Velius lay on the bed staring at the ceiling of his cell. He gave up praying hours ago. It was painfully obvious that his angelic parent couldn't hear him or didn't care. He preferred to think it was the former. He didn't know why it hadn't worked. Perhaps it was because of Lucifer's status as fallen, or perhaps because he, himself, was not of pure celestial stock, but whatever the reason, he decided it would be best to abandon it and try something else. Right now he was beginning to believe that the solitude and boredom would drive him mad. You would think that if someone were going to abduct a man and lock him in a cell, then they could at least give him a book or magazine to read. A television would be a nice touch. That wasn't going to happen of course, since there was clearly no power to the building. He had noticed that the camera was battery operated, as was the walkie-talkie. He had also noticed that they never tried to observe him using the overhead light and there was never any kind of illumination through the tiny window. Well, that wasn't strictly true, there was a small amount of natural daylight that filtered in. He could only assume that the surveillance camera was set on night vision. He figured that his 'wardens' had no idea he could see in the dark and that was why there was no reading material. He certainly wasn't going to correct their assumptions.

A sliver of light began to appear in the small window and Velius sighed as he mentally counted off another morning of confinement. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face. He really needed a shave. His whiskers were beginning to itch. If he couldn't have a magazine, he probably wasn't going to get a razor and a mirror either. A hot shower or bath would be a God send right about now. He hadn't had one in days let alone a toothbrush. Uncivilized bastards. He tried to imagine himself in some other place with open air and wide fields and blue skies, but the stale moldy air inside the cell made it difficult for his imagination to work.

The sound of the cell door creaking opened suddenly roused him from his meditation. He looked over in time to see a hand toss in a McDonald's bag and then set a cup of coffee on the floor. Instantly he tried to rush the door only to have it slam shut before he could grab it. In a burst of anger he expressed a few 'colorful metaphors' and punched the door padding. Just a few more seconds and he would have had it. For a moment he considered opening the portal back to hell. It would be simple enough, all he needed to do was project the flames. He could do it in his sleep. Unfortunately he also knew it would allow his captors to see and record a display of power not meant for their eyes. He would just have to bide his time.

When his anger had cooled he grabbed the sack and looked inside to find three sausage McMuffins in bright yellow paper. He unwrapped one and taking a bite made a mental note that any food that starts off with the prefix 'Mc' probably wasn't gourmet. Each bite tasted like cardboard and salt with a touch of sausage spice to help make it palatable. True, it could sate a hungry stomach, but it was a virtual culinary migraine. That people willingly stop and purchase this food amazed him, but then they were only a dollar and twenty-nine cents apiece. He hoped that the coffee was good at least. How can you mess up 'black and hot'? On a sudden whim he took up the walkie-talkie and pressed the button.

"If you're taking notes, and I think you are, I prefer espresso." He had no idea if his captors were currently watching him and manning the radio or not. He really didn't care. He just wanted to break the silence and make the time pass. "Since you're determined to hold me here, then perhaps you could get me some basic necessities like a shower, change of clothes . . . a toothbrush and toothpaste would be nice. As a reward for my good behavior could I have some books or magazines along with a pen light to read by? I hear there's a lovely comic book series called The Sandman." He waited but there was no answer. "How about at least allowing me some conjugal visits. Hair and eye color don't matter so long as she's petite and curvy. Of course I am in prison so I suppose anything will do. I can give you a show worth studying, but you'll need a wide angle lens."

"I didn't think angels possessed carnal desires." Kaleb answered.

"Well, I'm not an angel, am I?" Velius answered rather smartly. This wasn't a lie, although he was omitting the fact that his fallen father had quite an appetite for sins of the flesh. How else could he exist?

"If you are not an angel, then what are you?"

"Something, different from you." The half-breed angel answered with a sniff. There was no point in trying to deny it, not to the man on the other end of this radio. "I am a Nephilim. It means that I am half human and half angel."

'How is that possible?" Kaleb had never heard of such a thing and was googling it even as his captive answered.

"Well, once upon a time my father decided to take a little stroll here on earth and happened to notice my mother, who was and still is, a very enticing woman. Well, not to me." He laughed. "I would definitely be a sick bastard then, wouldn't I?" He chuckled again then sipped his coffee. It tasted burned. There were beverages in Hell that tasted better. "Anyway, dear old dad noticed mom, and likewise mom noticed dad. Evidentially they both liked what they saw and decided to play a rousing game of boppin' squiddles and now we have 'yours truly'."

"Is . . . is this something that angels do often with humans?" The professors still had his doubts about the validity of the claim, but his brown eyes grew wide as he read the definition of 'Nephilim' on his computer screen. He never could have imagined that such a creature existed.

"Not to my knowledge, but then I'm not a part of their celestial circle." He took another sip of the coffee and cringed. He had no idea where the nearest McDonalds was, but this cup was definitely the dredges from the bottom of the pot. The fact that it was starting to cool off, didn't help the flavor. "Despite what you pure bred humans think, angels really aren't that interesting. I mean, harps, choirs, following idiots around and trying to keep them from earning a well-deserved Darwin award, where's the fun in that?" He really had no idea what his celestial kin did in heaven, but it was the image portrayed in many paintings. "I used to have an uncle who gave the welcome speech to new souls entering Heaven. I understand it's enough to make you want to stick an ice pick in your ear. Your son probably had to endure it and for that I apologize. Tell me, was your son as good at shanghaiing as you are?"

"No. He never did anything like this."

"Did he have a rebellious streak or was he the perfect son?" The half-breed angel goaded. "Come on, you can tell me."

"Not much to tell really."

"I find that hard to believe, since you're going to all this trouble over him." The response he got was the sound of static over the radio. "He is the reason, isn't he?" Again there was only white noise. "I don't suppose you'll at least tell me his name?"

"Asher." Kaleb finally answered.

"I believe in Hebrew it means 'happy', fortunate, or blessed." Velius commented. "Mine means 'concealed', rather appropriate don't you think? My mom's unique sense of humor." He started to take another sip of coffee then quickly thought better of it. The bitter, burned tepid beverage wasn't likely to get any better the more he drank it. "So, what exactly happened to your golden boy?"

"He was hit by a car . . . seven years ago."

"I'm sorry." He had assumed something tragic had happened. When he had first heard this man mention his son, he had observed the desperation in his voice, particularly when he had asked if his child was happy. There had to be a gaping hole in this man's heart to make him decide that capturing an 'angel' was a good idea. "The two of you must have been close."

"We were. He . . . he was my only child and . . ." After all these years he still found it difficult to talk about him. He had never spoke to a therapist or even discussed it with any family members or friends. He didn't know why he could suddenly talk to this 'being' when he had never wanted to open up before. " . . . And we were a close family. We used to go deep sea fishing together and even co-signed on a motoryacht. Asher was an English teacher and thought it would be clever to christen the boat 'Galene' after the Goddess of calm seas."

"It must have been nice." Velius commented. He had no interest in fishing, but he marveled at the idea of a close father/son relationship, although in all honesty he couldn't imagine doing any typical bonding activities with Lucifer. It was well known among those who actually knew the devil that children were things to be abhorred. Still, it would be nice to be able to sit down, just once, and talk face to face, openly and without hiding their blood ties to each other.

"It was." The professor responded, smiling slightly at the memory. "I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you've experienced. I can't even imagine the celestial adventures you went on."

"I'm afraid not, mate." He rolled his eyes at the assumption. Why do humans always think that divinity equates perfection? "Unfortunately dysfunction runs through my branch of the family tree. One might even say it gallops."

"I find that hard to believe." Kaleb returned. At the mention of heavenly dysfunction, his curiosity was piqued. Fumbling through the photographs he had taken, he quickly found the four that detailed the writing on Velius' necklace. He had already sent copies of those pictures to a colleague that worked with him at UCLA and he was hoping to hear back from him soon on a translation.

"I don't care what you believe. The fact is, I'm not here to sway you in any particular direction. I'm just telling you the reality. Take it for what it's worth."

"Which angel is your father?" The professor asked. He could only think of two, maybe three that were named in the bible of the thousands that existed and he was curious to know more.

"Dear old dad's identity is not really your concern, now is it?" He answered sitting himself on the bed with his back against the wall. "Let's get back to your family, shall we? Does your wife know about your little hobby?"

"Hobby?"

"Yes, you know, the one that involves kidnapping, imprisonment and who knows what else? Cheerful little pursuits like that?"

"My wife," Kaleb sighed. "My wife starts drinking at approximately one in the afternoon and doesn't stop until she passes out. So I guess the answer is 'no', she doesn't know about my little hobby as you call it."

"So basically you decided to hold what you thought was an angel prisoner rather than help your wife? I'm not sure I understand the logic in that, but I suppose we all have our demons." Velius returned. He felt genuinely sorry for the man, but also confused by his priorities.

"I guess we do." Professor Tavor felt rather embarrassed suddenly. He had been so consumed with his son's loss that he hadn't even thought about helping Marian. A sudden pang of shame washed over him and he couldn't speak. He had no excuses.

"When it comes to demons, I'm personally acquainted with at least seven hundred and . . ." Velius' mind suddenly drew a blank. "I actually don't know the exact number. I'm not sure anyone does." Not only did he not know the answer, but he honestly didn't think his mother, nor her paramour Asmodeus, knew the number of spawn they had created. Kaleb didn't answer. Caught up in his guilt, he hadn't even heard him. The half-breed angel suspected he had hit a rather raw nerve and decided to forgo any more conversation for now. His guess was right, the voice watching him was done talking for now. It wasn't until Matthew Willard came into the makeshift office that Kaleb snapped out of his introspection.

When Matthew was excited about something, his icy blue eyes almost danced. Tonight they were practically doing a salsa. He could barely speak for all his eagerness. Despite his exuberance Kaleb was able to grasp what his friend was saying. It seemed that Matthew had been speaking with a mutual acquaintance who had not only been born into money, but had managed to build his own fortune as well. Isaac Bonaventure was truly a man whom fortune had smiled on. His favorite hobby was hunting Elk, moose, deer and many other animals all over the country. He always had the animal processed and kept a large walk in freezer inside a storage unit for stowing the meat. It wasn't currently in use, but was definitely in perfect working order. Matthew saw this as divine providence and felt they should take the next step. He wanted to see if freezing temperatures could affect an angel and if so what were the effects?

Kaleb wasn't sure this was a direction he wanted to go. True, this had all been his idea and he alone had taken the blood and tissue samples. He was the one who had initially drugged Velius and suffocated him to safely take him from his cell for photos. That was before he had ever really talked to him for more than a minute of two. Now he was having doubts. He didn't turn down the freezer, just explained that he had some reservations. Matthew assured him that all he told Isaac was that he had purchased quite a bit of meat for a get-together and didn't want it to spoil. Despite his reluctance, Kaleb nodded in agreement. Dr. Willard was congratulating himself on the brilliant idea when his phone rang. Seeing it was one of his students he apologized and quickly left the room.

Kaleb still wasn't sure he liked the idea of freezing their 'test subject' but felt as though he had already gone too far to stop now. Carefully he collected all the samples he had taken and placed them in his bag then started to gather the pictures up. He needed to get over to his lab and finish the DNA extraction process, but as he set his laptop in his briefcase and locked it, his phone began to ring. He immediately recognized the number as the friend he had sent the necklace photos too. Dr. Logue was a linguist and could speak many languages fluently. In particular he specialized in the study of speech and communication, but also had a great passion for ancient languages and writing as well. Professor Tavor sent him copies of the four pictures he had taken showing each side of the bar. Dr. Logue recognized the writing, although he was quick to admit that it was obscure. It didn't take him long and he advised his friend that the first word was the equivalent of 'the'. The second he quickly deciphered as 'of'. The third took a few minutes longer but he soon figured out that it was 'son'. Dr. Logue began to study the last word and for a moment he cackled with pride when he solved it. His laughter didn't last as he realized the significance of what he was reading. When he asked where Kaleb had found this object, he was quickly told it was just some odd jewelry in a flea market. Dr. Logue was quiet a moment the explained that the last part said 'Light Bringer'.

"Son of the Light-Bringer." Kaleb echoed. "Does it mean something?"

"The Light-Bringer is the Archangel Samael also called Lucifer." Dr. Logue explained, surprised his friend hadn't known the celestial title. From deep in Professor Tavor's recollection he could once more recall a scene from his wife's favorite movie, but this time it made him wince.

Bishop - He says he's an angel.

Professor - An angel?

Bishop - Nothing stopped me from saying it.

Professor - From heaven?

Bishop - That I'm not sure about.

It had never occurred to him to look beyond Heaven and yet now it seemed so obvious. Quickly he thanked his colleague for his assistance then hung up the phone. His imagination was on fire with pop culture images of a creature possessing brilliant red flesh, hooves instead of feet, horns on his head, dark pointed goatee, and a long tail that was barbed on the end. For a moment he pressed the button on the walkie-talkie and was set to ask his 'patient' if the devil really was his father. Perhaps it was the reality that Velius could be the child of the devil, or maybe it was his sudden awareness that there could be ramifications for what they were doing, but he set the radio down and said nothing. Kaleb sat in silent contemplation as Matthew came back in the room still talking about his grand ideas. Dr. Willard saw in their captive a chance to better humanity. If they could unlock the secrets of celestial DNA there was no telling what they could do. Cures for diseases, increased human strength and ability were just the tip of the iceberg. Kaleb nodded, but said nothing. His friend had no idea that their captive was only half an angel and he certainly didn't know that he was the Lord of Hell's offspring. Glancing down at the walkie-talkie, he thought of the person on the other end and couldn't help but wonder who his mother was.

The professor naturally assumed whomever she was, that she was at least a human female and that Velius had been born within the last thirty-five years or so. He sat there trying to imagine what sort of modern day woman could be seduced by the devil. Given the image of Lucifer that he had conjured up it was difficult to believe that any woman would want him. Of course, of all the images that came to mind, none of them included a handsome, charismatic, albeit arrogant Mr. Morningstar or the beautiful, intoxicating and proud Lilith. Like so many other humans in this century, he had never even heard of the demoness. No, in his fevered brain, Kaleb was imagining Rosemary's Baby and picturing a poor woman manipulated by those around her into sleeping with the devil. He couldn't have been farther from the truth on all accounts. The fact of the matter was he would have been shocked if he could have seen Velius' mother, particularly at this moment. Lilith was hardly a woman in her fifties with the 'End of Days' weighing heavily on her shoulders, filled with regret and praying to be forgiven for spawning such a child. No, Kaleb could never have imagined that at that moment his 'patient's mother was laying across Dr. Martin's couch with her feet propped up on the back.

Lilith had sought the doctor out to help her understand this knew emotion that had gripped her after Lucifer had run off with the detective. It was her best option. The only other person in her circle she could have turned to was her daughter, Mazikeen and that was not going to happen. Maze had less experience dealing with human emotions then Lili and would likely take Lucifer's side against her (she always did). Not to mention that Lilith could never open up to one of her children. The Lilim were like sharks and any weakness was tantamount to blood in the water. No, the only person she felt comfortable talking to was Linda. The doctor was flattered and more than a little surprised when Lili showed up at her office that morning. While she wanted her patients to be comfortable, she would have preferred it if Lilith sat all the way up or at least could have taken her feet down off the back of the couch. Of course she also would have preferred it if the demoness were wearing an additional two inches of fabric on her shorts. Not that there was anything inappropriate showing, but it was still a bit too short for her taste. Lilith probably wouldn't have listened anyway since she was hardly there for fashion tips.

"He actually expects me to sit at home, twiddling my thumbs while he and the detective look into Velius' disappearance. I mean, could anything be more ridiculous?"

"You know, I'm really glad that you came by to see me and that you're alive and well. I'm just not sure why you're here." Linda Martin said as she stared at the demoness bewildered.

"You help people, it's what you do." Lili answered turning her head to look at the doctor.

"That's true, but not in the way that your obviously thinking."

"Do you or do you not help people solve their problems?" The dark-haired beauty asked.

"Yes, but you're not my patient." Dr. Martin explained.

"Of course I am. Don't you remember when Lucifer brought me here before? You were very helpful then and I need your help now."

"I do remember that and quite frankly I didn't think we had made that much progress." She glanced over at the table in front of the window at the vase she purchased to replace the one Lilith had broken during her last visit. She then looked back over just as the demoness sat up. "The bottom line here is this: you are not my patient. Lucifer is my patient. Because of your association with him, it would be a conflict of interest for me to treat you as well."

"Well, that's hardly fair. You're the only one who really knows who I am." Lili stared at the doctor in disbelief. "I need you to help me. Velius is my son, I should be allowed to help look for him. Can't you talk to him and convince him to let me join the search? He listens to you."

"First of all, I'm here to help Lucifer get in touch with his emotions and work through his issues, not help you push your agenda on him. Second, I don't think he listens to me as much as you think."

"What else can I do?" Lilith was obviously at the end of her tether. "I've spent too many ages trying to protect my boy for Lucifer and his little girlfriend to push me aside and take over."

"Somehow I doubt that is Lucifer's intent. Chloe is a very experienced detective and he is her partner as well as Velius' father." The last part of that sentence seemed strange even as Linda said it. A million different images came to mind when she thought of her patient, the Lord of Hell, but that was not one of them. "I'm sure that everything is in good hands."

"Yes, of course it is, but it still bothers me."

"Why is that?" Dr. Martin asked.

"I don't know."

Linda looked at the dark-haired beauty and could see that she was clearly perplexed. Absently the demoness began to fidget with the smooth stone hanging from her neck. The doctor had no idea what was scratched into the surface, but she had noticed that the energy and glow that had emanated from the stone during their last visit was now gone.

"What does your necklace say?" Dr. Martin asked, curious.

"'Lilit, Samael kātaliyai'. Translated it means 'Lilith, beloved of Samael'. That's Lucifer's actual God-given name, but for your own safety I wouldn't use it in his presence."

"I . . . I found that out." Linda responded recalling a moment of manipulation by Amenadiel. "Tell me about your relationship with Lucifer."

"You perv," At this request, a wry smile spread across Lili's face. "I don't mind, though. It's just between us ladies, right?"

"Not those details." The doctor quickly amended.

"Oh." Lilith almost looked disappointed.

"What did you two do in Eden?" Linda queried, trying a different approach.

"I-I don't know. We used to swim . . . climbs trees. Rode horses a couple of times. Played jokes on Adam. We laughed a lot, but mostly we used to talk. He had a rather bad home life, but then you already know that. Life was hardly idyllic for me either so I guess I was a sympathetic ear. In fact I used to look forward to his visits because it was the only time that I was happy. We were good at making each other smile." The Queen of the Damned couldn't imagine what this had to do with anything. Eden was such a long time ago, the beginning of time in fact, so what did it matter. "I remember one morning I was bathing in the river where we used to meet and he appeared at the edge. He didn't think I knew he was there, but I did. He watched me without a word. When I was done we gathered some figs and sat down and talked while we ate. I can't remember if it was his second or third fig, but when he went to grab it I turned at the same time and we accidentally kissed." Lost in the memory she didn't notice her fingertips momentarily brush her lips. "I had never been kissed before. Of course from there one thing led to another."

"Was that when he started calling you Ala . . .Al . . ."

"Aḻakāṉa." She responded finishing the name for the doctor. "No, he started calling me that after discovering me in my demon form. I might have thought he was just saying to make me feel better, but as you know, he never lies."

"What was your relationship like in Hell?" to the doctor's question, Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Outside of the bedroom."

"Well, that's a bit more complicated. For starters I was his highest ranking mistress and the favorite. The other three were subservient to me."

"So you were courtesan to the devil."

"I am much more than that." The dark-haired beauty answered. "You see, there are seven levels in Hell all corresponding to one of the deadly sins. Each one is ruled by a dark prince and served by a horde of demons. They all answer to Lucifer. Of the seven princes Asmodeus is the highest ranking."

"Exactly where do you fall in this? Is one of the levels yours?"

"I am unique in Hell. My Lilim are a society all their own and are not confined to any particular level. As for me, I am the second most powerful being after the devil himself. I am also the one closest to him. I have an honorary place next to his throne, no one else could boast that. Lucifer trusted me above anyone else in Hell because he knew I wouldn't lie to him or patronize him. In his sessions, doctor, I'm sure you've learned that he is a man given to dark moods and painful thoughts that go back to his relationship with his father. When his anger and resentment grew too hot, which was often, I could always make him laugh again. Mazikeen eventually rose through the ranks and became close to him, but never to the degree that I was and that still galls her."

Linda Martin sat listening to Lilith with fascination. Lucifer seldom talked about his life in Hell and when he did he tended to gloss over it. This description painted quite a picture and yet she still couldn't fathom what it was really like. What Dr. Martin lacked in understanding all things Heaven and Hell related, she more than made up for in her understanding of human emotions. This was advantageous since none of these beings seemed to have any understanding of their feelings. Their version of dealing with them was to build a strong figurative wall around themselves to keep the 'feels' at bay. From her experience, Linda knew that such barriers were only temporary fixes. Right now she could see something in this Queen of the Damned that Lili, herself, couldn't seem to see. She didn't doubt that the demoness had loved her human mate, Christian, and that it had crushed her when he was killed. The problem was, the doctor could see that inside her heart was a name etched deeply over time until it had become part of her life's blood. The bearer of this name was the only one who could hold sway over Lilith and command her. God forbid that he should ever know how much power he had. The demoness, for all her gifts of telepathy and scrying, couldn't see who held her heart, or perhaps she simply refused to see.

"Lili, how do you feel about Chloe?"

"I think . . . she's capable, she's . . . smart and pretty. She . . . could stand to take the corn cob out of her ass . . . a bit." Lili wasn't sure what to say, really. She didn't know the detective that well, but she generally liked her. This was the first time she had ever had any issue with her.

"Lucifer seems to like her." The doctor pointed out.

"Yes he does."

"He's changing because of her and she makes him happy."

"True." Lili agreed.

"She's made him laugh before and he certainly seems to trust her implicitly."

"I suppose so." The demoness wasn't sure what Linda was getting at.

"From what I've seen, he really seems to care about her."

"Yes, well, she certainly has claimed his mornings and daytimes. The eager civilian consultant rushes to her side to help her save the day and punish the wrong-doers." There was a touch of acid in her words and she grimaced as the feeling once more returned.

"Do you think that what you're feeling might be jealousy? Perhaps you're afraid that Chloe is taking your place in Lucifer's life."

"I'm not jealous." The demoness responded quickly. "I inspire jealousy in others, I don't feel it myself. This is utter nonsense. You're the therapist, surely you know that in order for me to be jealous I would have to be . . ."

"In love with Lucifer?" The doctor finished the sentence for her. Suddenly she felt uncomfortable talking to Linda and she didn't like it. She never like anyone peering into the dark, hidden corners of her core. "I'm not." She suddenly wished Linda would stop watching her. It made the demoness feel vulnerable, as though her thoughts and feelings were being laid bare before her. "I have a strong attachment to him of course, I mean, we've only been together since the world began, but it doesn't mean I'm in love with him. Besides, even if I was jealous (which I'm not) she will eventually die and I think we can all agree on where she's going. In the end I will still be there at his side . . . just like always." She tried to say this with her usual bravado, but her confidence was lacking and Linda could see it. "At any rate this was not why I came in here. I came here because Lucifer has excluded me from looking for my son and it's not fair." Dr. Martin had seen the devil pull this trick before when she had brushed a nerve. They really were similar in nature even if they couldn't quite see it themselves. One notation she was making was that the Lord of Hell and his mistress were long overdue for an intimate chat.

"I really feel like this is a conversation you should be having with someone else."

Lilith didn't want to hear that. She wanted to hear that she was right and Lucifer was wrong. She wanted a creative solution to her problem not to be told she had feelings that she refused to believe were there. She couldn't bear the thought of sitting around waiting for the devil to finally show up and give her news on Velius. She had to be a part of this. Somewhere out there was her baby that she had given up her soul and humanity to protect. Surely there was someone who could help her. Then suddenly she knew who she could turn to. There was someone she was certain her charms would work on. A wicked smile spread across her lips and her face suddenly lit up.

"You're absolutely correct doctor, there is someone else I should be having a conversation with. 'old scratch' has his detective, and now I shall have mine."

"Um, that's not what I . . ."

"You know, he doesn't pay you nearly enough." Without hesitation Lili was on her feet and out the door leaving Linda shaking her head.

"Yeah, I can agree with that."