11. Lucifer

Lucifer

Desperation once again guided Lucien as he made his way to see the oracle. It had been hundreds of years since he'd last sought her counsel. But now, he needed to find a way to free Sadie once and for all.

When his mother offered him the crystal to bring Sadie back to say goodbye, he didn't give a damn about the consequences. He died every time she did. He mourned the loss of her smile and sincere nature as lies continued to fall off his tongue.

"I've been waiting for you," an eerie voice whispered.

"Revered Mother," he said as he dropped to his knee before the elderly woman sitting upon a gnarled stump.

"The son of Satan is humble enough to bow from his throne. I was right to mentor you."

The fog around them dissipated, revealing the dense forest around them. Knotty pines stood like gnarled sentinels, obscuring natural light, holding its secrets close. Only the oracle could give Lucifer the answers he sought.

"Tell me what I need to do. I will sacrifice anything."

"Are you willing to forgive yourself? You chose your own fate when your lover was dying in your arms. She would've earned wings if she had ascended like your mother, and you were fearful of allowing this. You intervened with divine fate and damned you both."

Tears flowed freely from Lucifer's eyes. She was saying everything he already knew, and it tore him up inside. The guilt that churned within his gut had driven him to commit unspeakable acts to which there was no contrition. The devil had fallen in love with an angel, but they were never meant to be together.

"I would've never seen her again," he confessed.

"Tell me, Lucifer. Can an innocent soul escape Hell unscathed?"

"She has to. I'll spend all of eternity making it up to her."

"And what if she doesn't want to rule Hell at your side? Do you love her enough to let her go?" She raised her all-seeing eyes to his.

"You already know the answer to that."

"Good. Your devotion speaks volumes of who you are. The son of a devil and an angel doesn't have to choose one side or the other. The war will tear you apart if you let it."

"Where is my son? "

She chuckled. "You continue to make assumptions. I have ensured your child's safety. When the time is right, I will reunite you. Until then, you have work to do."

"Sadie has one circle of Hell left. I will ensure she emerges triumphant."

"Tread carefully, son of Satan. Beware the face of deception as your biggest trial lies ahead."

Once he stepped out of the oracle's glen, the fog obscured the land once more, hiding her from sight. She was protected by the elements that surrounded her and wouldn't be found again until she wanted to be. She saw a single thread of fate that could be unwound in thousands of different directions stemming from one single choice.

Her answers were cryptic, offering counsel and ominous warnings. She never intervened directly. It was for him to decipher the wisdom she imparted upon him. It was a small comfort knowing his child was under her care. But that also meant she knew he had more to do—Sadie had more to do.

He closed his eyes and laid his hand over his chest as his heart began thumping once more. He remained still for a few beats, reveling in the feelings only Sadie awakened before a smile spread across his face. If Lucifer had any say in the matter, this would be their final goodbye.

For hundreds of years, Sadie wept, telling him she didn't want to leave. It was his own inadequacies and guilt that propelled his actions. He told himself he did the right thing by her, but that was a lie. He meant what he said, that he would spend the rest of eternity making it up to her.

Lucifer was the one who needed healing, and Sadie was the only one who could grant him absolution. When they were reunited, they would hunt down Cain and Constance together. Retribution would be theirs. He would lay waste to the mortal realm and watch his beloved rise from the ashes.

He opened his eyes and couldn't believe the fortuitous sight before him. Constance appeared in the forest, looking lost and alone. He blinked multiple times to dispel the disbelief. She wasn't an illusion.

A growl rumbled deep within his chest. It was the first time he'd seen her since he threw her out of the castle with Sadie's weight in gold, and 500 years without his beloved had him thirsty for blood.

Her golden hair was a beacon through the fog, and the fine blue cloak she wore concealed her body as she turned in his direction. Recognition flashed across her face a moment before she ran toward him.

His heart beat furiously at her audacity. How dare she approach him. But it didn't matter. He licked his lips like a hungry predator. He was going to make her suffer and present Sadie with a lock of her hair.

Lucifer used the fog and the forest to his advantage and hid quickly. She tutted not far from where he had first stood. He remained close to the trees as he circled her, watching as she wandered aimlessly once more. She didn't call out, but she wasn't silent, either .

His ears strained to listen for every breath and heartbeat as hatred pumped through his veins. Anticipation bubbled beneath his skin, causing his horns to sprout. The demon within him was happy to see her. Blood, blood, it called, longing to be sated.

Constance froze as though sensing him behind her. She turned a moment too late and didn't have time to scream as his hands wrapped around her throat. Her eyes went wide with fear, knowing her life was about to end.

"Luci—" she croaked.

"Shut the fuck up, cunt," he growled. "I'm going to fucking kill you."

His pain manifested in a mighty roar, and his form shifted completely. He'd made a vow once and was determined to make her suffer. He laughed as she clawed at his giant hands. It was like a tickle from a kitten.

He lifted her a foot off the ground and threw her into a tree hard enough that the bark cracked. She fell to the forest floor with a cry. The ground quaked with every step Lucifer took as he approached, towering over the cowering woman.

"Please," she cried, raising her hands to shield herself, much like her mother had.

The more she begged, the more sick pleasure he would gain from their encounter. He wanted to pull her beating heart from her chest and savor its final beats before devouring it. He could feel the weight and warmth in his palm already and imagined the blood dripping from his fingertips.

Constance shrieked as he grabbed her hair and yanked so hard that a fistful came with it. With a swipe of his claws, he shredded her blue cloak and tore her gown, leaving her naked and trembling before him. He had expected more as his eyes trailed over her pale skin. Her breasts were small with tiny pink nipples, and the ringlets between her legs weren't enticing. She didn't compare to the beauty of her sister.

"You're at my mercy now," he hissed. "And there isn't a shred of it left."

"Look at me," she pleaded.

He ignored her and grinned sickly as he caressed her skin with his long dark nails. Once the demon awakened, it demanded blood and sacrifice. He was only too happy to rip Constance's soul from her body and damn it to Hell.

"Scream for me," he growled.

He dug his claw into her breast and sliced down her belly, just like she had done to her sister. How symbolic that she faced the same fate. Her shrieks and sobs were a perfect melody of pain and agony.

"Stop!" She screamed.

She fought hard, but he wasn't to be deterred. Constance grew weaker as the blood pooled around her, seeping into the ground. He watched the viscous liquid drip down his arms.

"Look at me, please," she begged through tears.

She could plead all she wanted, but he wouldn't stop. He was possessed with vengeance. Her ear-piercing screams echoed around them as he dug deeper.

"Lucien," she sobbed .

Only one person had ever cried his name with such desperation before. The demon paused as a cold shiver rolled down his burning back. Reality culled his bloodlust as his heart slowed painfully in his chest.

Lucifer looked into the eyes of the broken body in his arms as a painful tale was retold once more. How many times had those hazel eyes shone up at him with trust, vulnerability, love, and pain? How did he mistake them for blue? And the hair around her shoulders in disarray wasn't blonde but black.

He shook his head. It couldn't be. A faint smile ghosted her lips, daring to assuage his guilt as she died. He deserved to be flayed and punished for eternity.

"I'm sorry, Sadie. I'm sorry."

"I love you, Luci?—"

And she was gone again. He howled like a beast as blinding pain ran through him. Lucifer's heart stopped beating.

"Sadie," he bellowed.

What had he done?

"Beware the face of deception," the oracle had warned him.

Lucifer had damned them both, and this would be the last time he lost her.

He stole all of Sadie's memories and held them within his soul. Whether or not she remembered him, they were bound for eternity. He wouldn't misplace his faith in her again.

"Wait for me, tulip. "

He held her long after her body went cold once more. Sadie's soul had already slipped into the next trial—lust.