Hi everyone! I'm posting a day early because I have a mid-term super early tomorrow. I figure that everyone would prefer early to late since I probably won't have time to post it tomorrow.
To my readers in the Untied States: If you have the privilege of voting, please do so. There are many people that are considered citizens of the Untied States who are denied the ability to vote for a variety of reasons. From local elections all the way up the presidential election, go vote. Never let your voice be silenced and never surrender your hope. These are strange and scary times, but we're in it together.
You're not alone.
"Love and Peace!",
Mint Tea and Skulls
Chapter 31: When it rains...
The first thing Natalie registered was that this bed was too soft to be the one in her apartment. Careful to maintain her breathing and still appear asleep, she eased open an eye to peek about. A familiar decor greeted her, along with a throbbing in her head. She squinted and pressed a hand to her forehead. A sore tension littered her neck and back as she moved to rise from the bed.
The rustle of fabric brought the scent of bedding to her attention. With a glance over her shoulder to make sure she was properly alone, she sat up and scooped the pillow up to hug against her. The scent of his shampoo flooded her with warmth. She could feel a flush spread across her skin again. For a few minutes, she let herself have the fantasy of borrowing his shower and then waiting for him to come back while she sat here in one of his ludicrously expensive towels.
However, a towel would be little defense against Maze. Natalie took the time to reflect on the last few interactions they had over the last week or so. Really only a few possibilities came to mind. Her hands idling remade the bed while her mind wandered.
'Either "Sinner Man" has gotten to her, she thinks he's gotten to me, or … she knows.'
She ran her hand up and down her face. A glance to the window confirmed it was daylight. A second glance alerted her to the absence of her practice bag. She gave a frustrated sigh, thankfully nothing in the bag was irreplaceable. She also took the moment to lecture herself about her behavior. Taunting Maze had been a terrible idea and nothing good would come of it. With a final look over the lush bedroom, Natalie made her way back home.
Evan was still out, and a check of the date on his laptop assured her that it was still the same day. In truth, she had only lost a couple hours of her day. She raided the cupboards for something to turn into a warm meal. The food preparation process blurred into an automatic motion as her mind began to once again wander.
'Can't let Maze catch me off guard again... I could always just return the favor... No, Maze will just make it a point to keep retaliating back and then it'll be an endless battle.'
Natalie already had one immortal menace to hide from, she didn't need another. However, the only way to avoid Maze's wrath was to stay away from Morningstar. She dipped her biscuit in the strongly seasoned soup and took a bite. With a wince, she added a bit more of what ever herb container was closest on the counter into the bowl to try to mask the tin after-taste.
With a sigh, Natalie forced down a large gulp of soup. The worst part was that Maze was right. It would be best if Natalie stayed away from him. Getting entangled with others always ended in trouble, but a small traitorous voice whispered she'd probably really like his kind of trouble.
"Stupid, funny, adorable problem." She muttered at the emptied bowl as she finished the biscuit. Her eyes turned to the table that was covered in Evan's wedding plan as she cleaned up her small mess. After all of this time, she was finally at the end of her charade. When Evan eventually passed, as all mortals do, so to would the line that he inherited; along with the blood pact that had protected her for all these centuries. The time that was left to enjoy something close to normality by a human standard was closing fast.
Determination steeled her spine. Consequences be damned. For once, just this once, she'd chase after what she wanted. However, doing so had its own problems. It would mean telling him about everything. The Pale Ones, the blade, Evan, and the litany of chaos she had left in her wake trying to survive in a world that had turned on her and her kind.
Her determination melted away. She returned to the couch and picked up the spare bass that leaned against it. The sensation on the metal strings pressing against her finger tips grounded her. The muted cord calmed the storm that raged in her chest. However, neither could stop the fear that filled her to the very core of her being.
0-0 0-0 0-0
Keys clashed against the floor as Maze ransacked the practice bag. Lucifer watched in mystified boredom. Zippers rang out in the office as the bag (which on closer inspection appeared to be made mostly of pockets) continued to withhold the item of her desire. When the demoness gave a frustrated huff, he chuckled and began to leave.
At the door of the office he paused to call back, "Maybe she has it with her. I mean, really Maze? Who leaves their cell phone in a gym ba-"
His comment was cut short as a familiar ring tone came from the bag. With an easier target, the phone was fished from a hidden inner pocket and flipped open before Maze could be stopped. The line immediately exploded with a rage that was also familiar.
"Damnit Natalie! You really can't do anything under the fucking radar can you?! I pay you to do as you are TOLD; not to improvise; not to 'delegate' as you see fit! Either you get the fuck in line or I will make sure you're in a literal hole next time you think of crossing me! You better fix this before-"
Lucifer relieved Maze of the device and held it to his ear.
"Well, this is most unexpected. Hello, 'Sinner Man'. We finally meet, in some regard."
The voice on the line went quiet, and then came back coldly even.
"Who is this? Why do you have Natalie's phone? What have you done with her?"
"Lucifer Morningstar, retired devil. And I have her phone because she's asleep in my penthouse. However, that is hardly what I want to discuss."
Lucifer swatted Maze's hand away as she tried to reach for the phone.
"Oh yes. I know you. I've been waiting to meet you, too. In fact, we should meet in person. We could get a drink." His tone ended with a mocking chuckle.
"I do have a nightclub with amazing apple-tinis."
"Hard pass. I know a neutral spot, I'll text that address. Oh, and do let Natalie know that I expect her to fix her newest fuck-up."
Before Lucifer could retort, the line clicked off. A beep soon followed with the address. Showing the screen to Maze, he made his way to the door.
"Come along, Maze. We're going to find out who has been stirring the pot."
"What about Natalie?"
"What about her?"
"How are we going to find out what she is?"
"One problem at a time, my anxious demoness."
She rolled her eyes while she followed him to the convertible. She yanked her blades from the wall as they walked down the alley toward his car. The small pub in question prove wildly difficult to find. Once the car was forgone in favor of walking, they had much more luck. A pair of older gentlemen playing chess in the park were the most helpful of all. Lucifer promised them anything they wanted when they provided direction to the damnable place.
It was a classic pub, smoky atmosphere and all. Grey scale photos hung on the walls with people in the booths. A history of the patrons. The whiskey was very good, and they waited for the "Sinner Man" with a bottle to pass the time. After a couple hours past the listed meeting time, irritation settled on them. Lucifer dropped a stack of bills on the table and gave a nod to the bar tender. The two of them made their way out into the alley again.
"Well, that was mostly a waste of time." Maze commented.
Before Lucifer could responded, an otherworldly screech called through the night. Both of them frozen as the familiar sound echoed through the alleyway. It seemed to fade in and out of sight, as its gait made it sway to and fro. Larger than the last one they had seen, the Pale One had a grayish tint the others had lacked. Below the eye, a jagged mouth opened. It made a huff that sounded like a skin-crawling chuckle.
Even when it stopped moving forward, still it swayed and faded. Lucifer and Maze stood perfectly still as the massive eye peered down at them.
"Tasty looking morsels. We will gain much power from you. Enough to devour The Child." Echoed through their minds in an ethereal voice.
Maze's knees toppled under her, and Lucifer widened his stance and stared back in defiance.
"What are you?" Lucifer demanded back.
"It can speak! Talking food, We are the Oldest of those sworn to the Scale! We are The Devourer! The Endless Maw! And we shall feast upon your souls!"
Its larger body twisted down the alleyway, supported on twelve pointed legs. Deep, forest green light came from its eye. Lucifer hauled Maze out of the way and hid her around the corner. He covered her with his suit jacket and turned back to their enemy. The reminder that they were fast creatures came to him just before the monster lashed a talon toward him. The blade he borrowed from Maze flashed into his hand. He side stepped the attack and cut through the limb. A sizzle came from the severed limb and it smelled of burnt hair.
A soul-crushing roar came from the injured beast. The sound resonated through the ground itself. A rumble that upset the dust on every surface for miles. The limb was instantly cauterized. Lucifer watched in morbid fascination as the creature attempted to regrow the limb. Eventually, it beat the end of the limb against the ground till the part that had been cut by the blade had been scraped away. The limb once again grew out.
As Lucifer prepared to taunt the creature, a storm front sounded from behind him. With a glance over his shoulder, Natalie Varquez stood at the mouth of the alleyway, panting and blinded by fury, her blade at the ready. It might have been intimidating if not for the soaked flower pajamas she was in. He would swear that small blue sparks danced across her skin and through her hair.
"Get away from him." She growled out.