chapter 7:

Dan had just placed his keys in the bowl on the cabinet when a knock on his door made him groan, he was already late at the precinct so he didn't have time for visitors. He wanted to ignore the visitor and step into the shower but the man on the other side of the door didn't stop banging at the door of Dan's apartment.

The detective opened the door, "Can I help you?" his tone made clear that he was a little pissed at the man.

"I think I am the one that can help you." Father Kinley said remarkably calmly, especially after hearing how hard he had been banging Dan's door.

Detective Espinosa looked at the priest like he had grown two heads, "What could you possibly do to help me?" he asked, agitated, "You know what I don't want to know, I don't have time for your talks about God. I have to go to work, I am already late."

"You misunderstood me, sir. I am not just an ordinary priest coming to preach about our Lord. I am here to help your soul back into God's light." Father Kinley smiled charmingly, "I am here to save your soul."

Dan was becoming more and more agitated, he didn't have time for this, "Save my soul from what? My soul doesn't need your saving."

Father Kinley stayed calm, he knew this was going to be a hard one. He hoped he could convince the man because if not, he was on his own to try and get the devil in hell forever. He rather didn't want to come in contact with the fallen angel but it was time and he had to try anything to get to his goal.

"Can I come inside for just one minute and I will explain everything to you. It will be hard to believe but please, it won't take very long." Kinley pleaded in a soft voice, holding his hands in front of him, his fingers intertwined with each other.

Dan sighed, he could miss this but he knew that this kind of priest would return until they had their say about whatever they wanted to preach.

Dan groaned, "Okay, you have 5 minutes, not a second more." the man stepped aside to let the priest walk past him. He didn't see the small smirk on the man's face. He was convinced that this man didn't know Lucifer's secret and that would be exactly what he was hoping for, the fear of humanity for the fallen angel.

"You won't regret it, sir. I am sorry that I hold you from your work but I believe that your soul is in danger of going to a very dark place. I can help you to reach Heaven when your time comes." Father Kinley said patiently his face back to normal, the smirk gone.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dan asked. He had a feeling in which direction this talk was going but he would let the man have his say. Lucifer wasn't really discrete about who or what he was.

"You work together with Lucifer Morningstar am I right?" Father Kinley asked.

Dan nodded briefly, "Yes, he is a civilian consultant at the LAPD why?"

"How well do you know your boyfriend?" Kinley said the priest had his connections in Los Angeles.

Dan was shocked when he heard this. How could he know this? They hadn't come out yet. The relationship was still at an early stage. They started dating a few weeks ago. He didn't know how to react to this, was he a believer that Lucifer was really the devil? What exactly did he know?

"You don't need to hide it, detective. I always do my homework. Now there is only one thing I want to know, how much of Lucifer have you seen? How well do you know the man you live in sin with?" Father Kinley's voice stayed calm although the tone became slightly more threatening. It was clear to Dan that this priest knew more about his lover.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dan asked, pretending he didn't know what the priest meant.

"Don't play me for a fool, detective. You are in severe danger and I am here to help so you have to be honest with me." The priest responded, it was clear that Kinley was getting agitated, even though he was trying to hide it.

"With all due respect, I really don't know what you are talking about? I don't see how I am in danger from a man who helps us catch a lot more bad guys than ever before." Dan kept his pretense. Lucifer wasn't evil so much he was sure off.

"What I will tell you now is going to be hard to accept but your soul is captured by the first fallen angel, the devil himself. Lucifer Morningstar is evil incarnate and must be sent back to the place where he belongs, Hell. If you help me with this situation your soul will be safe again. The only thing you have to do is give him the content of this vial." Father Kinley said, placing a hand on Dan's shoulder. Looking as trustworthy as possible before showing the little vial he had kept in his pocket all this time. He placed the vial on the cabinet and shoved it towards detective Espinosa.

Dan started laughing, "Lucifer Morningstar evil? You read too much in your bible Father. Lucifer may be eccentric but evil he is not. Why would he help the LAPD if he was evil like you say? You are too fanatic in your job, Father Kinley."

"I am sure he is charming and it seems like he is helping but that is all an act. He is the prince of lies after all." The priest responded. He didn't like to be laughed at but somehow he had expected this reaction.

"Clearly you never talked to the guy have you?" Dan was serious again. Kinley was taking this too far. This wasn't funny anymore.

"I can't say I have talked to him, no but you would think he is honest and will be faithful to you right?" Kinley responded with a small smirk not noticeable for Dan.

"I know he never lies and he will be faithful to me. I love him and he loves me." Dan said in a serious tone. He had enough of this priest who talked like Lucifer was some kind of a monster. It was men like him who kept the lie of Lucifer being evil incarnate alive, "You don't seem to be shocked that you are sleeping with the devil? You knew he was the first fallen angel didn't you?"

"We are done here, I will ask you kindly to leave my apartment before I lose my temper," Dan growled now while pointing his finger towards the door behind the priest.

"You are in denial, detective Espinosa but I am sure that you will see him the way I see him soon enough," Kinley said before turning around, not taking the vial with the poison with him. He was sure that he had brought the first cracks in the relationship between the devil and his lover.

Dan groaned when the door closed behind the priest, he had to talk to Lucifer before the priest could do anything. He needed to warn his boyfriend, so he took out his phone and dialed Lucifer's number while walking towards his bathroom.

"Miss me already?" Lucifer said smugly the moment he answered his phone.

"I miss you all the time, Luce but that's not why I called you. I can't say much over the phone, what I can say is that I had a visit from a special priest out of Rome. I want to warn you about him, can you come to my apartment?" Dan asked. This couldn't wait whether he was late for work or not.

"I will be there in about 30 minutes, darling," Lucifer responded over the phone. He noticed the worry in his voice, "I just have to continue making myself presentable which will take 10 minutes max. I am almost ready."

"Okay, just let yourself in. I am going to hop in the shower." Dan responded he knew his boyfriend didn't need a key to open a door. Sometimes a curse, especially when he didn't want to listen and entered before they had a warrant but in moments like this, it was a gift.

"I can always join you in the shower, darling." Lucifer purred at the other end of the phone.

Dan chuckled, he had been waiting for one of those comments. He couldn't be angry about it. The detective floated it right across the plate for Lucifer.

"Other times I would love to, Luce but we don't really have time today and I can't be distracted from what I have to tell you."

"I will see you soon, darling." Lucifer smiled softly. Dan could hear the love in the voice of his lover and still, after everything the priest had said about him, one thing stuck in his mind. Something he surely was going to ask the devil or he would risk that it would give him doubts for the rest of his life. Could Lucifer really be faithful to him? Could he ask that of the Devil?

Dan shook his head to try and stop the doubts before walking towards his shower.

**ITALY**

"That's just it, sister, he never ever lied to me." Chloe was really starting to doubt her decision. What if she had hurt him by running away?

"He is a master in lying, my child. It's normal for you to have these doubts. There are a few other persons who are hiding from him. We will take good care of you." The nun smiled.

Chloe stayed silent and watched out of the window her daughter curled up into her side. She watched how the trees passed by the old car. The moon shining his light through the woods. She had her arm comfortably around Trixie. She didn't know when she would see her beloved Los Angeles ever again, She wasn't sure what she was going to do in the little town but her savings should get her through the next year.

The trees disappeared and a large open space came into view. In the middle of that open space stood a large stone entryway with a tower on each side.

"I thought we were going to a little village?" Chloe was shocked the moment the old van drove underneath the gates and showed a 12-century old castle that was serving as a nunnery. The last owner had no children and was extremely religious so he had gifted everything to the church.

"I know I said that my child but you will have to wait until you have your new identity and a place to sleep. I am sorry if I mislead you in any way that wasn't my intention." The Sister said with a friendly tone in her voice. Don't worry my child. You will be safe."

"I am so sorry, Sister Grind, I don't want to be ungrateful. I am just a bit jumpy." Chloe sighed when she watched how the car stopped in front of the castle built out of gray stones, with a tower on each corner of the castle.

"Don't worry my child. I completely understand. We will make sure that you can return as quickly as possible." The Sister smiled, "We don't have any luxury but you can eat and rest from the travel in one of the rooms."

Chloe nodded while lifting her daughter out of the car as soon as the door opened and followed the Flora Grind inside the large building. Hidden in a large forest. They were going to sleep for a few more hours before facing a new day, hoping that she was doing the right thing.

TBC