Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been really busy with work and stuff. Most days I am too tired to write. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long.
She saw them land on the beach. The tall man with beautiful white wings danced around and flopped onto the sand. A woman was there with him. At first she had the disfigured face of a demon than it morphed into that of a beautiful woman. The tall man flipped the bird at the sky.
Then the tall man's face grew serious as he pulled out a knife. He held it towards the woman. She could not hear what he was saying. But soon it became apparent what he wanted. She cringed as she watched the woman use the knife to slice through the flesh on his back to sever his beautiful wings from his body.
Blood poured from the wounds as he collapsed onto the sand. Rain began to fall as the woman knelt beside him. She watched the woman wrap a blanket around the tall man as she helped him from the beach.
Opening her eyes, she lies in bed staring at the ceiling. It was mostly dark in her bedroom. She had vivid dreams nearly every night. All her life she had seen sordid scenes from the life of the Devil. Sighing the young girl rolled to her side and closed her eyes. She tried to fall back to sleep.
The ringing of the doorbell made her eyes fly open. She thought she heard the familiar British voice of her father. Sitting up she listened to her mother speaking to the visitors. "Let's not wake her." She heard her mother say in a hushed voice.
"Probably a good idea. I would hate for the child to see me like this." It was clearly her father's voice. She smiled at the thought of her father being home. She only saw him every few months or so. He was like a normal father. Except for one minor detail. She didn't care. She loved him anyway.
Getting up from her bed she stumbled to the door. She opened just as a woman walked by. Recognizing the woman. "Maze." The young girl said.
The woman stopped and faced her. A slight smile spread upon her lovely face. "Hi kiddo."
"What are you guys doing here?" The young girl asked.
"Ask your father." The woman patted the top of her head. "I have to run. I'll see you later." The woman then walked down the hall to the front door.
The girl then heard someone howl out in pain. She froze. It sounded like her father. She had just had a dream where he asked Maze to cut off his wings. She didn't know if it was real or not. She thought it had just been a dream. Quietly she crept down the hall to her mother's room.
"Mom?" She called out. The light was one. She could hear her parents talking to each other in the bathroom. "Mom. Is everything alright?" she started for the bathroom door. She could hear heard father say something but she couldn't make it out. The door opened revealing her mother.
"Everything is fine, Persephone. Go back to bed." Her mother smiled at her.
"I thought I heard Daddy's voice." Persephone said to her mother.
Her mother shrugged. "You did. He isn't dressed okay. Go back to bed. We'll see you at breakfast."
Persephone sighed. "Okay mom." She said as her mother closed the bathroom door. She stood in the bedroom for a moment then headed back for her own. She entered her room and closed the door. She sat on her bed for a few moments. Deciding to lie down again she stared out the big window to the sparkling ocean below. She heard her parents talking in the guest bedroom. Closing her eyes, she tried hard to fall asleep again.
She was about back to sleep when she heard her mother moaning. Then the distinct clack of the bed hitting the wall. Groaning she rolled onto her stomach and buried her face into the mattress and put her pillow over her head. It was going to be challenging to fall asleep while having to listen to her parents do the nasty. Eventually she fell asleep again.
Hours later Persephone awoke to sunlight streaming in through the window. Sighing the eleven-year-old got out of bed and headed to the living room. Turning on the TV she sat on the couch of the large living room. She flipped through channels till she found the Cartoon network. She pulled her legs up to her chest. She watched the cartoons for an hour. Eventually she heard her parents milling about in the kitchen. The smell of cooking food filled the home.
"Persephone. Come say hi to your father." Her mother poked her head in. She was wearing her pink robe and holding a spatula. For an actress her mother was good at cooking.
"Okay Mom." She responded with eyes glued to the TV. The smell of bacon was becoming too much as she tried to finish the end of her show. Sighing she set the remote down and got up.
Walking into the kitchen she saw her father sitting at the breakfast nook with Maze. He was hunched over a cup of coffee. He was wearing a white t-shirt and black pants. For a moment Persephone stood in the door way. Her father then glanced at her. He smiled. "Come here and give your father a hug, child." He said to her.
Persephone walked over to him. His arm was held out and she leaned against him and put her arms around his neck. His arm wrapped around her and he kissed her cheek. "Hi Daddy." She said to him.
"How is my girl?" He asked
"I'm okay." She smiled at him as she sat in a chair besides him. She could hear her mother moving about in the kitchen. For a moment she sat staring into space. Her dream of Maze cutting off his wings fresh in her young mind. She felt his eyes upon her.
"Everything alright, Persephone." His voice was filed with concern.
She shrugged. "I'm okay, Daddy, I didn't sleep well,"
He chuckled. "Why not?" His dark eyes looked at her. So much like her own.
"I don't know." She lied to him. The dream she had was weighing on her. She had lots of dreams like it. Where she was watching an event unfold and then it happened. A lot of strange things were happening around her. It had started a few weeks ago. She found she could levitate things. She also found she could manipulate people using her mind. Then there was the fact she could set things on fire, just by looking at them. She told her mother. Her mother had told her it was something she got from her father.
Her dark eyes looked at the man sitting next to her. He looked ordinary. Tall, thin and handsome. He was sitting up now as he talked with Maze and her mother. He normally wore expensive suit but right now he was just wearing a t-shirt. She thought she saw a bandage under the shirt. He spoke with an English accent but he was definatly not English. This man may have looked ordinary but he was anything but. He was an arch angel. He was also the Devil himself. That should have scared her. But it didn't. Her father had always been kind and loving to her. She loved him.
A plate of food was set down in front of her. It smelled good. Her mother had two other plates that she set down in front of her father and Maze. She looked down at the bacon and eggs. Picking up a piece of bacon she took a bite. She loved bacon. Her mother then set down a glass of orange juice. "Thank you Mom."
Her mother smiled and ruffled her long black hair. "You are welcome." Her mother walked back to the counter and got her own plate of food. She then sat down. "Lucifer. Do you know what you are going to do now that you left Hell?"
Persephone's eyes widened. "You left Hell?"
Lucifer glanced at his daughter. A slight smile worked its way onto his face. "Yes. For good this time."
She shifted in her seat. "You can do that?"
The Devil shrugged. "I do whatever I want, child." He looked at her mother. "I don't know. Anything I want I suppose."
Her mother sipped some coffee. "I have a friend who is looking to sell his night club. Its real nice. Downtown in a good location."
"Sounds interesting." Lucifer mused in between bites of food. "Why, Joanie this breakfast is exquisite. You still remember how to cook from your diner days."
Joanie smiled. "You knew I can cook, Lucifer." She chuckled.
"Oh don't I know it. That's not the only thing you are good at." He flashed a seductive smile at her.
Maze rolled her eyes and got up from the table. "Excuse me." Her voice slithered out. She glanced at Persephone and smirked then left the room.
Persephone just sat quietly eating her breakfast. Her eyes switching from her mother's face to her father's. She didn't fully take in what they were saying. She was still processing what her father said about leaving Hell. He left Hell all of the time. He came and visited her and her mother. He sometimes stayed for a few days. But he was talking like he was never going back. She remembered the dream she had.
"Persephone?"
Her father's voice interrupted her train of thought. "Yeah, Daddy?"
"What's wrong?"
Sighing she picked up the glass of orange juice and drank a few gulps. Trying to avoid answering his question. She set the glass down. His intense stare bearing down on her. There was no way she could avoid it. Sighing she looked at him with her own intense stare. Well, as intense as an eleven-year-old could muster. "Why did you cut off your wings?"
His eyes widened. He glanced at Joanie. "Did you say something to her?"
Joanie shook her head and looked at her daughter. "No, Dad. I saw it." Persephone responded before her mother could chime in.
He looked at his daughter. "What do you mean you saw it?" His voice was serious.
She felt like she was in trouble. Like she shouldn't have saw it. Tears formed in her eyes. She looked down at the table. "I thought I was dreaming. I saw you and Maze on the beach. I didn't hear anything but I watched her cut off your wings."
The Devil leaned back in his chair and let out a breath. He looked upwards for a moment and cursed. His gaze returned to his daughter's. He took a dee breath. "You thought it was a dream?"
Persephone nodded. Her eyes still looking at the table. She felt his hand on her shoulder.
"Darling, I am not angry with you." His voice was gentle. "Look at me Persephone."
Raising her gaze, she looked her father in the eyes. "It's not the first one. I have always had dreams like that. I see things and then they happen."
He sighed. "I know. Anything else you have been experiencing?"
Persephone looked at her mother. She was hesitant to tell him everything. She didn't know why. Her father wouldn't hurt her. Still she felt the need to hesitate. Her mother lifted an eyebrow. "Sweetie, tell your father about the other things."
Persephone turned her gaze to her father. The Devil's dark eyes were waiting for her response. She took a deep breath. "It just started a few weeks ago. I figured out I can make things move with my mind. Also things catch fire sometimes." She paused. He was still quietly listening. "I also find I can make people do stuff by saying it in my head."
Joanie scoffed. "Yeah, like having me go to the store in the middle of the night to buy you that damn video game."
Persephone laughed slightly. "Sorry."
Lucifer sighed. "I knew this day would come. I guess it's a good thing I am here. We will do what we can to teach you to control all of that."
Persephone smirked. "So, I'm not in trouble?"
Lucifer chuckled. "Why on Earth would you think you are in trouble?" He reached over and patted his daughter's back. "No, darling. I couldn't be happier." His smile was warm. Everything the image of the Devil wasn't. Persephone stood up from her chair. She leaned against her father. He winced. "Sorry Daddy."
"It's quite alright." He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her cheek again. "The pain will subside."
"Aren't you going to miss your wings?"
The Devil shrugged. "No." Was the only thing he said on it?
"Goodness." Joanie piped in a moment later. "Persephone go get dressed. We are going to be late for voice lessons."
Persephone pulled away from Lucifer and glared at her mother. "Mom, I don't want to go to voice lessons." She whined.
"Nonsense." Joanie said while picking up the breakfast dishes from the table. "Now, go put on that new dress I bought you."
"Mom!" Persephone whined louder. "I hate voice lessons. I hate it." She folded her arms against her chest. Tears formed in her eyes.
"You said you liked them. You asked me to sign you up." Joanie said from the kitchen.
"No, I didn't. I said I wanted to do horseback riding. You signed me up for voice lessons."
"Horses are dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt. Singing is safer." Joanie argued.
"I don't' want to sing." Persephone pouted.
"Neither did I. But I learned to love it." Joanie held a mug in her hand. Her blue eyes looking at her daughter.
"I hate it." Persephone cried.
Lucifer scoffed. Gingerly he rose from his seat. He stood next to Persephone. "Honestly, Joanie. I didn't leave Hell to listen to you two squabble."
"Well, maybe if your daughter didn't feel the need to fight me on every little thing, we wouldn't be squabbling." Joanie took a step towards him. "Lately I can't do anything right."
"Mom, I just don't want to be a singer. You never listen to what I want."
"I do too." Joanie countered.
"What a surprise. My daughter has a streak of rebel in her." Lucifer laughed.
"This isn't funny, Lucifer." Joanie yelled. "I am just trying to do my best for her. And she doesn't appreciate it."
"She's just a kid, Joanie." Lucifer argued.
"You know what. Don't tell me how to raise my daughter. "Joanie's voice held venom.
"Well, a second ago she was my daughter." Lucifer stated.
Joanie growled. "Screw off Lucifer!" She shouted then looked at Persephone. "Now, go get dressed, young lady."
Persephone stomped her foot. "No." She yelled back at her mother. She glared at her and held up her hand. Glass in the kitchen shattered. The mug in her mother's hand exploded into a million pieces sending coffee all over Joanie's robe and the floor.
"PERSEPHONE!" Her mother shrieked. "Go get dressed." She pointed towards the bedrooms.
Persephone felt hot tears running down her cheeks as she glanced at her father. He had an amused smirk on his face. She smiled slightly then left the kitchen.
"Quit laughing, Lucifer." She heard her mother say.
"Why? I found that quite amusing." Her father responded.
Her parents continued to argue as she reached her bedroom. She went to close the door and a hand stopped it. She gasped at the presence of Mazikeen. The raven haired woman smiled at her. Persephone knew her that she was really a demon. Something that should have scared the eleven-year-old.
"Hey kiddo. Are you alright?" Mazikeen said to her.
Persephone shrugged. She could still hear her parents arguing in the kitchen. She sat on her bed. "I hate voice lessons." She said through tears. "My mother never listens to me. Never lets me do what I want. She wants me to be a singer and an actress like her."
Maze sat on the bed next to her. For a demon she could be quite warm. Especially towards Lucifer's offspring. She never liked any of his other children. But she liked this one. Something Persephone picked up on. Maze patted the girl's back. "That is too bad. Your mother shouldn't force you to do anything you don't want to."
Persephone sniffled. "I know. I just want to ride horses and go hiking and stuff like that. I don't like singing."
"I bet you are good at it though." Maze remarked. "Lucifer is a good singer. I wouldn't be surprised that you are."
Persephone looked at the demon next to her. "I just don't like it."
"Fair enough." Maze shrugged.
"Daddy says you are here to stay."
The demon sighed loudly. "It appears that way." She didn't sound happy about it. "I heard you telling your father about your powers. That must be scary."
Persephone nodded. "Yeah. I set fire to the cafeteria. It didn't do a lot of damage but it was scary."
"We'll teach you how to control it. It will be fun. I will also teach you how to defend yourself against those bullies that have been bothering you."
Persephone smiled and hugged the demon. "Thank you Maze."
Maze was mildly shocked to have this half-angel spawn hugging her but she just sat there. "You are welcome." She was relieved when Persephone released her hold. Standing up she looked at Lucifer's daughter. She really did resemble her father. Same black eyes and wavy black hair. "I'll see you later. Okay."
"Okay Maze."
Mazikeen walked out of the bedroom just as Joanie was entering. The two exchanged uneasy glances then Joanie looked at her daughter. "I am sorry Persi. If you really don't want to go to voice lessons. You don't have to."
"Thanks Mom. I really want to do horseback riding. Please?" Persephone pleaded with her mother.
Joanie sighed. "If that's what you really want to do." She held out her arms.
Persephone hugged her mother. Even though they fought regularly she still oved her. Her mother was a smart, strong woman. She admired her. "I love you, Mom."
"I love you too, Persi." Joanie responded.
"Aww, this is how I like to see my girls." Lucifer's voice cut in a moment later.
Joanie turned to Lucifer and held out her arm. Lucifer joined their little hug briefly. He pulled away and straightened his shirt.
"Now, you said something about a friend looking to sell a night club. Would you care to introduce us?"
Joanie pulled away from Persephone. "Yes. I would love to do that." She turned to her daughter. "Do you want to go to your aunt's house?"
Persephone nodded. She loved spending time with her aunt and cousins. "Sure Mom."
"Good. I'll go make some phone calls." Joanie smiled. "You still need to get dressed, young lady." She pointed at Persephone.
"Okay Mom." Persephone responded before her parents left the room. She listened as they talked about the night club. She sighed and walked toward her closet to look for something to wear.