Ultra posse nemo obligantur
Trixie returned in the early evening together with her classmate and the mother. Chloe invited them into the vast and light hall.
"I hadn't noticed the beautiful light fixture!" exclaimed Stacey. She was a very good-looking woman in her mid-forties with shoulder long brown, balayage-lightened hair wearing a pine green asymmetrical dress. Chloe felt a bit underdressed in her stonewashed blue leggings, her short-sleeved white shirt and messy ponytail but overplayed it.
"Thank you! Please come in! Would you like to stay for dinner? My husband has prepared something simple, but tasty."
"Your husband is a very convincing host! He already talked me into it in the morning. You have gotten yourself a gorgeous stud there." She winked. "Where is he anyway?"
"Outside, keeping an eye on the meat. You eat meat, don't you?"
"I am originally from Texas. I basically breathe beef." She winked again and her hazelnut eyes sparkled.
"If you want call your husband. We have already contemplated him for dinner."
"Awww! That's so nice of you. Richard will surely enjoy it. Let me give him a call." She fished for her cell in her purse Chloe was sure doubled her monthly salary.
Showing Stacey to the deck where Lucifer was standing in front of the professional gas grill turning several Polish sausages, Chloe inhaled the male scent and took his appearance in. He wore a bit too tight night blue shirt from La Martina to his linen pants he somehow managed not to wrinkle or stain. The apron surely helped but didn't explain the perfect casual but still somewhat formal look.
"Welcome back, Stacey! How nice of you to stay for dinner!" The lips barely touched the guest's hand and she blushed hard. "Is your better half coming, too?"
She only managed to nod, and he gifted her with a brilliant row of teeth.
"Where are the kids?" He looked at Chloe raising an eyebrow.
"They headed upstairs immediately; you know how teenagers are, when they are together."
"Well, they should be coming down right away! I made some hot dogs for them before they starve waiting for dinner." He put his hands on his hips, puffed lightly and shouted: "Beatrice! Where are your manners? Come down and bring your friend Madison! Chop, chop!"
The girls rushed downstairs, trampling like little pachyderms and Trixie embraced Lucifer at his waist.
"Sorry! Hi! Here we are."
"I can see that. Take a plate and serve yourself a hot dog. There is homemade ketchup, onion and tomato dices, and hot German mustard. Don't even dare complain about not getting that yellow mass from French's." The girls grabbed a bun and helped themselves immediately. Lucifer looked pleased hearing their little noises. "There is chocolate milkshake on the kitchen counter if you want. What do you say?"
There was a unison 'thank you Lucifer' and off they ran again.
"So, now that we have dealt with the little burdens, we can proceed making you comfortable. What would you like to drink, Stacey? Perhaps the mango margarita Chloe likes so much?" He went over to the rather large wet bar and reached for the blender, spinning on his own axis and displaying his assets in the formfitting clothes that barely held them in anymore.
"Oh, yes, please!" Stacey's cheeks reddened quite a bit making Chloe cross her arms and roll her eyes, although she knew he couldn't help it.
'Tall, dark and handsome' just smirked, kissed her softly and said: "You'll get a very special piñada Chloe."
xxxxx
The evening was quite agreeable Chloe had to admit two hours later. Dinner on the deck had been casual and nice, the conversation mainly small talk on music and films and about the girl's school performance after Trixie and Madison had headed to the lounges. Safe topics and Lucifer being a restrained Devil. Chloe now knew that Stacey worked as an interior designer and Richard had a small but apparently profitable software company, which was nice as both knew how difficult it was to balance work and home. Outdoor heaters and fur blankets contributed to a cozy atmosphere when Richard and Lucifer ended up singing duets for their special someone.
"I actually thought you were an arrogant ass, when I picked up Madison yesterday." Richard said, patting Lucifer on the shoulder.
"So you thought I was a dick, Dick?" Lucifer grinned smugly.
"Yeah." He laughed wholeheartedly. "I was so wrong. And your daughter is so much fun to have. Now I know from whom she got it."
Neither Lucifer nor Chloe corrected his assumption.
"Thanks. I hope we see you around more often. You have a well-trained voice and I rarely have the chance to sing with somebody. Chloe prefers to listen."
"Sure. We'll do that. Next time you come over to our place."
"I look forward to it. You show me how to make a true Texan steak rub. Deal?" Lucifer liked the straightforwardness of the man in front of him.
"Yes, Sir." Richard tipped an imaginary hat and grabbed another Czech pilsner.
xxxxx
Madison nudged Trixie again.
"I don't see Lucifer being the actual Devil aside that he talks my parents into drinking and eating more than the usual. My mom is normally uber-conscious about her figure and dad actually doesn't like singing at home. He says he sings enough at church."
"He's not evil, he just punishes bad guys. Your parents are not bad at all, they are really nice." Trixie slurped on her soda.
"Yeah, I guess." Playing with her rings, Madison continued eyeing Trixie's stepdad. "It's just weird. He flirts with both and they like it and your mom seems to be okay with it."
"My mom knows it's like a sport for him. Lucifer always teases or flirts with people. He likes women way more than men. But he likes your dad. It's not an everyday occasion he is friendly to a man. He is quite demeaning with them. You should see him when he talks to my biological dad!" Trixie sat cross-legged on the lounge and looked down to the city lights.
"But if he's the Devil, won't your mom and you go to Hell when you die?"
Trixie thought about that. Would she want to go to Heaven? Or would she want to stay with Lucifer? She knew her mom or she wouldn't go to Hell when dead as Lucifer had expressed that more than once. Hell itself was dangerous but exciting if not being punished. The black-haired teen wanted to visit again.
"He says we won't. He wouldn't allow it."
"So he is immune to holy water and churches?" Madison raised a brow.
"Yeah. And he doesn´t need to get invited to step into a house either. He isn't a vampire. When I was little, he would often surprise us making breakfast though he had no keys. Mom always wondered about that." She grinned, remembering the unexpected visits.
Madison shrugged. "He sounds like fun. So, about going to Six Flags on Saturday. Can you get him to take us?"
"Obviously! Don't worry. Just watch!"
Trixie went over to the adults who were still chatting along, trailed by Madison.
"Can you take us to Six Flags on Saturday?" She stood behind the chair and put her arms around Lucifer, who looked somewhat confused.
"Why would I do that, urchin?"
"Because you like Six Flags and you like me, and you know it's gonna be fun. And Madison has only been there once. She desires to go again and me, too" Flashing her teeth she looked at him intently with her big dark eyes.
"What's the magic word?" She had him in the sack and didn't even need to pull out all the arguments she had thought about.
"Pleeeeeaaaaase!"
Looking at the guests and his brunette who weren't opposed to the idea, apparently, the club owner was in charge of providing fun to the two girls.
"Very well then, you got yourself a ride."
Beatrice kissed him on the cheek and ran back to the lounge chairs with Madison.
xxxxx
After Chloe closed the main entrance door when their guests left, she herded Trixie to the girl's bedroom and then went back to the bar addressing Lucifer, who had just served himself another tumbler.
"So you showed Stacey and Madison your devil wings and they didn't comment it? How come?"
"I beg your pardon! When did I say that I did?" Lucifer looked confused.
"At breakfast."
"No, no. You simply jumped to conclusions. I was referring to my clothing." He wagged his index and tipped on her nose. "And besides, do you really believe Stacey would openly compare my perfect pectorals with her husband's?"
"No, but maybe your little belly? Both could compete with that." Chloe replied while picking up the glasses from the tray and putting them into the dishwasher.
"It's not that bad, is it?" Lucifer looked down and rubbed his abdomen somewhat worried.
"No, not at all. You just couldn't pose for an Adonis statue anymore, but I can use it as a soft pillow." She smirked at him.
"Take that back!"
"I won't. It's the truth." She pinched his belly with a fork. "See?"
"Don't start comparing bellies because you lose my little orca!" He grabbed another fork and wanted to get back at her.
"Careful Captain Ahab! You don't want to hurt Shamu!"
"Don't you dare comparing me with that maniac!" The fallen angel came around the counter, hands formed to claws and feigned chasing her, Chloe giggling, holding the fork in front of her and receding until her back touched the sink. She momentaneous startled and he took the opportunity to take the fork away and suck on her neck.
"Don't you dare giving me a hicky!"
"Why? You already have a ring from me."
"Exactly, I don't need a property branding."
"It's not a branding, it's just a symbol of my affection."
"I already carry the symbol of your affection; don't you think that's enough?"
"Absolutely not! If I could, I would wrap myself around you like Yaphit on the Orville."
"Of course you had to identify with that character!" Chloe rolled her eyes again but laughed and let him carry on. Right now she was absolutely happy, and she could always use the Hermes foulard he gifted her some weeks ago in case it really became a small bruise.
In the hell loop she was sitting this time, Namaah observed the interactions between humans and their beasts. She sat on a bench in a lush area full of plants and let the star above shine in her face. It always felt so different to Hell. No ash, little wind, light and a blast of colors. There was noise, but alien to her – mostly. She had spotted the metal boxes humans used to transport themselves, and other vehicles moved by their own force. She even had tried them out, Torothin in tow. Not so easy in the beginning, but now she had mastered them. It was all about balance. Her black hair would then fly, and it definitely was a very nice sensation not getting ash blown into the face. The male youngster used his tail to balance the vehicle, that was why he mastered the seat on wheels faster than her, but she was good and even could drive straight ahead without using her hands.
This time she was looking at the pets and the clothing of the young humans on a bench next to her. The female threw a ball and the little beast would bring it back, over and over again. Very strange. There was no purpose in the interaction, just play. It had been eons since she had played. Did human play until they reached full growth? For everything she found out more questions popped up.
Torothin didn't seem preoccupied with them, save the living human their lord had brought once. He was obsessed with her and her sugary treats. How could male demons be so simple minded? He was like this little beast she was watching.
Namaah's olive skin was nothing like the young human's one to her right, but she thought the red clothing of the female would complement it beautifully. It was loosely hanging from the shoulders and did only cover them and the body down to the solar plexus. It looked more like an adornment than protection of the soft parts and then so many chains and pendants were hanging from her neck. Absolutely impractical for fighting. So why did the lord ask her to become a warrior if he wanted to take her to Earth? If he wanted to. Maybe she was mistaken.
Leaving the hell loop before the murder took place, she walked along the basalt columns and wondered why they were never covered with ash, unlike the soil and the wastelands far from the inner Hell even if ash was blown around. After a long walk she reached her dwelling.
She had been living with the Lilim and the male for a while, but she couldn't understand their dull routine of fighting, eating and sleeping. She would be working on her armor, yes, but she was trying out crafts she had been observing in the loops. She had spun her own wool before, but it hadn't been in different colors or materials nor in elaborate patterns. That had been a luxury for the high-ranking females of the Lilim. Nirazeen was an experienced warrior, but not of high rank. Her life was simple and actually Torothin seemed more inclined to beautiful things, but he came from a family that belonged to the furrier guild. He knew how to work leather and he often played with his knives, carving symbols into his padded vests.
The slender youngster greeted and sat back on her bedding, her arm reaching for her basket full of strings and balls of wool.
"Still a caretaker?" Rather bored the warrior added: "You should be training more."
"I do, oh Nirazeen. I learn human techniques."
"No, you imitate humans."
"Isn't that learning?"
"No, learning is applying." She hissed and rushed almost into the youngster's face. As a warrior, Nirazeen wasn't to be questioned.
"You are right." Namaah lowered her head. Being submissive helped being considered weak. Right now she needed that. She required more time to figure things out and more information from her lord.
"Tomorrow you will train with Torothin from twilight till twilight."
"Yes."
She looked over to the male's corner. He lay on his bedding apparently asleep; belly down, his arms and legs bandaged. Another beating he had taken. He wasn't strong enough and Nirazeen enjoyed sending him to fight twice as sturdy adversaries just because she could. There was no lesson to be learned from fighting without a proper training. The Lilim only wanted to break him. Maybe her as well.
Squeezing the ball of wool and gathering her needles the young demon concentrated on something else. She was going to make a sleeve for the top she had in her basket already as she wanted to go topside with it.
Curled up on the couch in the corner of the resting room, Lucifer's head laid on Chloe's lap. She was stroking the black, forcefully tamed curly hair softly and he was actually purring, his mouth lightly open. Daniel could not comprehend how such a tall and dangerous man could make himself looking so small and inoffensive. His hostility against the consultant was rising again.
"Chloe, do you really need to make a scene at the precinct?"
Chloe stopped stroking her partner, looking up and Lucifer opened an eye, his purring turning into a barely perceivable growl.
"What is it now with you, Dan?" Chloe demanded, signature-rolling her eyes and Lucifer resumed purring, when she continued to play with his hair again.
"What is it with you? Can't you do that at home?"
"Sure we can, Daniel. But why wait? Or why hide in the evidence room like you do?" Lucifer growled again before he continued. "Why don't you get a life or at least a grip? Go and pester somebody else - like a partner for instance."
"You know very well that I work alone." Dan inhaled harshly and tried to make himself look bigger, but the effort was in vain as his exe's husband had closed his eyes again, ignoring him completely. He proceeded to his locker, grabbed his stuff and headed out.
"I wished he would stop being so angry with the world." Chloe sighed.
"He's angry at me, not the world. And I truly couldn't care less." Lucifer snuggled even closer. "But I should have given you the hicky. He then would have had a reason to get upset."
"You are incorrigible!" Chloe fake-slapped him on the back of his head.
"Ouch! That hurt! In here!" He put a hand over his heart and imitated a suffering face.
"Poor Devil! Let me make you feel better before we go murder hunting." She kissed him softly on his lips before she gnawed on his lower one and he followed her lead kissing her back.
"Yes, please. All this administrative work was so dreadful. Not even visiting Miss López helped. I need fresh air!"
"Because you did so much today." Her sarcasm was always cherished. "But without Ella's work we wouldn't have another lead."
"What can I say?" Purring he offered her more feline behavior, butting his head into her hand so she would continue to scratch his scalp. "Keeping you happy is a full time job."
