She was aimlessly wandering through, what appeared to be, the corn maze that was set up every year in Greendale. She was running her hand along the stalks, and the leaves shook under her touch. It seemed like she was walking for hours, but she couldn't have been. The sun was still high in the sky. She should've felt its harsh rays beating down on her skin, but they were conspicuously absent.
Exiting the maze was like entering a whole other world. A world whose gates were guarded by an apple tree. A basket had been placed at the base of the tree. She reached down to pick it up, and the skirt of her frilly white sundress fluttered around her knees.
All of the apples on the tree were red. Bright red and shiny. They were exactly the kind of thing she would typically be itching to sink her teeth into. For some strange reason, they held no appeal. They weren't even remotely tempting, but she stayed by the tree, examining it. If it wasn't for its one anomaly, it would have been perfect. The anomaly in question was a bright and shiny green apple hanging from one of the top branches. She licked her lips. That was the one that she wanted. She was just starting to reach for it when her eyes snapped open.
A groan escaped her lips when she saw that the sun was just starting to rise. That meant it was just past seven in the morning. She closed her eyes again and did her best to snuggle into the safe embrace of sleep, but it was of no use. She had to be up early anyway. Aunt Zelda wanted the house to be spick and span by the time Lucifer arrived.
At some point in the past twelve hours, she was able to stop thinking of him as Mr. Morningstar and started to think of him as Lucifer. She couldn't quite pinpoint when that was, no matter how much time she spent under the warm spray of the shower contemplating it, or how many theories she came up with about what he wanted while she carefully applied her bright red lipstick and got dressed for the day.
The cleaning was much worse than Sabrina originally thought it would be. Whoever thought to put carpet on stairs deserved a special place in Hell. She considered herself lucky that she didn't trip down the stairs while vacuuming. The last thing she imagined her Aunt would want to do today was to take a trip to the emergency room.
Dinner didn't come nearly fast enough, and that was something Ambrose agreed with. He had polished every window, mirror, and glass that would be used at dinner until they shined. If Sabrina had to guess she would say that her Auntie Hilda was more fed up than the two of them combined. Zelda had invaded her space, the kitchen and dining room. She had been looking over her shoulder until the vegetable pie went into the oven, and insisted on setting the table herself.
If these events were anything to go by, dinner was going to be an intense affair.
She was proven right when Lucifer showed up early. A bottle of wine in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. Sabrina was no expert, but the bottle looked expensive, possibly more expensive than the suit he was wearing. It was black, much tamer than the one he had worn the previous day, and just as absent of its tie. The flowers were lilies. An interesting choice which she commented on after Zelda had accepted the wine with a dutiful smile.
"Do they not please you?" he questioned.
"Lilies are my favorite," she replied, "but that's not what I asked."
He smiled, the same wolfish smile from before, and it only grew wider when she shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of his gaze, "No, it was not. I brought them because it seemed like the least I could do, considering your family was kind enough to invite me into their home."
"I heard that you invited yourself." After Zelda sat down at dinner the previous evening she regaled them with the tale of how Lucifer ended up with an 'invitation' to the Spellman house. It was a story that started in a rather dull manner, in Sabrina's opinion, so unlike the bedtime stories she used to tell her. Stories of great battles, powerful witches, ancient gods, warlords, and kings. It ended with Lucifer suggesting that he would like to come to dinner and talk about an opportunity he had for her.
"Is that a crime?"
"No, but it is extremely rude."
"Zelda could have easily refused my company."
"We both know that isn't true." Morningstar Pharmaceuticals had been Zelda Spellman's whole life until Sabrina and Ambrose came along, just like it was her parent's life before her, and the lives & deaths of Edward and Diana Spellman. Sometimes, she could swear that this company owned her family's souls. "What do you want?"
He chuckled. The sound was a low rumble that came from somewhere deep within him. Only under duress would she ever admit that she found it sexy. He was amused by her. "All in good time, little one," he husked as he turned to follow the path her Aunt Zelda had taken to the dining room.
She huffed and crossed her arms in a blatant display of annoyance before stomping after him and unceremoniously plopping herself down in her usual seat at the table. Much to her dismay, Lucifer had been given one of the head seats at the table. Those seats were usually empty. Zelda and Hilda sat on one side while Ambrose and Sabrina sat on the other. It was an arrangement that allowed everyone to interact with each other on equal ground.
Nothing about the way he glanced at her over his glass of wine was equal. It was rapacious. Whenever he did it, she did her best to maintain eye contact with him. Most of the time she was successful, unwavering, and steadfast. She was a Spellman, and Spellmans were not anyone's prey.
Sometimes, however, she wavered. Like when he licked his red wine-stained lips or traced his finger around the rim of the glass.
"Lost your appetite, Cousin?" Ambrose appeared genuinely concerned for her. Auntie Hilda's vegetable pie was one of her favorite meals. She couldn't think of a time she didn't reach for seconds, let alone refused it.
"Yeah," she said, glancing down at her barely touched plate of food, "Guess I'm just not that hungry."
"That certainly is a shame," Lucifer's honeyed voice filled the room, "It is a delightful meal, but I'm certain you already know that."
"I prefer it with onions," she retorted.
The upturned corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he paused with his glass halfway to his lips. She smirked to herself, high on a pleasant wave of self-satisfaction, and she sat up a little straighter.
"You strike me as the type of girl to prefer sweet things."
"I do," she confirmed, "but bitter things make them taste even sweeter."
"That they do," he practically purred, no longer showing any signs of discontentment.
"And you don't strike me as the type to tip-toe around what you want, so why don't you cut to the chase and tell us why you're here."
"Sabrina!" Zelda scolded, "That is no way to speak to our guest! Apologize at once."
"It's alright, Zelda," he placated, "It's only natural that the girl is curious. This is about her, after all."
She raised an eyebrow. This was about her on the surface level maybe, but Lucifer wasn't the type of man to do something without the possibility of personal gain. What he could gain from her, Sabrina had no idea. She was just an almost eighteen-year-old Ravenette in danger of failing pre-cal, and he was one of the most powerful men in the country.
"Something she said yesterday inspired me."
Sabrina all but rolled her eyes. He probably thought all of his ideas were excellent and had a team of people around him to agree with everything that came out of his mouth.
"As I'm sure you know, I have been receiving an unfair amount of negative media attention."
Unfortunately, that was something she had to agree with. All of that negative press usually centered around who he was romantically or sexually involved with. He wasn't sleeping with any of his clients, investors, or subordinates, so it didn't interfere with his work. As long as parties involved were of age and consented, who cared? Wasn't sex just a nice, normal, human thing to enjoy? She wouldn't know from personal experience, but she assumed that it was.
"She suggested I need to take control of my image instead of letting others do so, and I intend to take her advice, but I am not familiar with all of the complexities of social media, which is why I will be hiring someone to manage that on my behalf. Since your niece sparked the idea, it seemed only fitting to offer the position to her."
"I'm sorry," Hilda blurted out in disbelief, "You're offering her what now?"
Sabrina was grateful that she had asked the question that was on all of their minds because she was stunned to ask herself. He wanted her to work for him? She didn't know what to expect from him when she sat down for dinner, but this was certainly not it.
"A position as a social media manager for Morningstar Pharmaceuticals," he replied without hesitation, as though he hadn't just caused the entire room to freeze in shock.
"Sorry, I have school." That sounded much cooler in her head, but it was the truth.
It was her Senior year, and she didn't want to fall behind. There was so much she wanted to do. In addition to being a Ravenette, she wanted to run for student council president.
"As thrilled as I am at the prospect of her carrying on the family tradition of working for your company, in a new position no less, Sabrina is right," Zelda agreed, "What kind of parent would I be if I allowed any interference with her academic responsibilities?"
It was clear on his face that he hadn't expected any opposition from Zelda, but he continued with minimal hesitation, "I wouldn't dream of interfering with her schooling. Which is why I am more than willing to work around her schedule."
"No offense to you, Cousin, or to you, Mr. Morningstar," Ambrose interjected, "Why her? She's a teenager. Surely there are people-"
"That is precisely why I chose her," Lucifer said, "She's young. She knows how to influence today's youth, how to appeal to them. She can make me seem more… appealing to the general public. More sympathetic."
"Sounds like I'd have my work cut out for me."
"If you choose to accept, that is."
She looked from Zelda to Ambrose. This opportunity could also be good for both of them if she accepted, and if she refused, the consequences could be disastrous. Lucifer wasn't the type to take no for an answer. If she said no, he could easily punish them in her place.
It wasn't like this was an offer that had only pitfalls when it came to accepting it. It also had its advantages. Working for Morningstar Pharmaceuticals at such a young age, in a position created for her no less, would look great on college applications.
"I'll do it," she agreed, "I'll work for you."