lorelei forced herself to stand. She wouldn’t face him cowering on a sofa below him. She would face him head-on. Terror may be causing her heart to beat against her chest like it also was trying to escape—but she wouldn’t let him know that. Not now, not ever.

“What do you want? And by the way, stop calling me daughter. You are no father of mine. How did you come to find out anyways?”

Lucifer gave a smirk and went to a nearby table with alcoholic beverages on it. Taking a flask of brown liquor, he poured himself a generous helping in a glass, taking a sip before responding.

“The second my top commander came slinking back here after the failed attempt at stopping you before reaching Stonehenge, he described your features to me. The moment they fell off his lips, I knew there was only one being who resembled you. I took more interest in your survival, which is why I staved off another attack for quite some time. This became a matter too personal not to investigate myself. So I watched you. What? You think Daemon’s pathetic excuse for a shield would deter me?

I watched as you all miserably trained in the field; oh yes, I saw your sexy little lapse of judgement as well—I see the apple falls not far from the tree, daughter.

I was there, but you were unable to see me nor was Daemon able to detect my presence.

I am far more powerful than anyone recognizes.

The instant I saw you, I knew it was true and my suspicions confirmed. You look exactly like her.”

Lorelei’s skin crawled at the confession that Lucifer was there in that field. Watching. Waiting. He saw everything, and they were all fools to believe it would be any different.

Her? He must be speaking of Ariel.

Lucifer paused, and for the first time since they started talking, Lorelei sensed a sadness from him. It passed quickly, regaining his composure and continued on; but she noticed that as he spoke of her mother, it hurt him. She would have to remember this for later.

“Your current predicament: being the ‘savior’ and all...complicates our relationship a bit from the start. Also, there comes the issue that you are human—when your mother was an angel and me, well, you know what I am. So how could this happen, hm? A human born girl who just so happens to be the very catalyst that could bring this war to an end before it even gets off the ground. But seeing as I already have one disappointment in offspring, it would be a real kick in the ass that the world has deemed it I also have a daughter destined to be a mortal enemy. Seems like we are at a crossroads. Though, she was clever to keep you from me; who knows the wickedness you might have become if you were to have been raised by me. But to place you with that pathetic, weak mortal body…and that idiotic family…She couldn’t even put you with a family with power if she were to curse you with such an insignificant existence? What a shame.”

The mention of her “mother” was intriguing, had she not just learned of her true parentage mere hours before, she would think this conversation to be insanity.

How could she be a human whose parents were not in fact the human ones she knew, but an ArchAngel and the first Fallen, Lord of all Sin, instead?

If she were hearing the story herself before meeting Daemon, before all of this…

she would have shook her head in disbelief and asked her friend to make sure she stopped ordering any more drinks.

But everything did happen, and she truly was the daughter of the Devil.

It didn’t all make sense, she didn’t have all the details, but it was written in the book of her soul.

Her soul incarnated in this life for a reason, and if she hoped her true mother was anything good; a true angel of light; then she had to believe she would find out the reason soon.

The crux was, would she understand it? Or would it be like right now, where it felt like her entire self-image had been flipped on its head and thrown in a blender.

Lorelei felt she might burst. She knew she needed to keep her cool, but Lucifer going after her true parents, jabbed her deep inside, the grief of their losses too much to hold back.

“Don’t you dare speak of my parents again, you son of a bitch. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Lucifer raised his eyebrow in amusement, “Why daughter, what a big bark you have! Perhaps you are not all cupcakes and rainbows after all. Who would think that the savior would talk like such a disgusting whore. Yes, two can play in this game.”

He narrowed his eyes on her. She was fuming from the anger, she swore she was seeing red.

Easy, Sunflower..easy. Don’t let him get you worked up. It’s how he wins. Stay calm.

Daemon’s soothing voice came through like a lighthouse in a storm. She wasn’t sure if it was real or just her imagination. Perhaps it was even the pain seeping to her head now and making her delirious. But Lorelei held on to it for dear life, figment of her imagination or not.

Let me find my way back to you…please…

She calmed herself and focused on her breath long enough to silence the rage for now.

“Alright. Enough games. What am I doing here and where am I?”

“You, daughter, are here in my home, temporarily. Although for now, you are incapable of traveling anywhere else in this realm than this room, unless you’d like to meet an early end. I brought you here to make a deal.”

Lorelei hesitated a response. There was no way in Hell or out of it, she would ever make a deal with this psycho.

“Well, sorry to say I am in no mood for making deals today. Now give me back Samuel and take us back to Stonehenge.”

Lucifer took another long sip of his beverage and shook his head.

“The deal is necessary if you wish for Samuel to survive his injuries. I will heal him, but there is a price.”

Could Lorelei take the chance to trust him? No, she couldn’t possibly. Daemon and the angels could figure out a way to heal Samuel, they had to, because making a deal with the actual Devil has got to be the dumbest move ever.

“I’ll pass. Just take us back to Stonehenge, Daemon will help us.”

Lorelei watched while Lucifer stalked around the room so slowly, it made her skin crawl. At last, he went over to the portrait of him and Ariel, keeping his back to her.

“Daemon is no longer there. You see, a long story short, there has been an attempted coup in my ranks. One of my own has betrayed me and joined ranks with the angels. He believes with their help he will be able to overthrow my reign and take over Hell himself. This, of course, is folly. Your Daemon has been taken prisoner by the very angels you seek aid from. You have all been deceived. Lucky for you, I can take you where he is held captive. But this, too, comes at a price.”

Lorelei glared at him, each beat of her heart thudding louder and louder in her ears.

Daemon is captured?? By the angels?? But why? This doesn’t make any sense. All this could be a trick, a cruel trick. Can I trust that for certain though? I could be damning both Samuel and Daemon if I don’t do what he asks.

Lose Daemon. The thought hit like a knife in her throat, she nearly collapsed into tears.

She couldn’t lose him after finally finding him—how could she go on now when their love story had only been filled with pain and torment?

If he was in trouble, there was no way she would not try to save him. She had to.

“What do you want for healing Samuel and taking me to Daemon?”

Lucifer faced her and finished the remainder of his drink before answering.

“You are free to go and try to save your precious paramour, but my son stays behind. He will be healed, I swear it. But he will not journey with you any further.”

Lorelei knew she had no bargain to sway the grounds for this agreement. Samuel had to live, and she had to find Daemon. There was no other way around it.

She would sell her soul to the Devil if it meant saving them both.

“Okay, what else do you want?”

“Next, I will personally take you to Daemon, and if you and him survive, you may come back for Samuel. That is my offer. I will heal Samuel and take you to Daemon, but after a certain time, I will come for you and bring you back to Hell. And when I come calling, you must answer.”

That rage tempted to overtake her again, as well as a waterfall of tears.

Lorelei was totally powerless against him.

There was nothing she could do to stop what was happening or save them any other way.

Having to come back to Hell, and what? Leave Daemon behind?

This was madness, and she was staring directly at the maddest of them all.

“But why? What would you want me in Hell for?”

Lucifer straightened his shoulders and picked invisible lint off of his silk black suit jacket.

“For now, that’s not your concern. Only problem is, with each passing second, both of your friends are inching closer to possible death.”

He had her there. Saving their lives was all she could do. Even if it meant giving herself over to him when he came for her later. At least their lives might be saved.

“Fine. You have a deal.”

Lucifer smiled like he'd won a prize, a prize he knew he'd always win.

“Excellent. Let’s prepare for our departure.”

“Wait! What about Samuel? I want to see him before we go.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal. Pity child, you need to learn how negotiation works. Now, tell me, you’re not prone to getting sick, are you?”

He reached out his hand, and with a wary heart, Lorelei took it, and vanished into thin air.