by Dahlia Lu
Soren held Lucifer back.
“Let me go, or I will kill you too!” Lucifer shouted at Soren. His eyes were furious. “That woman…that woman betrayed me in the worst way! She has his child! She’s carrying a child that’s not mine!”
“If I let you go, you’ll destroy the entire city,” Soren said calmly.
“Why should I care about happens to this city or to this world for that matter?” he brought his fists to his chest. It felt like a fire was burning under his skin. “I just want to kill her! I cannot forgive this betrayal!”
“He could always bring her back from the dead,” Soren reminded Lucifer. “He’s a demon like us. If you want to seek vengeance, my master, then please hold on to that anger.”
Lucifer stared at her smiling face. Killing her was not enough, he decided. She would have to pay dearly for this atrocity. He would make her suffer for each smile and laugh she gave to another man. He would crush her heart and her spirit until she crawled back to him and begged for death.
†††††
Chevalier sighed as he looked at her, worried. She was sweating profusely in her sleep. Her body twisted and turned most in ways that looked really uncomfortable. His hand reached for her shoulder to wake her, but he paused when he heard her soft murmurs. With a hint of sadness in his eyes, he resumed nudging her gently. He whispered her name until her lids opened from her honey-glazed eyes. She jumped a little at the surprise of being awakened.
“You were having a bad dream again,” he told her softly. “Do you want some water?”
She shook her head and turned onto her other side.
“It is too hot for you in here?” Chevalier asked. He walked to the other side of her bed to crack the window open. When he looked at her, she turned to the other side. “Is it the baby?”
She shook her head again. “I’m fine. Please leave me alone for now.”
“Okay,” he nodded. Kissing her gently on the forehead, he turned off the light and left the room.
†††††
Lucifer couldn’t get her out of his mind: her face, her smile, everything about her. He wanted to kiss her like he used to. He wanted to hold her. He couldn’t remember wanting anything more for the last eternity. He hated what she'd done to him. That was why, in order to cleanse her from his thoughts, he must erase her existence entirely!
“You must listen to me,” Adria said. She had come to his bedchamber without his permission.
“Be gone!” he roared at her. He was in no mood to be trifled with.
“My Lord, please do not trust Soren completely,” she warned him hastily. “Can’t you see what he is doing to you? Are you so blinded by love that you cannot see that Soren is manipulating you?”
“How dare you enter my room without my consent?” he demanded an answer. His pale blue eyes glowed.
She gasped, trying to hide her fright.
“My apologies, I had no ill intentions,” her voice was much softer. "I cannot stand by idly and watch him destroy you. If you kill her, my lord Lucifer, you might reawaken your instinct. I admit that I hate her, I truly do! In the months she was here, she monopolized all of your attention. Even more hateful, I saw you look at her as if she were the only woman in existence. You smiled. You laughed. You caressed her with such gentleness as if you were afraid to hurt her. I was jealous. I was so jealous I wanted to kill her, but you must not kill her yourself! I cannot allow you to kill whatever is left of what you can still feel!"
“The woman betrayed me! In the three months that I was asleep, she betrayed me and is carrying another man’s child!”
“Are you sure it is another man’s child? Is there a possibility it is yours?”
Her questions dazed him. The possibility had never occurred to him. Despite everything in their favors, his kind lacked the means to reproduce. Due to their immortality, it was quite intentional. Conception was so rare that the last demon to hatch was at least ten thousand years old. And Kali was human. Astronomical odds were stacked against him.
“Do not trust Soren,” Adria advised. “He has lost himself to his demonic instincts. Go see her, my lord. Clear things up before you lose yourself, too. I will not intrude on you any longer.”
As soon as she finished the sentence, she bowed, turned toward the window and flew out.
Lucifer was alone once again. “A possibility that it’s my child…”
†††††
“Show yourself!” Chevalier demanded when he smelled a demonic scent in the atmosphere. He had hoped that he would never have to see another demon again. Perhaps it was far too much to ask.
Soren emerged from the shadows into Chevalier’s kitchen. “Your senses have become much sharper, Chevalier,” he complimented.
“Why are you here?” Chevalier asked, agitated. It was apparent that he was displeased to see Soren. The feeling was evident on his face.
“Is that how you greet an old friend?” Soren asked. "I'm deeply hurt.”
“Why are you here?” Chevalier repeated his tone grave. The sooner the demon stated his business, the sooner he would leave.
“To help you, of course,” Soren replied. “I’m on your side, after all. Heed my words and take Kali away. Hide her somewhere Lord Lucifer cannot find her. And most importantly, you must mask her scent with sandalwood.”
“Why?” Chevalier asked.
“That dreadful demoness turned on me!” Soren was referring to Adria. “Lucifer will soon find out the truth about Kali's pregnancy. And he will come for her. No, for them. Will you stand and do nothing, while they are taken from you?”
Chevalier clenched his fists to stop himself from shaking. The thought was frightening.
“Are you thinking that it is wrong to separate a child from its father?” Soren chuckled. “You are so pure-hearted, Chevalier. But the pure-hearted ones always suffer most. When he comes and takes both of them from you, what will you have left to live for?”
“Shut up!” Chevalier retorted. “I won’t listen to a demon!”
“You are a demon yourself, or have you forgotten already?” Soren paused for a second, and then continued on. “She is everything you ever wanted, is she not? I’m offering you a chance to live happily ever after. The child in her belly, I can tell you have grown to love it.”
Chevalier closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. There was a painful expression on his face.
“Yes, Chevalier, think hard. Will you listen to your head or to your heart? But be quick about it. Lord Lucifer is heading this way,” Soren grinned. He turned around and walked into the shadows, becoming one with them.
†††††
Kali turned on the lights to the apartment. Chevalier was sitting on the sofa, deep in thought. He smiled when he saw her. The weariness in his eyes was chased away.
“You didn’t have to go work today?” she asked.
“I came home early. There was flooding at the office, something to do with the pipes,” he said, standing up and walking toward her. He took her hand and helped her sit down on the sofa. “How was your day at school?”
“The rumors already have spread around the school,” she sighed. “The headmaster may expel me if she finds out.”
“We should just run away from it all,” Chevalier said. He leaned his head gently on her belly, trying to listen to the baby.
“It’s only four months,” Kali reminded him. “You won’t be able to hear anything.”
He looked up at her. “Kali, are you happy?”
“Well, I was terrified at first, but I’m fine with it now. I guess the maternal instincts have kicked in,” she chuckled and rubbed her belly. “Sorry, baby. Mommy didn’t want to have you at first, but I promise to love you very much from now on.”
Chevalier softly smiled. “Daddy loves you too.”
“Chevalier, your face is so pale recently,” Kali noticed. “What’s wrong, are you feeling ill?”
He shook his head. "Kali?"
"Hmm?"
&
nbsp; "What would you do if you found out I had lied to you?"
Kali placed her hand over her abdomen and the other hand on his forehead. "Everyone lies at one point or another, Chevalier. Sometimes living with a protective lie is better than facing reality. I’ll always forgive you, whatever it may be.”
"What if I don't want your forgiveness?” he asked in a sad tone.
"If you ever lie to me, I know you have your reasons, just like I have my own,” she smiled gently, running her hand though his hair.
"Thank you for keeping your promise, Kali.”
Chapter 16: Fragile
“Where is she, Soren?” Lucifer slammed Soren against the stone wall. He’d returned to the human world only to find an empty apartment. Kali was nowhere to be found. He could not even pick up her scent. Lucifer glared at Soren, his blue eyes glowing fiercely. “Do not play petty games with me!”
Soren fell to the ground. Lucifer pinned his head down with his foot.
“Why do you want such a woman, my Lord?” Soren asked, looking up at his master from the corner of his eye. Lucifer stepped down harder to keep Soren’s head face pressed to the ground. “She betrayed you! If all you wanted was a woman, I can find you a hundred, no, a thousand times better!”
“I don’t need another woman! Tell me where she is!” Lucifer bent down and grabbed a handful of Soren’s hair. “Do you think that I do not have the power to destroy you? Have you forgotten who I am?”
“I am well aware, Lord Lucifer,” Soren replied. “But I will not accept a human to be your mate.”
“Did I ever ask for your acceptance or your blessing?” Lucifer asked. “I am the Sovereign of Hell. Do you think I need your opinion on what I should and should not do? I will help you remember your place.” Lucifer called on his sword. “If you can survive it, that is.”
"Never in my wildest nightmare did I imagine you would turn your sword against me,” Soren wriggled his head under Lucifer’s shoe in disbelief. The tone of his voice grew bitter. "I, who have abandoned everything to fight by your side. Who shielded you from thousands of piercing arrows. Who served you with unquestioning devotion for countless millennium, and for what?”
“Before I kill you,” Lucifer added, “let me ask you this. Whose child is Kali carrying? Is it mine or his?”
“Do you truly want to know?” Soren asked mockingly. His turned into a shadow to escape from Lucifer, slipping out to reappear next to his Master. He stood proudly, flexing his black wings. His pale green eyes emit a silver glow. “Very soon, it will not matter.”
Lucifer understood what he meant. He charged at Soren with his sword. Soren called on his sword and dodged Lucifer’s attack.
“I will not fight you, Lord Lucifer,” Soren said as he fended off the other demon off. He spread his enormous wings and flew out of the window, calling behind him. “Very soon it will not matter at all.”
†††††
“Where are we going in such a hurry?” Kali asked Chevalier as she boarded the plane. “Why won’t you answer my questions? What’s going on?”
Chevalier sat next to her and gave her seatbelt a yank to check its latch. “We’re taking a long vacation,” he said to her, turning his attention to his own belt.
“Chevalier, why won’t you tell me what is wrong?” she worried. “Where are we going? What about school? What about your job?”
“None of that matter,” he said with a forced smile. “I’ve saved up some money. We can move to another city and live in peace.”
She doubted she would ever truly be at peace again. Kali placed a hand on her belly, rubbing it gently. He must be coming for it, she thought. “You hear that, baby? We’re going on a vacation,” she said in a cheerful voice.
Chevalier leaned his head on her shoulder.
“You must be very tired, Chevalier,” she said to him. “Was it worth it?”
He nodded. “It’s worth everything.”
†††††
Where could she be? Lucifer asked himself. He stood on the highest building, overlooking the city at night. A summoning circle drew itself in mid-air. Adria appeared, her black wings seeming to pop out of the circle like a champagne cork out of a bottle.
“She’s not in this city,” Adria reported. “There is no scent of her or her companion. I’ve sent the others to different cities to look for them.”
“Just as I thought,” Lucifer massaged the bridge of his nose. “Soren will get to them before I will.”
“My Lord, what it is that you want?” Adria asked curiously. “The girl or the child?”
Lucifer took in a deep breath of air and then exhaled, the motion painful. “I want them both.”
“Forgive me for asking, my Lord, but what if it is not your blood? The odds are working against you, not to mention that a conception of such a union is unprecedented. Will you leave her be?”
Lucifer remained silent.
“It is because of your pride? Or it is because you love her so much that you couldn’t stand the thought of her betraying you? Once you find her, my Lord, what would you do to her?”
“Why are you so concerned, Adria?”
Adria faintly smiled. “I just want to know if you are capable of loving someone.”
“It is unlikely that I will ever fall victim to this plague again,” Lucifer decided.
“If that is so,” Adria bowed to him politely before sinking back into the summoning circle. “…tend to this plague before it consumes whatever is still alive inside of you.”
Chapter 17: Something Sinister
Two months passed quickly in their new location. Chevalier found a job almost immediately, and they had rented a two-bedroom apartment by the river. Time went by almost too quickly; they almost wished it would slow down.
“Stop kicking your mother,” Chevalier said to Kali’s belly. “Just wait until you come out of there, mister.”
Kali giggled. “Chevalier, you sound more like a dad every day.”
“I need some practice,” he snuggled her belly gently. “I don’t want to be a pushover dad. I want to be the father that I always wanted to have,” he smiled. “You know, I hated that man. But now, I’m so thankful I had a father like him.”
“Why?” Kali asked, remembering what sort of man Chevalier’s father had been. He wasn’t a very likable person.
“He made me realize that I don’t want to be him,” Chevalier sighed. “I promise I’ll be a good father, Kali. If I'm good with this one, will you have a second one with me?”
“What?” She blushed and pinched his cheek. “In your dreams, you pervert!”
“But I really want another one,” he said in a whining tone. It was so unlike him.
“No means no,”
“Then I would just have to force you,” he smiled mischievously.
She glared at him. “You wouldn’t dare…”
“Oh, but I would,” he gave her playful pecks on the lips. “Maybe a third one, and a fourth one, and a fifth one-”
“I’m not a breeding sow!” she protested.
He held her closer to him. “Once I save up enough money, we’ll have a decent wedding. On that day, I hope you confess that you love me.”
Kali remained silent in Chevalier’s arms. How could I say that to you, Chevalier? Kali thought. My conscience would never allow me tell you such a shameless lie when I’m in love with another man. His images keep haunting my dreams. His voice keeps calling out to me. He’s buried so deep in my heart that not even that potion could keep him out of my mind for long. I truly wish the person I love were you. If I knew it was you, I would never have to cry another day in my life.
†††††
“I've found you,” Soren said with a grin, staring in the window of their apartment. “And Lord Lucifer is nearby. I have to act quickly. Such a pity, for I was going to let you go. If only you hadn't turn Lord Lucifer against me. Enjoy your last day, Kali, because you won’t live to see another.”
Kali stood waiting
by the mall’s escalator. She looked to her watch, three more minutes until appointment time. He had asked her to meet him at the shopping center, saying he’d be right over after work. Chevalier was so excited about the baby that would be coming in three months. He wanted to do all the last minute shopping now so they wouldn’t be in a panic later. Kali held out the list that Chevalier had made last night. There must be hundreds of items on it. Kali laughed softly. Chevalier was much more giddy about the baby coming than she could be. And he spent so much time thinking about what the baby would need!
He’ll be a good father, Kali told herself. She smiled at the thought.
“Excuse me, miss,” a woman tapped on her shoulder. She was very old, and tiny. “Could you help me up this escalator?”
Kali smiled brightly. “Of course,”
She softly gripped the lady’s hand and helped her onto the escalator. The old woman’s movements were slow and stiff. When they had almost reached the top, the old woman smiled at Kali.
“It’s good to have young people like you nowadays, dear Kali,” the old woman said.
"How did you know my name?" Kali asked, startled.
The wrinkled face before her suddenly morphed, becoming much more youthful. Before she could recover from her shock, Soren was standing beside her, holding her hand. Kali couldn’t believe her eyes.
Soren kissed her forehead as they neared the next floor. Suddenly, he pushed her down the escalator. As she was falling, she saw the wicked smile on his face.
Chevalier caught her in his arms, his black wings exposed for all the bystanders to see. Gasps of disbelief hissed around them. Most obviously thought this was just a show staged by the mall to entertain the shoppers. Chevalier flew up next to Soren, who was now firmly standing on the second floor of the mall’s promenade.
