Part 9 (2/2)
”That's the understatement of the year,” I tell him.
”So how was your trip? Successful, I hope, for your sake.”
”Yes, I have my sister back.”
Lucifer just stares at me.
”Was there something else you wanted to ask me?” I question, knowing what's coming.
”Why were two Guardians from the Treasury of Souls just standing on your lawn? Who are they to you?”
I contemplate how to answer the question. I could just tell the devil to mind his own d.a.m.n business, but would that gain me anything besides antagonism? I mentally run through all of my options and decide on one. Is it the smartest option? Only time will tell me that, but it's what my heart says I should do and I always follow my heart.
”One of them is my father.”
Lucifer stops rocking. He looks completely floored. I get the feeling it's not because of what I said. I think he's surprised by my willingness to share such important information with him. It's something a friend would do, not an enemy.
”Which one: Zeruel or Remiel?”
”Zeruel.”
”Why would you call him your father?”
”Because when he made my soul he infused it with part of his own.”
Lucifer narrows his eyes at me. ”Why are you sharing this information so freely with me? You've never been very forthcoming before. Why now?”
”Maybe I'm just getting tired of playing games with you. You and I keep going back and forth but neither of us seems to be getting anywhere with it. And in the long run, maybe it doesn't matter what you know about me. I have a feeling when you learn the complete truth you'll just end up wanting to kill me anyway.”
”I have no desire to kill you,” Lucifer says, his face completely serious. ”I've come to enjoy these little conversations of ours. Sadly enough, you're the closest thing I have to a friend on this planet.”
I have no idea if Lucifer is trying to play on my sympathies, but I get the strange feeling he's telling me the truth.
”Why would you say I would want to kill you after I find out the truth about you?” He asks. ”You say it with such certainty.”
”I met your doppelganger while I was away.”
”Did you now?” Lucifer grins. ”Was he as devastatingly handsome as me?”
”Exactly.”
”And what did he do to make you think I would want you dead after I learn the truth of what you are?”
”He tried to kill me.”
Lucifer looks amused. ”Did he now? That's interesting. Do you mind me asking how you got away unscathed? Usually if I want someone dead, they're dead. Yet, here you are, still alive. How?”
”I think I've over shared enough for one day, don't you?”
”One more question, if you don't mind,” Lucifer says, leaning forward in his chair. ”Those three humans I just saw. Who are they?”
”My friends.”
”What kind of friends? There's something about them that's different, like you're different, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is I'm sensing from them either.”
”Like I said, I've over shared enough with you for one day. They're my friends. That's all you need to know.”
Lucifer leans back in the chair and continues to rock.
”By the way,” he says, ”I've been meaning to ask why you're pretending to be that boy's girlfriend.”
”I'm doing him a favor.”
”Doesn't that bother you, Mason?” Lucifer says looking past the porch rail to the sidewalk behind me.
I instinctively turn and see Mason holding a white cardboard box from Beau's store in his hands.
”The boy knows his place,” Mason answers, walking up the steps to stand beside me on the porch.
”What, inside your girlfriend's mouth?” Lucifer laughs. ”I saw the pictures of the two of you. It didn't look much like pretend to me from what I saw.”
”Chandler made a mistake,” I say. ”He apologized afterward. He simply mistook friends.h.i.+p love for romantic love. He's human. It happens.”
”Still, I'm surprised Mason didn't throw him through a wall or something worse.”
”The thought did cross my mind,” Mason admits. ”But it wouldn't have made Jess happy and her happiness is all I care about.”
”She certainly has you wrapped around her finger.”
”Maybe you should try looking in a mirror one day,” Mason tells him.
Lucifer smiles grimly. ”I suppose you'll want to go and share those delectable pastries with your friends inside.”
I take the box from Mason's hands and open it, allowing the sweet scent of freshly baked sugar and cinnamon to permeate the air around us. I hold the box out to Lucifer.
”Would you like one?”
Lucifer looks surprised by my gesture. I get the feeling he isn't used to being included into things like sharing a meal. He hesitates but finally succ.u.mbs to the call of the cinnamon roll and picks one out of the box.
”Thank you,” he says frowning, like the words are foreign on his tongue.
”You're welcome,” I tell him, unable to suppress a smile because it's the first time I've seen Lucifer act civil.
”I should be going now,” Lucifer says abruptly. ”I will see you again soon.”
”Ok.”
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