Chapter 1
The creature awoke from his slumber, stretching his muscles and yawning like a child. Sleeping on a park bench all night will do strange things to your back. He rubbed his eyes and winced as the light from the sun stung his retina.
"Stupid sun," he groaned, "I'm up!" The creature sat up and dusted dirt off his stolen outfit. He used his highly advanced eyes to scan the park around him, searching for a possible threat or meal. Nothing interesting caught his eye. He shrugged, stood up, and started walking out of the park. He passed by the stores of L.A., marveling at the beauty and the fragility of everything. He smirked at the thought of the people inside each store, mindlessly taking pleasure in material possessions, not even caring that their lives could end in a second. The creature was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of barking all around him. People passing by were gripping onto the leashes of their dogs as he passed, trying to maintain control of their adorable dogs turned vicious. The creature raised his eyebrow at the owners, who were giving him apologetic looks as their dogs snarled and foamed at the mouth, trying to bite and scratch the creature.
"Heal!" Cried the owners as they pulled the dogs away, who were relentless to try and fight. The creature smirked and blew kisses to each dog he passed, laughing at how oblivious the owners were to how close danger was.
"I love animals," the creature chuckled to himself as he continued to strut down the streets of Los Angeles. He stopped in front of a small shop that sat upon a dark street corner. A fluorescent sign creaked as the summer breeze rocked it back and forth.
"Katrina The Mystic," it read, "Tarot Card and Psychic Readings." The creature rolled his eyes and pushed open the door, causing a wind chime to shake and cling as he entered. The shop was candlelit, giving it a very eerie atmosphere. The walls and floor were a dark violet color, and trinkets such as skulls and voodoo dolls were hung up like trophies. The whole place smelled of incense and a trail of green smoke led into a deep section of the shop. At the center of the shop was a grand round table with a lavender table cloth, at it's center was a crystal ball, smoke twisting and twirling inside of it.
"Who goes there?" A tall woman, looking about the age of 50, came out of a back room whose door consisted only of strands of beads hanging from the ceiling. She had a mop of curly ginger red hair upon her head and she was wearing large round spectacles that made her eyes look huge. Upon her skinny fingers were rings of various jewels and gems with one large golden earring hanging down from her left ear. She was dressed in a long purple velvet frock that tightened around her waist to make her appear even skinnier than she already was. The creature snickered and took a seat at the grand table, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knees.
"Don't tell me you don't recognize me, Katrina?" Katrina gasped and adjusted her spectacles, her massive eyes widening in awe.
"Lucifer? Is that you?" The creature smiled, showing off his long sparkling fangs.
"So you do remember me," he said, "I was afraid you'd become forgetful in your old age." Katrina laughed wheezily and walked over to the creature.
"My old age? You're almost 3,000 years old!" Lucifer giggled and winked at Katrina.
"I told you, I'm not a day over a thousand." The two laughed then Katrina placed a deck of tarot cards on the table.
"I see you've feasted," she said as she laid the cards down flat across from them, "You look almost as beautiful as an angel."
"Oh stop," giggled Lucifer, "you're going to make me blush." Katrina rolled her eyes, then shut them as she took a deep breath. Lucifer raised one of his eyebrows at Katrina and looked down at her table. "I see you have retained your powers over the future. You have the cards all set up before I could tell you why I was even here."
"Oh, I know why you're here," said Katrina, placing her spectacles on her frock, "I foresaw your arrival in a dream a few nights ago. Unfortunately, my dream did not have a time frame for when you would arrive."
"I'll try to find a shirt that has the date on it next time." Katrina gestured toward the upside down tarot cards that laid upon the table.
"You know the routine, Lucifer," she said, "Wave your hand across until three cards have been chosen." Lucifer's nodded and waved his perfect hand across the row of cards. Before he reached the end of the row, one of the cards jumped up from the table and stuck to his palm. Katrina took the card and placed it in her lap. "Past." Lucifer continued to move his hand across the tarot cards, this time in the opposite direction. When he reached the middle of the row, another card sprang up and attached to his palm. Katrina quickly snatched the card and put it in her lap. "Present." Lucifer's hand was shaky this time as he waved it across the row of cards. He moved slowly as he waited in suspense for the last card to jump up. Right before he finished going over the row, the third card floated up slowly and pressed itself into Lucifer's palm. Lucifer yelped as the card burned through his skin. He shook his hand up and down in an effort to get the card off of him. Katrina, almost without moving, snatched the card off of Lucifer's palm and rested it on her lap. "Future."
Katrina waved her hands and the cards piled themselves back into a pile and set themselves aside. She raised her hands up and the three cards chosen by Lucifer levitated off of her lap and onto the table. "Now," she said softly, "let's see what the cards have to say this time." Katrina closed her eyes for a moment, then when she opened them, they were glowing all white. Her eyes themselves were not visible, it was like her eyes were made up of nothing but light. Her hair was rippling as if it was being moved by an invisible breeze and the crystal ball in the center of the table began to glow as the cards circled them. The first card floated above the crystal ball, while the others continued to rotate around it.
"Your first card will tell me the past," said Katrina, her voice now echoey and loud, "Lots of loves that did not last." Lucifer rolled his eyes.
"This is the boring part," he crossed his arms and sat back into his chair, uninterested in what Katrina had to say.
"YOU WILL LISTEN!" She boomed, pointing her skinny index finger at Lucifer's face. Lucifer's yellow eyes widened and he was taken aback by Katrina's reaction. "DO NOT MAKE ME MAKE YOU NOT OUT OF VOLITION!" Lucifer groaned and sat up.
"Fine! Just get it over with..." Katrina smirked and continued with her reading.
"Tears of sadness, screams of fear, loneliness that plagues the years." The tarot card flipped over to reveal a picture of a crying young man on his knees, his face covered by his hands, wearing nothing but a shendyt, and a dead young man on the ground beside him. Flames were surrounding the crying man and red evil eyes were painted above it all. Lucifer growled as a memory flashed in his mind.
"Jibade!"
"Hasani, you must run!"
"I won't leave without you!" A loud slicing sound is heard and blood splatters against the floor. "No! Jibade!" Loud sobs and inconsolable crying echoes throughout the halls.
Lucifer snarls, his eyes glowing bright red, and the tarot card bursts into flames. "Okay," he said angrily, "the past is over and done! Enough with your mind tricks, witch! Just get on with it, Katrina!" Katrina smirked a little.
"Hmm, very well." Katrina cleared her throat and once again, resumed her reading. The second tarot card rose above the crystal ball.
"Your present tells me something you'll enjoy, a powerful magic within a mortal boy."
"Ooo!" Said Lucifer excited. "Do tell!"
"You long for eternal life, one bite of him, you'll be rid of your strife." Lucifer's eyes brightened up and a smile painted itself onto his face.
"Eternal life? You mean, without having to worry about aging?! Excellent! Just tell me where to go and I'll-"
"Halt, demon! I'm not done! This mortal boy will not be easily won!" Lucifer stood up and crossed his arms.
"Do you doubt my powers?"
"That's just it! Don't you see? This mortal will be immune to thee." Lucifer laughed and placed his hand on his chest.
"No one is immune to me! I mean, look at me." Katrina chuckled and floated toward Lucifer, flipping over the third tarot card.
"In order to get what you want, you must win him without a flaunt, of your powers for he will only respond, to a loving heart and a genuine bond." Katrina floated the second card over to Lucifer and it landed in his arms. The tarot card had a picture of a blonde tan and handsome young man with beautiful cerulean eyes. He had model-like features and he looked European, but Lucifer couldn't place what country. Lucifer licked his lips, his mouth salivating at the thought of feasting upon the young man's beautiful skin.
"I can't wait to get started. Thanks, Katrina. I have what I need."
"A word of caution before you part" said Katrina, placing her hand on Lucifer's shoulder, her voice returning to normal, "Beware this mortal, Lucifer. He'll steal your heart." Lucifer sniggered and moved Katrina's hand off of him.
"No mortal can steal my heart. I am Lucifer, the most irresistible siren to ever walk the mortal plain. You must've drank too much this morning, dear, because I'll have that mortal's heart comfortably between my teeth before he could ever steal mine." Lucifer shoved the tarot card into his pocket, turned away from Katrina, and left her shop in a huff. Katrina levitated the final tarot card in her hand and stared down at the picture. She laughed softly and beamed brightly.
"No mortal, he says...Oh, how I wish you could see the future, Lucifer."