Chapter 7:

Lucifer looked around in the cave while Diego was turning in the famous fox of Los Angeles. He had a lot of respect for the man, defending the poor without superpowers. The fact he was smart and the skills he learned kept him alive in combination with the servant and the special horse.

"Your stallion is devilishly beautiful," Lucifer said walking towards the stable where Felipe was saddling the seventeen hands tall Toronado.

Toronado took a step back, his ears flat on his neck when he saw the strange man walking towards him.

"It's alright, boy. He is a friend." Lucifer heard Diego yell from behind him. Toronado's ears pointed forward again, sniffing the scent of the man his master called a friend. There was still something off about the man, Toronado thought but he trusted his master with his life.

"Just mount the horse, Felipe brought you. They know how to exit this cave." Diego said pointing towards the dark brown mare, "We have a herd of half-wild horses, they usually give us the best foals but we don't use them to ride, so they are unknown for other people. I trained a few dark ones in case something happens to Toronado. They have a whole other mark than our other horses." Diego explained.

Lucifer nodded before mounting the mare with the name Esmeralda. The devil steered his mare forward and felt the mare pushing her hoof on a wooden plank to open the cave door before walking out.

Lucifer waited behind some trees until Toronado appeared, he nodded towards Diego to lead the way. Esmeralda was the best option to follow Toronado's pace, she wouldn't outrun him at full speed but she would be able to follow him on his normal pace.

They galloped towards the side of the hacienda where Chloe had been laying before she had been taking away. Zorro jumped from Toronado's back and started to look for tracks.

"They ran south, there are two sets of tracks," Zorro said without looking towards Lucifer. He mounted Toronado. He steered the stallion in the direction of the tracks. Lucifer did the same.

They were following the tracks for about a half an hour when the tracks suddenly stopped at a place where they could have gone in different directions.

"These aren't just any kind of bandits, these are professionals. They erased their tracks from here on they could have gone forward but also to the west or east. They could even have turned back." Diego sighed,

"Let's ride to my mountains?" The devil said to Diego, "Maybe we can find some clues there?"

Zorro looked at him for a moment, "Your mountains?"

"Yes, Devil's mountains?" Lucifer grinned

Zorro shook his head and laughed, "Yes that's a good idea, let's go to your mountains."

LUCIFER/ZORRO

"What did you mean earlier when you said it was better for Zorro to find them? Why wouldn't I believe you? " Victoria asked curiously now that they were alone.

"first because I didn't believe it myself before I saw proof. Lucifer is not as human as you think he is." Chloe said carefully

"What do you mean? He looked pretty human to me." Victoria said confused.

"Please don't freak out with what I am about to tell you because we humans gave him a much worse name than he is," Chloe said preparing Victoria for what she was about to reveal.

Victoria looked confused now.

Chloe sighed, "Here goes nothing. Lucifer, well Lucifer used to be the archangel Samael. But he calls himself Lucifer since his fall from heaven."

"You try to tell me that Lucifer is the devil himself and you want me to believe that? The next thing you will say is that Diego De La Vega is Zorro !" Victoria huffed, "I think you hit your head pretty hard."

"I know it's hard to believe but it is true." Chloe stopped suddenly when she heard voices, one voice she would recognize everywhere. He was the reason they were in this mess.

LUCIFER /ZORRO

Zorro and Lucifer arrived at the bottom of the Devil's mountains.

"Zorro, look! Aren't these the same tracks as the one we found at your house?" Lucifer asked pointing towards the tracks in the sand.

Zorro jumped off Toronado's back to investigate the tracks more closely.

"These are indeed the same tracks and they are leading to the cave over there," Zorro said pointing towards the cave in the furthest corner of the mountain.

"Let's save them before something else happens," Lucifer said nudging his mare forward. Zorro jumped on Toronado's back and followed the devil who was already halfway.

Suddenly Lucifer reigned in Esmeralda. Zorro stopped beside him.

"Look, foot tracks coming from out of nowhere," Lucifer said.

Zorro looked from at the ground without dismounting this time, "How is that even possible?"

"I fear that this can mean only one thing, that we need to be quick," Lucifer said

"What do you mean, we need to be quick?" Zorro asked worriedly.

"I am fearing that my brother is behind all of this," Lucifer said before his jaw tightens.

He jumps off Esmeralda and storms in the cave with Zorro hot in his heels.

LUCIFER /ZORRO

The man in the hooded cloak turned towards the kidnappers, "I only asked for the blond one! Who is the other woman?"

"You are early, sir. This is Victoria Escalante, Zorro's love interest. She was with the one you asked for." Juan said with his head down.

"Well, I got some use for her too." the hooded man said. Let's see what she will think of the future." the hooded man laughs.

Victoria swallows," Who is that man? What does he mean with the future?"

Chloe wanted to react but was stopped by a familiar voice in the dark, "Well, Well if it isn't my little brother."

Victoria screamed when the only thing she saw was eyes red as blood coming.

"Don't be afraid, Victoria. That's Lucifer. He is on our side." Chloe whispered but feared her reaction when Lucifer would step out of the dark. Red eyes usually meant he was in his true form.

The hooded figure turned around, "Well, you found us quit fast brother but also to late. He grabbed Chloe and placed the knife at her throat," Oh and keep your friend in check because she is going with me too! "

This was the sign for Lucifer to step out of the darkness, showing Lucifers red burned skin.

Chloe looked towards Victoria but couldn't do anything. Victoria was in shock like many before her.

She also saw the bandits shivering in fear.

" Say bye-bye to these lovely women Lucifer." Michael laughed evilly.

He made a snap into the air and disappeared with both women. Leaving the bandits at the devil's mercy.

TBC