CHAPTER THREE

Interview with the Devil.

~What do you want from me? Why don't you run from me?
What are you wondering? What do you know?
Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me?
When we all fall asleep, where do we go?~

- bury a friend, Billie Eilish.

Next morning I woke up feeling drained, I had no energy for anything but I knew that I had to show up in the dining room, if only for appearances' sake. My eyes were rimmed red and my hands were shaking slightly as I made my way to the dining room where the rest of the group was, all of them, save for Evie, were there. I stopped abruptly in the doorway when I realized that everyone was staring at me, Michael included.

"Good morning," I murmured softly and went to take my seat next to Dinah, avoiding to look at anyone else.

"Alexandra," a deep voice called, nobody needed to tell me who was the owner of said voice as every nerve of my body seemed to know.

I looked up and found his gaze on me, immaculate red eyeshadow and I wondered if he took the time in reapplying it or if it was just a fluke of destiny.

"Yes?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Your interview is next," he said standing, I felt my heart stop for a second and then the beating became faster.

I gulped and nodded as I stood.

I walked behind Michael trying not to die from a heart attack, I wanted nothing more but to run into my room and lock myself there, forever, maybe drown myself in the tub, end my misery, just stop it all and fina-

I crashed into a wall, or rather Michael's back as he stopped walking abruptly, I was quick to take a step back and straighten myself, Michael opened the door to his room? Office? And motioned for me to walk in.

The room was spacious, I was quick to find a place to sit before my legs gave out, I knew my limits well, I took several breaths as Michael paced around the room, his eyes never leaving my form, I felt small, like a child that had been sent to the principal's office for being naughty in class.

"Alexandra Jane Black," Michael said, my gaze found his and I felt a shiver go down my spine, it suddenly felt very cold around me.

"Yes," I said, even though my name was not a question.

"You paid for a spot in Outpost 4 and you were misplaced here, the Collective sends their apologies," he said, I nodded slowly, "According to Ms. Venable you have been the easiest candidate to deal with, you don't complain, barely talk to the others, if she didn't know better she would have assigned you to be a grey, why is that?"

"I'm…" I seemed to think about my answer, I was scared, yes, but that wasn't the main thing about my attitude, I was uncomfortable, tired, mourning a life that was not, I took a deep breath before I spoke as softly as I could "I'm afraid."

"But there is more isn't it?" Michael asked as he crouched in front of me, I moved away from him, almost instinctively, "Do I scare you?"

"Very much so," I said as our gazes held, a small smirk appeared on his lips.

"Why?" he asked nonchalantly, I tried to press my back to the couch.

"I… I know things," I said as I felt my eyes watering, this was it, either my undoing or my saving grace, I had chosen a side.

"Things?" Michael asked interested, I nodded and he placed a hand on my lap grasping one of my legs, his hold light enough for me to feel a small pressure from it, "Are you going to tell me?"

"Your name is Michael Langdon," I started and closed my eyes, "You were born in a place known as the Murder House, where several spirits live or lived, your mother's name was Vivian and you had a father figure in Ben for a while too," his nails started digging on my skin over the fabric of my dress, "Your grandmother Constance tried to raise you, but she bailed on you because you were different and Tate, your supposed biological father denied you, it made you angry and you left the house with a woman called Ms. Meade, she became your new mom and she loved you as much as you loved her, but the witches killed her and your allies, burned at the stake."

I stopped for a moment and opened my eyes, Michael's face was just inches away from mine, an unreadable expression on his face, I wanted him to back off, badly, I felt a tear run down my cheek, only to be stopped by Michael's thumb, he caressed my cheek with his hand, his other hand keeping a hold on my leg, and he cupped my face as more tears continued to fall.

"What else?" he asked, I was trembling as I tried to get more words out, I closed my eyes again.

"You also went to a magic school, you passed the seven wonders and you were about to become the new supreme, I think, I…, but Cordelia Goode, she started digging about your past and found out that you were the antichrist and not some alpha warlock, you also vowed to destroy her coven, because she had killed Miriam," I paused, my heart was drumming against my chest, Michael's hand traveled to my neck and I shivered, not from pleasure, but from fright.

"I won't hurt you," he said softly, I opened my eyes slowly, his blue gaze was on me, he wouldn't hurt me as long as he wanted to know what I knew, I was not stupid.

"You were found by a group of satanists after four days in a desert, they helped you and this woman set you with the collective, her name I don't remember, but she drove a red car and sold her soul to the devil, you stayed with them for a while, until it was time for you to enact your apocalypse, you brought back Miriam in an unorthodox way, but while you plotted, the witches plotted too," I paused again, letting the information sink in, Michael looked confused and not as cocky as he had been.

"What are they plotting, Alexandra?" he asked, I bit my lip.

"I will tell you," I began, he raised an eyebrow at me, "I will, I just, I want to ask a favor, please."

"Ask," he commanded.

"If I'm not cut to be going to this Sanctuary, that's fine, I don't mind much, but, if I don't pass the test or the worst comes to happen, I want you to either grant me a quick death or protect me, please," I pressed, Michael seemed pensive and stood abruptly, I looked up at him, he seemed really tall.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, looking down at me.

"Yes," I answered, "I trust you, Michael."

He lowered himself again, his face was, once again, inches away from mine. I shuddered and tried move back, Michael's hands gripped my legs, holding me in place.

"Please," I whispered, his eyes searched mine.

"Please what?"

"Stand back."

"Back?" He asked cocking his head to the side.

"You're in my personal space, please," I pleaded again.

Michael looked confused but stood back and sat on the couch opposite from mine.

"You feel different," he said, my eyes were on him, "And yet there is nothing different about you, speak, Alexandra, and you might yet survive this."

"Cordelia has a plan, it involves Coco and Mallory," I said carefully, Michael seemed to ponder my words.

"The shallow girl and her servant?" He asked, I nodded.

"They are not what it seems, they are witches, Cordelia erased their memories and placed them here on purpose, so that there was a way to defeat you, Mallory might be the next supreme, if her powers awaken, the others, the ones in hiding, they'll know, and they'll come here to end you," I fiddled with my hands and the fabric of my dress.

"They won't, I've already won," Michael said, but his voice wavered, my eyes found his.

"If Mallory travels back in time and kills you at your most vulnerable you will cease to exist here."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I might cease to exist too, the witches are only thinking about themselves, so I'm being selfish and thinking about me," yes, I was being selfish, sue me, I was a survivor first, or at least, I was trying to be.

Michael handed me a small vial, it was filled with a mauve liquid, I twirled it in my hands and looked at him.

"Drink," he ordered, his cold eyes on me.

I unclasped the vial without thinking it much and brought it to my lips, my eyes never leaving Michael's. I felt the liquid, cold against my lips and as I was ready to swallow it-

"Stop," he said, I looked at him before pulling the vial away from my lips, "You do trust me," he murmured before taking the vial from my hand.

My hand was trembling slightly and I counted my small victory, I was alive, for now.

"There's more you know," he said and sat back on his couch, legs spread open, to another person perhaps his posture would have been inviting, to me, it was just making me want to blend in with the couch I was currently sitting on.

"There is, in a few days a carriage with apples will arrive, Venable will call for a Halloween party, the apples will be poisoned and all the guests will die, Mallory and Coco will come back to life with their memories as witches, and Cordelia, Madison and another witch whose name I can't remember will come here, Dinah will choose you over the witches, but Cordelia and Marie Laveau have a plan to kill her and offer her soul to a man called Legba, Venable will try to kill you, only to be killed by Miriam, she will remember you, but the witches will kill her again," I said, Michael seemed to be considering every word I said.

"And what will happen to you then?" he asked, I wanted to shrug.

"I… I don't know, I was not meant to be here, I am not meant to be here," I said, Michael nodded before he stood, I shrunk back on the couch as he approached me.

He took my face in his hands, his thumbs caressing my face softly, as if somehow I could break.

"Perhaps… perhaps my father sent you to me, to help me win, to help me shape the world in his image," he said, his voice soft like velvet and his breath warm on my face.

I closed my eyes again, each breath I took, heavier than the last, my skin crawling with fear, I shivered and Michael's hands moved from my face only to grasp me by my shoulders, I opened my eyes slowly and his face was even closer to mine.

"Don't fear me," his voice was soft, almost childish, my entire body was trembling, "No harm will befall you."

It sounded like a promise in his voice, but I couldn't bring myself to relax completely, I nodded carefully and Michael smiled at me, a smile, not a smirk, he stepped back from my personal space.

"It seems that I have to deal with two witches then," he said almost amused, he offered me his hand.

I took it without hesitation and stood carefully, Michael seemed content by my choice.

"Are we done?" I asked carefully, Michael seemed thrown off by my question, but nodded.

"For now, we are," he said as he led me outside.