Fractured Fates & Silent Vows
Rating: T/M for some themes
Summary:
In another timeline, Liam triumphantly returns to his hometown for a fresh start. His time at Hollywood Arts is a whirlwind of success and new friendships. Despite keeping a few secrets, he's on top of the world. But just when he thought everything was going smoothly, an old friend reemerges, hellbent on reigniting the past.
Author's Notes:
Chapter 9: When it Rains
"Achoo...!"
Liam rubbed his nose while resting his head in his palms. After a topsy-turvy Halloween and the Prome, November was rather mundane by comparison, not that he was complaining. In his view, the mind-numbing lessons were a comfortable distraction from that night.
At least that was supposed to be the plan...
No matter what he tried to do, Liam couldn't get his mind off of the events of that night. Rescuing Tori and Jade. A mysterious attacker. The rebellious first woman had returned apparently. There were so many things that left him feeling numb mentally, almost as bad as the teacher's droning. He desired to take a nap and retreat to the sanctity of slumber right now, feeling his eyes grow heavy.
"Mr. Marshall!" he sprang up in his seat, noticing the instructor sizing him up with a less-than-pleasant frown. "Is my lesson so boring that you find it more useful for naps than learning?"
He shook his head; his face adorned with embarrassment."N-no, ma'am! Sorry, Ms. Flowers."
A symphony of chuckles filled the room, adding to Liam's fluster. He was grateful when Ms. Flowers noticed his exhausted condition and then flashed an understanding smile before reeling the class back to order. Soon the bell rang, granting liberation, if only temporarily. He managed to catch something about studying a packet for an exam but it fell on deaf ears.
Liam managed to swerve around the heavy traffic of students, expertly zigzagging through the various bodies that were tightly packed against one another. He sighed in tremendous relief at being free of the prison of his calculus class. Sure he was far from dumb but, he found the concepts of it to be annoying. Nonetheless, he made his way to the courtyard, eager to get some food in his gut. The multitude of scents bathed his senses. His lips formed a grin that rivaled a lion prepping for its prey.
It didn't take long for his stomach to settle on a seafood truck to place an order for some fish tacos. If the numbing effects of math couldn't take his mind away from the uneasiness of negativities, food was a good substitute. He paid his money and eyed his dish with a pang of increasing hunger. As he searched for a place to sit, a voice drew his attention.
"Liam!" a familiar red-haired girl bounced in her seat, flagging him down with a wave and bubbly giggle. Beside her was a dark-skin musician, Andre, giving a welcoming smile. "Over here!"
When he arrived, Cat pulled him into a tight embrace, nearly knocking his food out of his hand.
"It's so good to see you!"
"Hey, Cat!" he chuckled while taking a seat. "Glad to see you as upbeat as ever!"
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Realizing his blunder, Liam cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I meant it's nice that you're so happy."
"Oh! Kk!" she giggled again.
"So, anything new?"
Both Andre and Cat exchanged glances, shaking their heads in unison.
"Not really, just a typical boring school day..." The former stuck his fork in his chicken salad. "Although, things may take a turn in the excitement department."
Feeling as if this was a trap, Liam shook his head before taking a bite of his tacos. However, he couldn't fight the curious urge for long.
"What do you mean by that, Andre?"
"First, I just got approved for a project and I'm looking to get you guys involved. I think you'd be perfect for the lead role, and..."
"Whoa! Whoa!" Liam raised a brow. "You haven't even told me what this project's about yet and you're already trying to recruit me? How do you know I'd be interested?"
"You know about the artist, Ne-Yo, right?" Liam nodded cautiously. "Well, I'm planning on following up on the story elements of his album and creating my own story from the idea. I already got Robbie and Cat on board! It's a what-if story centering around an ordinary guy who gains powers though it comes with a cost."
Liam took another bite of his taco, still unconvinced about Andre's offer. Despite his skepticism, this could be the distraction he needed. He spared a glance at Cat, watching as she cheerfully mentioned something about candy unicorns. She was adorable, in a platonic way. He had more than his fill with Tori and Jade. Besides, if what Andre said was true, would things be so bad?
"How long would this project take?"
"Not long. It's just a group of scenes based on the songs from the album with a few creative liberties. Three of them would just be recreations so that leaves only seven more. Think of them like music videos compiled into a full story. If you're in, then this will cover at least half of our grade for next semester. I can send you the details later if you're interested."
Liam took another moment to consider things, ultimately smiling at the opportunity. "It sounds pretty good to me. You got yourself a leading man!"
"Alright then! Our leading ladies will be happy to hear this..."
"What do you mean? Isn't Cat your leading lady?"
"She's a supporting character..." Andre admitted before stuffing his burrito into his gullet. "...I have a few ideas for the main heroine though."
"Really? Anybody that I might know?"
Andre didn't respond right away, peering up from his food, and smirking before returning to his meal. Only after Liam's insistence, he noticed something and held up three fingers. "3..."
"Huh?"
"...2..."
Liam tilted his head, perplexed at the boy's random countdown. Looking closer, he began to figure out that not only was Andre finding this entertaining, but his gaze wasn't fixed on him but on whatever was happening behind him. His actualization came far too late as the musician continued. A pair of familiar voices in the distance caught his attention, sealing the inevitable fate that loomed.
"...1!"
"Hey, guys..." Tori greeted dejectedly as she squeezed between him and Cat. Jade and Beck sat on his other side, the former gleeful at the Latina's dismay.
"What's gotcha down, Judy Brown?" Andre chimed in, trying to hide his delight at Liam's awkwardness.
"I left my wallet at home and I'm starving!" she pouted, folding her arms over her chest. "I left it at home chasing after Trina so she wouldn't leave me behind."
"I fail to see the problem here..." Jade snickered, earning an elbow jab for her troubles.
Tori was ready to tell the goth off when she was distracted by the sight of fish tacos. She blinked many times before realizing that Liam was casually holding the dish. He was glad his locs kept his face hidden from her, or Tori would have noticed the heat on his cheeks.
"Liam... You don't have to..." Her attempts at declining his offer came to a grinding halt when the sounds of her growling spoke on her behalf.
"Your stomach says otherwise."
Upon his insistence, Tori accepted his offering. In between bites, she failed to catch the boy's annoyed glare pointed at Andre. However, another glare went overlooked, a pair of azure pools staring daggers at her while she savored the spicy dish. Like Liam, irritation wasn't the most accurate description of how she felt at the moment as she watched her rival eat.
As if Liam sharing his food wasn't bad enough, seeing Tori offer to feed him a few bites did little to quell Jade's annoyance. Hussy! She bit into a few fries so as not to screech the insult. Tori was a thorn in her side and it was getting deeper by the minute. First, it was her sticking her nose in Jade's business earlier, then her plan backfired when the girl found out about "Andre's project", and now this!
That's right, Andre's idea was the machinations of Jade backfiring courtesy of the perfect girl. Of course, she neglected to mention her reason for this, but it was the only thing she could think of to spend time with her friend without raising suspicion.
Still, with Tori involved, Jade surmised that this would be good for Liam, all things considered. For now, she'd force herself to be content with things, even if it involved watching the pair share a laugh about something she hadn't been paying attention to until Liam excused himself in a rush. In truth, she knew she had no right to keep him from pursuing other girls, even if she did feel a spark with him after his kind gesture during the prom... or Prome... or whatever.
This should be enough, right?
[Hours Later]
After he left the group, Jade couldn't find any trace of her friend. She tried to call him, hoping to schedule some time to rehearse, away from Tori, but every attempt resulted in her being sent straight to voicemail. As each hour ticked by, the knot in her chest grew tighter, threatening to suffocate her, even as she was invited to hang out with Tori and the others while they discussed an unfamiliar subject.
"So, what's going on with Trina lately?"
Andre's question, while sincere, only served to make their host cringe. It was no secret that the sibling's relationship was... strained. However, nobody knew the reasons nor the extent of why this was. Sure, Trina could be annoying, but that couldn't be enough to explain why things were like this. Tori didn't even know the truth.
"She's been... Trina's been okay," she finally replied while thrusting her focus onto the dishes. "She's hanging out with my neighbor, Darius. After what happened with those perverts, it's nice to see her mellowing out."
"I meant after the attack near the school."
Tori whipped her head around, eyeing her best friend with confusion. She was joined by the others as each one mirrored her sentiment.
"What are you talking about?"
"From what I heard, Trina was nearly assaulted by a group of hoodlums a few blocks from Hollywood Arts. When the police showed up, the men were begging them to take them to jail! But, that wasn't even the craziest part."
"What do you mean?" Robbie raised an inquisitive brow, followed by Rex.
"From Trina's testimony, she was saved by a hooded vigilante with a demonic arm! She claimed that he had otherworldly powers that ripped the demons from the guy's bodies!" Andre snorted before bursting into a fit of laughter. He was joined by Robbie and Beck.
However, the girls weren't amused.
Tori sighed and went back to polishing the silverware, casually dismissing such a notion. Meanwhile, Cat started absentmindedly twirling her hair, trying to distract herself from the unsettling story. Jade acted disinterested, but deep down, she couldn't shake off the musician's words. While Andre brushed it off as a joke at the expense of the older Vega, the pale girl sensed that there might have been some kind of connection, perhaps unintentionally.
Could they be referring to Liam? She wouldn't stick around to entertain such notions.
They'd spend the time going over the basics of Andre's upcoming project, but her hopes banked on catching Liam at home. Her yearnings gradually sunk the longer she remained. There was no sign of Darius' car in the driveway and soon, after a rumble of thunder, she figured it was time to depart. Since Beck had to take care of a cricket problem, this would leave her to have to ask for a ride and that was a thought that made her head start to throb.
"I'm going to get some air..." she announced, moving toward the door before anyone could reply.
Jade took a deep breath as she went outside before picking up her phone and checking her contacts. She quickly identified the desired number and called it, only to get the same result. Why don't you pick up the damn phone?! She seethed and frightened as the dial tone rang in her ears. She clicked the screen to end the connection when something drew her concentration.
A hazy figure walked through the misty night toward the back of her friend's house, despite the storm. Initially, Jade assumed she was simply hallucinating, her active imagination taking over.
A scratchy rumbling from the strange individual was all that was required to warrant snooping around. Staying a few feet back to avoid being noticed, the cold drops did little to stop her from her quest. She ended herself in Liam's backyard because she was desperate for answers, but after seeing what she saw, she regretted her nosiness.
The wobbling figure fought to reach the back door. Though Jade couldn't quite place who this was from her position behind the corner, she had a sneaking suspicion. Mumbled curses mixed with the torrent as she watched him gulp for air before sinking to his knee. Her initial thought was to rush over and assist, but she couldn't bring herself to move.
"Leave..."
A ghostly voice pierced through her like shards of ice, freezing her more than the chilly rain. Her breath hitched as a hazy figure stepped by her, stalking closer to the fallen warrior. Was this the same person Andre and the others were going on about before? Jade wasn't certain, but something in her heart felt that it was. That feeling would give way to terror as the entity knelt beside the weakened male.
Why were they here? Where was...
"Liam...?!"
Though the downpour drowned out her voice, the spirit turned in her direction. Even without eyes, Jade's stomach dropped as it stared deep into her core, haunting the essence of who she was before reaching for the boy with its skeletal hand. Was this the Grim Reaper?
"What are you doing?" she called out, halting its pursuit once more. "Why are you here?"
"Death... Soul..." Its raspy tone only served to unnerve the girl more. "...Bounty..."
"Bounty?! Who would put...? Who cares?! Please don't take him!"
But the figure ignored her plea. She tried to think of something to offer the shinigami but it continued to disregard her proposals. She knew enough about these creatures, recalling how they were bound by pacts, reaping souls who refused to pass on or through more nefarious means. It mentioned a bounty earlier. That meant whoever was the one to hire it wanted her best friend dead; she surmised that it was the one who captured her.
But, even with that dark cloud looming over her, Jade's eyes widened as actualization materialized before her.
"You... You can't take him!" The creature tilted its head, as if curious about such an outrageous assertion.
"Why... Not?"
"Because...! Um, because we're bound to each other!" she finally admitted, turning her gaze to the unmoving body. As expected, the specter shook its head and began to kneel to claim its prize.
"You... Lie..."
"I bind myself to you tonight,
No matter the shift of the knife,
Through blood and bone,
Flesh and heart,
Death may come,
But we shall not part..."
The reaper suddenly stopped in its tracks as a bright cord appeared between her and the boy. It was a risky move, but it worked. She observed as the reaper cautiously reached for the glowing rope instead of going near the boy. After what felt like an eternity, the spirit slowly stood up and walked towards the goth, exchanging a few words as it passed by.
"His soul... Yours?"
Jade stiffly nodded before the figure walked past her, lingering until his unsettling energy dissipated before she advanced toward the injured person. Horror flickered in her eyes as she reached the trembling form. Breathing rapidly and shallowly, she turned the masked boy onto his back, her hands stained with blood. Through half-lidded eyes, she noticed that familiar shade of green flash before her eyes, confirming suspicions long thought of.
"What the fuck have you been getting into?!" Jade muttered as she ripped a piece off his jacket and pressed it directly on his shoulder. He hissed from the sudden shock and muttered something indecipherable. She didn't make a fuss about his murmurs as she struggled to lift him to his feet. "Where are the damn keys?"
She wriggled around his pockets until she found them, shoving the key into the lock and pulling them inside.
"Finally!"
Once they were free from the torrential downpour, Jade quickly shut the door and pressed on in search of Liam's room. She didn't care about how heavy he was nor how chilly she was right now; all that mattered was getting Liam to his room. She remembered where it was and pushed through the burning in her legs until they finally passed the door. Given his condition, Jade helped him out of the get-up, carefully removing the soggy attire as he shivered against the wall. She had rushed to and from the bathroom carrying a first-aid kit.
Jade turned on a nearby lamp, grateful that the dimmed light didn't pierce their drowsy eyes. She leaned over to clean the wound and glimpsed the extent of his injury. Grotesque lacerations decorated his right shoulder, but that wasn't what she would focus on.
Deep down inside, there was no doubt that he would heal from this. What took her attention were the faint lines that adorned his trembling form. Intricate designs that held secrets that Jade couldn't comprehend stared back at her, mocking her with their existence. These were no ordinary markings. Jade was intelligent enough to know that these were the works of powers beyond her current knowledge, yet it was also the works of human hands.
But who...?
"Ugh, what?"
Liam's groans paired with the violent flinch he gave, compelled her to ease on dressing the damages more cautiously. Once she was pleased with her work, Jade did her best to assist him to bed, rasping with every pull of his bigger frame.
To think, I left Vega's house for this... she griped, though it lacked the usual venom as she considered that option. As she managed to get him atop the mattress, Jade took notice of her predicament. She was cold and wet from the rain, and the storm exhibited no signs of easing up. Her hair was a clingy mess and she could feel her body feeling sluggish. Even with these negatives, Jade couldn't resist the grin that pulled at the corner of her lips. I could think of worse things.
Jade took one more look at Liam to ensure he was safe. When he made no sudden moves, a decision was made, sparked when she grabbed an oversized shirt from his closet. Moving through the house, Jade located the bathroom and rushed inside to take a shower.
The hot water kissed her pale figure, soothing every sore spot she thought she had, and even some she didn't realize. Such luxury gave her a moment to drift deep into thought while she lathered her hair with his shampoo. The aroma of eucalyptus was a surprise but not enough to deter the mental analysis she was conducting.
No matter how she framed things, her brain would always draw the same conclusion.
"I saved his life..." her lips buzzed at the tender utterance. "I saved Liam's life!"
Those few words brought with them a measure of peace within Jade West. The more she uttered them, the lighter her soul felt as a result. That assassin; A reaper tasked with claiming a wayward soul on the verge of death was thwarted by sheer luck. Even she wouldn't dare pretend that this was something she plotted as she rinsed her body and dried off. After throwing on the shirt, she returned to the bedroom. When she returned, she abruptly felt time stand still.
As her gaze rested on the sleeping boy, the realization reached her at the same time as the lightning strike. The humming in their hearts persisted despite Jade's best efforts. She didn't have to hide this aspect of herself from the outside world—at least not from him. Nostalgia was an amusing phenomenon. It brought back memories of a past that seemed far away and confusing. The girl's memories became more intense with each step, threatening to overwhelm her. Guilt. Shame. Rebellion. Betrayal.
Despite Liam's forgiveness for these acts, she lacked the willpower to fend off these bothersome thoughts.
But something about this moment felt different.
Somewhere underneath all the melancholy, Jade sensed something coming to the surface. It was warm and fuzzy. She hated such a feeling as it reminded her of Cat's bubbly personality.
Even then, she didn't resist things as she was drawn to turn the lamp off and crawl into bed with her friend. The heat of his body was heaven compared to the chilled air outside as her legs overlapped over one of his. She gently pulled his head to her chest, careful not to add to whatever lingering discomfort he was enduring.
Her lips curled up when she felt his body relax in her embrace and her mind toyed with an idea that fed on her insecurities. Whether this was right or not, this felt perfect. Like finding the correct size of combat boots, Jade leaned closer and yawned softly, not even noticing when he mirrored her peaceful actions, let alone when he instinctively reached to hold her smaller frame.
The tempest would serve as a shield from any further conflict, allowing the friends to enjoy this moment, especially Jade as she savored the unexpected victory. Right now, there was no Tori to compete with, no contest of wits and charm. All that mattered to her was sharing time with her best friend.
She could figure out the future later...
[Other side of town]
A pair of footsteps trekked into the dark alleys with purpose. Bloody orbs pierced through the inky abyss, sending a signal to any who would find themselves unfortunate enough to cross paths with them. With a black mist trailing behind their presence, they wound up at a dead end. A sneer stretched their lips before raising a hand to the brick wall, pressing into... nothing...
The image was nothing more than an illusion, a contingency to ward away the common human. Such trickery did nothing to stop the figure from passing the deceptive gateway. What greeted them was an entire world, far beyond the sights of the average mortal.
The Underworld.
A gathering of shady dealers and buyers alike, they knew that this was more than some menial gathering of the lowest remains of society. Everyone here was a representation of the spirit realm. Bartering and selling of mystical goods were commonplace here and abroad, yet it was only a fraction of what this realm had to offer.
The figure cared little for the affairs of others as it passed by a succubus brothel without so much as a glance in the girl's direction. As the catcalls faded from their ear, they arrived at what appeared to be a casino, sighing heavily before morphing into a new form. From there, they went inside and moved through the crowds with disgust before arriving at the backroom where a burly demon snorted at him with a dirty look.
"State your business."
"I'm here to report to your boss..."
The gruff creature stared down at the mysterious person, letting a suspicious growl before turning to peek inside the room. Several minutes and many whispers passed before they returned to the annoyed individual.
"Name...?"
"Tell him that an old friend from the war is here to see him."
Once more, another growl passed the lips of the fat demon, but he did what he was asked, stepping completely inside this time. Another couple of minutes went by before the door opened again, this time the security spirit stepped aside allowing them entry. The dark-clad visitor scoured the place, finding its modern British decorum a well-adjusted shift from the raunchy public area. But this was no time for sightseeing.
Ignoring the many gazes that fell upon them, the figure stood out like a sore thumb amongst the well-dressed men and women. All that mattered was one pair of eyes that pointed with conflict. Boredom clashed with intrigue at the dark entity. With a tilt of his head, both figures stepped into a private room, each taking their seats.
"It's been a while since we've met like this..." The man blew a haze of smoke from his cigar, his lips daring to taunt his guest. "...Aeshma. How have you been? I've heard tales of your investigative exploits and, dare I say, I'm impressed with your work."
"It's Darius now, West..."
"Of course," Mr. West shrugged off the low rumble of the African-American, tapping the ash from his cigar. "So, am I to assume that you're here to reclaim your position as one of my generals? Your power and influence would be a serious benefit for the times to come."
"I'm here to discuss the bounty you put out earlier, Lucifer..."
"Bounty?"
Darius growled at the suited overlord as if knowing that he was being toyed with right now. It was already stressful to be here, facing his former ally and leader, but the reason had him on edge. Lucas West eyed the teen/young adult with perplexion while taking another drag.
"I never pegged you as one to consider my dirty work. Looking to pay off a debt to the house?"
"Word is that you're using an updated list of targets as some form of sport. Even worse some of your prey are children?"
"Potential threats..." Lucas replied as if this was the most common thing in the world. "Most children are just dangers in the making. I never thought you'd be in opposition to this. Maybe your time with the humans has made you soft?"
Whatever civility Darius held was steadily fading away by the second. He knew of Lucas's lust for power and control, but this was a step too far. Considering he was the lord of wrath and violence, even he couldn't deny that this was out of the ordinary for him. His head felt fuzzy the more he thought about his place.
"You were a warrior, Aeshma. Heartless and dedicated to the defeat of all who dared to challenge your authority. You walked with an aura of invincibility that few could ever hope to match, yet, look at you now. You're agonizing about the lives of insignificant mortals! What happened to you? Was that battle with Uriel so traumatic that you'd forsake your position at my side for an everlasting life of mediocrity?"
Darius glared at the gentleman but his eyes lacked that venom, or rather, such darkness wasn't aimed at the one across from him. For an untold amount of time, he'd been complacent, reincarnating into new forms in hopes of reigniting that spark he once had. Whether it was training recruits only to have them taken away by Uriel's forces. It was only when Liam arrived that his complacency finally showed signs of wear and tear. He was upstanding and high-ranking in the human realm but, there was only one reason he ever considered this choice to be worth it and she was the sole reason for his being here.
"I didn't come here to discuss my past, Lucifer..." he sighed, running his hand through his hair and slouching forward. "...I came here on behalf of someone I care deeply about. We both know that you have no qualms about who you target. I'm asking you, as an old friend, to leave my loved one out of this. I don't want to see anyone get hurt, and we both know the destruction I could rain down if anything were to happen."
"And who would you be referring to?"
"What?"
Lucas West stood to his feet and tapped his cigar a few times before setting it down in the ashtray. His lips remained in a straight line but it did little to distract Darius from the hellish stare. The younger demon tried his best to match his energy, but it was evident that there was a clear divide in their power. His heart raced under the glower of the businessman, languishing to cling to his willpower, hopeless as it may be.
Lucifer was right: I've gone soft.
"While you might have been eager to forget your past, we haven't forgotten you. I've made it a personal mission to keep an eye on you and I know about your little agreement with the angels," Seeing Darius' face pale made the king of deception smile inwardly as he crossed over to his former ally. "I know that your truce had nothing to do with Uriel being stronger. If I had to hazard a guess, it has something to do with that half-breed daughter of his, right?"
"How do you know about that?"
"The same way I know about your little ward who's been gallivanting around as some vigilante!" Lucas finally erupted, his tone bellowing throughout the room. "Did you think that I wouldn't notice ants crawling around my city, playing hero at the expense of my minions? I've watched you try and fail at training those maggots in hopes of diverting them from a path of corruption and each time is more entertaining than the last. Tell me, Darius, how many letdowns does it take for a devil to know their place in eternity?"
"Are you finished?!"
"Temper, temper. Impatience doesn't suit you, Aeshma. I thought after a few millennia, I figured you forgot who you were. Maybe that brat is good for something after all. Which is why I have a proposition for you."
"You have a lot of gall trying to strike a deal with me!" Darius growled with an amber glimmer in his gaze.
"I'm giving you a choice. You came here to make peace and prevent someone you care about from getting hurt and I'm going to honor that," He paused, monitoring Darius gradually stood up. As his scowl softened, Lucas returned to his seat, leaning forward to show he was serious. "I'll make a phone call and your loved one will be removed from the list."
Upon his arrival, Darius took a deep breath for the first time, although his skepticism lingered. He was too familiar with this person to simply believe everything he said. A lie from Lucas was as natural as water flowing down a stream. Even his stoicism was just a well-executed poker face to conceal his true feelings from competitors and detractors. What made it challenging was the air of honesty he infused into his statements, turning it all into an inscrutable guessing game.
What if he was telling the truth? he pondered, trying to find some chink in the armor to expose his intentions. As it was since the days of the ancients, Aeshma found such a deed futile as he was unable to find even the smallest of deficiencies in Lucas' mental defense. "What's the catch?"
"Do you think so little of me that I would con you? I have too much respect for our time together to do such a thing," he announced with sincerity in his tone. "If you accept my proposal, then I'll make the call right now and you'll have nothing to worry about moving forward. Consider this my gift for centuries of friendship."
Darius mulled over things. No matter how he tried to spin things, it seemed that Lucas West was truly genuine in his offer.
"Fine. If you're a man of your word, then I accept."
"Perfect. Then we can put this whole nasty business behind us and move forward in peace," Lucas allowed a gentle smirk to grace his features as he drew his cell phone.
He dialed a series of numbers, receiving the dial tone only once before someone answered. What came next was a cordial exchange that put the wrath demon's fears to bed as he turned to leave. However, he broke a critical rule, one he knew all too well and should've remembered.
"Oh, Darius," Lucas called just as he was about to reach for the doorknob. "Which name should I give my contact?"
That wicked tone finally presented itself, leaving the demon rooted where he stood. His hand shivered inches away from the exit. His ears grew hot and his breath caught in his throat, threatening to choke him. So many emotions coursed through his soul, leaving him numb at the same time as he tried to process the words uttered at him. He heard Lucas' question enough, but that only made things worse.
Darius felt like he was in one of those stereotypical horror films. He didn't want to turn around, knowing that the inevitable would happen. He could feel that sinister gaze burrowing through him, the demonic stare from the prideful deceiver spelled it out without him having to turn around. All he could do was slump his shoulders in defeat. He felt the air grow thick as if smog had filled the room. His eyes burned with fury, but he could only muster a despairing glance.
He'd fallen into the snare; the same trap that ruined Adam & Eve at the beginning of time.
"What... are you talking about?"
"I need a name to give..." Lucas blinked, feigning innocence. "I gave you a choice, didn't I?"
"I... You... Yes."
For the first time, as only God knew, Lucifer felt a genuinely evil smile stretch his face, revealing sharpened fangs. A serpent's tongue grazed his lips before acknowledging his associate. He'd won this round, that much was evident. Now Darius would have to choose between the one he called brother and the love of his eternal life.
"Then choose..."