"Have you heard a word I've said?" Chloe asked Lucifer as she turned around to face him. He was looking off in the opposite direction with a preoccupied expression on his face again. She had found him like that almost every time she glanced at him over the past few days.
"Of course. Shots fired, she died, yada yada," Lucifer replied trying to focus his attention on the detective and away from the troubled thoughts that were filling his mind.
"Aside from the fact that the cause of death was stabbing and she is technically still a he, you're right," Chloe told him and braced herself for his response.
"She is a he?" he asked without much interest and looked away.
"Mmm-hmmm," she replied still waiting for some additional response from him. Seeing that Lucifer was totally preoccupied she continued, "Is this not interesting enough for you? Do you have somewhere else you have to be? As I remember it, you asked to tag along on cases, so the least you could do is appear to take an interest."
"I have many things on my mind; this is not all I do, detective," Lucifer told her seriously.
"Lounging in a club every night must be taxing," Chloe responded sarcastically.
"I do more than lounge," he protested. "Lux is not foremost in my mind right now."
"You've been preoccupied for days. I thought you go to therapy to work these things out," Chloe said. She noticed that he seemed to want to say more but after a bit of consideration he remained silent.
"I have not spoken about it in therapy," Lucifer admitted as they walked back to Chloe's car. "One hour is not enough time."
"If you want to talk about it, I'll listen," she told him.
Lucifer looked at her dubiously for a moment or two before saying anything. "It's Oriel," he then blurted out.
"Oriel?" Chloe asked with surprise. "She's in town?"
"She never left," he replied plainly. "She has been here since you last spoke."
"The two of you got in a fight?" she asked innocently.
"No," he replied and shot her a dismissive look.
"She's finally had enough of your adolescent nonsense?" the detective pressed.
"She finds my demeanor amusing – most of the time," Lucifer explained with raised eyebrows and a smirk.
"I highly doubt that," Chloe countered with surety before adding, "Then what is it? This was supposed to be you talking and me listening, not me asking questions and you giving vague answers."
"Oriel is not herself the past week or so," he revealed somewhat reluctantly. "She is reticent to the point of deafening silence; she hardly eats, and avoids sleeping for as long as she can."
"Why don't you just ask her what's bothering her?" Chloe suggested aloud. She silently noted how much time Lucifer must have spent with Oriel recently to notice these things.
"I already know what's bothering her," he stated impatiently.
"In that case, you may want to start with an apology," the detective replied assuming the reason behind Oriel's current state was a direct result of Lucifer's words and actions.
"It is not my fault!" he objected. "Maybe you could point that out to Oriel."
"Me?" Chloe asked not disguising her shock at his request. "I hardly know her and I don't think she likes me."
"Trust me, detective, if Oriel didn't like you she wouldn't speak to you at all," Lucifer stated. He then proceeded to convince her to drive to the villa where Oriel was staying.
Chloe looked around as she got out of the car. "This is a surprise. I assumed Oriel lived somewhere else," she said.
"She does reside elsewhere," Lucifer replied without further explanation. "However, Oriel is – for the time being – staying here."
He walked up to the front door and grabbed the door handle. Chloe heard the tumblers move as he twisted the knob and opened the door. "Do you ever knock?" the cop asked.
"Never with Oriel," he replied with a sly smile.
They walked inside and found the dwelling empty. Lucifer had expected as much and led the way out the patio doors. Oriel was sitting on the ground reading a book; she was clothed in material that shone of sunlight. Realizing that Oriel was not about to acknowledge their presence, Lucifer cleared his throat. When Oriel looked up, Chloe was surprised to see how tired the aos sí appeared. The slight dark circles under Oriel's eyes from restless nights were emphasized by her paleness and the fae's overall demeanor seemed to exude apathy.
No one uttered a word. Eventually, Lucifer gave Chloe a slight shove, "Go ahead, tell her."
"Tell me what?" Oriel inquired and looked from Lucifer to Chloe and back again.
Chloe gave the devil a nasty glare before saying to Oriel, "Lucifer is worried because you're not yourself the past few days."
"I'm not worried," Lucifer interrupted which caused both Oriel and Chloe to look in his direction. The look on both women's faces said they did not believe him. "I may be a trifle concerned, but I am most definitely not worried."
"Did Lucifer tell you why I am not quite myself?" Oriel asked the detective as she angrily snapped the book shut and placed it on the ground beside her. The fae's words and actions caused the devil to stalk back inside the house.
"No," Chloe answered shaking her head in frustration as she watched Lucifer walk away. After thinking for a moment or two she asked, "Does this have anything to do with whatever was following him?"
"What is following him," Oriel corrected and then said, "I believe that the two are related; he thinks otherwise."
Chloe walked over to where Oriel was sitting and said quietly, "I think that Lucifer is afraid that you're mad at him."
"I'm not," Oriel said shortly as Chloe looked down at her with a skeptical look on her face. The fae ran her hands through her hair and went on to explain, "He's like a child in some ways. Lucifer honestly cannot fathom that his way of thinking might be flawed, much less that he might be wrong. How can I stay angry at that?"
"You're a better person than I am?" Chloe replied sincerely.
"No…I've just had a thousand years to figure it out," Oriel assured her.
"But…if he," the detective began.
"Chloe, I'm exhausted," Oriel said cutting the other woman off. "I have nightmares of my past that become more real with each passing moment. Lucifer knows this and knows what the dreams entail."
"Then he should understand," Chloe stated firmly even though she didn't understand fully what Oriel meant. The detective in her was sure that there was more to this than dreams.
"Nothing scares him; on the other hand, it still terrifies me. It terrifies me to the point that I don't want to talk about it – not even to Lucifer," the fae explained. "He has a hard time understanding that."
"Maybe if you did try talking to someone about it," Chloe suggested but was cut off.
"There is only one way that this will be resolved. Now if you'll excuse me," Oriel said as she stood up and walked inside the villa.
Oriel found Lucifer leaning against a kitchen counter. There was an open whiskey bottle nearby and he had a drink and lit cigarette in hand. He hesitated and surreptitiously raised his eyes to look over at her.
"It's not you. As you well know, I have no problem telling you when it is," she said as their eyes met. She continued walking by him and entered the bedroom. When she emerged a few minutes later, she was wearing loose-fitting black pants and a flowy, white linen top. She had pulled her hair back from her face and quickly braided it in an effort to tame it.
"Where are you going?" Lucifer asked Oriel taking note of her hair and change of clothing.
"To tempt fate," the fae answered with glowing eyes and a determined look on her face. She reached over and grabbed the cigarette from his hand and crushed it out before suddenly disappearing.
"Oriel!" he called after her knowing it was futile.
Chloe walked quickly inside when she heard Lucifer's voice raise. As she entered, she looked around expecting to see Oriel somewhere nearby. "Is everything alright?"
"The odds are definitely not in favor of that," he told her sharply and stared at the remains of the cigarette.
"Where is Oriel?" Chloe asked continuing to look around the villa.
"Off to tempt fate," Lucifer replied ambiguously.
"Lucifer!" the detective admonished.
"That is what she said," he said. "Bloody hell if I know where she went."
"Oriel said you can find her at any time," she stated. "Can you or can't you?"
"She has hidden herself from me. She does not want me to find her presently," he said seriously and then smiled.
"You're smiling? This isn't funny," Chloe admonished him. "You don't know where she is or what she is thinking."
After leaving the villa, Oriel went to an area in the Redwoods forest she had discovered a few days before. Oriel had always loved the woods, and being surrounded by the tall trees not only provided her with a sense of serenity but also helped to revitalize her. She stood for a few minutes and watched a bluebird as she idly let sunlight pool in her hand. As the bird flitted off, she poured the sunlight to the ground and crafted a circle of witchfire around her. Summoning demons was not something Oriel had ever done before. Although she was well versed in all types of spells, Oriel wasn't sure what she was planning would work.
Oriel took a deep breath to center herself and also whispered a small prayer. She then uttered the words to summon Ephialtes. A moment later, an almost invisible ripple between the worlds appeared in the forest. As she watched with her blue-green eyes glowing brightly, a demon stood before her. Oriel quickly tried to recall all of Lucifer's ramblings about demons and it didn't take long before she was sure that it was Ephialtes facing her.
Ephialtes was about three-feet tall, although his actual height was difficult to discern as he was hunched over. His skin was the color of red clay, and was wrinkled and leathery looking. The demon had a bald head, large pointed ears, piercing green eyes and extremely long fingers and toes with nails that were like talons. He looked around nervously; his head and eyes darting in all directions.
"Seems you were hoping for someone else," Oriel said plainly as she watched him with curiosity.
"Is he here?" Ephialtes asked in return, his gravelly voice almost a whisper.
"Is who here?" she questioned harshly and pretended not to know who the demon meant.
"Lucifer," he hissed at the fae.
"The Morning Star himself?" she said with mock surprise. "Word has it he's given up on Hell and retired to the City of Angels – of all places. This is California but there's no one here but me. Sorry."
"He must be here. You would not know how to summon me," Ephialtes countered as he twisted his head and looked up at her. "Aos sí do not traffic with demons."
"Things change when demons traffic with aos sí. Someone has to step in and mediate," Oriel explained.
"So they sent you?" the demon asked and pointed a long finger in her direction, "You must have greatly angered someone."
"I like to wander beyond the veil, unlike most. Besides, you wouldn't harm an aos sí without provocation, would you?" Oriel shrugged and said sweetly with wide eyes. She was surprised to find that Ephialtes did not realize that the aos sí he was speaking with was the same he was sending the nightmares to. For the time being, she was content to keep it that way.
"I assume you were sent to ask me to put an end to the nightmares affecting the rogue fae?" Ephialtes questioned.
"We can start with that," she replied stonily while inwardly amused at being described as rogue.
"If I refuse will you try to force me otherwise? You aren't strong enough for that," the demon said confidently as he gestured to the circle of fire that surrounded her.
"I did manage to summon you on my own," Oriel pointed out as she let the circle of blue-white fire die down around her. She then opened her left hand and the same fire flared for a few seconds before she tossed it carelessly in his direction. "There's no telling what else I can do."
Ephialtes knew little about the aos sí or the extent of their powers. As Oriel spoke, he took a step backward and looked up at her with a bit of fear suddenly reflected in his eyes, "The dreams – they were not entirely of my doing."
"Nightmares are your forte, Ephialtes, are they not?" she inquired as she cupped her hand, the fire reappearing in her palm.
"They are, but it was not my idea," he told her in an attempt to excuse his actions.
"Then whose?" Oriel shot back in reply.
"A soul long tortured," the demon answered in a near whisper.
"Since when do lesser demons grant favors…especially to souls in Hell?" she asked loudly.
"As you said, Lucifer no longer resides in Hell. In his absence, I decided one favor to one soul could do no harm," he stated and then smiled. "After all, it didn't involve a human."
"Just a lowly aos sí," Oriel said with fiery blue-green eyes. "You realize that we know how your favor works? Does your favored soul know all the details?"
"He knows enough," Ephialtes declared with a shrug.
"Probably just enough to agree to this favor in the hope of…," the fae said and waited eagerly for the reply.
"Vengeance against the rogue fae," he answered with a wicked smile.
"And, perhaps, the chance to live again – forever?" she guessed as Ephialtes nodded. Oriel choked out a short laugh before continuing, "You don't have the power to grant that; no one does, not even Lucifer."
"What does it matter?" the demon asked her. "This is not my battle…or yours."
"You made it the battle of many as soon as you decided to grant this favor," Oriel stated still keeping her identity hidden from Ephialtes.
"Aos sí will not fight, especially not for one so young…and so headstrong," he told her. The demon's words revealed that he had been told something of Oriel.
"The rogue fae has many allies among her own kind and among others more powerful than either of us," she explained. "End it now and avoid the conflict."
"This is not my battle," Ephialtes repeated.
"You started it. There must be something in it for you to risk the punishment that is surely coming to you," the aos sí said with certainty.
Ephialtes paused and considered his words before responding, "Lucifer has deserted Hell."
"I am well aware that Hell and its inhabitants are not totally unguarded – or unpunished – despite the devil's absence," Oriel told him and then pressed, "What's in it for you?"
"Nothing," the demon hissed.
"There must be. Your kind would not risk bothering the aos sí without the promise of a great reward," she said with narrowed gleaming eyes. "Will you be the new ruler of Hell?"
"I find humans much more interesting to deal with on earth," he replied with a wicked grin that revealed razor sharp teeth.
Oriel stared unflinchingly at the demon "So you've been promised more power here? How does that work since you don't exactly blend in with the crowd with those talons?"
"I would never tell you, aos sí," Ephialtes muttered.
"Perhaps your nightmares will become reality instead of being forgotten about when humans awake," she mused as she thought about her experience since arriving in Los Angeles. Oriel knew she had guessed correctly as she watched the demon's expression change. Ephialtes mouth now hung open in astonishment.
"Wings and Heaven may have been taken from us, but all our powers are still intact," Oriel said using the demon's general ignorance of the aos sí to her advantage. She was well content with having Ephialtes believe she could see the future clearly or read minds or even possibly both. When she finished speaking, Oriel re-opened the rift between Hell and Earth.
"You may want to think on that and pass along the information to your special soul. We will know your answer either way," she told him as she used the strength of her powers accompanied by a strong gust of wind to push Ephialtes back into the Underworld.
"Now what?" Chloe asked Lucifer after she had calmed down a bit. "You wanted me to talk to Oriel; we talk and she disappears."
"Now we go about our day," Lucifer replied nonchalantly as he finished his drink and put the glass down on the counter.
"Aren't you going to look for her?" the detective inquired curiously.
"No," the devil said shortly. When he saw the expression on the detective's face he continued, "Are you not listening? She doesn't want me to find her."
"What if something happens to her?" Chloe continued on hoping to evoke some concern on his part.
"That I will know," he assured her. He was not about to try and explain how he and Oriel were bound.
"Convenient," she replied angrily. "You really have the market cornered on dickishness, Lucifer. You care enough to come over here when she won't talk to you, but now that she's disappeared you don't give a damn."
"She is not missing," Lucifer said plainly.
"Do you know where she is?" Chloe pressed.
"No…," he slowly admitted with a loud sigh. "You may not believe this detective but if I thought Oriel was in peril, I would try to find her."
"You're right, I don't believe you," she answered angrily. "She's withdrawn, can't sleep, and doesn't want to eat – it sounds like she's depressed. What if she tries to hurt herself?"
"Oriel is not going to hurt herself," Lucifer stated with certainty.
"Did you suddenly become psychic? You don't know that?" Chloe argued vehemently.
"I know Oriel – much longer than you in case you have forgotten," the devil countered in turn. "She is not depressed and if she had thoughts to hurt herself she would tell me."
"You don't know that for sure," the detective repeated.
"I know!" Lucifer practically yelled and angrily walked out the front door of the villa. A few seconds later, Chloe heard a car door slam shut.
