

Fall

Danielle Broussard

Published by Danielle Broussard

Copyright 2014 Danielle Broussard

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 1

"How is she doing?"

"She seems to be alright, she's not crying herself to sleep anymore."

"Good. Has he found her yet?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Let's keep it that way."

"Yes, sir."

He was absolutely gorgeous. She wasn't the only one who noticed the handsome stranger. She could hear a few of the older women sitting around her whispering about him. His blond hair was stunning and his icy blue eyes were heavenly. He sat only two pews in front of her. He exuded confidence and either didn't notice the attention he was drawing or didn't care; it was impossible to tell.

"Please stand."

The pews creaked when the congregation did as the priest asked. She attended church every weekend, although more out of habit now. Her parents were devout Catholics and forced her to go to mass every weekend growing up. It was so engrained in her now that it felt wrong to miss.

"Amen."

"And now we recite the Lord's Prayer."

"Our Father..."

She didn't grow up in this small town. On the contrary, she moved frequently as a child. Her father was constantly being transferred and relocated for his job, so she had gotten used to being uprooted and having to make new friends. She'd been living there for several years now and had settled into a complacent rhythm. This was the town her father had grown up in. Most of the residents there knew her and her family a little too well.

The pews creaked and groaned again when the congregation knelt in unison. The kneelers were horribly uncomfortable. They had padding on them but they were old, so it felt like kneeling on wood. Shifting, she rested her elbows on the top of the pew in front of her. Picking at her cuticles, she listened intently to the music as it started playing.

The musicians were two young high school girls. She had that very job growing up. It was easy and paid well. She used to joke with her friends that if she had to attend mass every weekend she might as well get paid for it. That probably wasn't the right attitude, in hindsight.

Biting at her fingernails, she chewed off a small cuticle. Keeping the finger against her mouth, she sucked on the bit of blood at the base of her nail. Singing softly to the music, she stood and picked the kneeler up with her foot. Following the parishioners sitting in the pew next to her, she trudged towards the front of the church. The line moved slowly in rhythm to the music, grinding to a halt only when a small child or elderly person reached the Eucharistic ministers.

Bowing slightly, she took another step, and then raised her hands, one on top of the other.

"The body of Christ."

"Amen."

Side stepping, she placed the small wafer in her mouth and made the sign of the cross. No need to get the wine. There were too many people drinking from the same cup. She had no problem with sharing, just not germs.

Turning the corner she rejoined the line to head back to her pew. Glancing at the musicians, her eyes caught his gaze when she looked back in front of her. They were so light in color, the palest blue she'd ever seen. They were heavenly yet eerily cold and foreboding. Her breath stood still and her heart raced. Her cheeks grew hotter with every step she took towards him. Finally breaking away, she stared at the linoleum floors. Trying to slow her breathing, she prayed that he didn't see her blush.

Once mass ended, the congregation progressed slowly outside. It was hard not feeling like cattle being herded while everyone trudged in a large group towards the covered area beyond the main doors. There the congregation lingered to say their 'hellos' and 'goodbyes,' and to do the polite small talk that takes place in all small towns. This was the part she hated the most and tried to avoid at all costs. Unfortunately, the slow moving crowd stalled by the doors, trapping her in the cluster.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Over here!"

Looking between the shoulders and heads in front of her, she finally saw who was calling. The woman was waving wildly at her. It looked like she was trying to land a plane more than anything. Her arms swayed rigidly over her head, the underside swinging more than the rest. Pushing her way through the crowd, Elizabeth had to slide between several people to reach the older woman.

Like most of the women here her age, she had short hair that was permed on top. She was dressed nicely. Bright colors in a bold print decorated her shirt, washing out her pale skin. A simple cross necklace hung around her neck and a gold watch was wrapped around her wrist, pinching the area between her hand and forearm.

"Mrs. Trahan, how are you doing?"

Grabbing Elizabeth, the old woman pulled her in for a long hug. Taking a breath, a flowery perfume invaded Elizabeth's nostrils. Breathing out, she held her breath until the hug was over and she could take a few steps back.

"I'm just fine, dear. How are you holding up? In that big house all by yourself it's just awful, isn't it, Darrel?"

Darrel was looking around absently, staring at the trees, the sky anything except his wife. He was a small man in both frame and stature, and taking a hand out of his pocket, he scratched his balding head gently. He was careful not to disturb the hair he had meticulously combed over. He didn't have much hair left, but what he did have, he took great pride in, including the pristinely manicured mustache that sat beneath his broad nose.

"The yard is too big," Mrs. Trahan said. "How do you find time to do everything? I can hardly imagine. Then Doreen told me she saw the electricians there during the week. Are you having major problems?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth stopped watching Darrel. "No, ma'am. Everything's fine. I'm just having the wiring updated."

"Oh my, that sounds so expensive. How will you afford something like that?"

"It's fine," Elizabeth said. "My parents left me more than enough, and I plan on doing most of the other work myself."

"Well, God bless them. If you need anything, anything at all, you just come to us, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am. I really appreciate it."

Looking around, Mrs. Trahan finally noticed that her husband was no longer there. He had walked off, wandering slowly towards their car in the parking lot. Thinking she had seen her chance to escape, Elizabeth took a step towards the cars, but didn't make it in time. A wrinkled hand grabbed her arm, pulling her close to the old woman's face again. Instantly the offensive, flowery-sweet perfume swarmed her nostrils. Flinching unintentionally, Elizabeth held her breath to prevent the onslaught.

Noticing her reaction, the old woman released her arm, assuming that was the source of her discomfort. "Who do you think that young man over there is?"

Scanning the remaining parishioners, Elizabeth tried to see who she was pointing at. She should have known without looking. There was only one unfamiliar face at mass today. Sure enough, standing next to the priest was the handsome stranger. He was smiling at something, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. He looked like he belonged on a teeth whitening ad or on the cover of a magazine, not here in this podunk town.

Sensing someone watching him, the man glanced over at Elizabeth, locking eyes with her again. Looking away quickly, she turned her attention back to the woman standing next to her.

"I'm not sure," Elizabeth said. "I've never seen him before."

"Me neither," Mrs. Trahan said, pulling at the bottom of her shirt. Running her hands over the front of her blouse, she tried to iron out the wrinkles. "He's so handsome, like one of those actors on the TV or on the movies."

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed. "Yes, ma'am. I suppose he could be."

"Now what do you suppose a man like that is doing down here?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth said, "I don't know. Maybe you should ask him?"

Beaming, her posture instantly straightened, "I think I will."

Without hesitation, the woman left Elizabeth's side and sauntered up to the man and the priest. Smiling, Elizabeth had to hold back her laughter. Mrs. Trahan was so confident and sure of herself, yet completely unaware of how tactless she really was. Elizabeth usually tried to make a point of leaving the church quickly to avoid such conversations. It was always the same thing:

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

"How will a girl like you manage?"

She was tired of the empathy and of people tip-toeing around her.

Meandering over to her car, she took her time going home. It wasn't a long drive, only ten minutes at most. The old, rutted highway was lined with cane fields that made her car vibrate, which made singing in the car a bit of a challenge. That didn't stop her, though, and she sang the whole way home, belting the words at the top of her lungs. Pulling off the highway, she turned onto a secluded country road. Ancient oak trees loomed over the dark pavement, shading the street from the sun. The houses there were far and few between. Several acres separated the structures from each other, which was just the way she liked it.

Turning onto a gravel driveway, she pulled up to a large house. The paint was peeling off the old siding and the roof needed replacing, but it was home. Her parents had bought the house and had it moved onto the property roughly a year earlier. They had planned on renovating the old structure, but were never able to start.

It sat on roughly nine acres and was surrounded by an assortment of large trees. The yard alone was a pain to keep up, especially in the summer months, and the house took up any free time she had. It was a complete fixer-upper, but she was up for the challenge.

Unlocking the door, she had to push on it to get it to open. It had started sticking only recently. She was pretty sure it was due to the heat. That was just one more thing she'd have to fix. The electricians were gone for the day but they left a mess in their wake. Dust, dirt, and bits of wire and rubber littered the floors. The worn hardwood was barely visible under the mess. Taking a step into the house she let out a long sigh. With every step a small cloud of dust plumed up from the floor, coving her shoes in a light coating of gray. It was like living in a construction zone. All of the walls had been ripped down so the plumbing and wiring could be updated. The bare studs were cold and uninviting, but it needed to be done.

Trudging up the stairs, she dropped her purse on a small table. She had every intention of going to bed early, but she paused when she saw the red light blinking on the answering machine. Pushing play, she listened to the message.

"Hey Liz, we're all goin' out tonight. That new band is playin' at the club and we're all gonna go see. You should come. See you at nine."

Claire never left her name, but she didn't need to. Elizabeth always knew when it was her. Deleting the message, she contemplated her options. She had wiggled out of Claire's last two invites, so she was kind of obligated to go this time.

Walking into her make-shift kitchen, she pulled a few pieces of left-over pizza out of a small refrigerator. The room was intended to be a bedroom, but to save money she opted to live upstairs while the downstairs was being renovated. For now, one of the bedrooms acted as a kitchen, while another she had set up as a living room. She was occupying the largest room upstairs and there was one more room that was currently empty. It worked well enough, especially since she lived alone.

She didn't particularly enjoy going out. It was more trouble than it was worth. Rummaging through her closet, she changed into a tank top and a pair of jeans. Taking a quick peek in the bathroom mirror, she ran the straightener through her hair one more time, flattening any stray hairs. The humidity in Louisiana could be killer, and she unfortunately had curly hair. It took an ungodly amount of products to keep her hair straight, but it was worth the effort.

Slipping on a pair of heels, she walked back to her purse and grabbed a few twenties out of it. Stuffing the money into a spare wallet, she slid it into a back pocket and grabbed her keys. Jogging down the stairs, she stopped when she saw the bottom storey. She had a lot of work to do tomorrow. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she thought about calling Claire and asking for a rain check. She was already dressed, though, and it had been a while since she'd been out, so going against her better judgment, she walked out the door and headed for the club.

Chapter 2

Living in the country had its benefits, but it made driving to the city more of a chore than a pleasure. Heading down a four-lane highway, the cane fields eventually gave way to lights and buildings. It took her roughly forty-five minutes to get to the downtown area where the majority of the clubs and bars were located. Driving up and down the narrow streets, she circled around several times until she found a parking spot. During the day, parking down there wasn't an issue. There weren't many offices or shops in this part of town. It only came alive at night, at which point parking became a commodity.

Half the battle was over. Now all she needed to do was find the club. Claire pretty much only liked one club; it was just a matter of remembering where it was. Wandering down the street, Elizabeth took her time, examining every venue. The streets were growing more crowded with every passing second, which was making her feel increasingly annoyed.

There were teenagers everywhere, flooding the streets and the bars. In Louisiana the legal age to enter a bar was eighteen, so the high school seniors were out in droves. Elizabeth hated the young kids. They were rude, noisy, and tended to act like idiots. By the time she found the club and got in, she was flustered and ready to go home.

The venue was dimly lit. There were strobe lights scanning the dance floor and a few lights by the bar area, but other than that it was pretty dark. Her friends had chosen a table at the back of the club. It was secluded and barely fit in the corner. Striding up to the table, the conversation took a short pause. She received the usual hugs and high-fives from her friends and, pulling out the last bar stool, took a seat at the table.

They'd all had a few drinks already and the empty bottles were being collected neatly in the center of the table. Shifting in the tall chair, its joints squeaked under her weight. The worn leather was uncomfortable, but it wasn't horrible. A layer of smoke hid the ceiling from view and the smell of alcohol permeated the air. The air conditioner was on and running on full blast, but with the main door open as well as the windows by the bar, it was struggling to keep the humidity and the heat out.

The music was loud and not only hurt Elizabeth's ears but made it nearly impossible to hear what her friends were talking about. In between the base, she was able to catch bits and pieces of the conversation. It sounded like Nicole was having relationship issues again, but that wasn't anything new.

She'd only known Nicole for two years, but since then she'd had roughly seven different boyfriends that Elizabeth knew about. She was extremely book smart and average in the looks department, but when it came to relationships she was clueless.

Sitting across from her was Claire. Claire had a European look about her. She was into fashion, probably a little too much, and spent roughly half her salary every year on shoes and purses. She had a can-do attitude, which was always an enduring quality in Elizabeth's book. She'd met Claire in college and they'd been pretty good friends ever since.

Lastly there was Rachel. She'd known Rachel for a very long time. Too long. They had attended the same high school and ended up going to the same college afterwards. She didn't particularly care for Rachel, but never found it worth voicing her opinion. Rachel was a philosophy major and always put her two cents in about everything, whether it was welcome or not.

Elizabeth wasn't really sure how they all started hanging out together, but it seemed to work. Leaning over the table, she tried to listen into their conversation. It was too hard to jump straight in, so she tended to remain silent until her opinion was sought.

"What do you mean it's not a big deal?" Claire said. "Of course it's a big deal. I wouldn't put up with that for a second."

"That's why you're single," Nicole replied.

"Excuse me?"

"Claire's right," Rachel said. "That isn't behavior you should condone. But at the same time, love isn't finding the perfect person. It's seeing an imperfect person perfectly."

"Thank you, Rachel," Nicole said. "See, Claire? I'm right in forgiving him."

Rolling her eyes, Claire slammed her fist on the table, causing the bottles to clank together. "No, you're not! Dump his ass like a bad habit and get it over with already! If he did it once, he'll do it again!"

"That's not really fair," Rachel said. "People do change. If Nicole shows him how distraught she is and talks to him about it, then they can work on fixing their relationship."

"Oh my God, I can't believe you two..."

Growing bored with the usual banter; Elizabeth turned around in her chair and scanned the club silently. Catching sight of the bar, she opted to leave her friends for a drink. Sliding off her perch silently, she maneuvered her way to the crowded bar. Squeezing between two men, she waited for the bar tender to make her way back around.

"What can I get you?"

"Um, how about an amaretto Coke?"

"Comin' up."

The bartender was a young girl with long dark hair. She was extremely thin and somehow had still found pants that looked too small for her. The men standing at the bar didn't seem to mind that her ass had to be glued to the denim covering it, though. She probably got really good tips.

Skillfully the bartender slid Elizabeth her drink and moved on to take the next order. Pulling the wallet out of her back pocket, she placed a twenty on the bar top and leaned against the bar to wait for her change. Staring at the back wall, her eyes scanned the assortment of bottles lining the open shelves. The bar was situated near the front of the club by the open windows. The humidity was higher there than at the back of the bar and she could feel the moisture seeping into her jeans, effectively plastering them to her legs.

"Look at the hottie at the end of the bar. Damn, girl! I'd like to get me some of that." Elizabeth jumped when she heard Claire's voice, nearly spilling her drink. Grinning ear to ear, Claire beamed at Elizabeth, proud of the reaction she had gotten. Glaring at her friend, Elizabeth took another sip of her drink. Scanning the bar, she searched for the person Claire was talking about.

Sitting at the end of the bar, surrounded by an assortment of women, was a face she'd never forget. His blond hair and icy blue eyes were forever engrained in her memory. He had a beer in his hand and was staring in their direction casually, completely ignoring the fan club spooning around him.

"He's looking at you. You should go talk to him."

Choking, Elizabeth had to force her drink to stay down. "Are you kidding me? He's way out of my league." Glancing back at the man, Elizabeth continued, "Besides, he has his hands full."

Taking another sip of her drink, Elizabeth glared at Claire, who had a dumb grin plastered to her face. The bartender finally came back around to take Claire's order. Staring into the dark liquid that filled her cup, Elizabeth struggled not to look at the end of the bar. Her foot bounced in rhythm with the music and, biting her bottom lip, she decided that she couldn't take it anymore.

Casually glancing at the end of the bar, she noticed that the man's eyes were still locked on her. It was creepy. Something about him made her extremely uneasy, yet she was somehow drawn to him and found it difficult to look away. It was like he was calling to her, tempting her closer to him.

The sound of coins hitting the bar snapped her back into reality. The bartender had gotten around to getting her change. Stuffing the money in her pocket, she left a dollar on the counter. Claire had her drink now as well, so pushing through the crowd, they headed back to the table.

Nicole and Rachel were still debating relationship dos and don'ts. Elizabeth just wasn't in the mood for it. Sensing her exasperation, Claire grabbed her arm and pulled her away from their friends and onto the dance floor. Elizabeth didn't feel like dancing either, but Claire could be very convincing. She was fun and spunky and had curves in all the right places. Elizabeth preferred the company of men, but still could appreciate the beauty in a woman and had no issues with looking.

Claire could dance and knew it. She exuded confidence and without hesitation plastered herself to Elizabeth. Butting up against her friend, Claire swayed and grinded to the beat of the music. The strobe lights were intense, accentuating the good and hiding the bad, while the music fueled their souls. Elizabeth quickly found a good rhythm and was soon engulfed in the moment.

After only a few minutes she was feeling better than ever. The dancing relaxed her and she was finally enjoying herself. With Claire's provocative dancing, however, they were drawing a little more attention than she cared for. She wasn't sure who the men were or where they had come from, but the girls soon had dancing partners. They were sandwiched between the guys, but it didn't matter as long as the music kept playing.

After a few songs, Elizabeth was sweaty and her glass was dry. Leaving Claire, she pushed her way through the crowd back to the bar. Finally making it to the counter, she placed her empty glass on the marred wood. A soft hand touched her lower back. One of the guys had followed her off the dance floor. Leaning close, he breathed into her ear, "What are you drinking?"

"Amaretto Coke."

They waited patiently for the bartender to reach them. The noise was deafening and, listening to the music, Elizabeth tapped her foot to the beat. Looking back at the end of the bar, she locked eyes again with the blond bombshell. The woman next to him was whispering something in his ear, but he didn't seem to notice. Time slowed. The beams from the strobe light passed over him, painting his skin different colors. She was frozen. His eyes pierced into her soul, holding her in place.

"Here ya go."

Blinking, her body relaxed all at one. Smiling at the man next to her, she took the drink. "Thank you."

Placing a hand on her shoulder, they squeezed their way back onto the dance floor. Finding Claire in the mass was difficult, but eventually they found each other. The second Elizabeth was able to squeeze back next to her; Claire pulled her close, placing her butt in Elizabeth's lap. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, she took another swig of her beer. Grabbing Elizabeth's free hand, she placed it on her thigh. She was absolutely crazy but undeniably fun.

They remained plastered to each other through the rest of the song. The dance floor was getting too crowded, however, and Claire's drink had run out. Squeezing their way off the dance floor, Elizabeth was stopped at the edge of the mass. The man she had been dancing with had her arm. Smiling, he leaned close to her ear. "Can I get your number?"

She didn't have any intentions of dating. She was too busy and was a little weary about meeting people in bars. Shrugging her shoulders, she finally agreed. "Yeah. Um, here..." Typing the number into his phone, she explained, "I stay pretty busy, so if I don't answer, don't be offended."

Handing the phone back to him, he offered, "Let me give you my number. Call me when you get a chance."

Nodding, she agreed and handed her phone over to him. He was done in a few seconds. Waving goodbye, Elizabeth caught up with Claire at the bar. She was still waiting for another beer. The club was getting too crowded for Elizabeth's taste. She didn't like having to wait or having to work to get to where she wanted to go. Downing the rest of her drink, she placed the empty glass on the bar top.

"Who do you think he is?"

Picking the cherry out of the glass, Elizabeth chewed on it methodically, glancing back at the end of the bar. The gorgeous man was still there but now had his hands full, literally. Sitting in his lap was an attractive woman who apparently played her cards right. Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth responded, "Who cares? He's out of our league. Besides, he's probably a snob."

"D'you get that guy's number?

"Yeah, why?"

Grabbing her beer from the bar tender, Claire handed the woman a five. "Keep the change." Turning back towards Elizabeth she continued, "Just curious. I got his friend's number. They're cute, ya know?" Shrugging her shoulders Elizabeth didn't answer. They weren't bad looking. She just wasn't ready to get back into the dating scene yet.

They sat at the bar until Claire finished her drink. It was getting late. Yawning, they made their way back to their friends. Their seats were now occupied by two young men who were attempting to charm their way into Rachel's and Nicole's beds. Claire was less amused than Elizabeth by this turn in events. Positioning herself between the boys and her friends, Claire tried to convince the girls it was time to leave.

"Alright, guys, let's call it a night. Come on, you can stay at my place."

Rachel didn't argue. She was sick to her stomach and bed sounded like an appealing prospect. Nicole, however, was ready to strip right there. "Why don't y'all go on ahead? I'm gonna stay here."

Glaring at her, Claire persisted, "No. Come on, Nicole, we're going home. You're drunk. You already have a boyfriend, remember?"

"Yeah, that cheating bastard," Nicole said. "What do I care? He cheated on me so I'm gonna stay here and have some fun."

Falling into one of the guys' laps, she kissed him sloppily. He appeared to be just as drunk as her, however, and had no complaints about her slobbering all over him. Pulling Nicole back to her feet, Claire persisted, "Come on, we're leaving now. Let's go. Say goodbye."

Mumbling under her breath, Nicole stumbled towards the door with her friends. The boys she'd been flirting with followed them the whole way.

"Hey, we can take her home. Let her stay. She'll be fine."

"Thanks," Claire said, "but no thanks. She's comin' with us." They seemed innocent enough, but it was better not to take the risk.

"We'll get her home safe, promise."

Positioning herself between the boys and Nicole, Elizabeth finally intervened. "We said no, now get lost."

Glaring at Elizabeth, they didn't care for her tone. The outside air knocked some sense into Nicole, however, and reluctantly she agreed with her friends. "No they're right. It's been great, guys... give me your number and we can... have some fun tomorrow."

Smirking, the boys quickly scribbled their numbers down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. Smiling crookedly, she stuffed the paper into her pocket. Leaning on Claire, she stumbled around and allowed Claire to lead her towards the car. Staying a few steps behind them, Elizabeth brought up the rear. Rachel was shaky but able to walk on her own, which was preferable. Elizabeth didn't want anyone leaning on her. Keeping her hands stuffed in her pockets, she continued to look over her shoulder for a few minutes, just to make sure the boys weren't following them.

Claire's car was parked a good bit away from her own. She had gotten Rachel and Nicole to pitch in a few dollars and paid to park close to the venue. Opening the door, Elizabeth helped Rachel into the car while Claire struggled with Nicole. Closing the door, she leaned on the roof of the vehicle. Peering over it, she shook her head.

The streetlight flickered overhead and Claire let out a long yawn. Waving her keys around she said, "You want me to drive you to your car?"

"Nah, that's okay. You've got your hands full and I'm not too far from here."

Nodding, she gave Elizabeth a limp wave. Sliding into her car, she had it on and thrown in reverse in only a few seconds. Backing up, Elizabeth waved to her one more time then turning, headed back towards the busy downtown streets. Her car was parked a few blocks away but the area was well lit and the streets were lined with people still hopping from bar to bar, so walking alone at night didn't seem like that scary of a prospect. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she kept her eyes open and tried to appear alert. Putting on a brave face, she made eye contact with everyone she passed. Perhaps she was being a little paranoid, but she wanted to get home in one piece.

By the time she reached her car, her body was stiff. She had her keys out and ready, and quickly climbed into the car, locking the doors behind her. Taking a deep breath, she poked around the steering wheel, trying to get the key into the ignition. Bending over, she turned the overhead light on and finally stuck the key in the hole. Straightening, she turned the key, but something across the street caught her attention.

Standing under a light post was a man. He was leaning casually against the wooden pole behind him with his hands stuffed in his trench coat's pockets. An old fashioned hat covered his head, shielding his face from the flickering light above. Throwing the car into drive, Elizabeth sped out of the parking lot. He never moved a muscle or gave any inclination that he had even noticed the car.

Shuddering, she tried to relax her shoulders. He had to be dying in that coat. It was only the middle of April, but in Louisiana, all that meant was that it wasn't quite as hot as it could be. Turning the radio up, she sang and bounced in the seat. Her head swayed from side to side, but she soon stopped, and so did her singing.

Standing at the corner of the next intersection was the man cloaked in black. It had to be him; no one else would be stupid enough to wear a trench coat in this heat. Shaking it off, she sped down the street. Glancing in the rear view mirror, she saw that no one was there. Singing softly, she continued down the road only to see him again a few minutes later walking down the sidewalk.

Swallowing, the muscles in her back tightened. Her heart was racing, pounding against the inside of her chest. Slowing her breathing she tried to think about how many drinks she'd had. She only remembered having two, and it didn't taste like there was that much alcohol in them.

Pulling up to the next intersection, she slowed to a stop. There was no one around but the light was red. Staring straight ahead, she gripped the wheel tightly while her leg twitched nervously under the dash. Taking a deep breath, she glanced out driver-side window. The man was there, leaning against a light post. His hands were still stuffed in his pockets and the brim of his hat covered his face in a dark shadow.

The light turned green. Stepping on the accelerator, she glanced back at the road just in time. Slamming on the breaks, she barely stopped. Another car flew through the intersection, barely missing her. The smell of burnt rubber infused the air. Her nerves were shot. Her leg was twitching uncontrollably now and so were her hands. Her heart was racing and she was having issues breathing.

Stepping on the accelerator again, she glanced back in the rearview mirror. The man was gone. She was seeing things; there was no other explanation for it. She was tired and the alcohol was getting to her. Staying under the speed limit, she hunched over the wheel, concentrating on nothing but the road in front of her. Her leg twitched the whole way home and by the time she pulled into the driveway her back was rigid.

Getting home didn't ease her nerves, however. Locking the door behind her, she raced up the stairs to her bedroom, closing that door as well. Seeing her bed made her body relax slightly, although her leg was nowhere near done twitching yet. Changing into pajamas, she lied in bed thinking she wouldn't get a wink of sleep that night, but she was wrong.

Chapter 3

"Something's happened."

"Is she alright?"

"Yes, it's her friend."

"Was it an accident?"

"...."

"I see. You know what to do."

"Yes, sir."

The sun had been up for a few hours by the time Elizabeth dragged herself out of bed. She was normally an early riser but wasn't used to staying out late. The lingering perfume of smoke and sweat called for an immediate shower. The warm water felt heavenly against her skin and had her completely awake within a few minutes. She was looking forward to doing some work on the house since it was her day off.

After the shower she ate a late breakfast and slowly got to work. There wasn't too much for her to do until the electricians were finished but she could at least clean up and strip the floors. By late afternoon she was exhausted and surprised to hear the sounds of tires crunching on the gravel. Walking outside, she saw a small black car drive up. It parked carefully next to hers and a familiar figure climbed out.

"You got a new car?"

Pausing for a moment, Claire looked at the car then looked back at Elizabeth. "No, I've had this one for a few months. Where have you been?"

"Oh," Elizabeth said. "I don't remember it being black."

Claire shrugged her shoulders absently. Walking up to the porch she sat on the steps next to her friend. Running her fingers through her hair, she let out a long yawn. Elizabeth didn't mind the silence but could tell Claire had something on her mind. Her eyes darted around the yard, unable to focus on anything. Finally, giving Elizabeth a hard look she said, "You look like shit."

Laughing, Elizabeth looked up. The old trees towered over the house blocking out most of the sky. The light filtering through the canopies played on the grass below, dancing with the gentle breeze. Smiling at Claire, she said, "Alright, out with it. We both know you didn't come all the way out here to tell me I look bad and smell worse. What's up?"

Looking down, Claire hung her head between her knees. Running her hands over her head she stammered, "It's Nicole. She's... she's dead."

The words didn't register. "What do you mean? We just saw her last night."

Claire ran her hands over her face. Looking at Elizabeth, she had tears in her eyes. This wasn't the first time she had cried today. Elizabeth hadn't noticed earlier, but Claire's eyes were red and puffy. She looked exhausted and was staring out into space again sniffing excessively. Holding back what tears she could, she explained between sobs. "I know. She was fine when I brought her to my apartment." Sniffing, she wiped her nose with her arm. "She was supposed to spend the night. I... I left her on the couch with Rachel. But... some point during the night she... she... she must've got her keys and left."

Wiping her eyes violently with her hands, Claire cleared her throat and let out a deep sigh. Taking a deep breath she regained her composure and said, "When I got up she was gone. I thought she left this morning, but then her parents called. They hadn't seen her, said she hadn't come home yet."

None of this was making any sense. Scratching her head, Elizabeth stared into the trees. Claire ran her hands over her face again. Shaking her head, she continued, "They found her car a few miles away in a ditch. She ran off the road and didn't have her seatbelt on. The police said it wouldn't have mattered. She was going so fast she would've died anyway."

Tears were streaming down Claire's face. She was having trouble accepting what had happened. Shaking her head, Elizabeth was having an equally hard time with it. Putting an arm around Claire, she held her friend for a minute. Choking, Claire said, "I should have... I... I should have..."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth held her tighter. "No, don't do that. It's not your fault. Don't do that."

Wiping her eyes, Claire sniffed, "But... she was at my apartment. I should've taken her keys. I should've..."

Fighting back her own tears, Elizabeth cut her off. "Don't!" Wiping her eyes, she glared at Claire, "Don't do it! No good will come of it. It won't change anything. It won't bring her back."

Wiping her face, Claire shook her head. "But..."

"No buts," Elizabeth said. "I beat myself up for months. If I had slept in. If I wouldn't have brought them to the airport. If I would have stopped them from going. But I didn't! I had no reason to. They're gone and nothing's going to change that. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You hear me?"

Nodding, Claire tried to smile but failed miserably. "I'm sorry," she said. "I forgot about... you know."

Nodding, Elizabeth knew. She didn't like talking about it. Sniffing, she looked away. Focusing on an oak tree, she watched a squirrel race up the trunk then stop and rest on a knot. It sat, fluffing its tail, completely unaware of the angst and remorse they were feeling.

"When's the funeral?"

Shaking her head, Claire sniffed a few more times. "I don't know. Her parents went to identify the body a few hours ago and the police want to do an autopsy since there was a wreck. It may not be for another week or so."

Nodding, Elizabeth looked back at the knot on the oak tree, but the squirrel was already gone. It was all too surreal. Standing, she looked around aimlessly, and then focused back on Claire. She was staring blankly at the yard again. It looked like she was in shock, although it was really hard to say. "You want me to drive you home?"

Shaking her head, Claire finally stood. Wiping her eyes again she said, "No, I'll be okay. Thanks."

Nodding, Elizabeth watched Claire trudge back to her car. Tapping the roof with her finger, she stared at the gravel. "I'll call you if I hear anything about the funeral." Without looking up or waiting for a response, Claire slid into her car.

Staying on the porch, Elizabeth watched the car pull away. Scratching her head, she walked back into the house. The drive she had earlier was now gone. Working on the house no longer sounded appealing. Trudging up the stairs, she walked straight to the bathroom. Turning on the water, she set it excessively hot. The steam quickly fogged the mirror but that was the way she liked it. Pouring in some bath salts, she took in the aroma and carefully stepped into the scalding water.

Her skin turned a bright shade of pink, and the heat and steam soaked into skin, relaxing her muscles. Closing her eyes, she rested against the back of the tub. Sliding down slowly, she laid down in the water, soaking her hair.

She stayed in the bath until the water was cold. Drying off slowly, she settled on towel-drying her hair and decided to put her pajamas on early. Plodding over to the make-shift kitchen, she made a sandwich for dinner. Sitting at the table, she stared at the blank wall in front of her, chewing her food slowly. She was numb and knew it. She'd had this feeling before, but this time it wasn't as intense.

Cleaning off the table, she washed the dishes. Leaning over the sink, her legs felt tired and her head hurt. Turning towards the window, she realized that something didn't look right. It was getting dark outside and the trees were casting strange shadows in the yard. Squinting, she saw him-a man standing at the edge of her property. Rubbing her eyes, she looked again but saw nothing. She was more tired than she thought.

Staggering to the room next door, she plopped onto the couch. Hugging a pillow, she turned the TV on. Flipping channels, she stopped at the local news. The weather forecast was just ending. It was supposed to rain in a few days. The temperature would go down a few degrees. That would be nice.

Staring at the ceiling she rubbed her hands over her face. Stretching, a long yawn escaped her mouth. The couch was old but it was extremely comfortable. Turning back towards the news she zoned out until the final story of the night. Picking up the remote, she turned up the volume.

"... And finally, a tragic story. In the early hours this morning Nicole Branch's body was found after she apparently swerved off the road and into a ditch. Miss Branch was a Lafayette native and friends told police that they had been out the night before drinking. She was supposed to be staying at a friend's house when she decided to drive home without telling anyone. She was twenty-four years old."

Turning off the TV, Elizabeth slowly stood from the couch. Everything was a blur. She couldn't take it anymore, and in a fit of rage, she threw the remote. It crashed into the wall, making a small dent in the drywall, causing the back of the remote to fly off. Tears streamed down her face and her legs slowly gave way. Sinking to the floor, reality came crashing down, hitting her like a ton of bricks.

That night she was bombarded in her sleep with images of her parents. They started out happy enough but eventually took a turn for the worse. They were at the airport boarding a plane for Europe. Reaching for them, she was too far away. Running, her legs felt like dead weights. No matter how fast they moved or how much she tried, she couldn't catch up to her parents. Smiling, they boarded the plane, waving at her happily. Screaming, she tried to warn them, stop them from going, but her voice was mute. The plane took off.

She was floating. There was nothing below but water as far as the eye could see. The plane came into view. It was flying through the clouds but then the engines caught fire. It fell from the sky in a fiery mass. She could see the faces of the people inside screaming and praying. Then she saw her parents. They were holding each other, screaming when the plane plummeted from the sky. Impact.

Shooting out of bed, she was disoriented and drenched in sweat. Her heart was racing and her breathing was labored. It was so real. Closing her eyes, she placed a hand on her chest. Trying to slow her breathing, she glanced at the clock. It was still dark outside and the neon red numbers read 5:12 am. Lying down, she stared at the popcorn ceiling until the alarm went off. She had slept through the night but felt more exhausted than she had been when she went to bed.

Crawling out of bed, she shuffled to the kitchen. Opening a can of biscuits, she placed them in the convection oven, and then headed to the bathroom to get dressed. The biscuits only took roughly ten minutes to cook, so by the time she walked back to the kitchen they were ready. Grabbing a plate, she brought her breakfast into the central area near the top of the stairs. Sitting down at a desk, she checked her email while eating.

She never had many emails, mostly junk, but today there was one from Claire. Clicking on it, she scanned through the message. It was short and to the point. Nicole's wake was going to take place all Friday and the funeral would be held Saturday morning. She'd have to ask off, but didn't see it being an issue.

Cleaning up quickly, she finished getting ready and was out the door within twenty minutes of getting out of bed. That left her ten minutes to drive to work. Plenty of time. Driving down the road at a leisurely pace, she pulled into a long gravel driveway a few miles down the road. A large sign hanging over the entrance read "Cedar Grove Stables."

Driving down the tree-lined path, she passed a large manor and several empty pastures before reaching an immaculately kept barn at the back of the property. Parking under a large oak tree, she took a moment to stretch. The horses were impatient. She could hear them neighing from in her car. Smiling, she climbed out of the vehicle and entered the stables.

There were eight horses under her care: five mares, two geldings, and one head-strong stallion. Scooping feed into the buckets, she distributed breakfast, and then brushed all of the animals. They were used to the routine and ate quietly while she went about her work.

The only one who'd give her trouble was the stallion. Today was no different. He quickly inhaled his food and, swinging his head around, chewed at her hat and hair while she brushed him. Pushing his head away, he'd circle back around, forcing her to chase him around the stall until he got what he wanted. Giving up, she pulled the hat off her head and handed it to the horse. Instantly taking it, the animal gnawed on the brim of the hat. Letting out a sigh, she finished brushing him down and cleaned his hooves before wrestling her hat away from him.

Taking the stallion first, she led him out to a nearby pasture to graze for the day. Next she grabbed the geldings, and lastly the mares. The stallion whinnied at the mares when he saw them. Nodding his head, he pawed at the ground trying to catch their attention. Elizabeth had to keep the mares in a separate pasture from the stallion and geldings. Their owners didn't want any fights to break out much less any unwanted foals being born. They bred the horses, but were particular about it.

Now that the animals were out of her way, the real work could begin. Cleaning out the stables only took a few hours. Afterwards she walked the property looking for anything in need of repairs. She'd seen one of the fences near the front of the property needed some work, so walking out to it, she assessed the situation. The horses put a lot of tear on the fences and this one was no exception. The top boards were loose in several sections and needed to be braced.

The heat was killer. She was sweating profusely in the sun, but didn't take a break. While she worked she could hear several cars passing behind her. Her employer was having a luncheon or something. Not paying them any mind, she finished working on the fence some point around noon. Taking a break for lunch, Elizabeth found a secluded spot under a large oak tree.

Wiping the sweat off her face, she ate quickly and inhaled the water she brought. Lying on the grass, her eyes closed. There was a welcoming breeze every so often. It kissed her softly, cooling her skin. The sweet smell of wild flowers wafted on the breeze and the chirping of birds filled the air. She was so relaxed that she didn't notice when her employer walked up, and nearly flew off the ground when she started talking.

"Elizabeth, there you are."

Standing quickly, Elizabeth dusted her back off. Turning towards her employer, she was shocked. Standing behind her was a face she was becoming too familiar with. His blond hair appeared to shine in the light and his pale, blue eyes glistened. His skin was flawless and looked as soft as snow. He was even more gorgeous up close and had Elizabeth completely enraptured.

"... It's just so tragic! And wasn't she a friend of yours?"

Blinking, she was jolted back into reality. She hadn't noticed that her employer had started talking again and had missed half of what she had said. "Oh... um, Nicole? Yes, ma'am."

"It's just so horrible, and so young. Do you know when the funeral will be?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's Saturday morning."

"Well, you take the day off. We'll be going too. Her mother was a part of our Mardi Gras crew a few years ago. I'll have one of the boys let the horses out that morning so you don't have to worry about it."

Elizabeth was relieved that she didn't have to bring up that topic and nodded in response. Her employer paused for a moment, staring blankly at the ground. She had something else she needed to do and couldn't remember what. Looking behind her, she suddenly remembered that they weren't alone. "Oh, how rude of me. I almost forgot you were there. Elizabeth, this is Benjamin Clark. He just moved here a few weeks ago and is working with my husband. Would you mind taking some time and showing him around? He used to show horses and I think he'd really appreciate Champion Warrior's Gold."

Nodding, Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Yes, ma'am. Not a problem."

"Wonderful! Well, I'll leave you in good hands, Benjamin. Take your time and just come back to the house when you're done."

He didn't say a word and just nodded when she left. Elizabeth was having a hard time adjusting to what just happened, and wasn't quite sure what to say or where to begin. He was dressed in what appeared to be designer jeans and a pressed collared shirt that looked equally expensive. Looking at the ground, she saw his shoes were shiny and black and didn't have a speck of dirt on them.

Pulling on her fingers, she decided a lingering silence would be awkward. Pointing to the back of the property, she said meekly, "The horses are back this way."

Walking towards the stables, she didn't look back or wait to see if he was following. Her entire body was stiff. He gave her the creeps as he was almost too perfect. Maybe his voice was geeky or whiny. That would make her feel better.

They walked in silence for several minutes. She continued to stare at the road, refusing to look at him. Keeping his hands half-way in his pockets, he walked casually next to his reluctant companion. Glancing down at her, he asked curiously, "How long have you worked here?"

His voice was like liquid gold. Elizabeth's spine tingled and her breath grew still. It felt like she was back in high school and the popular boy had just noticed her for the first time. Not like that ever really happened. "Four months."

Smiling, he glanced down for a moment. She still refused to look at him, and kept her eyes locked on the road in front of them. After what felt like an eternity, they reached the pasture the stallion was in. This was the horse her employer wanted him to see. Elizabeth felt his name was goofy and overdone, so she just called him Champ.

Normally the horses would come running at her approach, but this time they kept their distance. They stood stock still, ears pricked forward, completely at attention. Leaning on the fence, Elizabeth tried calling them, but they didn't move. The stallion stomped its hoof on the ground a few times, its eyes never leaving them.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Clark," Elizabeth said, "but I don't think they're going to come up. This isn't normal. Something must've spooked them."

"Ben."

Glancing up at him Elizabeth saw his hands were still in his pockets and his eyes were locked on the horses. He had a sharp nose, almost Roman in profile. He was so handsome she was amazed that he wasn't an actor or a model. "I'm sorry?"

Breaking his gaze, he looked down at her. His eyes were enchanting and she had to force herself to look away. "Just call me Ben," he said. "I'm not one for formalities."

She could feel him staring at her but she couldn't bring herself to return his gaze. He was roughly a foot taller than her, which wasn't unusual since she was a petite five foot two, but his aura made him feel more like a giant. She wanted to get back to the reason they had walked out there. "You want me to walk him up for you?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Animals wisely tend to keep their distance from me. Besides, I need to be getting back."

Something he said didn't sit right with her but she couldn't quite place it. Shrugging it off, she was ready to get back to work. Walking towards the barn she only took a few steps when he made an unexpected request. "Accompany me back to the house?"

Raising her head, she glanced up at the sky. Closing her eyes, she let out a deep sigh. Reluctantly, she turned around and began the long walk back to the main house. She was hoping that the walk back would be silent but had no such luck. After only a minute he decided to quiz her. "So how old are you, Elizabeth?"

She was taken aback. She'd never told him her name, but then remembered that her employer had said it earlier. She never would have picked up on that. He was not only attractive but smart too. "Twenty-six."

Smiling, he continued to pry. "Do you have any family in town?"

Shaking her head at the ground, she whispered, "No."

"What made you want to work here?"

Frowning, she tried to focus on anything besides him. She stared at the fences, then the grass, but nothing was helping. Her stomach was in knots and the muscles in her back were tight. "I like the animals and being outside."

She could feel him staring at her. It was horribly unnerving. Crossing her arms she chewed on the inside of her cheek. Grinning, he wasn't ready to let up just yet. "You don't talk much. Or do I make you that nervous?"

She flinched involuntarily. Putting her arms down, she picked at her fingers. He did make her nervous. There was something not right about him, but she felt rude admitting to something like that. Looking away, she said, "I just have a lot on my mind."

He didn't buy it for a second. Smirking, he shook his head. He accepted the fact that she didn't want to talk to him and allowed the rest of the walk to pass silently. Elizabeth was never more relieved to see the main house come into view. Her employer was already outside talking with a handful of other women. They were gathered in a loose circle and appeared to be laughing about something.

When she saw them approaching, she waved for Mr. Clark to join them. Elizabeth stopped near the tree where their journey began and watched him stride confidently to the women. None of them seemed nervous around him and just the opposite appeared to be true. Elizabeth was just glad she didn't have to make an appearance, and happily turned to go back to work.

Chapter 4

"How are things going?"

"Not well."

"Do I need to send someone else?"

"No, sir."

".... What about other family?"

"There are none."

"Good. I've heard disturbing reports."

"About what?"

"They're moving. Do what you have to."

"Yes, sir."

The week flew by. Friday was there before she knew it. Racing home from work, Elizabeth ran upstairs and immediately jumped in the shower. Scrubbing as fast as she could, a faint ringing reached her ear. Someone was trying to call her but she had no time to jump out and answer it. Shutting the water off, she barely paused. Drying off quickly, she stayed in the bathroom to dry and straighten her hair. The phone rang again. Her leg was bouncing but she couldn't go with wet hair and needed to finish.

Bounding to the closet, she pulled out one of two black dresses she owned. Slipping it over her head, she adjusted the low V-neck, making sure her breasts and bra were covered. Glancing in a full-length mirror she did a quick turn. It was a simple form-fitting dress with small white polka dots covering it. A little bit of ruching around the waist made her look even thinner than she was, but what woman doesn't like that? Slipping on a pair of heels, the phone rang again. Hopping on one foot, she struggled to get her second shoe on while trying to get to the phone.

Seeing Claire's number, she immediately answered it. "Hey I'm coming. I'm leaving right now."

"Okay, get here quick. You'll never guess who just showed up."

Grabbing her keys and her purse, Elizabeth ran down the stairs as fast as she could in heels. Not wanting to disappoint Claire, she asked the obvious question. "Who?"

"That guy from the bar."

That really didn't narrow it down. "What guy from the bar?"

"You know," Claire said. "The hot one. Mr. Blond Bombshell."

Elizabeth froze. She was halfway out the door but didn't take another step. Glancing back at the stairs, she actually contemplated not going. "Elizabeth? Elizabeth! Are you still there? You better not have hung up on me!"

"No, no, I'm here. I'll be there in thirty minutes." Hanging up, she didn't wait for Claire to answer. Locking the house, she dreaded where she had to go that night. She owed it to Nicole to be there though, no matter who else showed up.

The drive to the funeral home took less time than she would have liked. She was even able to find a parking spot quickly. Letting out a sigh, she sat in the car for a minute. This was going to suck, and for a few different reasons. Dragging herself out the car, she shuffled into the funeral home. It felt like the energy had been sucked out of her. Thankfully Claire was waiting outside the room, and seeing her gave Elizabeth a tiny spark of energy.

Claire's eyes were red and puffy. She'd been crying again. Despite seeing her friend so upset, Elizabeth couldn't help but glance around nonchalantly, praying that Mr. Clark had already left. It was a typical funeral home. There was a large gathering area in the center surrounded by several smaller rooms on either side where services could be held. Bland off-white walls and cold tile floors were paired with an assortment of bright, fake flower arrangements that seemed too happy for such a solemn occasion. Finally putting her feelings aside, Elizabeth gave Claire a long hug.

"Is Rachel here?"

Shaking her head slowly, Claire wiped her eyes with a crumpled tissue. "No, she left a while ago. She's pretty distraught over the whole thing."

Elizabeth was glad Rachel had left. It might be horrible but the last thing she wanted right now was to hear about any philosophical crap. Holding her breath, they entered a very crowded room. She hadn't realized how many friends Nicole had, but soon noticed that the majority of the people present were getting up in age. They were surely there for her parents.

Claire took a seat in the back of the room where there were few people sitting. Elizabeth stayed with her for several minutes but wanted to see the casket. Chairs were set in rows on either side of the room, leaving only a small aisle in the middle. Inching her way through the crowd, she pushed and squeezed her way to the casket.

It was set on a pedestal lined with flowers at the base. The casket was closed, although that wasn't surprising. Laid on top was a beautiful bouquet and three kneelers were lined in front of it. Kneeling, Elizabeth folded her hands in front of her mouth. The casket was white with gold trim and there was a blown-up portrait of Nicole in an elaborate gold frame sitting on an easel behind it. She looked young. It must have been a picture from high school, perhaps even her senior year book picture.

Habitually, she said the Lord's Prayer and then the Hail Mary. It was all too strange. She'd done this very thing only several months earlier for her parents. Being back there, kneeling in front of another closed casket, it just felt wrong. She'd occupied the kneeler long enough, however, and got up to make the difficult trek back to where she had left Claire. Pushing her way through the crowd for a second time, she was dismayed to see Claire's chair was vacant. Letting out a sigh, she sat silently, waiting for her friend to return.

She watched the door like a hawk, but after a few minutes didn't see Claire anywhere.

"She left a few minutes ago."

The voice was as smooth as silk. Without turning around Elizabeth knew who it belonged to. Composing herself, she turned to see Mr. Clark sitting next to her. His gold hair stood in sharp contrast to the black suit he was wearing. He looked nothing short of spectacular. Taking in a deep breath, her shoulders tensed and she had to force a smile before responding. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Catching the inflection in her voice, a large white grin spread across his face. His teeth were so pristine; Elizabeth was convinced that he used to be a model for those teeth-whitening products.

"I was invited by Mrs. Landry."

Her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. This wasn't some sort of party anyone could be invited to. Glaring at him, her hands clinched into fists. Her cheeks were burning and she had to fight back every inclination to tear into him right there.

"You clean up well. I didn't think you were this attractive when I met you at Caroline's house."

Gripping the edge of her chair Elizabeth shot him the evilest look she could muster. He was being plain rude and didn't seem to care. Smiling, he continued to pester, "She's such a lovely woman, wouldn't you agree?"

Looking away, Elizabeth gritted her teeth. "She's married, you know."

His smile never faded. "Yes, I know," he said. "I work with her husband, remember?" Elizabeth didn't remember. She didn't care. His personal life didn't interest her.

"But you..." he continued. "I don't understand why you work for them. Taking care of livestock, of all things. I was told you have a degree in architecture..."

Glaring at him, Elizabeth couldn't take it anymore. Shooting to her feet, she glowered down at him. "Mr. Clark, might I suggest something to you?"

Smiling brightly, his eyes gleamed up at her. "And what might that be?"

"Don't presume so much."

"I didn't presume anything," he said. "I'm merely stating the facts."

Gripping her purse tightly, she was beyond pleasantries. "Don't be at the funeral." Without waiting for a response, Elizabeth turned and stormed out of the wake.

She sped home, she was so mad. She ignored all of the speed limit signs. Storming up to the house, she slammed the door behind her. A cloud of dust flew up from the ground and the glass in the old windows rattled. Storming up the stairs she changed into pajamas and went straight to bed. The nerve of that guy. What he had in looks he lacked in personality and manners.

She had all intentions of going to bed, but sleep evaded her. She tossed and turned half of the night and when she did finally fall asleep, some point after midnight, his face flooded her dreams.

She woke the next morning just as mad as she'd been when she went to bed. She was tired and flustered and on the way to the bathroom she stubbed her toe on the door fame. "Damn it!" Cursing, she limped into the bathroom to get ready. She only had a little over an hour before the funeral, so breakfast was out of the question.

After fixing her hair quickly and reapplying her makeup, she slipped on the only other black dress she owned. It had spaghetti straps and a corset top so she completed the look with a three-quarter-length shrug. Slipping on a different pair of black heels, she grabbed her purse and walked out the door.

The church the funeral was held at wasn't as far from her house as the funeral home, but it was still a good distance. She arrived ten minutes early and took a seat in the middle of the church. There were more people today than yesterday, but no sign of him. Good.

The funeral was understandably sad. Probably the saddest she'd ever been to. What made it worse was she was young and hers was a tragic death. Almost everyone was crying at some point, but Elizabeth found herself dry-eyed. She was sad but tears never found her. Even after mass, at the cemetery, she listened solemnly to the priest--but no tears. There were some people who appeared to be crying enough for everyone, though. Glancing around she wondered why some of the women didn't invest in water proof mascara.

Rachel and Claire stayed next to each through the funeral and at the cemetery. Elizabeth stayed away from them on purpose. She didn't want to be around anyone. She was still grieving for her parents and starting the process all over again seemed like a daunting prospect. She left the funeral without speaking to anyone or saying goodbye.

Driving around aimlessly for hours, she eventually found herself parked outside her parish church. Getting out of the car she jogged over to the covered area extending from the front doors. It was starting to drizzle and she didn't want to get her hair wet. Pulling on one of the large doors, the hinges creaked when she entered the building. It was dark and empty. The only light filtering into the space came through the stained-glass windows. It was distorted and painted colored blocks onto the tops of some of the pews and the linoleum floors. Taking a seat, she leaned back onto the wooden seat. It creaked under the weight being placed on it. Closing her eyes the quiet was calming and she soon found herself drifting in and out of a light sleep.

The sound of one of the main doors opening echoed through the church. Cracking her eyes open, she stared at the white vaulted ceiling. Soft footsteps made their way up the aisle, stopping next to where she was sitting. The pew creaked under the weight of its new occupant. Cocking her head, Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. The anger lying dormant inside of her pushed its way back to the surface. Straightening she scowled at him. He just stared straight ahead, however, his eyes locked on the large crucifix hanging on the far wall.

"I don't like being stalked."

He didn't look at her and didn't try to defend himself. "I don't particularly care to do the stalking," he said, "but these are my orders and I intend to follow them." Finally glancing at her, his face was completely solemn and still. He was serious.

Shaking her head she slowly lost it. Her anger melted away into complete indifference. A smile parted her lips and her stomach shook. She tried to hold back her laughter but couldn't. The church echoed with laughter but he wasn't amused. Cocking an eyebrow he stared at her.

"So let me get this straight," she said. "Someone 'ordered' you to stalk me and you're admitting to it?"

"I'm technically not stalking you," he said. "I'm just keeping watch over you."

"What's the difference?"

Slouching, he looked away. She was stubborn. His usual tactics weren't working on her, which was beyond frustrating. He had expected this assignment to go a lot smoother, like his last job. Crossing his arms, he contemplated what do to next.

Staring at him, Elizabeth waited for him to do something, anything, but he didn't. Looking him over, her heart raced. He was wearing a simple white tank top and black running pants. He looked like he had just come from the gym, minus the sweat and the smell. His arms were muscular and she could tell he had a six-pack hiding under his shirt.

Feeling her staring, he looked back at her, locking eyes. He was absolutely radiant. Elizabeth's heart was racing and her breath grew still. Her insides were a mess. Something in her wanted him, wanted to be with him. She was drawn to him like a magnet, yet not entirely. For how much she was drawn to him, something about him repelled her. He was scary. For how beautiful his eyes were, they were foreboding and something in her screamed to stay away.

Swallowing, she had to force herself to look away. Shaking her head, she stood to leave. Jumping to his feet, he caught her hand. She flinched from his touch, jerking away from him instinctively. Not deterred, he reached for her again, but she backed away.

"There's a war brewing. I'm here to make sure you're not harmed."

Not wanting to be near him any longer she continued out of the pew, heading for the central isle. "I don't care about the war. It's half a world away. I'm sure I'll be fine."

Catching up to her, he grabbed her arm. He wasn't ready to give up. Not yet. "No, not human. I'm talking about the angelic and demonic forces."

Yanking her arm away, she cocked an eyebrow at him. Shaking her head, she stared at the floor. "You're crazy if you think for one second I'm going to believe that you're some angel sent down to protect me."

"I'm not an angel," he said. "I'm a demon."

Her mouth opened but nothing came out. She couldn't do this. Not right now. She didn't have the energy. Turning, she left without saying a word. She exited the church to the sound of her heels clicking on the floors. Once outside her pace quickened to a slow jog. She dove into the car, locking it the second the door closed behind her. He didn't come out of the church. Picking up the phone, she contemplated calling the police. Although... to say what? "Hey, 911, I'm at church and there's a guy here who says he's a demon. Can you come arrest him?"

No one would believe that. She'd be the one to get arrested. Dropping the phone in her lap, she threw the car into reverse and sped out of the parking lot. She made it home in record time and locked the doors once inside.

No one came down the driveway or fell from the sky. Nothing popped out of the ground or spontaneously combusted. Her nerves were on edge for the rest of the day, but by dinner she had grown complacent again. She convinced herself that everything was back to normal, but isn't that always the wrong thing to think?

Chapter 5

It was getting late. The sun was slipping away, hiding behind the trees. Beams of light cascaded through the upstairs windows, lighting her path to the bathroom. Running a bath, Elizabeth soaked in the hot water. A light steam covered the ceiling and fogged the mirror hanging over the sink. Rubbing the water over her face, she was careful not to get her hair wet.

Leaning back against the tub, she let out a long sigh. The bathroom was old and was showing its age. The wallpaper was peeling in the corner and at the seams, and a lot of the tile was cracked and broken. The tub was in good shape, though. It was an old cast iron tub, and although it could use some re-finishing, it was a keeper.

After thirty minutes the water had grown cold and her hands and feet were wrinkled. Taking her time, she dried off and touched up her hair before slipping on a soft cotton nightgown. It was cool, leaving most of her uncovered, but that was preferable. Cracking the door, she allowed the steam in the room to escape. Picking up the straightener, she fought with a strand of hair that wasn't cooperating. It never quite did what she wanted, but it was good enough.

Grabbing the towel off the floor, she took one last look in the mirror. Gasping, her heart froze. Reflected behind her was another entity. He still wore a trench coat and an old brimmed hat covered his face from view. Whipping around, Elizabeth's heart rose into her throat. There was no one there. The bathroom was empty. Grabbing her chest, she leaned against the sink, unable to move. She was tired. It was making her see things.

Pushing the bathroom door open, she took a step into the bedroom--and nearly screamed. Lying on her bed was Mr. Clark. He was staring straight ahead with a blank look on his face and hadn't noticed her yet. Without hesitation, she threw her towel on the floor and stormed up to the bed. "What the hell are you doing?! How did you get in here?! That's it! I'm calling the cops!"

Marching around the bed, she didn't make it very far. He sprang into action, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her onto the bed. She struggled and tried to scream for help but he covered her mouth with his hand muffling any sound before it could escape. Leaning in close, his lips touched her ear lightly. "If you don't stop screaming you'll get us both killed."

His voice was smooth and calm, and for an unexplainable reason she believed him. Her heart was pounding and felt like it would jump out of her chest at any second. Loosening his grip on her, he kept a hand over her mouth. His lips moved again, sending a stream of warm breath into her ear. "As for how I got in here, I had a key made while you were at work."

Smiling down at her, he was pleased with his cleverness. She wanted to beat him senseless more than anything, but something in her kept her motionless. Glaring, she tried to look away but couldn't.

A knock sounded at the door. Elizabeth jerked when she heard the tapping and let out a muffled scream. Putting a finger up to his mouth, he shook his head slowly. Removing his hand, he motioned for her to crouch next to the bed on the floor. Sliding off of her, he crept around the bed and stood plastered to the wall next to the bedroom door. Elizabeth did as she was told and sat on the floor next to the bed with her back against the bedside table.

Peering over the mattress, she watched Mr. Clark. Her leg vibrated beneath her and her heart was racing within her chest to the point that she had to concentrate on keeping her breathing slow and silent. Cracking the bedroom door open, Mr. Clark peered out into the rest of the house. When he moved something caught her eye. In his right hand was a huge sword. It was unlike anything she'd seen before. The blade wasn't quite clear but had a crystal quality to it. The light coming through the windows refracted on it creating bands of pink and green on the smooth surface. It looked horribly fragile and didn't seem like it would be of any use.

Glancing at her, he motioned with his fingers for her to get down. Sitting flat on the ground, she stared at the wooden floors. She desperately wanted to close her eyes and make all of this go away. Then it hit her. Maybe all of this was a dream. Maybe she had fallen asleep in the bathtub and was still there right now soaking in the warm water.

The window next to her exploded inward, blanketing every surface with glass and feathers, beautiful white feathers. They covered everything and seemed to be falling from the sky. They floated effortlessly around her, dancing and spinning on the slightest breeze. Raising a hand, she reached out for one falling in front of her.

Something flashed quickly before her eyes. It was there and gone before she could register it. It brought her back to reality, however, and blinking, her eyes focused on Mr. Clark. He was at the end of her bed stabbing another man in the chest with the sword. No, not a man--an angel. He had a pair of brilliant white wings and in his now-limp hand was a bloody crystal sword similar to the one Mr. Clark was wielding.

Her room was a mess. There was broken glass, feathers, and blood everywhere, not to mention the corpse now lying on the floor in the middle of the room. Looking satisfied with himself, Mr. Clark took in the mess and walked over to Elizabeth. Crouching in front of her, he looked her over checking for any injuries. Reaching for her hand, she jerked away from him. Locking eyes with her, Elizabeth froze.

Their icy blue color was even more brilliant in close proximity, and her heart skipped a beat. Reaching for her hand a second time, she didn't move. Holding it near his face, he examined her index finger carefully. There was a tiny splinter of glass stuck in it. She hadn't even noticed it was so small, but somehow he knew. Carefully he pulled the glass out of her skin. A small drop of blood followed the glass and without hesitation he placed her finger in his mouth.

Her spine tingled and her lips trembled. Sliding her finger out of his mouth slowly, his eyes never left hers. Keeping a firm grip on her hand, he stood, pulling Elizabeth to her feet. Blinking, she retracted her hand slowly, still unsure of what had just happened. Staring at him, she no longer cared about his eyes. Adorning his back were wings. They were just as white and crisp looking as his adversary's, but with one crucial difference: he had three.

Unable to talk, she motioned to them with a shaky finger. Glancing at the floor, he was a little reluctant but spread them out to their full span. They took up the entire room and Elizabeth couldn't help gawking. Picking her bath towel off the floor, he cleaned the blood off his sword.

"My given name is Ben Ani, but you probably know me as Belial. I used to be one of God's angels. A Virtue, to be exact, hence the wings."

Finding her voice, Elizabeth took a seat on the bed. "One of the fallen angels."

Nodding, he remained silent. He was more intent on cleaning his sword than having a conversation about it. Watching him silently, she had a hard time looking away from the wings protruding from his back. Once he finished cleaning the sword, he spun the weapon in his hand absent mindedly. Yawning, Elizabeth somehow felt like she'd be able to fall asleep even after everything that had happened.

Her yawn reminded him of her presence. Motioning towards the door, he strode out of the room and down the stairs. She followed him obediently, a little curious about what he planned on doing next. Opening the front door, he scanned the yard meticulously. Satisfied there weren't any more angels lurking about, he said, "Grab your keys and lock up."

Following him outside, Elizabeth did as she was told. Curiosity had gotten to her, however, and following him off the porch, she asked, "Where are we going?"

He never glanced back and instead continued to scan the dark yard. "It's not safe here. We're going get help."

That seemed logical enough, but where would one go for help in a situation like this? Elizabeth was exasperated. Rubbing her head, she struggled to keep up with the pace he had set. "Are we walking there?"

He paused. His eyes darted around the yard again, eventually coming to rest on her. "No. We'll take my car."

Parked across the street on a gravel drive was a black Firebird. It was an older car but it was in pristine condition and looked like it had just rolled off the factory line. He didn't strike her as the muscle car type, but then again, she'd never known any demons before, either. His wings melted into thin air when he bent to get into the car. Tossing the sword in the back seat, he leaned over and unlocked the passenger side door for her.

Opening the door hesitantly, she looked back at her house. It was set so far back on the property that it was barely visible from the road.

Leaning over the passenger seat, Belial asked curiously, "Are you coming?" Nodding cautiously, Elizabeth took one last look at her home, and then dropped into the car.

The road was dark and ill-lit. A dense fog had already rolled in, which gave the overhanging trees an ominous look. Belial had rolled the windows down to let the cool night air into the car. Elizabeth embraced the relative silence of the night. The hum of the car's engine was soothing and the wind flowing through the windows relaxing.

"Where are we going?"

He didn't answer. His eyes stayed fixed on the road. Sighing, she returned her gaze out the window. The smell of spring flowers still lingered from the day and a number of stars shone brightly in the dark sky. The wind passing through the window brushed her hair gently and, sticking her hand out the window, she spread her fingers apart gripping at the air casually. Bringing her hand up, she let it dip slowly before bringing it up again in a wave motion. Smiling, she leaned back in the seat, casually moving her hand up and down.

"Are you trying to lose that arm?"

Jerking, she glanced at the demon. Pulling her arm back into the car, she kept her hands in her lap. It felt like she was being punished but couldn't quite figure out why. He remained mute the rest of the drive as well and drove them straight into the middle of nowhere.

They pulled off the deserted highway roughly an hour later. The dark parking lot they ended up in had only a few cars in it and backed up to an old run-down brick building. The metal roof was severely rusted and most of the windows were boarded up. The ones that weren't completely covered had bars protecting the cracked, opaque glass. The door was made of steel and was rusting under what remained of the chipped paint. The place gave her the creeps and screamed, "Go away!"

Belial was right at home here. The darkness didn't bother him; he was used to it. Striding confidently to the old building, he knocked on the door like he was visiting a neighbor or an old friend. He'd even forgotten about Elizabeth and when the door opened was confused by the question a gruff voice asked: "Who's that?"

Staring blankly at the door, it took him a minute to pop back to life. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled Elizabeth to his side casually. A brilliant smile crossed his face and he stated confidently to the door, "She's with me."

The door didn't move but Belial wasn't deterred. He remained still, staring at it intently, until it accepted his answer and opened. The inside of the building was somehow darker than it was outside. Belial positioned Elizabeth in front of him and pushed her into the building. Her legs felt like concrete blocks and were reluctant to move. It felt like she was being shoved into a cave and everything inside of her was screaming, "No, go back while you can."

The door closed as soon as they passed through. Belial immediately pulled the guard aside and whispered something to him softly so Elizabeth couldn't hear. She could care less what he was doing. At that moment she needed her eyes to adjust. Everything around her was pitch black and she refused to move from the spot he had left her in.

Her eyes never quite adjusted to the point she would have liked. She could tell that she was in a tight hallway but couldn't make out any details. Suddenly something grabbed her, causing her to jump. Belial led her to the other side of the hall and through another door. The room on the other side was much larger and dimly lit. There were a few people seated at tables scattered around the room and all eyes were on them when they passed through.

Pulling her along, Belial led the way to another hallway. There was no music playing and the only sounds were the soft murmurs of people conversing and the clanking of glasses. At the end of the hall was another small room with a table in the middle. A few chairs were scattered around it, but other than that the room was bare. The lights in the room gave it a strange glow and it reminded her of a police interrogation room from TV shows.

Pulling a chair out for her, he motioned for her to take a seat. He'd been all but silent up until now, which kept her nerves completely on edge. He was calm enough however and took a seat next to her. Going into a trance, his eyes remained open, but he didn't move. He didn't even blink. He just sat, staring straight ahead.

Tapping her finger on the table, she leaned back in the chair, allowing the front legs to leave the ground ever so slightly. Suddenly the door opened. She was taken completely by surprise and almost flipped backwards in the chair. Grabbing onto the edge of the table, she barely caught herself.

A young man entered the room. He looked about the same age as Belial and was just as gorgeous. He had blond hair and brilliant golden eyes that almost matched the color of his hair. Belial immediately stood when he entered the room and gave a quick bow. All Elizabeth could do was stare and gawk at him. Her mouth fell open and she was unable to disengage his gaze. She wasn't sure, but she couldn't help think that his man might have been even more attractive than Ben.

After he took a seat, Belial returned to his. There was an awkward silence while the newcomer and Elizabeth looked each other over. She felt horribly unattractive sitting near them and even a little insecure. Her leg twitched and her finger tapped her thigh with excessive speed. Without disengaging his stare, the man questioned Belial, "I trust you two have been getting along well?"

"Yes, sir, well enough. But she's different than the others. I can't seem to control her."

Looking away from Elizabeth, the man now focused on Belial. "That's due to the mix in blood. I warned you this wasn't going to be easy."

Belial nodded in agreement. Glancing back at Elizabeth, the man smirked when he continued, "Although you can't be having that much trouble since you've already got her showing you her nightgowns."

Elizabeth's cheeks burned. She'd completely forgotten that she'd been getting ready for bed when everything began. They were in such a hurry leaving the house that she never thought about changing or grabbing a robe. Pulling her knees onto the chair, she grew extremely self-conscious. Stretching the gown down over her knees, she checked everything, making sure all the important parts were covered. Both men watched her closely, too interested in what she was doing.

Unable to remain quiet any longer, Elizabeth glared at the man. "I don't know what you think's been going on, but you're wrong."

Belial was not amused. His eyes grew wide. She was being rude. Grabbing her hand, she immediately yanked it away from him. Glaring at him, she continued, "As far as controlling me, you're definitely out of luck. Whatever your goal is you can give up right now. You've got the wrong girl!" The man's eyes narrowed and Belial tried to stop her again, but she was on a role now. "Oh, and who's going to clean the mess at my house? There's a dead angel or whatever in my room and I need to go to bed at some point and would like it if there were no feathers or blood or bodies in there when I do."

Belial sprang to his feet, clinching his hands into fists. Fire flowed from his eyes but Elizabeth wasn't about to take it back. The other man wasn't upset at all, however. Smiling, he squinted at her. "I'm sorry for assuming so much, and I will have someone go to your house immediately to take care of the mess."

Frowning, Belial retook his seat, glaring at Elizabeth the entire time. The other man's spirits never dampened, however. Chuckling, he sat straight in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "How rude of me," he said. "I'm not used to having to introduce myself. I have many names but you may call me by my given name. I am Lucifer, Lord of the Underworld."

Chapter 6

Her head hurt. Everything felt like a big blur. Rolling over, her hands gripped the sheets beneath her. They were cool and silky. Cracking her eyes open, she rubbed her head. It was throbbing. Pushing herself up, she slowly took in her surroundings. She was in bed, but not her bed. This one was a large king-sized bed with tall posts at the corners. Ornate fabric trailed down the posts and puddled on the floor below. The entire room was lavishly furnished. Sliding out from the covers slowly, she grabbed a thin robe that was folded neatly at the foot of the bed. Pulling it on over her nightgown, it hit the floor with ease.

Holding onto the bed posts, she scanned the room slowly. Curtains were pulled over the windows but there was light trying to creep in from around the sides. Moving slowly, she firmly placed one foot on the floor before picking up the other. Heading towards the curtains, she grabbed one gently. Pulling at the soft fabric, she saw that there was a large window hidden beneath. The room was on the second storey of what appeared to be a large house. There was a covered balcony outside which was overly lit. It was still dark out, but the light was so bright that she couldn't see past the balcony railing.

Turning away from the window she spotted the bathroom. She was dizzy and her legs felt like Jell-O, but that didn't stop her. Stumbling over to it, she leaned against the doorframe to steady herself, and then headed in. It was the nicest bathroom she'd ever seen. There was an enormous shower and a large free-standing tub set in front of a huge window.

She took her time using the bathroom. Then she headed back into the bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe she noticed another door on the opposite side of the room. Taking her time, she struggled to make it to the bed. Holding onto the bed posts, she braced herself on the furniture. She could feel the blood pumping under her skin. Every heartbeat made her head feel worse. What she wouldn't give for an Advil.

Making it to the door, she leaned against it for a moment. Opening it slowly, she braced herself for anything. On the other side was a large room that resembled a living room. It was well-furnished and had two couches, a few high-backed chairs, and a large fireplace with a fire already going inside. Two familiar figures sat casually on the couches. They were discussing something softly but they stopped the second she emerged from the room.

Jumping to his feet, Belial strode gracefully to her side. He moved swiftly and fluidly, and for the first time, he didn't look human. She froze when he reached for her hand. Looking down at it, her heart stopped. Her stomach was in knots, but after a second she took his outstretched hand cautiously. Most of her weight was resting on him. Sensing her weakened state, he slowly led her to the couch. Keeping a firm hold on her, he waited until she was securely seated then took a seat next to her.

Neither man spoke. They stared at her silently, content in the comfortable quiet. Elizabeth wasn't so comfortable, however, and said, "Where are we?"

Her voice was weak and barely audible, but they somehow still heard her. Leaning back on the couch, the man who claimed to be Satan smiled broadly, "Whose house this is isn't important. You went into shock when we were talking earlier so I brought you here to recuperate. I'd forgotten how fragile humans are. Apparently with everything going on your mind became overloaded. Belial will fill you in when he feels you are ready."

Rubbing her temples, it felt like her head was about to explode. "Look, I don't know what you want but I don't want any part of it. Just take me home and leave me alone. I don't want to get dragged into your war or whatever."

His gaze left her and locked onto Belial. Glaring, his eyes narrowed and his pleasant face turned harsh and uncaring. Even angry he was beautiful, but Elizabeth knew it was just a front and he was in actuality a deadly creature. She felt sorry for Ben, however, and wondered if she had said something she shouldn't have.

"How much have you told her, Belial?"

There was a hesitant pause. He thought his answer over carefully before responding, "Only what I had to so she would trust me."

Lucifer's expression never changed and his gaze never left the demon. Leaning back into the couch, Elizabeth let out a long yawn. She had no intentions of helping Ben out of this situation. She didn't care for him, really. He was rude and impetuous and flat out creepy. Letting out another yawn, Lucifer's eyes fell back onto her.

Shutting her mouth, Elizabeth's muscles tightened all at once. Folding her hands neatly in her lap, she stared at the floor silently.

"Unfortunately, Elizabeth, whether you want a part in my war--as you so aptly put it--or not, you're already a part of it," Lucifer said. "You were attacked in your home. If you were attacked once, you will be attacked again."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Gripping the robe in her hands tightly, she glared at the floor in disgust.

"If you want us gone, then help me," Lucifer said. "The sooner we end this, the sooner you can rid us from your life, if that is what you wish."

That is what she wanted. She wanted things to go back to normal. She wanted Ben gone and wanted to get back to her life. Nodding, she glanced at Lucifer. "What do you want me to do?"

Smiling gently he said, "First tell us anything you remember about the attack."

Pointing at Belial, she replied smugly, "Ask him. He was there."

Lucifer's smile faded. "Let me rephrase. Tell us what you remember leading up to the attack."

She didn't know what he wanted. She didn't remember anything out of the ordinary. She had gone to the funeral and then went home after running into Ben. Her eyes darted from side to side. This wasn't helping her headache. "I don't know. Nothing. I don't remember anything. I went about my day like normal."

Sighing, Lucifer glanced at Belial. Then, looking back at her, he persisted, "Try to remember something, anything, out of the ordinary. A noise? A smell? Anything."

Rubbing her hands over her face, she shook her head. Glancing at Ben, she let out a deep sigh. He was leaning back on the couch, reclining at an angle. He looked just like he did when she saw him lying on her bed. Then it hit her. Her eyes grew wide and blinking she locked eyes with him.

"You do remember something." Belial said.

Nodding, she thought back to what she'd seen in the bathroom. "Yeah... um, after I took a bath I saw something in the mirror. There was a guy, but when I turned around he wasn't there."

Belial looked over her to Lucifer. A calm voice sounded behind her. "What did he look like?" Lucifer asked.

Turning around to face him, she tried to remember anything but there really wasn't much to tell. "I don't know. He had a hat on. I couldn't see his face."

Grabbing her shoulders, Belial swung her around to face him. He was leaning in towards her now, urgency coating his face. "Was he wearing a trench coat?"

Nodding, a sick feeling filled her stomach. Looking over her head, he stared at Lucifer. Peeking over her shoulder, she tried to see what the demon was doing but to no avail. Dropping his head, Belial released her shoulders.

"The man you saw is named Samuel," Lucifer said. "He's better known as the Grim Reaper."

Turning around, Elizabeth stared at him. Lucifer was leaning casually on the sofa again. He was staring off into space and had one leg propped on an adjacent table. His fingers tapped his knee absently in a quick rhythm. This was the situation he'd been trying to avoid all along.

"Well, if you really are Lucifer, then it shouldn't be a big deal then," Elizabeth said. "Doesn't he work for you?"

A brilliant smile crossed his face and his golden eyes sparkled. Chuckling, he replied calmly, "Unfortunately, that's not the case. I really am Lucifer, but he doesn't work for me as you put it. He's more of what you would call a double agent. His only goal is to collect as many souls as possible and by whatever means necessary." Pausing, he adjusted, crossing his arms across his chest. "Don't talk to him, don't touch him, and most of all don't trust him."

Lucifer paused and fell into another trance. Looking down at her feet, Elizabeth suddenly noticed that her head was feeling a lot better. It was almost back to normal. A long yawn unintentionally escaped her mouth. It didn't go unnoticed. Belial immediately rose and said, "If you don't mind, my lord, I should probably bring her home now."

Lucifer nodded and added, "That's fine. Stay there tonight and meet me back here at the usual time tomorrow."

It was like being at a tennis match trying to listen to them both. Standing as well, Elizabeth said, "He's not staying with me."

Staring at her with a blank look on his face, Lucifer questioned, "You have a bed, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, I have a bed, but I don't have a guest room set up. I'm remodeling my house right now."

His eyes were blank. He didn't understand what the issue was. Looking back and forth between the demons Elizabeth realized what they were thinking. "Oh no, no, no, no! He's not sleeping with me in my bed!" She was so upset she was nearly screaming at them.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed at her but Belial wasn't upset at all. "That's fine. I'll sleep on the floor."

Elizabeth didn't want him sleeping at her house, on the floor or otherwise. He wasn't going to stay long enough for her to protest. Pushing her out the room, he led her down a grand staircase towards the front door. She could hear Lucifer following, and when they reached the bottom of the stairs he called, "Belial."

Looking over his shoulder, Belial glanced up at the demon while still keeping a good hold on Elizabeth. He didn't say anything but, raising a hand, he caught something that was thrown down to him. Opening his fist, she saw a black blindfold within. Her stomach fell and her breath grew still.

"She's not ready yet," Lucifer said. "Don't take it off until you get well enough away."

Belial nodded and turned towards Elizabeth. Her eyes were wide and her face pale. The color had drained from her pores. Leaning close, he whispered in her ear, "I won't let anything happen to you."

He smoothly pulled the blindfold over her head and covered her eyes. She couldn't see anything. The fabric was knit too tightly not letting even a smidge of light in. She could feel his fingers pulling her hair carefully out of the strap and then his arm found its place around her waist again.

They took only a few steps then stopped again. A faint clicking sound reached her ears, and then a warm hand touched hers. Jumping, she flinched away from it. An arm wrapped around her again. Her whole body jerked, but she couldn't get away; his grip was too tight. After a few steps the air turned unusually cold. Goosebumps covered her skin. The nightgown and thin robe did little to protect her from the cold. She shivered and instantly Belial's grip around her tightened. Pulling her into him, he tried to warm her, but wasn't very successful.

All thoughts of being cold quickly vanished, however, and were replaced with fear. Low rumbles and growling reached her ears, causing every muscle in her body to tighten at once. She couldn't figure out where the sounds were coming from, but that didn't stop her from shaking. Warm breath reached her ear once more and Belial's smooth voice flowed in. "Stay calm and silent. Just keep moving with me and they won't harm you."

They? Elizabeth's heart was racing. She tried to think of something else, anything else, but was unsuccessful. A wet nose touched her leg. Her stomach flew into her chest and her mouth opened to let out a scream but a firm hand slapped down on top of it, effectively silencing her. Panicking, she tried to remove the blindfold but was stifled again. Belial quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her into his chest. Her breath quickened but was shallow. She wasn't getting enough oxygen and she was growing lightheaded.

"You need to calm down," Belial said. "We're almost there."

Elizabeth did her best to follow his instructions. Concentrating on controlling her breathing, it didn't get back to normal but she relaxed enough for him to start moving again. Retaking his position at her side, Belial continued to lead her down the dark path. She gripped his arm with excessive force, unwilling to move away from him for even a second. Her heart was still racing but the longer she walked, the slower it became. It felt like they were walking for an eternity by the time they finally stopped. Releasing her, Belial moved a short distance away. She could hear him talking softly close by but was unable to make out what was being said.

Something touched her hand, causing her to jump. Belial chuckled softly. He liked scaring her and right now it was too easy. Leading her a little farther, she stepped down onto a wobbly surface. He lowered her carefully, forcing her down until her butt came to rest on a hard seat. It was a relief to be able to sit for a while but the blindfold never came off. She was comfortable now, however, and sat quietly.

They gently bobbed for a while. The sound of water being turned over had a rhythmic quality to it and Elizabeth soon found herself a little too relaxed. Leaning against Ben's shoulder she remained motionless, bobbing gently with her seat.

She was jerked awake. Sliding forward, she was almost thrown from her seat but was caught by Ben. Lifting her to her feet, he helped her off the ride. Leading her a little ways farther, a familiar clicking sound reached her ears, and then a car door opened. Her whole body relaxed all at once and for the first time she realized how tense she really was. Helping her into the car, Belial shut the door behind her and within a few seconds another door opened and closed. The rumble of the engine turning over was music to her ears. She knew she'd be home shortly.

She sat quietly in the darkness, listening to the sound of the engine and enjoying the vibrations of the seat. With every passing minute she could feel sleep taking her. Her seat grew increasingly more comfortable, hugging her body tightly. Turning her head, she snuggled into the smooth leather. Suddenly fingers grazed the side of her face and the blindfold was gone. Blinking, she stared at Ben for a moment, and then closed her eyes again.

They didn't speak the entire way home, and once there Elizabeth didn't have the energy to argue with him about staying the night. After locking the door, he followed her upstairs and grabbed a pillow off the bed. It took a minute, but there wasn't a trace of what had taken place there. Everything was gone. All the feathers, the blood, even the body was nowhere to be seen. The window had been repaired and every last speck of glass cleaned up. She didn't have the energy to contemplate how it happened and the minute her head hit the pillow she fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter 7

The bed was warm and soft against her skin. Snuggling further into the covers, she pulled the pillow down even with her and hugged it. She was well-rested but staying in bed felt like a wonderful prospect. Letting out a long sigh, she cuddled closer to the pillow and drifted back to sleep.

The bed shifted from under her and an arm rested itself across her stomach. Her eyes shot open. Whatever thoughts she had of spending the day in bed quickly left her. Flying out from under the covers, she grabbed the pillow and slammed her back against the wall. Wielding the pillow like a weapon, she struggled to gain her bearings.

Leaning in her bed casually on one elbow was Ben. He was shirtless and the outline of every muscle was clearly defined. His hair was messy and she had to fight every ounce of her being not to climb back under the covers with him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

A sly grin crossed his face. Sitting up, he raised his arms over his head and stretched. He knew she was watching him so he was sure to take his time, flexing every muscle he could, before leaning back against the headboard. "I was sleeping until you kicked me."

Lowering her pillow, Elizabeth was at a loss. "You were supposed to sleep on the floor, you ass!"

He only shrugged his shoulders, "The floor was cold and too hard, so I moved after you fell asleep."

She was shocked. Chucking the pillow at him, Elizabeth stormed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. After using the toilet and washing her face, she stared in the mirror, not wanting to go back into her room. Looking down, she still had the thin robe on. She slept with it on all night. At least that means he didn't try anything.

Cracking the door open, she peered out of the bathroom. No sign of him. Tip-toeing into the room, she went straight for the door and locked it. Feeling like her privacy was secure, she took her time getting dressed. After brushing her teeth, she made the bed and tidied up the room. The clock said it was almost noon and she still had a lot to do.

Walking downstairs there was no sign of him. Peering out the windows, she saw that his car was gone. Good; that meant she could get on with her day and not have any more awkward moments. Grabbing her purse, she immediately left the house, did the grocery shopping and picked up Wendy's for lunch. After putting the groceries in the make-shift kitchen, she sat down at the computer to eat and try to find out some more information on her rude house guest.

She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but figured the more she knew about him the better. Most of what she found was absolutely useless. Some sites claimed he was supposed to be lazy and worthless, which really didn't concern her. She was looking for something with substance. In the end she went through an ungodly amount of sites and spent more time than she intended trying to find anything worthwhile on him.

She needed to take a break from her research to get some work done on the house, however. The electricians had finished during the week so she was able to start installing the drywall. After only a few hours she had all the panels screwed in the living room and decided to move onto the kitchen before floating it.

She wasn't in the kitchen long when a familiar voice made her jump. "What are you doing?"

She'd been standing on a small stepladder and nearly fell off when she heard him. Lowering the sheet of drywall to the floor, she slowly climbed off the ladder and turned to face him. Ben was standing in the doorway and had a large tote bag flung over his shoulder. Grabbing a dirty rag off another ladder, she wiped her face clean of dirt and dust. "What are you doing?" Elizabeth said. "And what's with the bag?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "I'm moving in."

Wide-eyed, she stared at him. Anger quickly flooded her veins and growling, she tossed the dirty rag to the floor. "Like hell you are! Who told you that you can move into my house?!"

"I did." A smooth calm voice came from the front of the house. Walking between the bare studs, Lucifer moved into the kitchen. He was just as beautiful as she remembered and she had to shake herself back to reality before continuing to protest, "No! No, he can't move in here!"

"You're in danger," Lucifer said.

"Because of you!" Glaring at Elizabeth, Lucifer didn't appreciate the tone she was taking with him.

Clearing his throat, his eyes narrowed. "Whoever's fault it is doesn't matter. The simple fact is that you're in danger and cannot defend yourself. Belial can, and these are his orders." Pausing, a sly smile parted Lucifer's lips. "Besides, I already reprimanded him for sleeping in your bed and he knows he has to stay in his room at night."

Elizabeth's cheeks flushed and her mouth dropped open. She was speechless. Why would he share a story like that? Who else had he told? With her luck it would be common knowledge around the entire town in no time and she wouldn't be able to show her face at church for the next few weeks.

Feeling he was now in control, Lucifer continued to give orders. "Belial, go put your things upstairs. Elizabeth, go shower and put on something nice."

Snapping out of her lull, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What? No. You don't go upstairs and I'm busy and won't stop until I want to."

Belial stopped in his tracks. Wide eyed he turned slowly, looking between Lucifer and Elizabeth in turn. She was pushing her luck. Lucifer had a temper and had been curbing it in front of her, but that would only last for so long.

Lucifer didn't move, however. His eyes stayed locked on Elizabeth. His face was stone cold and his lack of expression was intimidating. Fidgeting, she pulled on her fingers and tapped her toe on the floor nervously. Staring at her feet she was unable to back up her words. Without looking up, she trudged slowly past Belial. Motioning for him to follow, she progressed up the stairs and walked to the only empty room left. Opening the door, she flicked the light on.

"You'll have to get either a bed or a mattress. I don't have another bed at the moment. Until then there's a couch in the next room you can sleep on."

Taking a step past her, he looked into the empty space. It was sizable but completely empty except for a solitary chair sitting in the corner. Placing his bag on the floor, he nodded. "This will do fine."

Nodding absently, Elizabeth left him and went to her own room. Standing in the shower, she let the hot water lap over her. She didn't want to go with them. She didn't want them in her house. But she was listening to him anyway. It was like she was being compelled to, from the inside. She couldn't control it.

She didn't rush, however, and remained in the shower for over thirty minutes. Taking her time drying, she also straightened her hair. It even took her awhile to pick out something to wear. She didn't know what he considered "nice." That was the worst phrase ever: "Put on something nice." After over thinking her outfit, she settled on a knee-length skirt and a scoop-neck shirt. After slipping on a pair of sandals, she finally headed downstairs towards the unknown and the forbidden.

Chapter 8

They had come to her house in a large black car. Belial sat in the driver seat while Lucifer sat in the back with Elizabeth. The interior was covered in black leather and classical music oozed from the stereo. The whole experience was extremely surreal.

The restaurant chosen was Ruth's Chris. It was the nicest steak house in the city. She hadn't dressed properly for the venue. This place had a valet and a doorman and was extremely expensive. The demons walked through the door like they owned the place, but Elizabeth was a little more reserved and felt like she didn't belong there.

The hostess was even dressed nicer than her, although she was too enraptured by the demons to even notice. Glancing up at the ceiling, Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief. The desire to thank God entered her mind but it seemed a little too strange to be thanking Him. She was about to eat dinner with two of the people who openly revolted against Him. Would she be damned for all eternity for associating with these two?

By the time they were seated, her head was swarming with questions. Their table was in a small room with only a few other tables in it that hadn't been sat yet. A waitress was instantly there to take drink orders and once she left Elizabeth wasted no time bombarding the demons with questions. "Okay, I want some answers."

They both looked up from their menus and stared at her. Satisfied that she had their attention, she continued, "Why me?"

Closing his menu, Lucifer locked eyes with her and inquired, "What do you mean?"

Elizabeth let out a loud sigh. Running her fingers through her hair, she realized that it wasn't going to be easy getting answers out of him. Deciding that being blunt was going to be the way to go, she said, "I'm not naïve. You didn't pick me at random. I'm being targeted by you and whoever that was who broke into my room, and I want to know why."

Lucifer and Belial stared at each other intently. Lucifer's eyes would narrow periodically and Belial's eyes would dart to the table before looking back up. He even let out a sigh after a minute. They were talking to each other. Silently, without opening their mouths, but they were doing it. Glaring, Elizabeth was beyond upset.

The waitress returned with their drinks and, placing them on the table, gently asked, "Would you like to hear what the daily specials are? Or do you need a little more time?"

Without hesitation Lucifer smiled brightly at her. "We'll all have the fillet Minot, cooked rare."

Smiling back at him, the waitress collected the menus and quickly scurried off.

"I didn't want a steak," Elizabeth said.

Taking a sip of his drink, Lucifer ignored her complaint and returned to staring at Belial. They had no intentions of talking to her, much less answering her questions. Crossing her arms on top of the table, Elizabeth glared at Lucifer. Her finger tapped the white table cloth with excessive speed while she contemplated what to do. Biting the inside of her cheek, she'd have to push him harder if she wanted answers.

"I did some research," Elizabeth said. Neither demon blinked or looked away from the other. Ignoring their ambivalence, she continued, "According to Biblical sources, Ben here is the man to summon if you need to control other demons." That got their attention. Slowly both demons looked at her. Smiling, Elizabeth persisted, "So why did you send him? Out of all the fallen angels and demons under your control, you sent Ben to watch me. There has to be a reason."

Their eyes were locked on her. She had struck a nerve. Lucifer lifted his drink and took a long sip, his eyes never leaving her. That's when Belial murmured, "You're not like other humans."

Lucifer's drink slammed onto the table with excessive force. His eyes glowed with anger and he growled at Belial, "Shut up."

He immediately looked down and obeyed. The tension could have been cut with a knife, but Elizabeth had no intention of dropping the subject. She wanted answers and was determined to get them.

"Elizabeth? Is that you?"

Turning around in her chair, she saw an older woman walking towards her from an adjacent table where the hostess was in the process of seating three other people. An uncomfortable smile crossed her face. Squinting, Elizabeth answered as cheerfully as possible. "Mrs. Trahan! How are you?"

"Oh, just fine, dear. Won't you introduce me to your friends?"

Elizabeth's stomach churned and her smile faltered. Starting with the easy one, she said, "Well, I believe you've already met Mr. Clark."

Reaching out her hand, Mrs. Trahan took hold of Ben's and replied cheerfully. "Oh of course, how could I forget? We met at church." Elizabeth knew she hadn't forgotten; she just wanted to be reintroduced to him.

Nodding his head, Ben replied cordially, "Always a pleasure, missus."

Now here was the hard part. How to introduce him? "And here's the Lord of Darkness himself!" _Yeah, that'll go over well._ Luckily, Lucifer saved her the trouble. Standing he took the old woman's hand in his own, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lucas Vandermire. I am a distant cousin of Benjamin's and am visiting him from my home country." Bowing gracefully, he kissed her hand.

What a little shit. Elizabeth's mouth fell open. Mrs. Trahan was completely fooled, however. She was utterly enraptured by the two. "Oh, how wonderful! And such gentlemen." She said. "It's so hard to find young men with such good manners nowadays. And you look so much alike, almost like brothers. Now how is it that you know Elizabeth?"

Now it was Belial's turn to lie. Scooting his chair as close to Elizabeth's as possible, he placed an arm around her shoulders and said, "Well, Elizabeth and I are dating."

Mrs. Trahan's eyes lit up, and Elizabeth's heart sank. This would be common knowledge around the town before the week was through. Elizabeth had to struggle to keep smiling when the old woman exclaimed, "Oh, how wonderful! I'm so happy you were able to get her out of her shell. You know she's been so depressed since her parents passed in that horrible accident. God bless their souls. But how could you blame her? She's so young and all. Well, that's just wonderful that you're dating again--and such a handsome and polite young man. Your parents would be so proud."

Belial beamed at the older woman the entire time, but all Elizabeth could think was how much she wanted Mrs. Trahan to shut up and go away. Glancing at the knife lying on the table, the thought of jamming it into Ben seemed like a viable option at that moment. Thankfully she never had to resort to that. Just then their waitress returned with their dinner in tow. Elizabeth couldn't have been more ecstatic to see that steak.

"Oh, well, I need to get back to my table. I'll let you get back to dinner. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Vandermire... and it's always a pleasure seeing you, Mr. Clark. I'll see you Saturday, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth nodded at the old woman. She returned to her table with extra pep in her step, surely to spread the newfound gossip she'd just learned.

After the waitress left, Elizabeth leaned into Ben so the people sitting at the other tables couldn't hear. "Dating?!"

He chewed a piece of steak slowly, savoring the flavor. Taking his time, he didn't answer until he swallowed the piece of meat. "This explains why I'm living with you as well. It'll just make things less complicated."

Elizabeth glared at him for almost a minute. He was ambivalent, however, and was more concerned with the food sitting on his plate. Cutting into her own steak, it was by far one of the best she'd ever had. It was juicy and perfectly cooked. After a few bites Lucifer spoke unexpectedly. "This isn't the time or place to talk. After dinner I'll let you know what you want." Taking a short pause he added, "Within reason."

Elizabeth met his eyes. They gleamed even in the dim light. He looked sincere, however, and a genuine smile crossed her face. Nodding in agreement, they went back to eating. They finished their dinner in silence. It couldn't have passed quick enough for Elizabeth. She was desperate to get home and learn all she could.

To her surprise, not only did Lucifer pay the bill but he also left the biggest tip she'd ever seen. Elizabeth was excited. It was time to leave, but her excitement was stifled when they passed the table Mrs. Trahan was sitting at. Waving them over, Elizabeth was content to keep walking and pretend that they didn't see her. But Belial and Lucifer quickly waved back, smiles gleaming on their faces when they walked up to the table.

Mrs. Trahan quickly introduced everyone and they said their mandatory hellos. Elizabeth zoned out after that, only catching bits and pieces of the conversation. Staring at the wine bottle set in the middle of the table, she studied the object. It didn't look horribly expensive, but it wasn't bottom of the line, either.

Mrs. Trahan didn't even notice Elizabeth wasn't listening. She was content talking to Lucas, telling him all about her charity work and her friends. He listened intently and politely, smiling the entire time. It was hard to believe that he was the Lord of the Underworld. Suddenly Elizabeth was shaken back into awareness. Belial's arm found a familiar place around her waist. Lucifer was in mid-sentence but she only caught the end of it. "...We'd love that. Benjamin was telling me how quaint the church was. I can't wait to see it."

"Oh, well, wonderful," Mrs. Trahan said. "Then we'll see you all on Saturday?" She asked a question, but really only one answer would suffice.

"We'll be there," Lucifer said with the utmost confidence. Elizabeth was stunned by what she had just heard. Gawking at Lucifer, she almost forgot to tell everyone goodbye. The waitress thanked them at the door and did the normal "please come again" routine, but all Elizabeth could think about was what Lucifer had just promised Mrs. Trahan.

Chapter 9

They were only in the car for a moment. Belial didn't even have time to start the engine when Elizabeth blurted out, "Are you crazy?! Won't you burst into flames or something if you step into a church?"

It was the first time she'd heard him laugh. She honestly didn't think he was capable of it. He was always so serious. It was almost contagious and immediately brought a smile to her face. His golden eyes came to life and for the first time, she could see how he was once one of God's favorite angels.

Turning towards her, they locked eyes. Her insides burned with anticipation. He looked truly glorious and she thought she was going to melt. Smiling, his white teeth were perfectly straight and he spoke, still chuckling. "No. I won't burst into flames."

Clearing his throat, he loosened the top buttons on his shirt and leaned casually against the car door. Turning at an angle, he made sure to face her. Running a hand through his hair, Lucifer said, "God ideally would like us to repent for our sins. So the church is always open to us." He paused for a second and thoughtfully added, "In fact, if He was awake, He would be quite pleased to see us in there, even if it is all for fun."

Elizabeth let his words sink in but all they did was leave her with more questions. "What do you mean 'awake'?" she said. "Is he taking a nap or something?"

He laughed again. She wasn't sure if he found her bluntness amusing or if he was laughing at her ignorance, but either way, she didn't care and welcomed it.

"I'm sure you know the Bible stories well enough," Lucifer said. "I'm also sure you know that behind every myth, every story, there is a certain extent of truth. Essentially you could consider the time we're in as God's seventh day."

Glancing back in the rearview mirror, Belial tried to see what was going on. Looking back at the road he said, "My lord, do you think it's wise to share so much?"

Lucifer glanced at the front of the car. He took Belial's opinion into account, but wasn't worried about it. She needed to hear this at some point, and the sooner it was out in the open, the sooner he could stop playing all these games. Looking back at Elizabeth, he smirked smugly and said, "Just drive, Belial."

The demon nodded his head, but his eyes never left the road. Not wanting to spoil the moment, Elizabeth asked again, "So why me?"

Lucifer's smile faded. Glancing back at the front of the car Belial gave no advice this time. Continuing to stare at the front of the car, Lucifer rested his head against the window next to him. "It's like Belial said: you're not an ordinary human." Glancing back at her, he saw that she had a blank stare on her face. Smiling for a second, he continued, "There's a rule, a law, amongst the two realms. Those of Heaven and those of Hell do not mix. We do not talk to each other; we do not see each other, and we do not procreate."

Elizabeth wasn't sure what he was getting at, but was patient and kept her eyes locked on him while he continued. "To make a long story short, there were two who ignored this fundamental law."

Elizabeth's heart was racing. Her brain was telling her to stop him that she didn't really want to know what he had to say, but her heart was all ears and was desperate to hear anything he was willing to share with her.

"When discovered, there are only a few options," Lucifer said. "One, you can kill yourself. Two, beg for forgiveness and pray that God grants it to you because I for one won't." He stopped. Elizabeth glanced in the rearview mirror, but Ben's eyes remained locked on the road.

Looking back at Lucifer, she urged, "And?"

"And what?"

"What's the last option?"

He let out a long sigh. Looking away he cocked his head. Running a finger along the window, he said, "You could give up your place among the holy and immortal and become human."

Elizabeth had a feeling she knew where this was going and wanted her point to be heard. "I'm human. I don't know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. I have grandparents and they had parents. We have a whole family tree mapped out to the 1700's."

Lucifer shook his head. She didn't want to hear anymore, however. She had opened this door, and now that there was no going back, she regretted her decision immensely.

"It's not that simple," Lucifer said. "When you choose the last option, the soul is separated from the body. In essence, you are killed and reincarnated into a human baby. You become integrated into the human race and none are the wiser except for that entity. The soul is haunted in remembrance of what it once had. Tortured in a sense. This is option your parents chose."

Elizabeth's heart hurt. It couldn't be true. There was nothing strange or out of the ordinary in her. She was normal. Completely normal, and no one was going to convince her otherwise. Shaking her head she stared at the leather seat. "No," she said. "It's not true."

Lucifer's smile was completely gone. His face was once again as hard as stone. She didn't want to look at him. Instead she turned away and stared out the window, trying to focus on something else, anything else. He wasn't deterred, however, and decided to continue his story. "Your father was one of my most loyal demons. He betrayed me when he fell in love with an angel."

Elizabeth didn't want to hear anymore. "Stop it! Just shut up already! I don't want to hear anymore!"

She was screaming at him. She couldn't control it and just wanted to get out of the car more than anything. Lucifer was determined, however. He had started his story and was going to finish it. "He was my kin, the offspring of my son Gaap, Prince of Hell."

Elizabeth shook her head. She couldn't accept it. She wouldn't accept it. She didn't want to hear anymore and finally screamed, "Stop the car!"

Belial was driving on auto-pilot. He wasn't paying attention to what was going on in the back seat and jumped when he heard Elizabeth scream. Slamming on the brakes, he whipped around, wide-eyed, heart pounding. Struggling with the seatbelt, Elizabeth's hands were shaky but she was able to get it unbuckled. Swinging the door open, the smell of burnt rubber permeated the air. The sound of the breaks screeching still rang through her ears, but she was determined to get out of the car.

Storming out, she started the long march home. They had stopped roughly halfway between the city and her house on an old two-lane highway. The black asphalt road was hard to see. The moon was being blocked by thin clouds and the stars were few, even out in the country. They were surrounded by cane fields and there weren't any lights for miles. She knew these roads by heart, however, so the darkness didn't bother her. It would take her a few hours to walk home but anything was better than sitting in that car.

She'd only made it a short distance from the car when a voice called behind her, "Elizabeth! Duck!"

Without thinking she fell to her knees and raised her arms over her head to shield it. A sharp pain nagged at her shoulder but she didn't dare get up. The rocks in the asphalt dug into her knees but she didn't move. From under her arms she could see brilliant white feathers flying all around her. Quick flashes of movement kicked up the feathers lying on the ground, but they were too fast for her to keep up with. She could hear what sounded like blades hitting and remaining hunched over she prayed.

The commotion was getting closer. Glancing under her arm, she desperately searched for cover, but there was nothing but open fields. The cane wasn't more than a foot or two high, and definitely not adequate for hiding in. Then she spotted the car. It was still sitting where Ben had parked it. Two of the doors were left wide open and the head lights were beaming out onto the road, but it was protection.

Staying low, she made a mad dash for the large vehicle. Tripping, her toe got caught in a divot. Her hand hit the pavement but she was able to keep moving and somehow make it to the car unnoticed. Leaning against the front tire, she finally had a chance to look at her shoulder. There was a sizable cut in it and blood had already soaked into her shirt and was running down her arm. Now that she had noticed the wound, it ached severely. Ripping part of her shirt, she made a poor attempt at wrapping the wound then fell back against the car.

The sounds of battle faded but she was still unwilling to move. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the car. Her breathing was slow and her heart relatively steady, but her hands and her feet were shaking. She was cold despite the humidity in the air and goose bumps crept up her arms. Making the sign of the cross loosely, she hoped the ones on her side were victorious.

Two hands fell on her shoulders. Kicking and screaming, she tried to get up and run. Their grip was too strong, however, and instead she found herself lying on her back on the road. Flailing, Elizabeth continued to scream, trying to break away but to no avail. Between screams she finally heard his voice calling, "Elizabeth! Elizabeth, stop!"

Opening her eyes slowly, a blurry image appeared. Belial was leaning over her, blood still dripping off of him. His wings were out and feathers were falling all around her, covering her in a blanket of white. Her shoulder throbbed under his hand and she winced in pain.

Belial immediately removed his hands. Flipping them over, his eyes grew wide. His right hand was soaked in blood. A sick churning motion filled his stomach. Grabbing her waist, he gently pulled her to her feet and ripped the shirt away from her shoulder. The blood had already soaked through her makeshift bandage. The world was starting to spin slowly and the ground swayed under her feet. Her fingers and toes ceased to exist and she felt as light as the feathers floating around her.

Unable to stand on her own any longer, she fell into Ben's chest. He quickly scooped her into his arms, holding her firmly to him. Everything was growing blurry again and the world was spinning around her. She could make out voices in the background but was unable to focus on them.

"She's lost a lot of blood."

"Get her home. You can tend to it there."

Straining, Elizabeth tried to focus on something, anything...

Lucifer was standing in front of her. He was just as bloody as Belial and had a long sword at his side. Darkness slowly enveloped her surroundings. Lucifer was being engulfed by a black haze, but she saw them: wings. Six wings protruding from his back. Out.

Chapter 10

Flowers. A sweet-smelling aroma. Gardenias, maybe? Her eyes didn't want to open. There was a thick layer of crust holding them shut. A cool breeze wafted over her and the clanking of rain dropping onto the metal roof reached her ears. Turning her head, she forced her eyes open. Little light entered the room despite the windows being open. Their sheer curtains billowed into the room every few seconds while the low rumble of thunder echoed and vibrated in the distance. Breathing slowly, she allowed the moist air to coat her lungs.

Her shoulder ached. Reaching over, the rough texture of bandages and gauze grazed her fingers. It surrounded her shoulder and covered her chest. Under the covers she had on only underwear and a chill slowly crept up her spine. Pushing with her right arm, she slowly rose to a sitting position. Her whole body ached and she wondered if moving was really a good idea.

Slumped in a chair in the corner of the room was Ben. His chest was bare and a pair of pajama bottoms covered his lower half. Hair wafted over his eyes and he appeared to be sleeping. Slowly inching her way to the corner of the bed, Elizabeth slid her legs over the side. Her quads and calves were tight. The muscles in her back were sore and her abs even hurt. Sweat beaded on her forehead, but she wanted to get to the bathroom.

Her toes touched the floor softly. The cool wood froze her feet and a streak of pain shot through her body. Letting out an unwilling sound of agony she panted, unable to move. Instantly Belial was at her side. His eyes darted in every direction, taking in every inch of her and the bed. Frowning, he bent and placed an arm under her legs and one behind her back. Lifting her, he asked, "Where are you trying to go?"

Her throat and mouth were dry so she merely pointed towards the bathroom. He immediately understood and after placing her gently inside, he closed the door behind her, giving her privacy.

He was back at her side only a few seconds after the toilet flushed and he immediately carried her back to bed. Sitting her back on the soft mattress, he propped the pillows against the headboard and helped her lean back against them. Pulling the cool sheets back over her, he said, "Do you need anything?"

Thinking about the question, Elizabeth could feel her stomach churning. It wasn't cramping yet, but it wasn't far off either. "Could you bring me something to eat? And maybe a glass of water would be nice."

His eyes narrowed. "You don't want any medicine? How's your shoulder feeling? It has to hurt."

Looking away, Elizabeth focused on the wood floors. A few small drops of water had managed to come through the windows, but not enough to be worried about. Shaking her head, she lied, "It's not that bad. I'll be fine."

He didn't move and only crossed his arms. Glancing at him for a brief second, she pulled at her fingers. "I'm fine, really." Letting out a deep sigh, she met his eyes again for only a second then looked back down. "I don't like taking medicine. If it gets unbearable, I'll let you know okay."

Frowning, Belial rolled his eyes and left. Letting out another sigh, Elizabeth glanced towards the windows again. She couldn't see them well; the bed was positioned between them. Frowning, she stared at the blanket covering her. It was excessively soft and easily her favorite.

A knocking noise caught her attention. Belial bumped the tray he was carrying against the doorframe. It was comical seeing him. He was concentrating on not spilling anything, his eyes locked on the tray he was carrying. It was filled with an assortment of food and two glasses filled with ice water. Carefully placing the tray over Elizabeth's lap, he took a seat next to her on the bed. Normally she would have told him something but she was so hungry all she could think of was the food sitting in front of her.

Picking up a sandwich, she took a large bite. It had mayonnaise on it. She hated mayonnaise, but was too hungry to care. Washing the bite down with long gulp of water, she kept the sandwich in her hand and ate a few pieces of cantaloupe. It was so sweet that the juice slid down her throat before the fruit.

Taking another bite of the sandwich, her nose wrinkled. She really didn't want to finish it and there was a whole other half still on the tray. Chewing the food in her cheek, she tried to keep it off her tongue. Glancing at Ben, she watched him curiously. He wasn't eating or moving; he was just staring off into space in a complete daze. Clearing her throat, he blinked a few times and looked down at her.

"Aren't you going to eat something?"

He shrugged his shoulders but looking away picked up the other half of the sandwich. They ate in complete silence. The tapping of the rain on the roof was a nice backdrop and it made their silence feel not so empty.

After lunch he cleared away the tray without a word and came back with an arm full of books and an assortment of board games. Flipping through everything, Elizabeth barely looked at him when he plopped back down onto the bed. Grabbing the remote, he flipped on the TV. He was switching channels like a mad man and right when she was about to tell him something, he finally settled on one. Animal Planet?

Eyebrows raised Elizabeth stared at him. Belial could feel her staring, even though his eyes never left the television. "I like to watch nature in action," he said. "No drama or politics, just pure survival."

Elizabeth could understand his reasoning in a way. She wasn't a fan of soap operas due to the whole drama thing and politics could be very tiresome. Pushing around the board games some more, she came across a plain wooden box. Glancing back at him, she asked, "You play chess?"

The first two rounds went quickly. Elizabeth beat him without a problem in only a few moves. He caught on quickly though and soon the games were taking longer. Elizabeth was concentrating so hard on the game that she completely lost track of time. The chimes from the old grandmother clock rang through the still house. It was five o'clock. Grabbing the remote, she changed the channel to the news while Belial put the game away.

He cleaned the bed of all the books and games while Elizabeth listened to the weather man contentedly. He was going through the weeks forecast. That's when it hit her. It was Monday. "Oh, crap!"

Swinging around, Belial frantically glanced around the room. "What's wrong?!"

"It's Monday! Where's the phone?! I need to call Mrs. Landry and apologize for missing work. I hope I still have a job after this. Where the hell is the phone?"

Belial became lethargic but then popped back into life. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. She left a message on that machine in the other room. She said not to worry about coming in today since it was supposed to rain and she'd see you on Tuesday."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Elizabeth glared at him when he sat back down on the bed. "You really should've told me earlier," she said. "Like when I woke up."

Belial shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why you even keep that job. It doesn't pay well and it's not like you need the money."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. Clinching her fists she could feel her temperature rising. "Look, I don't know who you think you are, buddy, but I don't need you or anyone else telling me how to live my life or where I should work or how much money I have!"

His eyes grew wide but only for a moment. Shrugging his shoulders, he settled back into the pillow propped behind him. She was feisty. She reminded him of Lucifer when she yelled at him, but in a strange way liked it. She didn't treat him different even now after she knew who he was, which was refreshing. She was stubborn, however, and even now wasn't ready to let the subject go. Turning towards him, she was ready to tear into him but never got the chance. Reaching for the remote, Belial raised the volume, cutting her off.

"... A bizarre tragedy took place late last night off of Highway 92. Two bodies were found lying in the middle of the road. The unidentified men appear to be in their late twenties to early thirties, and were apparently killed by a sharp object. No weapons were found at the scene of the crime but the entire area was covered in white feathers that also covered the bodies. Here is the statement from police Chief Harvey Theroux."

The news cut scenes from the woman at the news desk to the chief of police. He was a stout man with significant weight around his waist. His hair was gray and thinning and his face looked worn and was covered in wrinkles and the first signs of sun spots.

"We've never seen anything like this in the area. The bodies were discovered early in the morning hours but besides the deceased there is no evidence that anyone else was at the scene. We're not commenting on the feathers at this time or what we feel happened yet; however, samples have been sent to be tested, and I have my best men on the case. We'll find out what happen..."

They switched back to the woman in the news room, cutting off Chief Theroux mid-sentence. This was a common flaw with the local news and Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder what else he had to say.

"Chief Theroux refused to speculate on anything but there is a reward being offered for anyone who might have information about the case."

Belial turned the TV off with a scowl plastered to his face. The silence was growing awkward and Elizabeth couldn't stand it any longer. "I'm sure they won't find out anything. It'll end up being one of those unsolved cases."

He turned towards her. Anger filled his eyes. For the first time Elizabeth feared being near him. There was nothing more she wanted at that moment than to leave. He was distant and the eyes staring at her were no longer his. Slowly she tried to inch herself closer to the edge of the bed. She needed to calm him down and get him to return to his senses. "Ben, talk to me."

His eyes looked like they were on fire but on the inside. Her heart was pounding furiously beneath her chest. Inching closer to the edge of the bed, her hands shook and her leg vibrated. Lowering a foot slowly, it continued to vibrate when it touched the ground. His eyes grew wide. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her back to the middle of the bed.

"Ben, please!"

Her words didn't reach him. His eyes were wild and with force his hand fell onto her injured shoulder. Pain shot through her body and she let out a piercing scream. Blinking, Belial's eyes returned to their calm shade of blue. His mouth wavered. Glancing around blankly he was confused and not sure how he had ended up in the position he now found himself in. He was sitting on top of her, straddling her, and his hand was still gripping her shoulder, causing significant pain.

He was a little slow on the uptake. What he was doing still hadn't registered. Letting go of her shoulder, his eyes darted back and forth. Swallowing, his eyes finally rested back onto her. Placing a hand under each arm, he hoisted her into a sitting position. Carefully unwrapping the bandage around her shoulder, he held his breath, hoping that he didn't injure her more on accident. It was bleeding only slightly but it was still sore and tender. He was able to stop the bleeding quickly and wrapped her shoulder with a fresh bandage.

Elizabeth's eyes never left him. Part of her still wanted to run away, but something told her that everything was okay and there was nothing to worry about anymore.

"Are you okay?"

His eyes didn't leave her shoulder. Glancing to her left, Elizabeth tried to see what he was doing, but to no avail. Leaning back she rested her head against the headboard and stared at the ceiling. The rain had started again. It was beating angrily on the metal roof. The sound was comforting though and closing her eyes, she listened to it peacefully.

With every passing second, the rain beat harder on the roof. Smiling weakly, she thought of her mother. She hated the noise rain made on metal roofs, but Elizabeth loved it. Cracking her eyes open, her smile faded. "Is what he said about my parents true?"

Belial finished working on her shoulder but didn't move. Staring at her, the corner of his mouth moved upwards. Raising a hand, his fingers gently brushed the hair behind her ears. His voice was cool and smooth and penetrated the silence softly as he said, "Yes."

Looking down at the comforter, Elizabeth let out a deep sigh. Belial was still straddling her and sitting uncomfortably close. The second that she met his eyes, her body grew tense. Holding her breath, her mouth twitched when he inched closer. Taking in a long, deep breath of air, he said, "You smell different. I can smell the angelic and demon blood coursing through your veins."

He was so close that his breath warmed the skin on her neck. Her heart was racing and her breath quickened. Closing her eyes, she clinched the sheets beneath her tightly. He was breathing slowly, and every time he exhaled, he moved a little lower towards the base her neck.

A growl from the doorway made Elizabeth's heart stop. It was a guttural sound, something an animal would make. "This is not what I had in mind when I told you to take care of her."

Moving faster than Elizabeth could register, Belial immediately flew off of her and hit the ground. Kneeling next to the bed, his head remained down. Standing in the doorway was the Lord of Darkness himself. Grabbing the sheets, Elizabeth pulled them up to her neck. Her heart felt frozen and her hands trembled.

"Apologies, my lord," Belial said. "It won't happen again."

Lucifer's eyes were stone cold. He was an intimidating force and Elizabeth didn't dare interrupt. Looking away she tried to steady her breathing and slow her heart but to no avail. Glancing between Belial and Elizabeth, Lucifer's eyes finally settled on the demon kneeling in front of him. "Follow me," he said. "I have something I must discuss with you."

Immediately he stood. Head down, he followed Lucifer out the room. Elizabeth was left, still trembling and confused. After a few minutes, no sound penetrated the house except for the slight patter of rain on the roof. She was alone. The house was empty once again.

Slowly she inched her way to the edge of the bed. Sitting on the edge her toes tapped the cold wood floors lightly. Her whole body ached. Standing was more of a chore than she had anticipated. It took forever to get to the make-shift kitchen. Taking a seat at the table, she stared blankly at the small fridge sitting in the corner.

She had already had a sandwich for lunch and definitely wasn't in the mood for another. Nothing in the small fridge sounded appetizing, and cooking wasn't an option either. She was too sore to stand for long periods of time and the only appliances in the room were a microwave, a convection oven, and a small portable grill. Letting out a sigh, Elizabeth pulled herself from the chair. Running a hand along the wall, she slowly made her way back to her bedroom.

Pulling on a robe her shoulder ached and throbbed. Every step was now exponentially more painful, and by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, driving no longer seemed like a good idea. Fumbling through her purse, she pulled out a cell phone and decided that having a pizza delivered was probably her best bet.

She had roughly twenty minutes to kill before the pizza arrived and walking back upstairs just didn't seem appealing. Holding onto the bare studs, she followed them to where her future bedroom would be. With her shoulder hurt she wouldn't be able to get back to work on the renovations for a while and that was a bleak prospect.

Taking a seat on the plywood floor, she leaned against a window, staring into the darkness beyond. Scanning the yard, something caught her eye. She wasn't sure what, really, but something didn't seem right, almost as if there was something out of place. Staring at the grapefruit and satsuma trees, the fruit covering the branches were still visible even in the darkness. She didn't eat either fruit. The trees had been planted by her grandmother years ago. Those were the smallest trees in the yard. The rest were large oak trees, maple, or cypress, averaging thirty to seventy feet tall, give or take.

The house was casting a long shadow into the back yard, cloaking the small fruit trees in darkness. Blinking, Elizabeth stared at the trees contentedly when a slight movement caught her eye. There was a man standing perfectly still next to one of the live oaks. He was at least an acre away from the house and remained near the trunk of the tree blanketed in shadows. Elizabeth couldn't be sure but he appeared to have short dark hair and wore a strange, almost medieval outfit. She was curious about his presence but wasn't nervous.

She had a feeling that he had spotted her as well, but despite that fact, he never moved. Elizabeth continued to stare at him and was jolted by a knock at the front door. She looked away for only a brief second, but that's all it took for him to disappear. Holding onto the window frame, she pulled herself from the floor and traversed the bare studs to the front door.

Standing outside was a teenage boy with her pizza. He wore the standard pizza company outfit. A hat covered his bright orange hair and acne coated his face. He had a bit of a nerdy look about him. He was thin and lanky and she wondered if he was teased at school on a regular basis. After paying she locked the door and made the strenuous trip back upstairs.

By the time she sat down at the small table in the kitchen, her shoulder was killing her. Reluctantly standing, she searched for some sort of pain killer. Rummaging through boxes, she eventually found the Advil in a small container filled with an assortment of medicine. The instructions said to only take one. Tipping the bottle she popped two pills into her mouth, chasing them down with a glass of water.

The pizza tasted fabulous and she internally praised herself on what a good idea it was. Normally two slices would be enough, but not tonight. Roughly halfway through her third slice she heard the front door open and close. Watching the doorway, her leg twitched until Ben came into view. Walking into the kitchen slowly, he placed two plastic bags on the table. Letting out a deep sigh, he stared at the pizza disappointedly.

Swallowing another bite, Elizabeth said, "I got hungry and didn't know when you were coming back. You can have some. I'm not going to eat anymore."

Without a word, he stuck the bags in the small refrigerator and took a seat at the table. Grabbing a slice of pizza, his eyes glazed over while he ate. Elizabeth finished eating shortly after he sat down. She made a poor attempt at washing the dishes. She really hated having limited use of her left arm. Paper cups and plates were a must until her shoulder was healed.

Sitting back at the table Elizabeth leaned on her good arm. Staring out the window, she asked, "What did he want with you?"

Belial glanced up from his pizza, still chewing his last bite. Swallowing, he continued to stare at her and took another bite without making an attempt to answer the question.

"Fine," she said. "Don't tell me."

He continued eating, and after finishing one slice, picked up a second. Leaning back in the chair, Elizabeth's shoulder hit the wood. Grimacing, she immediately scooted back to the front of the chair. It wasn't really painful and could be better described as extreme discomfort, but her face changed enough to get a reaction out of Belial.

He jumped from his seat, nearly knocking it over. "Are you alright?" His eyes were wide and darted between her shoulder and face quickly. He was overreacting. Unable to contain herself, Elizabeth giggled.

Frowning, he retook his seat and continued to eat. Clearing her throat, she wiped the corner of her eyes. A huge smile remained on her face, she tried to stop, but couldn't. Belial glanced up several times before finally growing agitated with her grin. Dropping the half-eaten slice into the box he said, "What? What's so funny?"

Shaking her head, she continued to grin at him. Picking the slice of pizza up, he scowled at her. Elizabeth remained silent until he was done eating and wrapped the leftovers in foil. The small fridge was crowded now, and it took her a minute to find a place for the food. Straightening, she rubbed her arm. The bandage made her skin itch, it was uncomfortable, but she didn't dare scratch at it.

Moving into the sitting room, she reached for the remote. Turning the TV on, she glanced out the window and saw the large tree where the man was standing earlier. Plopping onto the couch, she barely glanced up when Belial entered the room. Flipping stations slowly, she asked, "Who else has Lucifer sent to keep an eye on me?"

"No one. Why?"

Glancing at him, she shook her head. Belial's eyes narrowed. He wasn't about to accept her silence. "What did you see?"

Frowning, Elizabeth carefully leaned back onto the couch. Putting the remote down she recapped what she had seen earlier, "Um, there was a guy in the backyard, standing under one of the oak trees."

Without a word Belial strode over to the window and slid it open. He was on the roof within a second and jumped onto the ground with ease. Searching the yard, he scanned every inch methodically. When he reached the right tree, he bent and sniffed the ground. Staying close to the ground, he moved farther back onto the property and disappeared. He headed down a hill that led to a river situated behind the property.

Her eyes never left the yard but somehow he managed to move back to the house without her seeing. She screamed when he jumped back onto the roof and for the first time he didn't smile or laugh at her fear. His face was serious and cold. Sliding back through the window, he locked it and gave Elizabeth a list of instructions. "I need to get back to Lucifer. Don't open the door. Don't open the windows. If any are open, close them immediately and lock them. Don't let anyone in and if you see him again hide. Don't talk to him. Don't confront him, just hide."

Turning the TV off, Elizabeth scrambled off the couch. Trying to keep up, she followed him down the stairs. "Wait, what?" she said. "What's going on? You can't just leave me here alone and not tell me what you found!"

He paused at the door and, glancing back at her, frowned. "Just lock the door and windows like I told you." Turning, he was out the door and moving too fast for her to follow. Doing as he instructed, Elizabeth locked the door and inspected every window, making sure they were closed and locked. After she was content that she was sealed in, she walked to the bathroom to try and calm her nerves. Unfortunately, it didn't help.

Chapter 11

"What's wrong? Why are you back so soon?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I think she's being tracked."

His eyes narrowed. "By whom?"

"I don't know. I recognize the scent, but it's been so long, I can't remember."

"Where is she now?"

"At her house."

"Alone?"

"Yes, sir."

Growling, he slammed his fist on the desk. "How are you protecting her if you're here and she's there alone?"

Looking down, his eyes darted from side to side. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Don't be sorry. Get back there and do your job."

Elizabeth stayed in the bathtub until the water was cold and her skin was pruny. By the time she emerged from the bathroom it was completely dark outside and she was feeling strangely alone and vulnerable. Rubbing her arms, she huddled in bed under the covers. Every creak and groan made her jump. Her eyes darted from window to window when the rain pelted against them. Even the shadows in the room seemed alive. The dark masses in the corners of her room moved if she stared too long at them, creeping closer and closer to the bed. She wasn't sure if it was his goal, but Ben had done a good job of scaring her. She remained in bed, hiding under the covers in the fetal position, too afraid to move.

It felt like she was going crazy and was unable to sleep. When was Ben coming back? Was he coming back? Surely he wouldn't leave her alone all night by herself, especially after that huge deal he made about leaving everything locked and not letting anyone in. Sneaking out of bed, she slowly tip-toed through the dark house. Only the dim moon light made it through the windows, casting strange shadows on the walls.

Moving slowly, she was careful not to run into anything, and eventually she came to Ben's room. Sneaking inside, she hoped that maybe he had come back while she was in the bathroom, but the room was empty. The only things occupying the space were an old chair that belonged to her grandmother and a large bed. When did he bring that over?

Sliding her feet over the wood floors, she moved closer to the bed. It was a king size that nearly took up the entire wall. There was a sizable headboard on it and a footboard, but she couldn't make out the color or any details in the darkness. Running a hand along the bed, she grazed the sheets with her fingers. They were soft and were either Egyptian cotton or silk. Even the pillows were soft and the fabric cool to the touch.

Methodically petting the bed, Elizabeth stayed in the room longer than intended. Sliding her hand off the sheets, she turned to leave when the light popped on. Yelping, she leapt into the air. Her heart was pounding and was about to jump out of her chest. Standing in the doorway was Ben. His hand was still resting on the light switch and frowning he glared at her coldly.

"What are you doing in here?"

He sounded upset and Elizabeth couldn't help but go on the defensive. "I'm sorry but this is my house," she said. "I was just seeing if you had made it back yet."

He didn't say anything and remained as motionless as a statue. Swallowing, Elizabeth stared at her bare feet. Rubbing her arms, she said, "Well, I'll get out. Goodnight."

Moving cautiously, she slid her feet over the floors towards the door. Seeing him out of the corner of her eye, she paused for a second. He never moved but his eyes remained fixed on her. They were lifeless and looking back at the floor she went to take another step but was stopped. His arms wrapped around her and, flying backwards, she was suddenly on his bed. He was straddling her, surrounding her, making escape impossible. His eyes were vibrant, suddenly filled with life, and Elizabeth felt like she would melt any second.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours. Closing his eyes, Belial suddenly sat up. Sliding off of her, he sat on the edge of the bed. Staring at the ceiling he ran his hands over his face. Elizabeth was confused. Looking around cautiously she sat up and rubbed her arms slowly. "I'm sorry," she said. "This is my fault."

Looking down at her, his eyebrows rose. "This is not your fault," he said. "If anything, it's mine. I told Lucifer I'd keep my distance and I couldn't keep my word for more than a few hours."

Letting out a short laugh, Elizabeth confessed, "The real reason I snuck in here was because I was scared. With everything you told me to do before you left, I couldn't sleep, and thought if I'd come in here I'd feel better."

Chuckling, he looked away for a moment. "Did it?"

"Did it what?"

"Make you feel better?"

Letting out a sigh Elizabeth figured she might as well keep the conversation going since it was so hard to get him to talk at all. "Yeah, it kind of did."

Pushing against the bed to leave, Belial placed a hand on her good shoulder causing her to pause. He was up in a second and, walking towards the door, he offered, "Then why don't you stay in here tonight?"

Thinking it over for second, Elizabeth nodded in agreement. The lights clicked off and smiling, she climbed under the covers, dumbfounded that he gave her his bed for the night. Turning on her side, she felt the bed shift and the covers lift behind her. Her heart stopped. He wasn't giving her his bed; he intended to share it. Belial took his time climbing under the covers and with every passing second, her heart beat faster. He didn't move towards her, however, and within a minute, she was relaxed and drifting to sleep.

The next morning she woke early in the same position she had gone to sleep in. Rolling onto her back, she saw Ben was still lying next to her asleep. Being as quiet as possible, she slipped out of bed and snuck back to her room. It took longer than normal to get dressed but at least her shoulder wasn't as sore as it had been. It was still tight and didn't have its full range of motion back, but it was workable. Moving quietly and quickly, she made her way through the house and left for work without disturbing her guest.

Driving was more difficult than she expected, but she made it on time. It felt great to be back to her normal routine. She immediately got to work and was more than excited to see the horses again. The second she stepped into the barn they whinnied and poked their heads over the stall doors. Certain tasks took her longer than normal, but she worked the whole day with a broad smile on her face. When it was time to go home, however, she was met by an unexpected surprise. Ben was leaning against her car patiently. His arms were crossed over his chest and his face was stone cold.

Closing the barn door for the night, Elizabeth barely glanced at him. "Ben."

"You didn't tell me you were leaving."

Wide-eyed, she stared at him. "Well, excuse me, but I didn't know I needed to ask permission before going to work."

Looking away, his hands turned into tight fists. Scowling, he glared at her. She was impossible and completely infuriating. She was making his job exceedingly more difficult and didn't even care.

Her eyes never left him. Walking around the car, she unlocked the door and climbed into the driver's seat. Before she could close the door, Belial caught it. "Move over," he said. "I'll drive."

"Excuse me?"

He didn't move. Staring at her intently he was ready to wait as long as it took for her to concede. Growling and mumbling under her breath, Elizabeth maneuvered over the stick shift and climbed into the passenger seat. Satisfied Belial dropped into driver's seat and closed the door. Starting the engine, he drove slowly down the muddy, dirt road towards the exit.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Do you want to know, or is this Lucifer asking?"

He glared at her. The more time she spent with him the less perfect he seemed. Although his looks never failed him, his attitude changed on a daily basis.

"You're frustrating," she said, "and you can tell your boss my shoulder is starting to feel better."

He continued to glare at her and letting out an excessive sigh, looked back at the road. "Do you remember anything else about the man?"

"What man?"

"The one you saw last night in your yard." He was agitated and it showed in is voice.

"Oh." Elizabeth thought for a minute, but it was getting late and he was far away so there really wasn't much to remember. "I don't know," she said. "It was getting dark."

Frowning, he gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Did he see you?"

"I don't know," she said. "I guess. Maybe."

"Do you remember anything?!"

Elizabeth's mouth fell open. Who does he think he is? "Stop the car."

"What?"

"Stop the car!" she said. "I'm walking home."

He pulled over to the side of the road reluctantly. Quickly unhooking the seatbelt, Elizabeth was halfway out the door when he grabbed her arm. "Remember the last time you said you were walking home, someone tried to kill you."

His words hit way too close to home. Her shoulder throbbed again, sending a nagging pain down her back. He was right. Groaning, she plopped back onto the seat and closed the door. Nodding in approval, Belial merged back onto the road and continued towards her house.

Elizabeth was hoping the rest of the drive would be silent but she wouldn't get her wish. Only a few minutes passed when he made a poor attempt at apologizing. "Look," he said, "I know you don't understand what's going on and frankly I'm not able tell you. But you have to understand that I'm acting like this because I have to keep you safe and this is the only way I know how."

He glanced at her after his little speech, and appeared to be telling the truth. Although it was hard to say since he wasn't exactly human.

"I know you're trying to help me," she said, "but I can't have you acting like a parent or whatever. I need my space."

He frowned but nodded that he understood. The corners of her mouth rose for a split second. She prayed that he was being sincere. They made it back to her house without any other fights. She was more than relieved to be there and was looking forward to a warm, relaxing bath. Whatever plans she had of taking the night easy would have to be put on hold however. She had a visitor who would not wait.

Chapter 12

Walking upstairs, Elizabeth was ready to get cleaned up. Catching her hand at the top of the stairs, Belial pulled her towards the sitting room instead. Lucifer was waiting casually on the couch, drinking some sort of concoction that she was sure he had brought with him. It was thick and red in color. With every ounce of her being, Elizabeth prayed that it was a daiquiri or tomato juice, even though she was pretty sure she was wrong.

Belial kneeled after entering the room and only rose after Lucifer made a waving motion with his hand. Elizabeth wasn't about to kneel and immediately took a seat on a leather chair across from the Lord of Darkness. Belial had decided it would be best to stand slightly to the side of her. She preferred if he didn't. It was unnerving, but she remained silent.

Staring at Lucifer's drink, her stomach churned. He took a few more sips savoring every drop. The thick liquid oozed down the side of the clear glass and appeared to be congealing with every passing second. Shuddering, Elizabeth crossed her arms and looked away. Smirking, Lucifer lowered his cup. He had wasted enough time and needed to get to the reason for his visit. "So, Belial tells me you were visited by an angel last night."

Elizabeth's eyes bugged out of her head and her mouth fell open. That was news to her. Ben had never shared with her what he had found. Glancing at him, he remained as still as a statue, staring off into space, almost like he was in a completely different world.

Not waiting for an answer, Lucifer continued, "It appears they are more serious about getting to you than I previously thought, so I've come to offer you more protection."

Elizabeth wasn't sure what he was talking about, but before she could say anything, another man entered the room. His skin glowed and his long hair was white in color. He had pale, gray eyes and even his clothes were light in color making him a walking ad for monochromatic design. He was gorgeous like the other men in the room and she was beginning to feel unbelievably plain in comparison.

"This is Crocell," Lucifer said. "He is my Grand Duke and one of my most trusted men."

Elizabeth wasn't sure what to say and found she was having trouble formulating any thoughts. Struggling, she finally managed a sentence, "Um, here's the deal..."

The sound of her voice startled all three demons, jerking them back to life. All eyes were on her, making her feel extremely out of place. Glancing at the floor she tried to regain her bearings. Her leg twitched nervously but she needed to continue. "I don't need any more protection, as you put it."

Lucifer cocked an eyebrow at her. Frowning, he took a deep breath. He didn't believe her. Belial was having problems keeping track of her. His reports were less than favorable and Lucifer wasn't about to lose another one of his kin to an unfortunate accident. Opening his mouth, he wasn't able to speak. Elizabeth cut him off before he could say anything.

"I know you don't believe me," she said, "but if I'm in as much danger as everyone claims, then the fact that I'm still here has to say something, right? And besides, I don't have room for another person to stay here, and let's face it, Crocal or Crocell or whatever his name is--doesn't exactly pass as human. He's glowing, for Pete's sake."

Belial and Lucifer glanced at the newcomer who didn't like having fingers pointed at him. Crossing his arms over his chest, Crocell glared hatefully at Elizabeth. Lucifer took her complaints seriously, though; picking up his glass, took a few more sips of his drink. Staring at the floor, he contemplated his options carefully.

While Elizabeth had his attention, she had one more question nagging at her. "If you don't mind me asking, why do they want me dead? I still don't think I've heard the reason yet."

Lucifer was still deep in thought. His eyes remained locked on the floor while his hand methodically swirled his drink, causing the thick red liquid to slide up and down the sides of the glass. Glancing at Ben, she was pretty sure he wouldn't talk as long as his boss or master or whatever was present, which only left one person to answer the question.

Sure enough, Crocell was dying to pipe in, and now saw his chance to strike. His voice was deep, much deeper than Elizabeth thought it would be, but it was smooth and pleasing to the ear. His eyes narrowed in on her when he spoke and she was sure she caught a slight condescending tone to it. "You are kin of our lord. That fact alone makes you a target."

Her eyes went blank. Grimacing, Crocell continued, "The angels are similar to humans in that they are power-hungry. Every time God takes His rest they wrestle for power amongst themselves and try to position themselves closer to God for when He wakes. Occasionally these power struggles end up spilling over into our domain and the Earth."

That was easily the best explanation she had gotten so far, but it still seemed to skip over what she wanted to know. Figuring since she had one of them talking, she kept prying, "But why does this war or power struggle or whatever affect me? I mean, I get that I'm related extremely distantly and all, but why does that even matter?"

Piercing his lips together, Crocell's eyes narrowed at her. He didn't feel that it needed further explanation. It didn't matter. All she should need to know is that her life is in danger.

Lucifer came out of his daze and blinking replayed her question in his head. "It's quite simple you see. Angels hate crossbreeds."

Grinning, he took another long sip of the thick red liquid. Elizabeth's stomach instantly churned and a nauseous feeling crept into her throat. After swallowing, Lucifer licked his lips slowly and continued, "The angels think themselves a pure race and any sort of contamination of the bloodline should be eliminated. The fact that you're offspring of my own bloodline just adds fuel to the fire. If you die, the odds of a full out war starting is highly likely, and for certain angels, this appears to be the ultimate goal."

Her eyes grew wide. Whatever he was drinking seemed to be a good thing. She never heard him talk so much, much less give so much information willingly. She definitely had a lot to absorb but at least now she understood what was happening around her. Nodding at Lucifer, she was satisfied with his explanation.

Taking another sip of the mystery liquid, Lucifer continued, "I'm going to rely on your judgment as far as protection goes. If you feel Belial is doing an adequate job, then I will leave him to his means. One more injury, however, and Crocell is here whether you like it or not."

Elizabeth wasn't pleased with his decision but he wasn't going to wait around for her to protest. Standing, he carried his glass to the door and quickly exited the room with a happier- looking Crocell following him. Elizabeth remained seated until she heard the front door close behind them. Almost instantly her entire body relaxed. Leaning back in the chair, she fell into a slouched position and looked over at Ben who already had his eyes locked on her.

"What?"

He shook his head and then he too exited the room, leaving her to brood over everything she had just learned. By the time she finally emerged from the sitting room, the water was running in the spare bathroom. Ben was taking a shower, which meant hers would have to wait. She wasn't feeling hungry but was glad he had picked up food the night before. It was Chinese. Not her favorite but, grabbing a container of egg drop soup, she quickly heated a bowl and sat down to eat.

About halfway through dinner Belial walked into the kitchen. He wore only a pair of pajama bottoms and his bare chest and back glistened with a few missed water drops. Her mouth immediately fell open and she nearly dropped her spoon. She watched him bend over to search through the fridge. His pants stretched with him. The smooth fabric showed every curve of his butt, not leaving much for the imagination. Her heart was pounding within her chest. He knew she was watching him, but gave no inclination that he noticed or cared.

Elizabeth slowly returned to eating when he took a seat across from her. Making every attempt not to stare at him, she failed miserably and found herself glancing up every few seconds just to gawk.

After dinner, she forced herself to take a shower. She didn't want to pry herself away from him. She really appreciated the view but at the same time she didn't want to be creepy either. Grabbing a nightgown from her dresser, she headed into the bathroom and started the shower. It only took a minute for the water to warm up and stepping into the tub, she stood completely still, letting the water wash over her. It was soothing and the warmth on her skin almost calmed her soul.

"Thank you."

Jumping, Elizabeth let out a piecing scream. Her feet slid out from under her and she hit the wall. Trying to regain her balance, she struggled to find sure footing in the slippery bathtub. Finally huddling in a corner, she crossed one arm over her chest while the other found a place between the tops of her legs.

"What are you doing in here?!" Her brain was racing but nothing made sense.

Belial didn't answer her and instead the shower curtain opened. Panicking, she whipped around and ran into his chest. Immediately his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into him. Her eyes clamped shut, but he didn't move and allowed the water to rush over them silently. It was warm and, despite her embarrassment, strangely comfortable standing in his arms.

His fingers eventually found her chin, guiding her head up towards his. His lips grazed her cheek, following the curve, until they locked onto her mouth. They were warm and soft and moved expertly, revealing he had years of experience. Soon enough they had a steady rhythm going. She was more hesitant than him, but he found her shyness alluring and it only made him want her more.

Breaking away, he grabbed the soap and building up lather in his hands, ran them all over her body. Staring at her neck, he gently wrapped his fingers around it while his lips locked onto hers once more. Moving onto her shoulders, he was extremely gentle, spending extra time and attention on her wound, ensuring it was clean. The muscles in her back tightened and her leg vibrated when his hands slowly slid farther down her body.

Clinching her hands into fists, she let out a deep breath when his hands washed over her stomach and then slid around hips and down to her butt. Her heart was racing and she could feel the blood pumping and circulating through her veins. After washing off her legs, he slowly ran his hands back up her body, kissing her stomach and breasts on the way back to her mouth.

They remained in the shower until the hot water was gone. Climbing out of the bathtub, they helped each other dry off. Elizabeth's hormones were going crazy. Ignoring the clothes, they wrapped the towels around each other and leaning in, Belial kissed her more. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her off the ground and carried her into the bedroom while remaining locked together.

Setting her down on the edge of the bed gently, he leaned over her, moving from her mouth back down to her neck. Something didn't seem right, however. Gripping the sheets, Elizabeth replayed everything that had happened in her mind. Something was nagging at her but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Pushing him away gently, she asked, "Why did you say thank you earlier?"

A thin smile parted his lips. Leaning in he kissed her again and whispered close to her ear, "For defending me. You stood up for me when Lucifer was ready to call me back."

Pulling away from him, Elizabeth leaned back so she could see his face. His smile faded, but he wasn't deterred. Leaning back in towards her, she placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. "So let me get this straight," she said. "All of this is because I rated your job performance as satisfactory in front of Lucifer?"

Belial's smile disappeared. Sitting next to her on the bed, he was a little offended by what she said, but remained calm. "No, it's not that at all."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow at him and, crossing her arms, waited for a better explanation. Looking at the floor, he mumbled so softly that she had to strain to hear his response. "I've wanted to do that for a while now but only got the nerve to do so today." Glancing back up, they locked eyes and he said, "I didn't think you would be receptive until recently."

Unfolding her arms, she nearly laughed. "Hold on, me saying you're doing your job well is what told you I'd be receptive to this?"

A huge grin crossed his face and his eyes glowed making him look even more radiant. Letting out a puff of air, he stood and leaning back over her whispered in her ear, "No. You wanting to spend the night in my bed is what told me." Grinning, he straightened and left the room without saying another word or looking back.

Chapter 13

The rest of the week was extremely uneventful. No one tried to kill her. No one showed up on her lawn. Work went smoothly. Ben didn't even question when she would leave the house. Unfortunately he didn't try to kiss her again either, and neither of them brought up what happened that night. Everything was back to normal; that is, whatever relative normal her life had become.

It was already late in the afternoon and Elizabeth was busy getting ready for church when Ben knocked on the open bathroom door. He was already dressed and looked extremely appetizing in his formal wear. His khaki slacks were pressed neatly and hugged his firm rear while the collared shirt gave him a distinguished look. Leaning casually against the door frame, he waited patiently while she finished straightening her hair.

"What is it?" she said.

"It would be better if we didn't mention anything to Lucifer."

Grabbing the container she kept her makeup in, Elizabeth applied a light coating of foundation. "I don't know what you mean."

He didn't budge and watched her carefully move onto the eye shadow and then mascara. Putting the container up, she glanced at him.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Shrugging, she pushed past him. She needed to find a pair of shoes. Searching the bottom of the cramp closet, she could feel his presence looming over her. "Look," she said, "as far as I'm concerned it's in the past. There's nothing to talk about."

His eyes never left her. Pushing past him again, she sat on the edge of the bed and slipped on the shoes. Subconsciously she dressed a little nicer than she normally would for church. Ben's eyes never left her though, which made her smile a little on the inside. The dress she was wearing didn't leave much for the imagination and the heels she picked did wonders for her calves. She wanted him to regret not making another move on her.

He waited until she was ready to go and followed her silently to the stairs. Staying a few steps behind, he watched her descend the stairs closely, his eyes never leaving her backside. She acted like she didn't care, but he knew better. She'd been spending more time in the bathroom lately and was taking more care picking out her clothes. She was even wearing makeup more frequently now.

Smirking, he opened the front door for her and leaning close to her ear whispered, "I'll drive."

His voice was as smooth as silk and her spine tingled when she walked past him. He smelled like a hint of cologne and she took an educated guess that it was Old Spice.

Getting into the old fashioned Firebird wearing a dress proved to be more difficult than she would have originally thought. It was a comfortable car, though, and extremely fun to ride in. They arrived at the church in roughly ten minutes. Lucifer was already there, sitting on a bench outside waiting for them. He had on a classic pinstripe suite with a crisp white shirt on underneath. He looked very old fashioned and very classy. The two men nodded a greeting to each other but Elizabeth only smiled broadly.

Walking towards the building, she motioned for Lucifer to go first. It just seemed like good manners since he was her guest, but also she thought it would be better to be behind him, just in case he spontaneously burst into flames.

Luckily for them and everyone already seated inside, he did not. Leading the way down an aisle, Lucifer picked a pew close to the front. Elizabeth tended to sit closer to the back. Being this close to the altar was a little out of her comfort zone, since she had a bad habit of not paying attention during the sermon. Scooting into the pew, her guests followed suit, and to her surprise, both Belial and Lucifer knelt to pray. She spent more time wondering about what and to whom than she spent saying her own prayers.

Thankfully they were both extremely well-behaved during mass. Not surprisingly, neither of them said a word. Elizabeth, on the other hand, belted every song at the top of her lungs and responded with the congregation at every turn. When it was time for communion, neither man moved. They remained in the pew while Elizabeth went to receive it. She had assumed they would move down for her, but when she returned to the pew, Lucifer was still seated at the end with Belial right next to him.

Side-stepping into the pew, she climbed over their laps to reach her seat. Straightening her dress, she knelt again and waited for the rest of the congregation to receive communion. Kneeling next to her, Belial had a dumb grin pasted to his face. He had intended to move down for her but was glad Lucifer had stopped him.

After mass ended, the group scuffled to the back of the church with the rest of the congregation. Outside, the usual crowd assembled and they had to push their way through the small groups of parishioners. With much relief, Elizabeth was able to reach the edge of the crowd without having to talk to anyone. Belial was right on her heels, but somewhere in the throng, they had lost Lucifer. Scanning the remaining people, Belial finally spotted him talking to the priest.

Grabbing Elizabeth's hand, he pulled her in the direction of his master. By the time they reached the priest and Lucifer, Mrs. Trahan had joined the conversation. Glancing up at the heavens, Elizabeth dreaded the next few minutes.

"Oh, Elizabeth!" Mrs. Trahan said. "I was just saying how pleased I was to see all of you at church today. And Father, the sermon was just splendid."

Both Belial and Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "Yes, Father, I was very impressed." Lucifer said. "You have a way with the scripture that is hard to find now a days."

The priest was tickled pink by all of the compliments but Elizabeth desperately wanted to leave. Staring at the parking lot longingly, she watched Darrel Trahan make his escape. Hands in his pockets, he strolled to his car and climbed in, waiting for his wife to join him. How she wished she could be in that car.

Ben's hand found hers, jolting her back to reality. The demons were saying their goodbyes. Lucifer shook the priest's hand one more time and, smiling broadly, turned to leave. By now they were some of the last people at the church. The parking lot was bare, but that made Ben's car easier to see. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, Elizabeth circled the car, running a hand along the smooth black hood.

"You two have been keeping something from me."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. Staring at Lucifer her mouth dropped open. Belial was concerned as well but didn't say anything. Time slowed. She waited for Lucifer to say something, anything, but no words left his mouth. His amber eyes remained locked on hers. They were cold and stony. She desperately wanted to break from his gaze but something compelled her to remain absolutely still. Her body tightened and her heartbeat quickened. He was rummaging around and it felt like he had pierced her soul.

Eventually a thin smile cracked his face, and Lucifer said, "You know my policies on such things."

Elizabeth didn't understand, but she quickly realized that he was addressing Belial, who nodded a few times in response. They had a silent conversation that she was not privileged to. Glancing at Belial, Lucifer nodded twice, and then abruptly turned and left. Elizabeth wasn't sure how he had gotten to the church. Maybe he flew. He definitely didn't drive, and instead walked towards the cemetery positioned behind the building.

Belial watched his master until he disappeared behind a large mausoleum. Glancing at the concrete beneath his feet, he shook his head and climbed into the car. Elizabeth was already seated and buckled. Arms crossed, she was chewing on the inside of her cheek and her leg shook nervously. Gripping the wheel, Belial eyed her from head to toe. To go home would be shame, especially with how great she looked. Biting his bottom lip, he asked, "Do you play pool?"

Glancing at him, Elizabeth said, "I used to."

Nodding, Belial threw the car into first gear. Taking a left out of the parking lot, they headed away from Elizabeth's house, and instead drove towards the city. There was a white building roughly halfway between the town she called home and the city. "White Diamonds" was written in bright neon letters on a huge sign positioned next to the highway. It was a large metal building that only had an appealing front façade. Inside were at least twenty pool tables and a large semi-circular bar that sat in the middle of the room, displaying every drink option available.

Handing the woman behind the bar his ID, Ben took the tray of pool balls from her with a smile. They played several rounds, and then took a break to order something to eat. There wasn't much of a selection and most of what the bar offered was greasy or fried, but that suited Elizabeth just fine. They each ordered a burger with fries and took a seat at the bar to eat.

"So what were you and Lu... well, you know, what were y'all talking about?"

Belial only glanced at her for a moment then returned to his burger. The silent treatment again. Elizabeth thought they were past that, but apparently she was wrong. The evening news was playing on one of TV's hanging behind the bar, and since Ben wasn't in the mood to talk, she turned her attention to that.

They did the weather report and a few local stories, and then switched to a young reporter standing outside the local police station. Nudging Ben with her elbow, Elizabeth pointed to the TV once she got his attention.

"... to police Chief Harvey Theroux, who had this to say about the crime."

"We have gotten the lab results back and so far they are inconclusive. The two men died from their wounds, which appeared to be made from a large sword or blade of some sort. There is still no evidence of anyone else being at the scene of the crime and we are currently offering a reward for anyone who can give us any information that might help us in our investigation."

"Chief Theroux declined to answer any questions about the feathers found at the scene..."

Belial glared at the TV. Humans had become so persistent. In the past, something like this would be blown over and forgotten, but not now. _Lucifer won't be happy when he finds out._

Elizabeth glanced at Ben between bites. He looked upset but didn't seem enraged like he had the last time they heard a report on the attack. After they finished eating, Elizabeth gave him a shove and motioned back towards the pool table. He was indifferent now but got up and followed her to the table anyway.

Racking the balls, Elizabeth glanced up when she heard a commotion to her right. Four young men now occupied the table next to theirs. They were drunk and weren't concerned about the noise they were making or the scene. Laughing loudly, they hollered and hooted at every woman who passed their table. Glaring, Belial kept his arms crossed and scowled at the men. They only made his mood worse, which in turn upset Elizabeth.

About halfway through the game, she'd had enough. She was determined to have a good time and wasn't about to let a grumpy demon or drunken idiots bring her down. The cue ball stopped near the brooding demon, so swaying over to it, she purposely bent down in front of him to make the shot, sticking her butt out as far as possible. Glancing down, Belial couldn't help but look. The dress she was wearing was tight, and it only accentuated her curves more when she bent over.

Sashaying to the other end of the table, Elizabeth leaned over again, this time pressing her arms together tightly to get a slight pop of cleavage. Belial's eyes were locked on her now. All thoughts of the men at the other table left him. This was a side of her he hadn't witnessed yet, and gripping his pool stick tighter, the wood creaked beneath his grasp.

Circling back around the table again, this time she had to nudge him back in order to get the shot she wanted. Bending, her butt almost touched his lap, and when she motioned to hit the ball, a soft bump from behind caused her to miss. Straightening, she saw a grin on Ben's face and was glad to see her tactics had worked. Within minutes he was able to sink all of his balls and the eight ball. Putting the pool sticks away, Belial returned the balls to the woman behind the bar and paid her.

Placing an arm around Elizabeth's waist, they turned to leave. They didn't make it very far. Passing the table occupied by the drunken men, Belial paused when they yelled at Elizabeth.

"Hey baby, come over here and we'll show you a good time." The man was thick around the waist and had dark, scruffy hair that desperately needed to be combed. His face was lined with stubble and his eyes were blood shot.

His friends had similar appearances, and the shortest member of the group decided to give his input. "Yeah, get over here and we'll show ya how real men do stuff."

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth pulled on Ben's arm, but he didn't move. Facing the table, his blue eyes turned fiery and a low, growl-like sound exited his throat.

All four men quickly shut their mouths. Taking a step away from Belial, they were completely stiff and their eyes never left the demon. Holding onto the pool table, the shortest one crouched behind it, and he looked like he was ready to run. Elizabeth wasn't sure what they were seeing, but it wasn't what she was seeing. Grabbing his hand firmly, she dragged him towards the exit. Pushing the door open, she heard one of the men yell after them. Pointing frantically at the couple leaving he tried to warn everyone in the building, "He's not human! Someone stop him! He's not human! I'm telling you!"

Without glancing back, Elizabeth pulled Ben out of the building and to his car. His eyes were narrow and hard. Opening the door violently, Elizabeth barely had time to close her door when he peeled out of the parking lot. The screeching of tires and the smell of burnt rubber infused the air. Gripping the door, her fingers hurt she was holding on so tight. "Can you slow down?"

He barely gave her a second glance and instead of slowing down, down-shifted and drove even faster. She was never more thankful that cars had seatbelts but even that knowledge didn't calm her nerves. Her stomach was in her throat and her heart was racing as fast as the car.

Speeding down the dark highway, Belial flew through a stop light when it turned red. Elizabeth's back was so tight that her shoulder started throbbing again. Holding onto the door with one hand and her seatbelt with the other, she yelled at the demon, "Damn it, Ben, slow down! You're going to get us killed!"

He gripped the steering wheel tightly. She could hear the leather stretching under his hands. Shaking his head, he glanced at her for a second and loosened his grip on the wheel. Taking his foot off the accelerator, the car slowly glided back down to the speed limit and Elizabeth let out a deep sigh of relief. Her muscles loosened all at once and, folding her hands in her lap, she was able to relax a little. "What happened back there?"

"What do you mean?"

"With that guy," she said. "What did you do to him?"

A sly grin parted his lips and he left it at that. From the evil look on his face, she was beginning to think that she didn't want to know and, crossing her legs, decided to sit silently for the rest of the ride. Staring out the window, she watched the moon duck in and out from behind the trees. It was almost full and glowing, creating a halo effect around the imperfect circle. Glancing back at Ben, she saw him staring at the rearview mirror every few seconds. There were a pair of headlights following a short distance behind.

"What's wrong?"

Glancing back in the rearview mirror again, he said, "We're being followed."

Looking back over her shoulder, she stared out the back glass and asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me."

His response was simple enough but Elizabeth still wasn't so sure. Turning off the main highway, he drove down one of the more deserted roads. There were no houses, only cane fields, and sure enough, the car followed. Belial continued to glance in the rearview mirror every few seconds, but the other car kept its distance. Frowning, he gripped the wheel and turned off the road onto a dirt path framed by cane fields. It was one of the lanes the farmers used to drive their tractors and other equipment through the fields. There were no lights except for the meager glow from the moon and the stars.

Stopping the car in the middle of the fields, Belial threw it into park and saw the other car pull up behind them slowly. Turning around in her seat, Elizabeth watched the car creep to a stop and the headlights switch off. Belial's eyes never left the rearview mirror. "Stay in the car," he said. "Lock the doors."

"What?"

Without another word he opened the door and slid out the car. "Hey, wait!" Elizabeth said. "What are you doing?!"

Slamming the door in her face, he glared at the other car. Hearing more car doors close, Elizabeth turned her attention back to the other vehicle. Two dark figures emerged from it. Wings shot out of Belial's back. He was ready for battle and already had his sword drawn. Elizabeth stared at the crystal weapon. It perplexed her. It wasn't there but then the second he wanted it... boom, there it was.

One of the dark figures approached Belial slowly. A gleam at his side caught her attention. A cloud of white shot of out the figure's back and he was next to Belial in an instant. The battle had started in a blink on an eye. Watching the fight was like watching a whirlwind. Their movements were swift and fluid. It was graceful, more like a dance than a battle. They barely touched the ground and glided over it more than anything.

Belial was on the defensive. The other being flew at him with incredible speed. Elizabeth was so captivated by the battle that she completely forgot about the second figure that had emerged from the other vehicle. A weak scream escaped her lips when the door next to her swung open. Leap-frogging over the shifter, she slid into the driver's seat. Bending, the angel climbed into the car to grab her, but was too slow. She barely paused and was out the driver side door in an instant.

"Elizabeth!" Belial barely had time to yell to her. His attacker wasn't giving him an inch and was determined to keep him occupied and away from her.

Climbing out the car, the second angel scanned the area for her. She hadn't stopped, not even when Belial called to her and was running out into the cane fields. Striding around the car, he started the chase. There was no need to fly. She was slow and the hunt was always more fun.

Racing through the fields, Elizabeth ran and leapt rows as fast as she could in heels. Glancing over her shoulder she could see the angel walking after her. He was toying with her. He could have flown and caught her in an instant but didn't.

Running on her toes, she nearly tripped several times. Her ankles hurt and her heart was working overtime trying to send enough oxygen to her cells. Her breaths were growing ragged but she couldn't stop. She could hear the angel. He was only a few feet behind her and gaining. Looking over her shoulder again, she tried to see where he was, but it was too dark to make out anything.

Letting out a weak scream, she hit the ground with a thud. The earth had disappeared beneath her feet. She was now lying in the dirt in the middle of a ditch. Her ankle was killing her and he shoulder throbbed. At least she wasn't wet. Crawling against the bank of the ditch, she plastered herself to the side of it. Slowing her breathing, she listened to the footsteps somewhere above her. He couldn't see her.

Remaining perfectly still, the footsteps slowly moved away. Barely moving, she tried to look around. There was nothing but fields to her left, but to her right, there was a tall black mass in the distance. That had to be a row of trees; at least, she hoped it was a row of trees. Staying low to the ground, she crawled through the ditch towards the black form. The farther she went the quicker her heart beat in anticipation. She was going to make it, the trees were in sight; they were so close.

"There you are."

Her heart dropped straight into her stomach. Scrambling she raced towards the trees. Loose dirt kicked up under her feet, slowing her down and stumbling she struggled to get off the ground. Hands grabbed her arms, pulling her forcefully upwards. Her feet left the ground for a split second, but then he dropped her. She wasn't far off the ground so it didn't hurt, but confusion set in.

Rolling over, she saw Ben. He had found her and was on top of her would-be abductor, beating him into the ground. The other angel was nowhere to be seen, but that was a good thing in her book.

Feeling the angel was no longer a threat, Belial tried to interrogate him. "Who sent you?!"

The angel didn't move. Picking herself off the ground, Elizabeth made a poor attempt at dusting off. "I think you killed him."

Shaking his head, Belial's eyes never left the angel. "No, he's alive."

Sure enough, only a few seconds later the angel moaned. He was a bloody mess and didn't seem to register their presence anymore. "Ben, can we go?" Elizabeth said. "I just want to go home."

Grumbling, he glanced at her for a second. Then he looked back at the angel. "Fine, come on."

Smiling, Elizabeth limped back towards the car. Her ankle was sore. She had twisted it while running, so walking back was more of a chore than a pleasure. Belial watched her struggle for a few minutes, but eventually was fed up by the slow pace and, picking her up, carried her back to the car.

She was never more thankful to see the car. It was her own personal Heaven, her sanctuary. Settling into the seat, a deep sigh of relief left her body when the engine turned over. Swinging the car around, a cloud of dirt surrounded them. Belial sped back to the road and, bumping back onto the pavement, took a moment to check on her. "Are you hurt?"

Shaking her head, she stared out the window. "No, I'm okay. Thanks."

"You were limping."

"I was running in heels in the middle of a cane field." It came out a little more snarky than she intended. Belial glared at her skeptically so running a hand through her hair she elaborated, "I think I twisted my ankle, but it's fine, I'll walk it off." Nodding, he didn't say anything else.

Arriving at the house, he exited the car with amazing speed and circled around to open her door before she knew what was happening. Escorting her to the house, he allowed her place her weight on him to ease the pain in her ankle. Helping her up the porch steps, he opened the front door as well and, closing it behind them, scanned the yard meticulously through the window.

"What are you doing?"

Spinning around, he smiled brilliantly. "Nothing."

"Right."

Elizabeth was skeptical but was too tired to get into it. Yawning, she trudged up the stairs slowly, leaning on the banister for support. At the top of the stairs she turned towards the bedroom but was abruptly stopped and instead found herself pinned against the wall. Belial was firmly pressed against her within seconds, his lips locking onto hers. After being attacked and running for her life she really wasn't in the mood, but he fixed that within a few short seconds. His lips were warm and his tongue moved expertly causing her heart to race.

They quickly found a comfortable rhythm and, running his hands up and down her sides, he examined every curve. Her heart was pounding and she could feel her body throbbing with lust. A bulge formed under his pants and feeling it pressed against her, Elizabeth thought she was going to explode.

His hands ran along her thighs and in one quick movement, her legs were wrapped around his waist and his hands had a firm hold of her butt. She held onto his back when he lifted her from the wall and carried her to his room. His bed was just as soft as she remembered and the sheets felt silky against her skin. He was straddled on top of her and his hands and mouth never stopped.

Moving from her lips, he kissed her neck. Sliding an arm under her, he wrapped it around her waist while stroking her leg with his other hand. She'd never felt so good before and was ready to take him in completely, but suddenly he stopped. He remained completely still and his eyes were locked on something outside the window.

Turning from under him, Elizabeth was able to cock her head enough to see a glowing figure outside the window. It was Crocell. He glowed even more now that the sun was gone and a frown was plastered across his face. Letting out a weak squeak, Elizabeth squirmed out from under Belial and quickly dashed out of the room. It wasn't the most grown-up response but she didn't want to be in that room for whatever they had to discuss. Crocell scared her in a primal sort of way.

Sighing, she took off her shoes and went to her room to get ready for bed. Her whole body was awake but it was late and she needed to get caught up with a lot of house work in the morning. Deciding it was for the best, she crawled under the sheets and tried to sleep.

Glaring at Crocell, Belial slid off the bed slowly and opened the window for the demon. Sliding into the room with ease, Crocell closed the window behind him while Belial shut the door to the room.

"You forget your place, Belial. That woman is not yours."

Smirking, Belial took a seat on the edge of the bed. "What do you want, Crocell?"

"Lucifer is not pleased with your lack of progress."

Glaring at the glowing demon, he responded coldly, "Then maybe he should send someone else. She's stubborn and headstrong; he should be able to relate to that. Besides, I was making progress until you showed up."

Crocell smiled. "Is that what we're calling it now?" Glaring at Belial the demon continued, "You know why he sent you."

Standing, Belial paced around the room. "Yeah, I know why, so he needs to be patient and let me do what I need to. It was his idea not to force her. If he wants her to come willingly, then he needs to let me work."

"Just be careful you do not break any laws along the way," Crocell said. "I would hate to see you punished."

Smirking at the demon, Belial said, "I'm sure you would."

"Any more news on the angels?"

Shaking his head, Belial said, "No. They attacked again tonight, but I couldn't get any information out of them."

Crocell's eyes narrowed. Frowning, he walked to the window and slid it open. "Very well. I will let him know. Oh and Belial--be sure not to really fall for her. It would be a shame if she would be promised to someone else in the end."

Belial glared at the demon when he slid out the window. Damn Crocell. Shutting the window, he leaned on the frame for a moment, staring out into the darkness. This was supposed to be a simple job. Come in, gain her trust, and get her to join Lucifer. He knew he was supposed to remain ambivalent towards her, but Lucifer had to know that would be impossible. Even though she was only half-demon, her blood called to him just like it would to any demon. Letting out a sigh, he stared at the ceiling.

Circling towards the door, he opened it and paused. Moving slowly, he crept towards her room and peeked inside. She was in bed already. That was for the best. Turning, he returned to his room for the night.

Chapter 14

Elizabeth woke early the next morning. Her eyes felt tired and a thin layer of crust was holding them shut. She had a lot of work to catch up on, though, so it was time to take a shower. The water was warm and with every passing minute she felt a little more awake. After the shower, she ate a small breakfast, and then immediately headed downstairs to continue installing the drywall. She hadn't gotten too far in the kitchen yet and was determined to finish it today.

After an hour the front door opened and closed, and then she heard the rumble of a car engine. Ben was awake and in a hurry to leave. That was fine with her. She'd get more work done without any of his distractions. She was able to finish the kitchen and laundry room by lunch and then after a short break, she moved onto the hallway and foyer. She'd only been working for a few minutes when the crunching of gravel caught her attention.

Her initial thought was that Ben was back, but looking out the window she could see a small black car coming down the driveway. It parked next to hers and, waiting by the door, Elizabeth held it open for her friend. Claire took in the progress slowly and carefully. Nodding her head in approval, she said, "You look busy. Is this a bad time?"

"Nah," Elizabeth said. "It'll be nice to have some company. So what's up?"

Elizabeth finished screwing in the panel she had been working on while Claire dragged a small stool over to her. After taking a seat she said, "Not too much. Working mostly. How 'bout you?"

"Same."

They remained silent for a minute while Elizabeth screwed in another drywall panel. "Nicole's sister is getting married."

Elizabeth stopped to think before asking, "Her half-sister?"

"Yeah," Claire said. "She was dating this guy for a few years, apparently, and with everything that's happened, I guess they figured they'd better do it while they can."

That made sense to Elizabeth. She couldn't remember her name, but knew she was nearing thirty--not a bad age to tie the knot.

"Rachel is dating someone now too."

"Oh, really?" Elizabeth said. That caught her attention. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to date her, although that was probably because they didn't get along too well.

"Yeah," Claire said. "He's kinda nerdy but they seem to get along really well. I've only met him once."

Moving the next piece of drywall into place, Elizabeth thought for a moment. "I haven't talked to her since that night at the club."

"Yeah," Claire said. "I've only seen her once since the funeral. It just feels too weird without... well, you know."

Elizabeth nodded to herself, lifting the drywall into place. It was nice seeing Claire again. Even when they weren't talking it was pleasant having her there. It felt like things were getting back to normal, although that was never really a good thing to think.

Claire watched her silently for a few minutes, and then randomly asked, "Did you ever call that guy?"

"What guy?"

"What do you mean what guy?" Claire said. "How many guys do you meet? The one from the club."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth bent to grab a few more screws. "Nah. I haven't had much time lately." Really, she had deleted the number, but Claire didn't need to know that.

"I actually met his friend a few nights ago," Claire said. "He took me to dinner."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Claire said. "He called me so I figured, why not? His friend's really into you. You should call him."

Letting out a sigh, Elizabeth wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Yeah, well, I kind of threw his number away."

"That figures." Claire rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first number Elizabeth had magically lost. "You're gonna come with me, okay?"

"Go with you where?" said Elizabeth.

"I'm going out with that guy again," Claire said. "Come with and I'll tell him to bring his friend. It'll be fun."

"Claire, I really don't..."

"No! You're coming, you big sour puss!" Claire said. "It's just dinner. It's not like I'm asking you to marry the guy."

"Fine. Alright. I'll come."

Claire had a smug look. Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth fetched another sheet of drywall. They talked and worked until it was close to dinnertime. By then she had finished the foyer and hall, and with a little help from Claire she was able to make it into what would be her future bedroom. It was quitting time. Picking up the tools and leftover materials, the girls laughed when their stomachs growled. They joked and reminisced about the past, and with all the noise they were making, they didn't hear the car pull up the driveway or the door open. Turning to leave, they screamed when they saw Ben standing in the doorway. He was leaning casually against the door frame with a broad smile on his face. He looked like he was up to no good, and probably wasn't.

Not wasting any time, Elizabeth immediately introduced the two. "Claire, this is Ben. Ben, Claire." There was an awkward silence after that. Elizabeth knew Claire had recognized him from her stunned expression but she wasn't ready to have that conversation yet. To avoid having to explain his presence, Elizabeth raced upstairs to get cleaned up.

By the time she finished her shower Ben and Claire had moved upstairs as well and were talking softly in the small makeshift kitchen. Ben was heating something in a small bowl and Claire had a drink in front of her. They didn't notice Elizabeth at first. She contemplated heading back to her room but was soon spotted by Ben when he turned away from the microwave.

Their conversation stopped, and all eyes were on Elizabeth. Her confidence shrank exponentially and she wondered what they had been talking about.

Taking a seat next to Claire, she immediately said, "Elizabeth, you didn't tell me you had a roommate."

"I guess it slipped my mind."

Ben raised an eyebrow. He wasn't buying her complacent attitude and was quick to chime in, "What Elizabeth hasn't told you is that I've been staying here for a few weeks now. In fact, I've been trying to get her to date me, but she's been quite reluctant."

Elizabeth's cheeks burned. She could only imagine what shade of red she was turning. Cocking her head, Claire stared at her friend in disbelief. "He's exaggerating," Elizabeth said. "We've hung out a little, but he's never once asked me out on a real date."

Claire rolled her eyes. She wasn't buying a word of what Elizabeth had said. "So do you still want to come to dinner with me and the guys?" Claire asked. "I wouldn't have asked if you said you were dating someone already."

"We're not dating!"

Wide-eyed, Claire took a long gulp of her drink and looked away. Ben was intrigued now and crossing his arms, he leaned back in his chair. "Going out with what guys?"

This was the last thing Elizabeth needed. "It's nothing," she said. "Just some guys we met at a club."

Frowning, Ben said, "You can't go."

"Excuse me?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he restated, "You can't go."

Pointing a finger at his face, Elizabeth said, "You can't tell me where I can and can't go! You're just my guest! And you're not even paying me to stay here, ya big mooch!"

Gulping down what was left of her drink, Claire popped out of her chair and said her farewells. "Well, apparently you two have a lot to talk about so I'm just going to get out of here. It's been nice catching up with you, Liz."

"Yeah, same here," Elizabeth said. "Call me when you figure out what day you want to go eat."

Nodding silently, Claire waved and quickly exited the room. An awkward silence took over the small kitchen until they heard the front door close.

"Well, she was nice," Ben said. "Kind of dull, but I guess all humans are."

"Excuse me?"

He shrugged his shoulders and took a bite of his dinner. Glaring at him, Elizabeth didn't like his condescending tone. "Oh, come on," Ben said. "You have to admit human life is boring on the whole."

The conversation was quickly going nowhere. Standing, Elizabeth ignored him and searched the fridge for something to eat. Nothing. _That figures._ Heading for the stairs, it sounded like an elephant was tearing apart the small kitchen. Ignoring the noise, Elizabeth grabbed her purse and opened the door to see Ben racing down the stairs towards her. "Where are you going?" he said.

"I'm going get some food."

"Good. I'll come too."

Pushing past her, he was out the door before she could blink. She wanted to say something but was too tired to think of anything so, shrugging, she locked the house and got into the car. Ben was already in the passenger seat. He had no intentions of driving this time.

Heading into the city, Elizabeth sang quietly to the radio while Ben stared out the window. She didn't want to go too far and pulled into a Wendy's near the edge of the city limits. Belial never said a word the entire time, but paid for dinner after they ordered. He was enjoying his burger but Elizabeth had a few questions she was hoping to have answered. "So where did you go this morning?"

He didn't look up from his dinner and continued to eat without a second glance. "Okay," Elizabeth said, "can you at least tell me what Crocell wanted last night?"

That question got a response albeit a bad one. Glaring over his burger, he looked like he was trying to burn holes into her head. Frowning, he chewed his food slowly, staring at her the entire time. Taking a gulp of her drink, Elizabeth decided to drop the subject. They finished their dinner in silence and the drive back was equally quiet.

Entering the house, Elizabeth set her purse down and locked the door. Belial walked around the bottom floor, poking his head into every room.

"What are you doing?"

Stopping at the end of the hall, he turned towards her and said, "You've been busy."

Nodding her head, Elizabeth didn't wait for a reply. Heading upstairs she went straight to her room and changed into pajamas. Pulling a robe on, she walked to the small sitting room to watch TV. It still wasn't late enough to go to bed, so television seemed like the next best option. She was a little sore and her feet ached from being on them all day. Falling onto the couch, she flipped channels for a minute until Belial requested, "Do you mind if we watch Animal Planet?"

Shrugging, she agreed, since there was nothing else on. It was a show about the ocean-- something about fish or the reefs. Definitely not Elizabeth's taste, but Belial was captivated by it. Resting her head against the back of the couch, she zoned out. During a commercial he glanced at her curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh and without thinking asked, "How's Lucifer?"

Belial flinched and his eyes narrowed. Looking at the floor, he said, "How did you know I saw him?"

"Lucky guess? Whenever you run off and won't tell me where you've gone it's normally because you went to see him."

"First off," he said, "I don't run off, and second, I don't tell you because I'm ordered not to."

He didn't sound too convincing but she really wasn't in the mood to argue so she let it go. Belial was in a chatty mood, however, and after a short pause said, "Lucifer wishes you well. However, he warned me, and I feel I should tell you since you're so stubborn... the angels will stop at nothing. If they find you, they'll kill you."

She'd been attacked several times by now but was still having a hard time accepting that her attackers were angels. "Are they really that bad? I mean, how do we know they're even angels? I was always told angels will protect you, not harm you."

"When He is awake, that is the case, but since He's taking His rest, they are left to their own devices. Angels are just as power-hungry as humans. They will kill you. Make no mistake." He was serious. His voice and eyes were cold and stony. All of this talk was making her sick. Why did this happen to her? Standing, she decided the best course of action was to go to bed. Belial didn't try to stop her. She was glad because she was tired and just wanted to sleep.

She was relieved the next day was Monday. She was looking forward to going back to work. It was reassuring being around normal people and nice to get away from Ben. He was always watching her and telling her what to do, so it was refreshing to be alone from time to time. The horses were excited to see her as usual, and as silly as it might sound, it was good to feel needed, even if it was only by horses. The whole morning went smoothly and Elizabeth took her normal spot under a large tree for lunch. The air was warm and thick but it wasn't uncomfortable yet.

After lunch she headed back to the stables without seeing anyone. The owners had to be busy. No one was moving about the house or the property. At least she didn't have to stop and talk to anyone. Who knew what they'd heard about Ben and her.

The rest of the day passed quickly and soon it was time to bring the horses in from pasture. The mares were always easy to coax in, but the males... not so much. She normally had to bring them in one at a time and today was no exception. Leading the last horse into its stall, an unfamiliar voice sounded behind her, "Excuse me?"

Turning, Elizabeth saw a tall man with brown hair and eyes. He was dressed simply enough and was looking around curiously. "Can I help you?" Elizabeth said. "How did you get in here?"

He had such a pleasant smile that it was contagious. Closing the stall door behind her, Elizabeth grinned back at him weakly. The man walked over to the stall and leaned on the door while she removed the horse's halter. "I'm parked on the side of the road on the other side of the fence," the man said. "I'm a bit lost and when I saw you I was hoping to get some directions."

"Where do you need to go?"

"Here."

Turning, she saw a small paper in his hand. Holding it out to her, Elizabeth took the paper to see what was scribbled on it. She recognized the location immediately. "Yeah, this is about three miles back the other way. It's a little set back from the road and the sign's pretty small, but if you head the other way it'll be on the right."

Handing the paper back to him with a smile, the man thanked her. He left without another word. Elizabeth watched him closely while he exited the stable and jumped a nearby fence that marked the edge of the property. Shrugging it off, she finished brushing down the horse and put away the remaining equipment. After feeding the horses again it was time to go.

The drive home was relaxing. She took her time, driving below the speed limit with the radio blaring. Singing the entire way, she belted every song that played. This was the first normal day she'd had in a while and it was great.

Pulling into the driveway, Ben's car was already parked near the house and the lights were on inside. She was beginning to get used to the idea that she wouldn't be coming home to an empty house anymore and it put a little extra pep in her step. Throwing her purse in its usual spot, she bounced up the stairs. Reaching the top step, she barely had a chance to gain her footing when Ben jumped out from around the corner. Slamming her against the wall, his hands dug into her shoulders with great force causing her to wince in pain.

Looking her over, his eyes narrowed. Spinning around, he pressed his back against her and growled. "Where is he?"

Elizabeth was having issues breathing under his weight. Pushing on his back she tried to move him. "Where's who?" she said. "What are you talking about?"

Turning slowly, his eyes darted in every direction, still not convinced that they were alone. Taking a deep breath, he smelled it again--that distinctive scent. Leaning close, Belial placed his hands on the wall so she couldn't get away. Sniffing, he tested the air around her neck and moved down her body from there. Reaching her left hand, he took in a deep breath. Holding her hand, he raised it to his nose and took in the scent one more time.

"You reek of angel," he said. "I thought one was in the house the smell is so strong. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

Elizabeth was having a hard time registering what he was saying. Rubbing her temples, she shook her head. "I'm fine. I didn't see anyone all day."

Belial glared at her. Grabbing her hand again, he squeezed it. He knew what he smelled, and it didn't get there by chance. Blinking, it suddenly hit her, "Oh yeah. I did see someone today, right before I left."

His face perked up. He was all ears. "A man came into the barn when I was getting ready to leave," Elizabeth said. "He was asking for directions."

Cocking an eyebrow at her, Belial groaned. His face said it all: he didn't believe her, not even a little bit. Yanking her hand away, she pushed past him and V-lined for the shower. She remained motionless for the first few minutes, allowing the water to flow over her before washing. Grabbing the soap, she scrubbed her skin roughly, washing and rinsing several times. She didn't know what he had smelled but she was determined to get it off.

After the shower she pulled on a simple cotton T-shirt and shorts, and then headed into the kitchen for dinner. To her surprise, the table was already set. Ben had picked up hamburgers. He was already seated and eating when she walked in, but paused when she took a seat. He was trying to be inconspicuous but Elizabeth could see his nose twitching ever so slightly. Testing the air, he was satisfied with the results and without a word continued eating.

The burgers were good and Elizabeth quickly devoured the food. Belial was acting strange, though. He was melancholic all through dinner. He even cleared the table and washed the dishes, which was out of the ordinary. Not letting it get to her, Elizabeth moved to the sitting room and turned on the TV. The news was on and they were covering a topic she had a great interest in.

"... Although they still haven't been able to identify the deceased and no leads have proven useful. No report has been filed on the mysterious feathers found at the scene and police are saying they speculate that the cause was due to a flock of ducks or geese that happened to be in the area at the time of the incident. The police chief declined to comment. Now onto the weather and this week's forec..."

The channel suddenly changed to Animal Planet. She hadn't noticed Belial enter the room but after changing the channel he took a seat next to her on the couch. He was content to watch the TV in silence but Elizabeth had grown curious. "Do you think they know what the feathers are really from?"

He didn't move and his eyes never left the screen. Looking away, she was exasperated. He was giving her the silent treatment again. Leaning back, Belial placed an arm along the top of the couch and, still deep in thought, responded, "I don't know. They definitely know they're not from a bird but I'm not sure if they'll figure it out, or if they'll even want to. Most humans are content living with the unknown and they'd rather not find out something strange and unexplainable is out there, living among them."

His explanation made a lot of sense. It would cause a lot of unrest if people knew demons were walking around and angels were trying to kill people. Religious organizations might actually fall apart.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "Lucifer already has men on it. They won't find out anything."

Elizabeth had forgotten that Lucifer was there as well. So he had just as much to lose as Belial and her if the police discovered anything. Shrugging, she accepted his response and settled into the couch to watch whatever animal show was playing. Belial was still deep in thought, though, and was staring blankly into space.

"He really didn't try to attack you or anything?" he said. "The angel, that is."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Why?"

Retreating inwards, he wasn't sure what it meant. "The smell, his smell... it was the same one that was outside here last week."

Elizabeth's heart sank. It felt like it had skipped a beat. She wasn't worried until he said that and now all she could think about was how she could be in serious danger. Why was this guy following her? Cocking her head, she looked out the window. The sun had set and it was nearly pitch black outside. He could be out there right now and she would have no idea.

Suddenly she was pulled backwards. Letting out a piercing scream, her breath quickened but then she heard Ben's familiar laugh behind her. Wrapping an arm around her waist he held her to him. A calming rush passed through her body. Relaxing, she allowed her head to rest on his shoulder. They sat on the couch for almost another hour like that until it was time for bed. Retiring to their respective rooms, Elizabeth laid under the covers but sleep avoided her. Instead she tossed and turned for a few hours.

Eventually she gave up and crawled out of bed. Walking towards Ben's room slowly, she peeked around the corner. It was so dark that she couldn't see much, but he was definitely in bed. Letting out a sigh, she turned to go back to her room. A soft patting sound caused her to pause. Looking back into the room, a dark hand was tapping the top of the bed. Tip-toeing into the room, Belial scooted over to make room for her. Without hesitation she slid under the covers and his arm fell over her waist. She could feel his body shift closer to hers. He was so close they were almost touching. It was strangely comfortable and soon she drifted to sleep.

Chapter 15

"Ah, come in. How is she?"

"She's doing fine. She's at work."

"Is it wise to let her go alone like that?"

Taking a seat across from Lucifer, he replied, "I took precautions and have someone watching her from a distance."

Nodding Lucifer approved. "Good. I need her alive and unharmed."

"Yes, sir, I know."

Glaring at his subordinate, Lucifer said, "I've heard reports that you are developing feelings for her."

"Crocell is just upset that you didn't entrust him with the task, that is all."

"Hmph. Just keep her alive and keep your distance for now. Once the attacks stop then you can put your bid in for her. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is there anything else I should know about?"

Glancing at the floor, he thought for a moment. "She's going out tomorrow night."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed. Glancing up at the demon, he grew curious. "Going out with whom?"

"A friend of hers and some boys they met several weeks ago."

Staring at the demon coldly, Lucifer said, "She can't go. I don't care what you have to do to stop her but make sure that they're not left alone. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

A couple of days passed. Thankfully they were completely uneventful. She went to work and came home. There were no surprises or angels or anything else waiting for her, only Ben. Claire had called her a few days earlier, and tonight she was supposed to meet her for dinner. The two boys that they had met at the club were going to meet them at the restaurant and Elizabeth was strangely looking forward to going out on an actual date. It had been months since she'd been on one, so the prospect put a little extra pep in her step.

Jogging into the house, she tossed her purse down and raced up the stairs. She had stayed at work a little longer than normal. One of the horses needed his hooves trimmed and was being a baby about it. Now she was covered in dirt, sweat, and other foul things, but she was also running late. Charging straight into the bathroom, she immediately turned the water on and raced back to her closet.

"Hey, you want to go to dinner tonight?"

"Can't," Elizabeth said. "I'm going out with Claire, remember?"

Leaning against the doorframe, he grumbled, "I thought I told you that you couldn't go. Remember?"

Glancing at Ben, Elizabeth shot him a dirty look. "Last I checked you're not the boss of me, remember?"

Frowning, he marched into her room, but she was in a hurry. Grabbing her clothes, she raced back into the bathroom and locked the door before he could interrupt her. Pounding on the door, he yelled through the wooden barrier, "Lucifer is going to be pissed if he finds out you went on a date with a human!"

Stepping into the bathtub, she reveled in the hot water. "Is Lucifer going to be pissed," Elizabeth yelled back, "or are _you_ going to be pissed?"

Silence. Good. Washing off quickly, she jumped out of the tub and blow-dried her hair straight. Although she had no plans on this turning into a serious relationship, she wanted to look her best just in case. After applying a light coating of makeup, she braced herself. Unlocking the door, she opened it cautiously. The cool air from the bedroom rushed into the small bathroom. Poking her head out, she noticed that Ben was nowhere to be seen.

Slipping on a pair of heels, she glanced around the room carefully, examining every corner. She even knelt down and peeked under the bed--but no Ben. Walking to the stairs, she announced loudly, "I'm leaving!"

Cocking her head, she listened for something, anything, but heard nothing. He was so mad; surely he'd try to stop her from leaving. Moving slowly, she poked her head into every room but he wasn't there. Shrugging, she pranced down the stairs and called again, just in case: "Ben, I'm leaving!"

Standing by the door, she waited for a response, but none came. Walking outside, she locked the door behind her. He must have gone to tell Lucifer. Well, good for him. He could tell Lucifer all he wanted; she was still going.

Cranking the music up in the car, she drove straight to Claire's apartment. Elizabeth had offered to drive since it made no sense taking more than one car if they were going to the same place. Claire was already waiting outside, sitting on the steps leading up to her apartment when Elizabeth pulled into the complex. Jumping up, she bounded over to the car before Elizabeth had a chance to park. Opening the door, Claire reprimanded her friend, "You're late."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Was Ben giving you a hard time about coming?"

"Kind of," Elizabeth said. "But he's not the reason I'm running behind. I got held up at work. The stallion was being a turd."

Flipping radio stations, Claire laughed. She couldn't stand listening to commercials on the radio and switched stations until she found a song she liked. Bouncing and swaying in the seats, they belted the words at the top of their lungs. The restaurant wasn't very far from Claire's apartment, so within a few minutes Elizabeth was parking the car.

Their dates were already there. They were waiting outside on a bench near the main doors. Smiling, the girls strode up casually, pretending that they were on time. Their dates didn't mind their tardiness, and after exchanging pleasantries, everyone headed inside.

After being seated, drink orders were taken and an appetizer was ordered. Everyone was relatively quiet while they looked over the menus but once the appetizer arrived, the boys opened up.

"So where do you live, Elizabeth?"

"She lives out in the boondocks," Claire joked, smiling brilliantly. Nudging her friend with her elbow, Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"If you leave the city and start driving south," Elizabeth said, "you'll come to a small town..."

"Oh yeah, I know where you're talking about."

"Yeah, well, I live just south of there on the river." Taking another chip, she watched the hostess sit another table near theirs.

"That area is pretty well off. Do you still live with your parents or something?"

Glancing back at the guys, Elizabeth wasn't sure if the question was directed at her or not. All eyes were on her, though. Claire looked a little sad but this was a conversation she was slowly getting more used to. Clearing her throat, Elizabeth took a sip of her drink and said, "Um, no, I live alone. My parents are deceased."

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"No, it's fine," Elizabeth tried to reassure him. He looked really upset but she didn't mind. Most people her age still had their parents and a good chunk of them lived at home, so it was a valid question. Not wanting him to feel more awkward than he already did, she elaborated, "They died in a plane crash earlier this year, but it's fine."

"I'm so sorry."

The waiter showed back up, creating a much-needed distraction. They ordered the entrées and an awkward silence took hold of the table. Taking another chip, Elizabeth nearly choked. Claire gripped her arm with excessive force, shaking her violently. "Ow, what?"

Claire tried to whisper but did a poor job of it. "Oh my God, he followed you here."

Glancing to where she was pointing, Elizabeth saw the hostess not only seating Ben, but also Lucifer. Rolling her eyes, she stared at the ceiling. They were worse than over protective parents. How embarrassing. At least Claire didn't know who Lucifer was.

"Who's that?"

Elizabeth didn't answer but Claire was too eager to explain to her date who the blond bombshell sitting a few tables away was. "That's Elizabeth's roommate."

"You live with a guy?" Elizabeth's date didn't sound concerned but intrigued. "What, is he gay or something?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth looked back at the demons. "No," she said. "Definitely not gay."

"Who's the guy with him?"

That was a question even Claire didn't know the answer to. Running her fingers though her hair, Elizabeth looked back at the table. "That's one of his friends. He's a bit of a control freak."

"What's his name?"

"Uh, I don't remember," Elizabeth said.

The boys continued to stare at the demons. This was just great. This was the last thing she needed. All she wanted was a quiet evening out with no demons--and not only did Ben follow her, but he brought Lucifer with him. Although it could have been worse; he could have brought Crocell, which definitely would have attracted some attention.

"He didn't really follow you here, did he?"

Chewing on another chip, Elizabeth thought about her date's question. "No," she said. "I actually think it's pure coincidence. He said he wanted to go out tonight, and he really likes hamburgers."

"This place does have a really good burger."

They all nodded in unison. Thankfully the waiter returned with the food shortly after, ending the conversation about the nosy demons. They both would be hearing about this; Dark Lord or not, Lucifer was going to get a piece of her mind.

She ate in silence. The rest of her company carried on a conversation but she had too much on her mind to pay attention. Her date noticed her lack of enthusiasm, but Elizabeth was pretty sure after tonight he wouldn't want to see her again anyway. Ben had done a good job at closing that door. At least the food was good.

When the waiter brought the check, Elizabeth's date was quick to stop him before he could leave. "Excuse me, this isn't right. You didn't charge one of our meals."

Smiling, the waiter explained, "It's already been paid for. The gentlemen at the table over there took care of it."

Lifting her head towards the ceiling, Elizabeth closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. That motherfucker! What the hell was wrong with him? Shaking her head, Elizabeth decided that she wanted to kill him right there, in front of everyone. Her hands clinched into fists and Claire said, "You okay?"

"No, Claire. I'm not okay," Elizabeth said. "I'm going to pummel that piece of shit when I get home."

Their dates remained silent, although she didn't expect them to say anything. She was sure this would go down in history as the worst date ever. Standing to leave, she glanced at the table where Ben and Lucifer had been sitting. They were gone. Good. Moving slowly, the group made their way outside. Stopping short, Elizabeth barely made it out the door of the restaurant. The demons hadn't left; they had only relocated.

Shaking her head, she rested her hand on the top of her forehead. Sliding her hand down her face, she had to fight every instinct to scream. A soft hand touched her shoulder and glancing to her right, she saw her date standing close. "Um," he said, "we're going to go have a few drinks if you want to come."

Smiling weakly, she said, "I'm really sorry about all of this. I don't know what's gotten into him. He's never acted like this before."

"No, it's cool. I get it." Pausing, he glanced down and said, "Well, it was nice meeting you."

"Yeah, same here."

Claire walked up to her after the guys wandered towards their car. "We're going get some drinks."

"Yeah, I know," Elizabeth said. "I'm just going to head home. You think one of them will be able to give you a ride?"

Nodding, Claire said, "Yeah, don't worry about it." Glancing over her shoulder at Ben and the other man, she mumbled, "Be careful, okay? There's something off with that guy."

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed. Smiling, Claire hugged her friend. "Maybe we can do something with Rachel over the weekend."

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed. She wasn't too keen on seeing Rachel but she did enjoy hanging out with Claire. "Yeah, sounds good. Just figure out what y'all want to do and give me a call."

Jogging to catch up with the guys, Claire waved goodbye to her friend. Letting out a sigh, it was now time for Elizabeth to confront her demons. They were leaning on the hood of Ben's car, arms crossed and talking softly. The conversation came to an abrupt halt when Elizabeth approached, but neither demon said anything to her.

"All right," Elizabeth said. "You happy now?"

Grinning, Lucifer inquired, "Why didn't you introduce us to your date? I was looking forward to meeting him."

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth crossed her arms. "Sure you were." Spinning, she took a seat on the hood of Ben's car. "Well, he's gone now. Never to call again. Congratulations! You two are officially the best cockblockers in the history of cockblocking."

"Don't be upset," Lucifer said. "He was a mere mortal; hardly worth your time."

Glaring at Lucifer, she wanted to slap the grin off his face. "News flash," she said. "I'm mortal too, ya know." Tapping her finger on the hood of the car, she smiled. "Oh, and paying for my food? Bravo. That was just classic."

Belial frowned and looked away. He actually looked a little embarrassed. This whole thing was probably Lucifer's idea, but she still didn't feel bad for him. He was the one who ran off to tell on her after all.

"Stop that," Lucifer said.

Glaring at him, Elizabeth inquired rudely, "Stop what?"

"That incessant noise." She had forgotten that her finger was still tapping Ben's car. She had tuned the noise out but promptly stopped at his request. Sliding off the car, she took only a few steps when Lucifer questioned, "Where are you going?"

Whipping around, she walked backwards, "To my car, to go home, where I will live out the rest of my lonely life as a spinster, only to be missed by the ungodly amount of cats I will adopt at some point. If that's okay with you, Mr. All High and Mighty."

Taking a step away from the car, Elizabeth thought Lucifer was going to go after her but instead he turned towards Belial. "Follow her home and deal with her. I have more pressing matters which need my attention."

Belial nodded at Lucifer but Elizabeth was flat out upset. Turning back around, she flew to her car and started the engine the second she was seated. She wasn't going to wait for him. He knew the way back. Peeling out of the parking lot, she sped back to her house. Once there, she raced into the house, locking the door behind her. Belial had a key but she was hoping that he'd get the hint and leave her alone.

Leaning against the door, she stared into the dark house. The rumble of Belial's car reached her ears. He was already there. Sighing, she dropped her purse on the floor and trudged up the stairs. Yawning, she turned towards the kitchen to get a glass of water. She was nearing the doorway when a soft voice caused her to pause. Her heart stopped and her body tensed up.

"There you are. I was beginning to think you were going to make me wait all night."

Shifting, Elizabeth glanced to her right stiffly. Standing just outside her sitting room was a man she'd never seen before. He had dark hair, gorgeous eyes, and flawless skin. Biting her bottom lip, her leg twitched. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she took a small step towards the kitchen. Grinning evilly, the man leapt at her. Diving for the kitchen, she slammed the door closed behind her. He was too quick, however, and shoved the door open before she could lock it, tossing her against the wall.

He was on top of her in an instant, pinning her to the wall. There was nowhere to go. Pulling a knife out, he wasn't wasting any time. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

Elizabeth wanted to close her eyes but couldn't. They were locked on the angel's horrifying grin. Jamming the knife down, he missed. The blade sunk into the wall next to her. Belial had the angel's arm, throwing him off target. Baring his teeth, the angel growled, "Belial. I thought I smelled a rat."

Belial's eyes were on fire. He didn't respond. Grabbing the angel, he forcefully pulled him off of Elizabeth. His muscles bulged from under his shirt and, baring his teeth, he grunted. Wrestling the angel, Belial forced him back, giving him a quick jab to the stomach. Coughing violently, the angel hit the floor. Crawling towards the door, he spit up blood and a strange bile-like fluid.

Standing in front of Elizabeth, Belial tried to block her view. She wanted to see though, and gripping his arms, she peeked out from around the demon. Hacking violently, the angel coughed up a strange lump. It was pink in color and pulsing. Staggering, the angel made it to his feet and promptly fled the scene. Belial didn't give chase and instead approached the strange mass on the floor.

Bending, he examined it for a moment. Then, standing, he pulled the knife from the wall. Returning to the mass, he jammed the knife into the pulsing flesh. It opened easily, seeping more blood onto the floor. Hidden inside the pulsing mass was a small gray capsule. Frowning, Belial jammed the knife into the object, splitting it in two.

Unable to remain silent any longer, Elizabeth took a few steps towards him. Her voice was shaky but she knew he'd hear her. "What the hell is that?"

Glancing at her from over his shoulder, he poked the mass a few more times. "He was drugged."

Taking a step back, she allowed Belial to stand. He was lost in thought but Elizabeth still wanted answers. "Drugged how? That didn't look like any drugs I know. It looked alive."

Running a hand down his face, the demon stared at the ceiling. "Elizabeth, why don't you go to bed? I'll get this cleaned up."

She knew what that really meant. Sure, he'll clean the mess, but he also needed to talk to Lucifer, and didn't want her around to hear it. She was tired, though, and bed really didn't seem like that bad of an idea. Nodding, she agreed and left him to do whatever it was he was planning.

Chapter 16

"Belial, you're back sooner than expected."

"Yes, sir. There was another attempt on her life."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed. Taking a seat behind his desk he said, "I'm sure you took care of it."

Looking down, Belial said, "She's safe, sir."

"That's not what I was meant."

"The angel got away."

Clasping his hands together, Lucifer glared at the demon. "Why did you not pursue him?"

"He was drugged, my lord."

"So because he wasn't acting on his free will, you thought it would best to let him escape? Do I need to remind you why you're there?"

"No, sir." Belial said.

"Deal with it, Belial... or I will have you replaced by someone who will."

"Yes, sir."

The rest of the week Elizabeth was nervous and constantly looking over her shoulder. Every noise would make her jump, and she found it hard to complete her work as normal. Luckily it rained Saturday so she could stay home and relax a little. She even woke up early to finish putting the drywall up downstairs and was almost done when the crunching of gravel caught her attention.

Ben was already on the front porch talking to another man by the time she got there. There was a large van parked in the driveway and several more men were unloading buckets and various tools. "Ben, what's going on?"

The man he was talking to had already headed back towards the van and was telling his workers something. The rain was coming down in sheets and they moved quickly to get their tools inside. "I hired some men to finish the walls for you."

"What? Why?"

"I'm tired to eating out of that small kitchen upstairs," Ben said. "Don't worry--it's paid for, and they'll be done by the beginning of the week."

Elizabeth's blood boiled. Who the hell did he think he was, hiring people to work on her house because he didn't like arrangements? "Well, if you're so miserable, then you can just leave!"

She stormed back into the house and up the stairs to her room. Maybe it wasn't the best response but he stepped over the line. No one was forcing him to stay and now that she knew what she was looking for, she was pretty sure she could take care of herself. She immediately went to her closet and rummaged around in the back corners. The bedroom door opened behind her but she didn't stop her search.

After a minute she found what she was looking for. Two shotguns: a twelve-gauge double barrel and a twenty-gauge single shot. They were older shotguns, especially the twenty-gauge, but they still worked and she had ammo for both.

"Look, I know you're upset," Ben said, "but isn't that going a little overboard?"

"I'm not going to shoot you," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm just getting ready. Since you're so miserable, I figured you can move out and I'll protect myself."

Cocking his head, his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn't impressed. "Do you even know how to use those things?"

"Yes! I'm not half-bad either."

Shrugging his shoulders, he walked out of her room without another word. He had no plans on leaving, though. Elizabeth found him watching TV in the small sitting room. He was sprawled across the couch like he owned it and looked a little too comfortable.

"You don't have to stay here," Elizabeth said.

He didn't move or even look away from the TV. He didn't even answer her. The silent treatment isn't exactly what she was expecting and, letting out a grunt, she turned to leave.

"If I leave, Crocell will come here." Belial was looking over the couch at her now, his blue eyes cold as steel. She didn't really know Crocell, but from what she had seen of him, that wouldn't be an ideal situation. Belial's eyes remained locked on her and, looking down, she felt extremely uncomfortable. Fidgeting, she scuffled over to the couch and took a seat next to him. His eyes never left her and when her butt hit the cushions he continued, "It wasn't my idea to hire the men. It was Lucifer's."

That bit of information didn't help her mood. It made her feel worse. "He's taken a liking to you," Belial said. "Since you're his kin and all, albeit distantly." A brilliant smile pieced his lips when his eyes looked towards the ceiling. He looked eerily human and she could feel the lust building within her. Gazing out the window, she closed her eyes and listened to the rain pounding on the roof. It was still coming down in sheets.

An arm fell around her shoulder. He pulled her backwards slowly until she was resting on his chest. He was still smiling, but smaller now, and his eyes were closed. He looked serene and a warm sensation flowed over her. "Hey," he said, "you want to skip church this weekend?"

"What? No. You don't have to come but I'm going. Just because you didn't want to be in Heaven doesn't mean I don't want to end up there." Belial jerked from behind her. Instantly she regretted what she said. His arm left her shoulder and, jumping up, she turned to face him. His head was down, his hair covering his eyes, and his hands were folded neatly in his lap. Elizabeth had a sick feeling in her stomach and wished she could take it back. When he finally looked up, his eyes were steely and cold and appeared to be looking straight through her.

"I did choose to leave." His voice was equally cold and Elizabeth's stomach rose into her throat. Finally his eyes locked onto hers, making her flinch. Unfazed he continued, "And if given the chance, I'd do it again."

He no longer looked human. His skin glowed and there was an absence in his eyes. A shiver ran down her spine. Walking past him, she tried to leave but he grabbed her arm. She was suddenly pressed against him again. He gripped her so tightly she could hear his heart beating within his chest. His whole body vibrated when he said, "He won't have you."

"What?"

Pushing away from him, a voice came from downstairs. The workers were breaking for lunch and wouldn't be back for an hour or so. Ben stayed downstairs and talked to them for a minute then they piled into the white van. The rain was easing up and was only a lazy drizzle now. There were large puddles all over the yard and the air was thick and humid. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he turned towards Elizabeth. She was chuckling softly and, smiling, he said, "Let's get some lunch."

Elizabeth agreed. Unlocking the back door, they left it open in case the workers returned before them. They ended up at a small sandwich shop located in the middle of town close to the church. It was a small wooden building that had previously been a movie rental store and a small doctor's office before that. Although the doctor's office was before her time, Elizabeth's father had told her about it before he passed.

This was one of those family run restaurants that still served soft drinks in glass bottles and knew their patron's orders when they walked through the door. It was always pretty crowded because it was one of only three restaurants in the town. Consequently, lunch took longer than they expected and Elizabeth was glad Ben had convinced her to leave the back door open.

By the time they were finished eating, the crew was most likely already back at the house. But instead of heading home, Belial drove them into the city to one of the local home improvement stores. He immediately dragged her over to the kitchen section and within an hour she had the cabinets picked out and on order. They then picked up a few cans of primer and headed back to the house.

The workers were still there but she didn't have time to check on their progress. Instead she raced upstairs to get ready for mass. Belial must have unloaded the paint while she was getting dressed because when she came back downstairs they were stacked neatly by the stairs and somehow he was waiting next to them already dressed for church. A smile parted her lips. She really hadn't thought that he'd be joining her, so this was a pleasant surprise.

They sat in the same pew, surrounded by the same people. It wasn't as though there were assigned seats, but people in the town seemed to find a place they liked and then stuck with it.

Church was about to start. It looked like it was going to be a normal mass until he sat down in the pew directly in front of them. It took her a second, but she was sure this was the same man who had talked to her in the stables, looking for directions. His brown hair was dark and slightly wavy. It was cut halfway down his neck and sideburns framed his ears. His brown eyes seemed a little lighter than she remembered and he was more attractive than she recalled as well.

Glancing at Ben, his eyes remained locked on the back of the man's head. He was glaring so intently that it looked like he was trying to burn a hole into the man's head. Elizabeth nudged him with an elbow but he didn't move and his gazed remained locked. The entire mass Belial looked extremely disgruntled and when it was time to shake hands and offer peace, he refused to shake the man's hand. The stranger wasn't put off, however, and instead grinned at her rude companion.

The rest of mass Belial looked even more disgruntled than before, if that was even possible. The second the ceremony ended, he quickly dragged her to the car before anyone could stop them to talk. He was acting childish and was really beginning to work Elizabeth's last nerve.

Yanking her arm away from him, she said, "What's your problem?!"

"Get in."

"I will not until you tell me what's going on."

Looking around suspiciously, Belial circled the car to where she was standing. Leaning in he whispered into her ear, "He's an angel, remember?"

She remembered, but he seemed harmless enough to her. He had multiple chances to attack her and never did. Maybe she was just being naïve, but if he were really there to kill her, wouldn't he have done it already?

Belial was leaning so close to her that he was only inches away from her face. It was suffocating. Throwing her arms into the air, she let out a grunt and violently opened the car door. He was confused but, circling back around the car, climbed into the driver's seat and they quickly left the parking lot.

Dinner was tense and devoid of conversation. They ate in complete silence. Elizabeth felt bad for their waiter who obviously felt the tension. When the bill came Belial didn't reach for it and allowed Elizabeth to pay without a fight. He normally would insist on paying but he was still really angry and didn't want to have a heated argument with her in public. The drive home was equally tense. He had a lot on his mind and several times he thought about saying something but each time thought better of it. Elizabeth was a stubborn woman, almost as stubborn as Lucifer. It definitely ran in the family and she wouldn't be reasoned with so easily.

There was a surprise waiting for them at the house. The workers were gone and there were no other cars in the driveway, but sitting on the front porch was the angel. He was still in his church attire, khaki pants and a pressed white shirt. He looked human but Belial parked the car halfway down the driveway instead of pulling all the way up to the house like normal. The demon sat motionless for a second and, without looking at Elizabeth, said, "Stay in the car."

His voice was cold, and fear gripped her the instant he opened the door. The man stood when Belial exited the car, and raised his hands as if to say, "I surrender." He didn't appear to be armed but Belial made a conscious effort to remain between the angel and the car. Shifting in her seat Elizabeth tried to see what was happening but couldn't get a good view. Gripping the door handle, she only cracked it open and Belial yelled, "I said stay in the car!"

Before she could answer, the other man said, "I'm here to speak with Elizabeth, and have no quarrel with you, demon. Step aside."

Belial growled and his body grew rigid. Approaching slowly, Elizabeth took a firm hold of his arm. Peeking around him, she wanted to get a better look at the other man. He had only moved a few feet away from the porch and still had his hands in the air. Elizabeth was determined to take control of the situation. The last thing she wanted was another dead angel in her house.

Releasing Ben's arm, she took a few steps towards the house. He instantly took hold of her and with a gruff voice stopped her. "Don't be foolish."

Yanking her arm away, Elizabeth scowled at him. Without hesitation she marched to the house, passing the man without a second glance. Stomping up the porch steps she unlocked the door and yelled over her shoulder, "Well, are y'all coming in, or are you going to stay on the lawn and stare at each other all night?"

She left the door open and immediately headed upstairs. Marching straight for the sitting room, she fell onto the couch. It felt like a load had been suddenly lifted from her and she reveled in the silence, if only for a moment. It wasn't long when she heard the front door close and the sounds of footsteps heading up the stairs. Both men entered the room cautiously. They each chose an armchair to sit in. Their faces were as rigid as stone and their eyes remained locked on each other.

Sighing, Elizabeth wiggled farther into the cushions. "You said you needed to talk to me about something?"

His eyes never left Belial when he replied, "Yes. I want to know why there are angels after you."

Growling, Belial glared at the stranger. "Why don't you tell us, since you're one of them?"

He shook his head and finally disengaged the demon's stare. "You're wrong. I was sent here by the archangels Michael and Gabriel. They've heard some disconcerting things from the seraphim and cherubim. I was asked to look into the matter."

All of this talk was giving Elizabeth a headache. She had a feeling that she had no idea what she was getting dragged into. Despite her headache, she needed more information. "So who are these seraphim and cherubim that are having concerns? I thought Michael and Gabriel were some of the highest ranking angels there were."

Both Belial and the man shook their heads. A sick feeling filled her stomach. She was about to get a long explanation and wasn't sure if she was really up for it.

"Michael and Gabriel are archangels," the man said, "Essentially they are advisors and counselors to those angels who are closest to God. No one knows their names—well, except for their personal archangels and God, that is."

Belial continued where the man left off, "You already know one of the seraphim."

Elizabeth thought about all of the previous conversations she'd had with Ben and Lucifer. "So Lucifer was a seraphim and you used to be a Virtue right?"

Belial nodded his head and smiled. He was pleased with her memory. Taking it all in, Elizabeth asked, "Okay, so you're telling me you don't know why the angels are after me and that their orders aren't coming from the higher ranks... but then who does that leave?"

Both men had grim looks on their faces. She couldn't be sure but it felt like they were hiding something from her. Suddenly a knock sounded at the front door and before she could excuse herself, Belial was on his feet and heading downstairs. He was back only moments later, followed by two familiar faces: Lucifer and Crocell. This was the last thing she needed.

Crocell ignored her presence, which didn't surprise her, but Lucifer took a seat next to her on the couch. Leaning over he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes grew wide in amazement. While Elizabeth dealt with her confusion, the conversation started without her.

Lucifer took in the room quickly and didn't hesitate questioning the angel. "Well, this is quite a surprise, Raguel. I honestly never thought I'd see you again. I hope you have come to tell us that you've punished the culprits who were after my kin."

The man's face looked grim. Shaking his head, his eyes darted around the room from demon to demon. Gulping, he said, "I'm sorry to say it, but no, I haven't."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed into thin slits. Without warning he turned towards Elizabeth and with an eerie smile said, "Would you go to the kitchen and get me something to drink?"

She scanned the room quickly and knew he wasn't thirsty. He just wanted her out of the room. He didn't want her to hear what was about to be discussed. Her leg twitched. She wanted to leave but at the same time felt that her presence was the only thing keeping the angel alive. All eyes were locked on her, waiting for her to move. Staring at the floor, she barely nodded and stood from her seat.

The door closed behind her. She was an outcast in her own home. It was an unsettling feeling. Sulking to the kitchen, she realized that Lucifer never mentioned what he wanted. She'd only seen him drink something twice and one of those times she'd prefer not to remember. There was no wine in the house, though, so she settled on water.

When she got back to the sitting room the door was still closed. She thought about knocking, but this was her home; they couldn't tell her where she could and couldn't go. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the door knob and swung the door open. They were all in the same seats and the conversation stopped the instant the door opened. Everyone was still alive, to her relief, but she had come back sooner than anticipated.

Retaking her seat next to Lucifer, he let out a heavy sigh. Holding out the glass of water, he looked at the clear cup like she was trying to hand him poison. Taking the glass with a weak smile, he placed it on the coffee table without a second thought.

The air was thick and uncomfortable. It was obvious everyone wanted her to leave but she was resolved to stay put. It was her house, after all. To her dismay, however, the phone rang only seconds later. Once again she was forced to leave. Head down, she trudged out of the room. The door promptly closed behind her for a second time and with great remorse she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Liz, you still wanna hang out tonight?"

"Tonight?" She had forgotten about Claire wanting to go out. "Um, well, I don't know." Elizabeth said, "I'm kind of tired and was thinking about just staying in, actually."

"Oh, come on," Claire said. "Rachel is bringing that boyfriend I told you about so I thought you could bring Ben. Then he won't have to stalk you."

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth didn't say anything. Claire laughed at her own joke for a minute, but Elizabeth wasn't in the laughing mood.

"Look," Elizabeth said, "it's really just not a good night, okay?"

The tension in the other room hit a climax. Voices were being raised and the argument was spilling through the closed door and to where Elizabeth was standing.

"What's going on over there?" Claire said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just the TV. I'm watching a... uh, a gangster movie." The shouting in the other room grew louder. With every shout Elizabeth flinched. Keeping her hand over the receiver, she tried to muffle the noise so Claire couldn't hear.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Claire said. "That doesn't sound like a movie."

Elizabeth's leg was twitching again and, biting her bottom lip, she said, "Yeah, I'm fine, but I need to go, so have fun with Rachel and tell her maybe next time for me, okay? Bye." She didn't wait for a response and hung up the phone quickly. Running back to the room, she reached for the door when it suddenly flew open. All four men were on their feet and the anger in the room flooded out the door and hit her like a brick wall.

Frowning, Lucifer made his way out of the room. Backing up, Elizabeth made room for him to pass. Pausing near her, Lucifer handed her a small white card. It was the size of a business card but there was only a hand written phone number on it. Glancing up at Lucifer he quickly explained, "If something happens where you get into trouble or you're in danger and Belial isn't around, call that number and someone will come to you immediately. Do you understand?"

Elizabeth nodded her head. She wasn't sure what danger or situation he was thinking about but she was sure that she really didn't want to know. Besides, Ben was always with her, so she didn't feel the card was necessary. Smiling weakly, Lucifer bent and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Heading down the stairs, Crocell was close on his heels. Pausing in front of her, he gave her a curt nod then he too strode down the stairs.

Belial and the angel were still in the room and they both reclaimed their seats. Both had sour faces and neither acknowledged her presence. Elizabeth sat back down on the couch, tucking her feet under her. Waiting patiently, she thought one of them would fill her in on what took place but neither said a word. They both appeared to be in a trance and the silence soon grew to an uncomfortable level.

"So," Elizabeth said, "who wants to tell me what happened in here?"

Her voice jerked them back into the here and now, but neither wanted to answer her question. "Ben," she said. "Talk to me."

He didn't look at her and instead turned away completely. Seeing that she wasn't going to get any answers out of him, Elizabeth turned to the angel. "Lucifer said your name is Raguel, right? Will you at least tell me what's going on?"

Belial snapped back to life and, glaring over his shoulder, growled, "Keep your mouth shut."

Elizabeth couldn't believe it. She was being shut out again. Her blood boiled and snapping back at the demon said, "Look, I have every right to know what was said in here! It's my life, after all, and I need to know what I'm dealing with! Someone is going to talk! I don't care who it is but one of you will tell me what was said!"

Belial flinched and looking down, he crossed his arms over his chest. Lucifer had ordered him to keep silent. He didn't feel Elizabeth was ready yet and Belial had to follow his orders. Turning towards Raguel, Elizabeth tapped her foot impatiently. Taking a deep breath he glanced out the window and nodded. "We're not really sure who's behind the attacks. All we were able to determine is it's not the fallen or the demons and it's not anyone in the angel hierarchy."

"But that doesn't make sense. It was angels who attacked me earlier."

Raguel nodded again and said, "Yes, I'm aware of that, but their orders didn't come from the normal chain of command. So someone on the outside is convincing them to act."

She thought about his explanation for a moment. It made sense but at the same time it left her with even more questions unanswered. Ben still looked sullen so she knew Raguel would still be her best bet on getting answers. "Why were you sent here Raguel?"

Cocking his head, the angel looked at her curiously. "I would have thought the demons would have filled you in on everything by now." He glanced at Belial, who was still facing the opposite direction. Frowning, he looked back at Elizabeth and said, "I'm one of the seven archangels. My job is unlike the other archangels however in the sense that I don't council anyone. Instead I am more of an overseer, and I make sure the other angels are doing their jobs properly." Pausing, he scratched the side of his nose. "I suppose in human terms you could think of me as a manager mixed with the police. If I find an angel is not working peacefully or doing their job, I have the authority to pass judgment and punish whomever I see fit."

"All-powerful" came to mind. Swallowing, Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. It was making more sense why he was there but she wanted to keep the conversation going and get as much information out of him as possible. He would have a different perspective than the demons. She trusted Ben for the most part, but Lucifer was still one giant question mark for her. "So," she said, "do you only govern the angels, or do you deal with the demons too?"

"No," Raguel said. "The demons have their own systems and we tend to stay out of each other's business."

Belial perked up with the mention of the demon world. Glancing over his shoulder, he glared at Raguel but remained silent. Elizabeth watched him closely. He didn't seem like himself. Almost like something was weighing heavily on his mind. Turning back towards Raguel, she asked, "So what was all the yelling about in here?"

Belial's eyes slowly met hers. They were growing brighter with every passing second. A thin smile crossed Raguel's face and his brown eyes sparkled. He didn't hesitate to answer her question and was more than pleased to tell what Belial could not. "Even though you're not a full demon you are Lucifer's kin."

A deep, rumbling growl rolled out of Belial's throat. His eyes turned into narrow slits and they looked red and fiery. Raguel was not put off however and with a grin he continued, "Female angels and demons, for that matter, are rare. So anyone who can be linked as kin of a powerful leader can be a great asset to any particular being looking to raise their position, if you follow me."

Belial shot out of his seat. He looked deadly but Raguel was ready for him. Jumping, the angel met the demon in the center of the room. Gleaming white feathers filled the small space. Three wings protruded out of Belial's back while Raguel only donned two. They both spread their wings as far as possible making the small room feel claustrophobic.

They were like animals ready to pounce, and without thinking Elizabeth jumped between them. The instant she separated the two, she realized the stupidity of her decision. Both beings had wild eyes and she wasn't sure if they registered her presence anymore.

The crashing and breaking of glass dispersed the tension. Elizabeth's nervousness melted into fear. Instinctively her arms flew over her head and a heavy weight pushed her to the floor. She was surrounded by a carpet of feathers and a wall of white shielded her view. Horrible noises from another room sent chills up and down her spine.

She flinched when a pair of hands grabbed her waist, lifting her effortlessly to her feet. Glancing up, she saw Ben's face. His eyes were serious and he was staring past her at the door. She really didn't want to see what he was looking at in instead buried her head in his chest.

The steady rhythm of his heart was comforting and his chest rumbled when he spoke. "You took care of it?"

"Yeah." Raguel said. "He was drugged just like the last one. He can't remember who gave the order. I'll deal with him back in Heaven and see if I can get any more information out of him."

Rubbing her head farther into Ben's chest, Elizabeth closed her eyes. "Clean up the mess." Belial said. "I'll take her to bed."

Bending, he lifted Elizabeth into his arms. She kept her head against his chest and held onto his shirt tightly. Wrapping his wings around her loosely, he was sure to block out the light and the view. Moving swiftly, he carried her to her room, closing the door behind them. He didn't want her to see what was in the other room. She'd been through so much already so at least that was one thing he was able to spare her from.

Elizabeth's room was dark and quiet but her nerves wouldn't calm down. It felt like she was being watched and it was unsettling. Belial stayed close to the door. Resting his head against it, he listened to what was happening on the other side. Walking to the window, Elizabeth gazed out into the darkness. The trees were dark shafts protruding from the ground and the road resembled a black river in the distance. That was when she saw him. Letting out a gasp, Belial was at her side in an instant. It was the man she had seen at the club. He was still robed in a trench coat and a hat adorned his head. His eyes glowed and were the only beacons of light in the blackness.

Without hesitation, Belial threw the window open and yelled, "Watch over Elizabeth!"

Jumping out the window, he flew into the dark abyss. Raguel was at her side in a flash. He had the window closed and locked before she could blink. She was scared--not only for herself, but for Ben as well. Her hands trembled and her breath grew still. Raguel wrapped his arms around her tightly and her legs went limp. Holding her, the angel quickly placed her on the bed and laid down next to her on top of the covers.

His eyes were peaceful and not at all like Ben's or Lucifer's. There was fluidity about them and Elizabeth could feel a calming sensation rush over her. Staring at her, he never blinked or said a word. Eventually her eyes grew heavy and she drifted into a deep sleep.

Chapter 17

"Belial, why are you back so soon?"

"I'm sorry, my lord, but there was another attack shortly after you left."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed. This was the last news he wanted to hear. "If she safe?"

"Yes," Belial said. "The angel took care of it."

Lucifer's eyes grew wide. "The angel did?" Clasping his hands on his desk, he asked, "Who is with her now?"

Looking at the floor, Belial said, "I... uh... I left her with him."

Growling, Lucifer's eyes narrowed. "You did what?"

Frowning, Belial tried to explain himself. "Samuel was there. Outside. I pursued him but he got away."

Springing to his feet, Lucifer slammed his fist on top of his desk. "You left my great- granddaughter with an angel and then you lose track of that impudent whelp?"

Sinking inside himself, Belial fell to the ground on his knees. Prostrating himself before Lucifer, he said, "I'm sorry, my lord. It won't happen again."

Growling, Lucifer continued, "Do I need to relieve you, Belial, and send someone more qualified to take care of this?"

"No, sir."

Glaring at Belial, Lucifer said, "One more screw-up and I'll send Crocell for her. Is that understood?"

Glaring at the floor, Belial bowed even farther. "Yes, sir."

Elizabeth woke early the next morning. No one was in her room waiting for her or watching her. Everything seemed back to normal. That is, whatever relative normal she now lived in. Ben had come back some point during the night and was still in bed. The couch in the sitting room was also occupied. Raguel had spent the night as well. She didn't recall him asking or her offering but he did look peaceful, and he did help her the night before, so she could forgive it.

She was antsy after the night's events and couldn't stop looking out the windows. Every movement outside would catch her eye and it was driving her crazy. Even though both Ben and Raguel were in the house she felt vulnerable, trapped. Unable to take it any longer, Elizabeth grabbed the old shotguns and two boxes of shells and headed across the street to the other property she owned. Her house sat on nine acres of land that were covered in trees but across the street were three more acres that were completely open. She rarely used that property but it was a great spot to shoot skeet and that's exactly what she was planning on doing.

It had always been a good stress relief in the past but ever since her parents died and she had inherited the house and the land, she never found the time to go anymore. Strolling across the street towards the back property, the only sounds were the crunching of gravel beneath her feet and the birds fighting for position in the trees. She lived far enough in the country that there were a variety of animals from an insane number of squirrels and birds, to snakes, the typical opossums and raccoons, and even the occasional fox or bear. Elizabeth liked the animals and welcomed their sounds as opposed to that of cars or other noises of civilization.

The soft morning light wafted over the empty field, casting a tranquil golden glow over the long grass. Her property was positioned several acres off the main road and the land surrounded hers was covered in trees, so it was like being in her own personal clearing. She took her time setting up, pausing frequently to watch the birds dive in and out of the long grass.

Holding the gun to her shoulder with one hand, she threw the skeet with her other arm and then quickly dropped the thrower to aim and shoot. It wasn't the most efficient, but it's the only way she could do it by herself. Her accuracy also suffered since she only had a split second to aim.

She was only able to get off a few rounds before her solitude was intruded on. She hadn't heard them approach. The gun was noisy and she was wearing earplugs, but her eyes caught their movement once they were close enough. It was comical seeing the three of them walking together, especially knowing how different they all were. Ben's hands were stuffed in his pockets and he was sulking. Raguel and Claire were a few steps behind him. Elizabeth could see their mouths moving. They appeared to be getting along well, but she wasn't about to stop to find out.

Reloading the gun, she put two more shells into the barrel then inserted another disk into the thrower. Reaching back, she was about to throw the skeet when a hand caught hers. Raguel met her eyes with a brilliant smile. Slowly peeling the thrower out from her fingers, the angel forced her to release the red plastic device. She was about to protest but then he simply asked, "Ready?"

Smirking, Elizabeth raised the gun and replied, "Pull."

Raguel was surprisingly good at throwing the skeet and she desperately wanted to ask him where he had learned, but refrained, so not to raise Claire's suspicions. They remained out there for several hours, and Raguel even shot for a while. Ben remained a bump on the log the entire time and Claire wasn't enjoying herself either. Neither of them would even look at the other. She definitely had missed something.

Before leaving Raguel and Elizabeth meticulously picked up all the empty shell casings and cleaned the area to where it looked like they were never there. They boys led the way back to the house, while Claire and Elizabeth trailed behind. Claire opened her mouth several times. She wanted to say something but every time thought better of it and closed her mouth again without saying a word. Coming to a complete stop, Elizabeth decided to break the ice. "What is it?"

Claire slowed to a stop as well and let out a long exaggerated sigh. "I'm worried about you," she said. "That's all."

She didn't look at Elizabeth but didn't start walking again either. Elizabeth knew she was about to get lectured and held her breath until Claire continued.

"I don't know where you met these guys or what they've told you," Claire said, "but something's wrong with them."

Without warning, a chuckle escaped Elizabeth's mouth. Turning sharply Claire glared at her. Elizabeth quickly regained her composure and, shaking her head, Claire said, "They were arguing when I got to your house this morning. If I hadn't gotten there when I did I think they might have started fighting. Like, actually fist-fighting."

Rubbing her temples, Elizabeth glanced at the boys. They had moved a ways' off but probably could still hear everything being said. Running her fingers through her hair, Elizabeth said, "Look, Claire..."

"No, you look! I've already lost one friend to some bizarre freak accident and I'm not about to lose another to some punk house guests who can't settle their disputes like normal people! You need to kick them out! I can't put my finger on it, but they're bad news!"

"I know it looks bad," Elizabeth said, "and I wish I could tell you what's going on, but I can't. You'll just have to trust me."

Claire shook her head. "Why don't you come stay with me for a while? I know my apartment's small but it would get you away from these guys."

Elizabeth didn't know how to respond. Claire was just trying to help her but she didn't know half of what's been going on and Elizabeth had no way of letting her know. "Claire, I can't. If I did that, I would just be putting you in harm's way."

Right when the words left her mouth, Elizabeth knew it was the wrong thing to say. Claire stared at her in disbelief while Elizabeth tried to grapple with what to say next.

"I knew it!" Claire said. "You're in trouble and it's their fault, isn't it?!"

Tears were welling in her eyes. Elizabeth needed her to calm down but there was no way she could explain. "I know you're not going to believe me but it's not them. They're protecting me, okay? I can't explain but... you'll just have to believe me."

Thin tears streaked down Claire's cheeks and Elizabeth felt torn at the bottom of her core. Looking down she knew what she had to do and said softly, "Claire, you need to go."

A choking sound came from Claire's throat. She sniffed a few times but didn't say a word. Elizabeth heard the crunching of gravel. It was loud at first but grew fainter the farther she stormed down the road. Elizabeth couldn't bear to look up. She was fighting back her own tears. They had been friends for a long time and it pained her to know that she might not see Claire again. A soft hand rested on her shoulder and Belial's voice reached her ears. "I'm sorry."

She didn't want to hear it. He really wasn't sorry and just knew it was what she wanted to hear. Swatting his head away, Elizabeth growled, "Don't!" Without looking at him, she stormed back to the house. Everything was a blur. She stumbled up the porch steps and locked the door behind her. Crying she raced up the stairs to her room. She wanted to be alone and even though she knew Ben had a key, maybe he would get the hint.

She spent the next few hours in bed sulking. Claire was her best friend but she couldn't see any way to fix the separation growing between them. The door cracked open. Wiping her eyes she caught sight of Raguel's face beyond it. Sitting up, she turned towards the door and he asked, "Where would you like me to put the guns, Elizabeth?"

"In my car, if you don't mind."

His eyes narrowed but he nodded and closed the door behind him. Only seconds later another voice penetrated the closed door. "Hey, you still in there? Come out and we'll go get dinner or something."

No matter how upset she was Ben's voice had a soothing effect on her. Letting out a deep sigh, she climbed off the bed and walked to the door. It swung open before she reached it. Belial was leaning against the wall on the other side. He looked cool and collected and seemed to somehow regain some of the swagger he had when she first met him. A thin smile parted her lips, her soul relaxed, and her mood softened.

Raguel was already waiting for them downstairs. He knew Belial would get her out of her room. Belial drove and Elizabeth climbed into the back of the car so the boys could sit in the front. It only made sense, since she was the smallest. They chose a local Italian restaurant and requested to be seated away from everyone else. They were sat at the far end of the dining room in a booth with tall sides that separated it from the other booths around it.

Elizabeth had come to this restaurant several times with her parents when they were alive. Her dad particularly liked eating there and would tell her about how he used to go there when he was in college. The place brought back too many memories and she was glad that it was dimly lit. Their waitress was an older woman with dark curly hair. She'd worked at the restaurant ever since Elizabeth could remember and was more of a permanent fixture than an actual waitress.

She moved slowly, and after she took the drink orders, Elizabeth knew it would be another five minutes or so before they'd actually see the beverages. While the guys looked over the menus she decided to start a conversation. "So, did you ever catch up with the guy in the trench coat? What was his name? Samuel or something?"

Both men's eyes rose slowly off their menus. Raguel quickly looked away from her and returned to the menu in front of him. Biting his bottom lip, Belial closed his menu and clasped his hands together on top of it. He was relatively calm and with a completely serious face said, "No."

He then proceeded to reopen his menu and continued to look over his options. Elizabeth was taken aback by his bluntness, but before she could pester him about what happened, the waitress returned with the drinks and a basket of assorted crackers and butter packets. Surprisingly they were both ready to order. The waitress slowly pulled a pad of paper and a pen out of her apron and methodically wrote down what everyone wanted. She then waddled off towards the kitchen at a snail's pace.

Belial and Raguel immediately rummaged through the crackers, pulling out the ones they wanted. Both were making efforts to avoid Elizabeth's gaze, which she found extremely annoying. Resting her head on her hands, she let out a much louder sigh than intended, but it did get the guys' attention. "Frankly I expected to get the silent treatment from Ben," Elizabeth said, "but Raguel, I'm a little surprised that you're not being honest with me."

Raguel shrugged his shoulders and was more concerned about the crackers than her opinion on his moral character. Belial, however, was openly hurt. Taking a long gulp of his drink, he said, "You know why I have to use discretion with what I tell you."

"Yeah, yeah, because of your boss." Elizabeth rolled her eyes when she finished. Surprisingly, she got the response she was hoping for.

"Look," Belial said, "this isn't the right place to have this conversation. When we get home I'll tell you what you want to know, okay?"

Smiling on the inside, Elizabeth was sure to keep a serious face when she nodded in approval. Their food arrived two cracker baskets later and while her company took their time eating, she scarfed down her food. She couldn't wait till they got home and the second they were in the car and the doors were closed, she pressed the demon to start talking.

"All right, Ben, spill it. I want to know everything, and don't give me that crap about Lucifer doesn't want you talking to me."

He was reluctant at first. Gazing at Raguel, Belial looked for confirmation. The angel remained silent but, nodding, he gave Belial the approval he was looking for. "All right," he said. "I'll tell you what you want to know." Pausing, he thought for a second before adding, "Within reason."

Smiling, Elizabeth nodded. "First off, what happened last night? And don't give me that 'I didn't catch up to him' and leave it at that crap."

Belial's eyes narrowed. Glancing back at her from the driver's seat, he didn't appreciate her remarks or her tone. She definitely was related to Lucifer. Even though it didn't show often, she had her moments where it was evident. "He must've seen me coming and darted. I was able to track him to the..." Belial paused to formulate his words. "Well, to where we're from. But once there he disappeared."

"Does Lucifer know?"

"Don't worry about it," Belial replied sharply. He had already talked to Lucifer about it and didn't want to relive it. That was something he wouldn't talk to her about, no matter how much she pressed him.

"So," Elizabeth said, "is this guy the one who's the mastermind behind everything?"

Belial and Raguel looked at each other again. Belial was positive that Samuel was behind it. She didn't need to know that either, though. Lucifer didn't want her to know. Looking over his shoulder Raguel smiled weakly at her. "That's what I'm here to find out."

It wasn't an exact answer to her question but she was pretty sure that she was on the right tract. Out of everyone she'd met so far, he was the one who worried her the most. It might be the trench coat or, the fact that she'd never seen his face, but he was trouble. He just rubbed her the wrong way. Looking out the small window, she rested her head against the seat.

"Hey," she said, "so remember when we were talking last night and you brought up that there's not many female angels or demons?"

Belial glanced back at her again. Clearing his throat, he nodded at the road. Watching the dark trees zip by them, Elizabeth continued, "So... I mean, I know you say my parents were like you guys, but I've always been human. Doesn't that make a difference?"

Belial frowned. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. This wasn't a topic he really wanted to talk about either but at the same time he didn't want Raguel sharing too much information with her. "It's like Raguel said. There aren't many females and like all creatures we have... needs."

Raguel nodded and piped in, "I'm sure you've heard of Zeus and the other Greek gods. In truth, they weren't gods but angels who came to Earth to relieve their sexual tensions. Many of the ancient gods and goddesses were either demons or angels who came here to satisfy themselves. There's no other gain from these couplings, however. It's just for pleasure." Pausing, Raguel glanced back at her and continued, "With someone like you, however, whose lineage can be traced recently to either an angel or a demon, is rare."

Belial glanced into the rearview mirror and added, "The fact that you have both demon and angel inheritance is unheard of except for in one other."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. There was someone else out there like her. Someone else who might be going through the same thing she is. Someone who would be able to relate to her. Turning into the driveway the car rocked on the gravel. Belial slowed the car to a crawl. Both men stared at something waiting on the front porch. It looked like a statue at first glance but after further examination Elizabeth saw it was Crocell.

He was standing perfectly still and didn't acknowledge the car when it pulled up to the house. He was strangely alone and Elizabeth realized this was only the second time she'd seen him by himself. Normally his presence meant that Lucifer was nearby, but she saw no one else.

Belial climbed out of the car quickly and glided over to the porch to speak with the demon. Raguel took his time. He had no interest in talking to Lucifer's lackey and instead helped Elizabeth out of the back seat. Remaining a step behind her, Raguel followed her to the porch. Forcing a smile to her face, Elizabeth greeted her unexpected guest as pleasantly as possible. "Crocell, what a pleasant surprise. Won't you come in?"

Quickly turning she unlocked the door. Holding it open she allowed the demon to enter the house first. Quickly striding up the stairs, Crocell led the way to the sitting room. He remained standing by the door while everyone else took their seats. The air was thick but since she was technically the host, Elizabeth had to be polite. "So Crocell, to what do we owe this visit? Is Lucifer coming?"

Crocell scanned the room quietly. His body remained motionless, causing him to look like he was made of marble. The whole concept people had of angels being cloaked in white and appearing as a bright light fit Crocell perfectly. The only problem was that he wasn't an angel. Finally, his pale eyes came to rest on her. It was unnerving, and she preferred when he ignored her completely.

"I have come to take you back, Elizabeth."

Belial's eyes flared and for a split second Elizabeth thought he was going to attack the demon. She still wasn't sure what was going on but analyzing Ben's reaction, it couldn't be good. Raguel wasn't upset like Belial. He was more intrigued and would have liked to see the two demons attack each other.

Trying to remain calm, Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Take me where, exactly... and why? I have to go to work in the morning so I'm not really sure if tonight is the best time."

Crocell's eyes moved towards Belial and then locked back on Elizabeth. "I am afraid you do not understand. You will not be coming back here. Ever."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. Every muscle in her body tightened at once. Her heart felt like it was going to stop. Belial shared her sentiments and was unable to remain quiet any longer. Leaping to his feet, he was only inches away from Crocell's face. Growling, he contested the demon. "Like hell you are."

Not wanting to have to clean up any more blood, Elizabeth quickly jumped to her feet as well and unwisely wedged herself between the two demons, forcing Ben to take a step back. A short laugh came from the other side of the room. Raguel was still lounging in his chair and shaking his head said, "Well, it appears you have quite the fan club, Elizabeth."

Crocell didn't miss a beat and, glaring past Belial, said, "Stay out of this, angel." Raguel did as he was told and slouching got comfortable to watch what was about to happen. Elizabeth was annoyed, though, and didn't want any part of demon or angel politics. Not only did she not understand them, but apparently she didn't get a say in them, either.

While she contemplated her predicament, Belial was unable to retain his silence. Taking a step forward, he pushed against Elizabeth's back. "Leave, Crocell. She's not going anywhere with you."

Frowning, the pale demon's eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Did you really think you had a chance, Belial? That you would be chosen over me? You have done nothing but fail as of late. Do not think Lucifer has not noticed."

Belial lunged for Crocell, knocking Elizabeth and smashing her between the two of them. She instantly regretted her position. Instinctively closing her eyes she tried to cover her face, but was unable to move her arms. Belial tried to attack the demon but Crocell read his every move with precision. Grabbing Elizabeth, he pulled her away to the other side of the room.

Cracking her eyes open, her back was now pressed against Crocell. His hands rested lightly on her shoulders and she could see the rage protruding from Ben's eyes. Raguel was no longer amused either. He moved to a secluded corner of the room away from the demons. Elizabeth wanted to be there with him but her feet remained glued to the floor. Swallowing, a sinking feeling filled her stomach.

Belial's face contorted and struck fear into her when he growled, "Let her go, Crocell! This is between us!"

For a second time she wondered if she had made a mistake letting him stay with her. He no longer looked human. He addressed her presence but she wasn't really sure if he was seeing her anymore. Crocell was keeping calm a lot better than his counterpart. His voice was still smooth and in control. "You have forgotten your place, Belial. You do not give the orders. You obey them, and you could not even do that. You were simply supposed to control the girl, a mere mortal, and you failed."

Elizabeth's stomach churned. She was light-headed and was becoming more nauseous by the second. Her voice was meek but she was able to form the words. "Get out. All of you."

Belial's face relaxed and softened. It returned to its normal radiant self and his blue eyes regained their calm composure. Crocell's hands left her shoulders and his body straightened.

"If we leave no one will be here to protect you." Belial was genuinely concerned but it was too little too late. Elizabeth didn't want to hear it and was set on emptying the house.

"I don't care."

Letting out a puff of air, Crocell tried to protest, "Do not be foolish..."

She had heard enough and cut him off before he could finish his statement. "Foolish? I'll show you foolish! All of you out now before I call the police!" Stomping her foot like a child, her hands clinched into fists. "If I'm so damn important then you can go tell Lucifer he can drag his sorry ass down here and protect me himself because I'm done with all of you!"

"There's no need to shout." The calm voice came from the doorway. Turning she saw the man of the hour. His gorgeous blond hair and golden eyes were unmistakable and an overwhelming sensation came over her. Tears streamed down her face and racing to the door Elizabeth launched herself into his arms. Wide-eyed, he was shocked, but didn't move to release her. Wrapping his arms around her tightly, Lucifer held her to him. Slowly a calm feeling swept over her and her body relaxed. Without a word, Lucifer turned her away from the others and led her to her bedroom. She suddenly felt removed from everything else and couldn't help but think that everything was going to be okay.

Giving her a strong, reassuring hug, Lucifer rested a hand on top of her head. "Go take a bath and get ready for bed," Lucifer said. "Forget about what you heard in the other room. I'll deal with them."

Elizabeth nodded silently and slowly wandered into the bathroom. Frowning, Lucifer took in a deep breath. Nothing was going as planned, and he needed to get things back on track. Once the bathroom door was closed and he heard the water running within, Lucifer strode back to the other room.

Crocell and Belial were still standing, staring at each other, but both dropped to their knees when Lucifer entered the room. Ignoring his subordinates, Lucifer turned his attention towards the angel, "Leave, Archangel Raguel. You are no longer welcome in his house."

Raguel's eyes narrowed. "That is not for you to decide Lucifer. I will leave when Elizabeth tells me to go."

Sneering, the demon glared at the angel. "Funny. I could have sworn I heard her say just that the moment I arrived."

Frowning, Raguel walked towards the door. Lucifer's eyes never left the angel. When Raguel walked past him, Lucifer added, "Stay away from my great-granddaughter, angel, or I just might have to kill you."

The angel didn't pause or look back. He was leaving not because Lucifer told him to but because he knew Elizabeth wanted to be alone. This wasn't over, not by a long shot, and Lucifer would have to deal with his presence in the future.

Lucifer waited until the angel was gone, and then addressed the demons still kneeling before him. "Rise, you idiots." They did as they were told. Lucifer took a seat on the couch, slouching ever so slightly into the cushions. Rubbing his head, he glared at the two demons. "Do I even want to know what you were thinking?"

Bowing, Belial tried to explain his actions. "I'm sorry, my lord, but I was charged with her safety and was just doing as you ordered."

Frowning, Lucifer rested his head on the back of the couch. "I'm surrounded by incompetence." Rubbing his head, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Glancing between the two demons he said, "I have countless men under my control who I can replace either of you with in a heartbeat. Crocell, return to Hades and await further instructions there."

Bowing, the demon quickly departed the room without a second glance. Staring at Belial, Lucifer let out a deep sigh. "Do not think I'm not aware of your feelings for Elizabeth. You were supposed to remain impartial towards her, although it's my fault for believing that you would be able to. If we are going to bring her to our side successfully, you will need to keep that angel at bay. Your feelings for her might come in handy yet."

Belial bowed again when Lucifer stood. Motioning for him to follow, Belial obeyed. "Come. You have other matters which need attending."

"My lord, what about Elizabeth?"

Frowning Lucifer paused. "Belial, when I want your opinion I'll ask for it. I will not leave her unguarded. Now go! I've called a meeting back in Hades which you must attend."

Bowing again, Belial quickly dashed out of the house. Taking a deep breath, Lucifer was about to head for the stairs when he paused. Moving softly, his feet barely grazed the old wood floors. Opening the bedroom door, he saw that the lights were already off and she was lying in bed. She was still, but not asleep yet.

Belial wasn't the only one fighting his feelings. She was his kin. She wasn't pure but his blood still flowed through her veins. She was human but that didn't matter at the moment. He was starting to look on her as his daughter and soon she would be treated as such.

Slipping through the door, Lucifer walked over to the bed quietly. She didn't move, but her eyes cracked opened. Bending he kissed her lightly on the forehead. The corners of her mouth rose and her eyes closed once more. Closing his eyes, Lucifer straightened and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Chapter 18

In the morning the house was eerily quiet. The air was still and the only sound was that of her feet on the wood floors. She quickly got ready for work and left the house so she wouldn't have to see anyone. She was ashamed of her outburst the night before but wasn't ready to apologize just yet.

The day remained uneventful. She didn't see a soul except for the horses. No one snuck up on her, tried to kill her, or even tried to talk to her. The drive home was equally uneventful and when she pulled up to the house there were no cars waiting in the driveway.

Unlocking the door, she jogged up the stairs and said, "I'm back." At the top of the stairs she looked around, but no one answered her. Walking from room to room she noticed they were all empty. She was alone. The house seemed larger than it used to and oddly forlorn. She had gotten so used to someone always being around. Now that she was alone again it didn't feel right.

Dinner was boring without Ben or Raguel, and she found herself eating in the sitting room instead of the temporary kitchen. The evening news was on the TV but she was having issues paying attention. Eventually there was story that peeked her interest and she quickly raised the volume.

"... the latest on the two mysterious deaths which happened almost one month ago."

"Yes, Kristine. I'm standing here on the road in the very spot where the bodies of the still- unidentified victims were found almost one month ago, and as you can see, there are no signs of anything ever happening here now. The police say that any evidence has been washed away by the weather or by animals and the case has come to a grinding halt. The only compelling evidence collected were an assortment of white feathers found scattered around the crime scene, and now even those have gone missing."

The scene switched from the woman standing on the deserted highway to a laboratory. "This lab located a few hours outside of Houston was asked to determine the origins of the feathers. Not only were they unable to determine what species they came from, but also all samples have mysteriously disappeared only two nights ago. The police chief has declined to comment on what might have happened to the feathers; however, he is still asking that anyone who might have any sort of leads to please contact the police. Reporting from Houston, this is..."

Elizabeth turned the TV off in a daze. Not only was no one there, but they had finished cleaning up the attack that happened awhile back as well. Was this it? Were they really gone forever? She spent the rest of the night in her room reading and ended up going to bed early.

The next day passed and was almost identical. She woke to an empty house, got through work without a hitch, and returned to an empty house. She ate leftovers for dinner before moving into the sitting room to watch TV. Everything appeared back to normal. Her first thought was that she should be happy but at the same time she had never felt more alone.

She was so bored that the TV didn't amuse her anymore. She even found herself watching Animal Planet before heading to bed. It was early and the sun had only just gone down, but she had no reason to stay up. Sleep didn't come, however, and after an hour she climbed back out of bed and walked around the quiet house. Eventually she came to Ben's room. The bed was still there and everything was just as he had left it. Lying on the bed, she hugged the pillow and pulled the sheets up to her neck. The bed still smelled like him and it strangely comforted her. At some point she fell asleep and ended up spending the night in there.

The next day she really didn't feel like going to work and had to force herself out of bed and to get dressed. Getting ready was a chore and she hummed absently to the radio during the drive. Pulling into the ranch, it was a buzz of activity. There were large trucks parked all around the main house and people were running everywhere. Slowing down, she had to stop several times to wait for trucks pulling out of the property.

Driving past the main house at a crawl, she saw a woman running towards her waving. It was her boss, Mrs. Landry. Her hair was thrown up in a messy pony tail and her shirt was winkled and sitting crooked on her shoulders. Pulling off the driveway, Elizabeth parked the car in the grass and got out to meet her employer.

"Elizabeth ,I'm so glad you got here early. I've got some big news. My husband was transferred to Europe and we're moving this weekend."

Glancing past her, Elizabeth saw some men carrying a couch out of the house and onto a truck parked out front. "We were going to sell the horses," Mrs. Landry said, "but I can't bear to part with them. So would you mind after feeding them and putting them to pasture grabbing a few boxes and some Sharpies and packing up anything that's not used every day?"

"Yes, ma'am. No problem."

Smiling, she turned back to the house. The movers were going quickly. They had already packed the couch and were bringing out a love seat now. Letting out a sigh, Elizabeth climbed back into her car and drove towards the barn. The horses were glad to see her as always, and after they were in the pasture, she did as Mrs. Landry asked and found some boxes at the main house. She enjoyed working in the field and repairing things, but packing wasn't so bad either.

There was a lot more to do than she expected and she ended up staying late that night to finish. Of course it didn't matter since there was no one waiting at home for her and she was ecstatic to be around people again. On her way out, she drove the boxes to the main house and dropped them off on the front porch. Mrs. Landry was there. She had dirt on her face and was still working on getting the house packed.

"Oh, thank you so much, Elizabeth. You have been such a big help." Handing her a check, Mrs. Landry continued, "Here's what we owe you for the week. There's a little extra in there since this was such short notice. We're going to bring the horses to the vet tomorrow morning. They need to be boarded and placed in quarantine before making the trip."

Nodding, Elizabeth remained silent while she continued, "It has been so wonderful having you here to take care of them. I can't thank you enough. If you need anything else, like a letter or recommendation or a good reference, please give us a call. We'll be happy to help."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you." Giving Elizabeth a hug, they said their goodbyes. Getting into her car, Elizabeth drove back to her empty house. She was completely deflated. She prayed that someone was waiting for her—anyone, really--but no one was there. The house was dark and there were no signs of life except for the chirping of crickets and the occasional owl calling.

Trudging up the porch steps, she found her spirits lifted. Pinned on the front door was a folded piece of paper. Pulling it off the door, she quickly opened the house and raced upstairs. Opening the letter excitedly, she saw that it was from Raguel. He claimed to have some important news for her. He was waiting at a bar located in one of the upcoming neighborhoods in the center of the city.

Just a week ago she would have been suspicious and never would have gone much less alone. But now she was craving company, even if it wasn't human. She reeked of horse and sweat, though, so skipping a shower was out of the question. She didn't linger in it like normal, however, and was out and done within ten minutes. She didn't even bother straightening her hair and instead immediately got dressed and left the house. The bar she was meeting him at was a nicer venue and was geared towards an older clientele. There was no smoking allowed, which was a plus, and unlike most bars in Louisiana, this one had an age limit of twenty-one and older.

The room was dimly lit but Elizabeth immediately spotted him. He was seated at the far end of the bar. Since it was a weekday, there were only a few other people scattered throughout the building, so it wasn't hard to find him.

Seeing a new customer, the bartender tracked Elizabeth to the bar. The second her hand touched a barstool, the woman asked, "What can I get you?"

Blinking, Elizabeth was taken by surprise. She wasn't ready for a drink yet and never even had a chance to tell Raguel hello. "Um, an amaretto Coke, I guess."

Nodding, the bartender whipped around and poured the drink in record time. She even placed an extra cherry in the glass, which was appreciated. Sliding the drink to Elizabeth, she smiled weakly at the woman. Pulling a barstool out, she took a seat next to Raguel. He already had a beer in his hand and waited for her get settled in before starting.

"I'm glad you came."

Taking a long sip from her drink she turned to him and said, "I'm really sorry about my outburst a few nights ago. It was uncalled for and childish, and I'm sorry." A huge load lifted off her shoulders and letting out a sigh she could breathe easy again.

Raguel smiled down at his beer and said, "No, we should be the ones to apologize. We came to your house and brought you nothing but trouble. You've been more than a gracious host and anyone else would have kicked us out a long time ago."

That made her feel a little better about her behavior and looking down she realized that she had finished her drink. The bartender noticed as well and, striding back down the bar quickly offered, "Would you like another?"

Smiling, Elizabeth nodded. "Please."

They watched the bartender fill another glass. Placing the new drink in front of Elizabeth, she quickly swiped the old one away. Placing it in a sink, she walked back to the other side of the bar and leaned on the smooth top. She was talking with a young man sitting by himself. They each had a beer and appeared to know each other.

Clearing his throat, Raguel took another sip of his drink. Stirring hers absently, Elizabeth stared at the dark liquid. Now that apologies were over with, it was time to get down to business. "So," Elizabeth said, "what's the news you have?"

Taking a swig of his beer, Raguel cleared his throat again. "I'm pretty sure I've narrowed down the being behind the attacks and my contacts agree with my conclusion."

"Well, that's good news."

Raguel shrugged a little and didn't share her enthusiasm. "Well, it would be great if we could find him. Unfortunately everywhere he normally goes, he's been avoiding, and no one has any clue where he is."

Elizabeth let all of the new information sink in while the bartender brought him a new beer and replaced her drink with a fresh one. She didn't recall asking for another but wasn't upset by the assumption. After the bartender walked to the other side of the bar again, Elizabeth questioned softly, "Have you asked the demons if they've seen whoever it is?"

Shaking his head he said, "Since the night you ordered everyone out of your house we haven't been in contact. It's not normal for our societies to mingle and the only reason we were in each other's company was because of you."

"I see." She really regretted her little outburst. Not only had it been lonely, but it appeared to be hampering everyone who was trying to help her as well. Without thinking she picked up her glass and emptied its contents in one smooth motion. Placing the empty glass back on the bar, Raguel's hand touched hers and, pulling the glass away, he suggested,

"Maybe you should slow down on these. According to my research you're not a big drinker and judging by your weight I think you've had more than enough."

He was probably right, but she had finished the drinks so fast the effects hadn't had a chance to kick in yet, so for the moment she was feeling fine. The bartender was on top of things and noticed the empty glass as well. Striding back over to them, she smiled. "Would you like another?"

Shaking his head, Raguel pushed the empty glass and bottle towards her. "No, thank you. Could we get two waters and an order of nachos instead?"

Smiling at him, the bartender grabbed the empty glass and bottle from the bar. Winking, she said, "Sure thing."

Resting an arm on the back of the bar stool, Raguel looked around the room. Pointing to a small table near the outer wall, he suggested, "Why don't we go over there so we can talk in private?"

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed, and they quickly changed seats. The bartender was right behind them with their waters and she returned only a minute later with the nachos. The loaded chips were surprisingly good and they ate quietly for a few minutes. Gazing out the window, Elizabeth watched a few cars drive by slowly. This part of the city was unique. There were upscale shops and restaurants all within walking distance from the houses in the neighborhood. It was almost like a little city contained within the bigger city and was actually kind of neat.

Smiling, Elizabeth placed a finger on the window. There was a bug sitting on the outside of the glass that saw her finger as a threat. It tried to get away, but she followed it, cutting it off and making it switch directions. Biting her bottom lip, she tortured the bug for a few minutes until it grew tired of the game and flew away.

Resting her head on her hand she stared at Raguel who was also looking out the windows. "How old are you?"

Turning towards her, Raguel cocked his head. "What?"

"How old are you? I mean, you have to be really old, right?"

A thin smile parted his lips. "You definitely had too much to drink."

Waving her hand in front of his face, Elizabeth reprimanded him, "Don't change the subject. So where do you live? I mean, when you're not sleeping on my couch."

A slight chuckle escaped his mouth. "You make me sound like some kind of hobo."

The picture of him sleeping in a large cardboard box in a dirty alley popped into her head. Covering her mouth, she laughed at the thought of it. Cocking an eyebrow, Raguel leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. She couldn't help it, though. Trying to hold back her laughter, a profound thought came to mind: "Who's the other?"

"Who's the other what?"

Pointing a finger at him, Elizabeth leaned over the table and said, "You know what I mean. The other. You said there was... was... uh... was one other like me. So who is it?"

His eyes narrowed. He wasn't quite sure what she was talking about. He never remembered taking about other women with her. Then it hit him. His eyes lit up and locked onto her, "You mean the other with duel bloodlines."

"Yeah. I told you you knew what I was talkin' about."

He was pensive and shrugging took a sip of his water. "I don't know if I should tell you his name, but I can tell you a few things I suppose. For one, he's a..., well, he's a he. Secondly he's... how should I put this? He's unlike you in that he wasn't blessed when it comes to looks."

"You mean he's ugly."

Raguel laughed. Shaking his head he smiled, "No. Well, I suppose it's all relative. He's just not the resemblance of perfection that the rest of the angels and some of the demons have achieved."

Elizabeth had a blank stare on her face. Her eyes were glazed over and Raguel wasn't sure if that was due to the alcohol or his explanation. "Look," he said, "I'll be honest with you." Leaning on the table, he moved closer to her, "The first couple of times you saw me I was doing some reconnaissance. Originally I wasn't too happy that my superiors ordered me to take on this assignment--firstly because you're a mortal, and secondly because the other with mixed blood is, as you stated so bluntly, unattractive. So I assumed that would be the case with you and I intended to just watch you from a distance until I saw that wasn't the case. I suppose it was vain of me, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I saw you that first time."

Half of what he said didn't sink in. Her head was feeling as light as a feather. The room wasn't spinning by any means but the effects of gravity seemed irrelevant at that moment and it felt like if she wanted to, she could fly. Taking only what she wanted from his speech, Elizabeth giggled and said, "You like me."

Halfway grinning, Raguel cleared his throat and rising from the table walked around towards her. Helping her to her feet, he said, "I think it's time I brought you home."

Holding onto him, Elizabeth leaned her weight on his arm. "Nah, I don't have work tomorrow. My employer is moving so I can stay up all night."

Looking down, he cocked an eyebrow at her and, smiling broadly, said, "I think it's still better to get you home."

Shrugging, she allowed him to put his arm around her. Walking slowly out of the bar, Raguel led her back to her car. Opening the passenger door, he helped her into the car and then climbed into the driver's seat. Elizabeth was growing even more lightheaded with every passing minute and the car ride started out as a big haze. The city lights all blurred together. Yellow and black lines streaked across her frame of vision with the occasional red thrown in. It was beautiful in a strange, unnatural way.

Blinking, she rested her head back against the seat. Staring out the window she saw something. At least she thought she saw something. Sitting up, she tried to look behind them but it was too dark to see anything. They were moving out of the city and headed into the country. The lights were far and few between and would soon be gone.

"Is something wrong?"

Facing the windshield Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I just thought I saw something."

Glancing in the rearview mirror, Raguel didn't see anything behind them. Glancing at her, he looked back at the road ahead of them. "What did you see?"

Rolling her head around on the headrest, her eyes fell back onto him. "I dunno. It was dark."

Frowning, he didn't like this. She was drunk, but that doesn't mean she didn't see anything. Slowing around a curve, the headlights locked onto something in the distance standing in the middle of the road. Pulling off the road, Raguel stopped the car. Standing several feet away was an angel he knew very well.

"Who's that?"

Raguel's eyes never left the road. "An old friend."

Smiling, Elizabeth leaned over the shifter and rested her head on his shoulder. Her head was hurting but only slightly. It was light, but then again it felt like a dead weight. Lifting it, she was met by Raguel's eyes. Smiling weakly, she placed a finger on the tip of his nose. "It's a trap."

Glaring at her, he took her hand in his own. "No," he said. "I know him. He's not like that."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth leaned back onto her seat and said, "Okay, but don't say that I didn't warn you."

Raguel rolled his eyes. The figure didn't move. It stood perfectly still on the road staring at the car. Gripping the door handle, Raguel said, "Stay in the car, just in case."

Elizabeth's eyes were closing. Her head felt heavy and she was fighting back the urge to sleep. She jumped when the car door closed. Raguel strode confidently towards the angel, but slowed when he neared the edge of the light. The headlights split around his body, cloaking the other angel in darkness.

"Zachariel, what brings you down to the earthly realm?" The angel didn't answer him. Raguel's body tightened. Something wasn't right. The angel didn't move, his head hung low, and he seemed distant.

Clearing his throat, Raguel tried again. "What's wrong, my friend? Why are you here?"

The angel's head lifted. His eyes glowed red in the darkness. "Friend? What friend?"

Taking a step back Raguel was on his guard. This wasn't the angel he knew. "Who are you?"

Grinning slyly the angel said, "Don't you recognize me, old friend?" Taking a step forward, the angel brushed his hair out of his face, "You have something with you, something unique. Give her to me and I'll spare your life."

Chuckling Raguel had to force back a smile, "Who put you up to this? Who wants her?"

The angel shifted his weight and walked towards Raguel slowly. Taking another step backwards Raguel tried to keep his distance but the other angel's pace quickened. "I want the girl. Give her to me!"

Charging, the angel flew at Raguel with incredible speed. Dodging, Raguel tripped, nearly hitting the ground. The angel was on top of him in seconds, grabbing at anything within reach. His attacks were wild and not thought out. Raguel dodged him easily but was reluctant to fight back. Side-stepping, he was forced backwards towards the car. Glancing behind him, he could see Elizabeth still sitting in the passenger seat. Not wanting Zachariel getting too close, he had no choice but to go on the offensive.

Side-stepping again, Raguel jabbed at the angel. He was unprepared and took the brunt of the hit, falling to his knees. Pushing himself off the ground, the angel flew at Raguel again. Catching the punch, Raguel, hit the angel across the face, and then delivered a firm jab to the stomach. Zachariel hit the ground again. Rolling over in pain the angel groaned but Raguel wasn't satisfied yet. Striding over to him, Raguel knelt on the ground and punched him in the stomach again.

"Who sent you?"

The angel groaned. But Raguel was persistent. Hitting him in the stomach for a third time he said, "Who sent you?! Answer me, Zachariel! Who gave the order?!"

Raguel's eyes were wild. He was impatient and continued to hit the angel in the stomach repeatedly, not giving him a chance to answer. The angel coughed violently, spitting up blood and bile. Rolling over, he tried to crawl away, but Raguel was relentless, and continued to the beat the angel until he stopped moving. Glaring hatefully down at the beaten pulp, he didn't move to aid the angel. Coughing violently, Zachariel spit up large amounts of blood and his eyes grew wide. Convulsing, he vomited.

A round lump hit the ground. It was covered in slime and blood and it pulsed violently on the pavement. The angel tried to move away from it, but was too hurt. Walking over to the lump, Raguel kicked it. It flew through the air and hit the pavement several feet away, exploding into a giant mess. Glancing back down at Zachariel, Raguel closed his eyes and shook his head.

Walking back to the car, he paused when he heard a voice behind him. "My friend, I..."

Glancing over his shoulder Raguel said, "We'll talk later." Not waiting for a response he got back into the car. Letting out a deep sigh, he said, "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Elizabeth didn't answer. Turning towards her, she was facing the passenger window. Leaning over the shifter, Raguel placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing steadily. Smiling, he let out a chuckle. Leaning back in his seat, he ran his hands through his hair. This was just his luck. He finally gets Belial out of the way and she falls asleep. Letting out another sigh, he pulled back onto the dark highway and drove them back to her house.

"My lord, I bring news."

Lucifer glared at the demon kneeling in front of his desk. Growling, he said, "It better be good. I hope you didn't leave your post watching my great-granddaughter for no reason."

Bowing lower, the demon trembled, "It's Archangel Raguel, my lord. He's with her right now."

Lucifer's eyes glowed. "And you left her?"

The demon's face touched the ground, he was bowing so low. "They were attacked, my lord, by Archangel Zachariel, but Archangel Raguel defended her. I thought you should know. Forgive me."

Standing, Lucifer paced around the room. "Call Belial and Crocell."

"Yes, my lord."

Scrambling out the room, the demon was gone in a flash. Grumbling, Lucifer circled the room a few times. Nothing was going as planned. The girl was stubborn and the angel was in the way. Belial and Crocell showed up quickly but Lucifer was still in a foul mood. Pouring himself a drink, he sat back down at his desk and stared at the two demons.

"Archangel Raguel is with Elizabeth."

Belial and Crocell looked at each other. Swallowing, Crocell hesitantly questioned, "What will you have us do? Should we take him out?"

Swirling the red liquid around in his cup, Lucifer thought over Crocell's offer. "I had thought about it but Elizabeth is fragile. She likes the angel and I have a feeling she won't forgive me if something should happen to him." Staring at Belial, Lucifer inquired, "What are your feelings on the matter? Surely you have something to say?"

Bowing, Belial responded confidently, "I will carry out whatever decision you make my lord."

Cocking his head, Lucifer smirked, "I know you will, but that's not what I asked. Don't think I haven't noticed. You care for her. Knowing the angel is there alone with her... surely that must bring up some sort of feelings in you."

Frowning, Belial stared at the floor, "Of course I don't like her being alone with him, but without your permission, I can't go back."

Lucifer's eyes lit up. Belial was smart and knew to pick his words wisely. Smiling Lucifer nodded, "Very well Belial. I am giving you permission to return and guard Elizabeth. See to it that the angel doesn't over step. I'd hate to lose her to unfortunate circumstances."

Bowing Belial placed a fist over his chest, "Yes, my lord. I understand."

Pulling into the driveway Raguel parked the car and sat silently for a minute. Elizabeth was still sleeping soundly. He really didn't want to wake her, but at the same time, this was one of the only times he'd had alone with her. Getting out the car, he walked around to the passenger door and opened it. Reaching over her, he unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed her hair behind her ear. Leaning close, Raguel grazed his lips against her ear. "Elizabeth. We're home. Come on."

Her eyes cracked open. She was lightheaded and wasn't sure how they had arrived home so quickly. Taking hold of Raguel's hand, she allowed him to help her out of the car. Tripping over her feet, she fell into him. It felt like she was falling for ages and when she felt his arms wrap around her she immediately busted out laughing. She was walking but he was carrying most of her weight.

Stumbling up the porch steps, she leaned against the door and fumbled through her purse. Fingering through its contents, she couldn't find the keys. She had to have them. They made it home, after all. Digging through everything slowly, she realized that her keys were nowhere to be seen.

"What are you looking for?"

Raising the purse closer to her face, Elizabeth said, "My keys. Ugh, where did I put them?"

Grinning, Raguel pulled the keys out of his pocket. Jingling them in front of her, he teased, "Do you mean these keys?"

Grabbing at the keys, Raguel pulled them away from her. Dropping her purse on the ground, Elizabeth reached for the keys again, but he wasn't ready to give them to her so easily. Holding onto him, she jumped for the keys but he easily held them out of reach. Stumbling backwards, she pulled Raguel with her. Her back hit the door and Raguel was now pushed up against her. Giggling, she couldn't control herself. A big smile was plastered to his face as well and chuckling, he unlocked the door.

Once inside, he helped her up the stairs and into her room. She was having issues walking and almost tripped over her feet several times before reaching their destination. She stumbled into the room, laughing, nearly pulling both of them to the floor. Luckily Raguel caught her and, helping her back to her feet, placed her firmly on the bed.

Giggling, she pulled him onto the bed next to her and said, "So is the only reason you called me was to say that you don't know where the guy you're looking for is?"

A brilliant smile crossed his face and looking down at the bed he said, "Yes. I just wanted you to know so you'd keep your guard up. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Elizabeth giggled again. "Tell me about Heaven."

"You know I can't."

Sticking her tongue out at him, she made a farting noise then started giggling again. A brilliant smile crossed his face and his skin glowed in the darkness. Yawning, Elizabeth stretched. "Do you have a female angel waiting for you back there?"

Glancing around the room his smile faded. Leaning on the bed, he rested his weight on an elbow and stared down at her. She yawned again and stared back up at him, he answered. "No," he said, "I don't."

His voice was sad and remorseful and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Rubbing her eyes she asked, "So what does an angel or demon or otherworldly being look for in a female counterpart?"

He chuckled softly and said, "You make it sound so businesslike. Although for the demons, from what I understand, you don't get a choice. I've heard that the oldest male in the family decides who she is to be paired with. It's all very political and the suitors more or less have to impress him rather than court the female. Angels, however, are allowed to choose their lovers, and I'd say half the women choose not to be monogamous."

That concept was strange to her, but only because she was human and couldn't live forever. Lying on the bed, Raguel remained sideways and stared at her intently. "Do you think Ben misses me?"

"What?" he said. "What brought that on?"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. It seemed like a logical thought to her, but then again, her head still felt like it was flying. Raguel rolled onto his back and folded his arms behind his head to rest on them. Staring at the ceiling, he sunk inside himself. Elizabeth stared at him for a moment but she could feel herself drifting away.

His voice pulled her eyes back open. "Even if he did," Raguel said, "it wouldn't matter. He's a demon and since Lucifer has taken an interest in you he would have to convince Lucifer to let him have you." Looking at Elizabeth, her eyes were only halfway open. "It's like I said earlier: normally it's political with demons. Feelings don't play a part."

Elizabeth took in what he said. Looking at the white ceiling, her eyes were heavy and were begging to shut. Her head felt even heavier and sunk into the soft mattress. Drifting to sleep, she could hear Raguel talking again. "Honestly, it looks like Crocell has his eye on you for some sort of advancement as well. The only thing that could possibly turn him off is if you're not..." Out.

Chapter 19

The sun was already streaming through the windows when she woke the next morning. Small dust particles floated effortlessly through the air, playing in the beams of light. She wasn't sure what time she fell asleep, but it was definitely much later than she was used to. She somehow ended up on her pillow and under the covers but was still dressed in the clothes she had worn at the bar. She was groggy and, closing her eyes, she contemplated going back to sleep. Snuggling back into the pillow, a creaking noise reached her ears. It sounded like someone was sitting in the chair on the other side of the room. Leaning on her elbow, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Ben.

He was hunched over and glaring in her direction. To say he looked upset would be an understatement. There was a fire in his eyes that caused them to glow unnaturally. Sitting up, Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something but a strange object caught the corner of her eye. Glancing to her left, a human-sized lump was wrapped under the covers. Scrambling out of bed, she screamed. Ben's eyes never left the bed. She was relieved that he wasn't staring at her but all of the noise she had made caused the mysterious lump to move.

Sitting up, the covers fell off a very drowsy Raguel. Rubbing his eyes, he let out a long yawn then noticed Belial. Instantly his body went rigid. "Listen, Belial, it's not what it looks like."

A growl rose out of the demon's throat. Launching himself across the room, he hit the bed, landing on top of Raguel. The angel struggled to get out from under him. The sheets and comforter were thrown from the bed, but eventually Raguel was able to escape Belial's grip with only a few shallow scrapes. They were both breathing heavily and their wings shot out, coating the room in a blanket of feathers.

Between breaths Raguel was able to eke out, "You weren't... supposed to be... coming back."

Belial growled in response, anger seeping from his eyes. "Lucifer had a change of heart." Lunging for Raguel, he missed by only an inch. Cowardly, the angel flew behind Elizabeth. He hoped her presence would calm Belial down, but all it did was enrage him more. "Get over here angel, or I'll rip your wings off!"

Elizabeth's heart felt like it was going to beat straight through her chest. She could hear Raguel's ragged breaths behind her and in front of her was Ben who appeared more like an animal now than a human. Her legs were weak and she wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. With what remaining energy she had, Elizabeth yelled, "Stop it, Ben! Nothing happened!"

"That's good to hear." Belial's eyes were focused intently on Raguel--still. He hadn't moved and her voice hadn't registered with him. The voice that responded was calm, and came from the doorway. Lucifer was standing there with his arms folded across his chest. His face was stone cold and his eyes were narrow, but she was still relieved to see him.

All of the activity had drained her and her legs suddenly gave way. Raguel was quick and the second she started to fall he caught her. Pulling her up, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. Flames flew out of Belial's eyes. Seeing Elizabeth in Raguel's arms enraged him even more. Bending, he crouched near the floor ready to pounce.

"Belial," Lucifer said. "Calm down. We need him alive." A guttural sound escaped the demon's throat, but eventually he straightened and relaxed. No one showed signs of leaving. The demons' eyes remained locked on her and Raguel, whose grip only tightened around her. Once her legs felt steady enough, she gently pried Raguel's arms from around her and took a seat on the edge of the bed. The three beings continued to stare at each other. It felt like she was in the middle of a battlefield.

Eventually Lucifer broke the silence again. "Elizabeth, what is he doing here?"

Running her fingers through her hair, she looked over her shoulder at him. "He left me a note last night asking me to meet him so I did and we ended up back here afterwards."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed. He knew she had gone to a bar with him but was more curious about what happened after they got back to the house. That's where his intel ended. Smiling slyly, Lucifer continued to pry. "And what did you do here to pass the time?"

Frowning, Elizabeth knew what he was getting at. Looking away, she stared at the floor, "Nothing. We talked. I really don't remember about what; I was drunk. But I know nothing happened."

Meeting Belial's eyes, Lucifer motioned slightly towards Elizabeth with his head. Walking slowly over to her, the demon took a seat on the bed next to her, his eyes never leaving the angel. Placing an arm behind her, he leaned towards her and tested the air. He was an intimidating sight with his wings out, but his serene look had returned, which made him an absolute vision.

All eyes were on them while Belial tested the air around her. Moving towards her face, he slowed and took in a deep breath of air. "You kissed her?"

"What?" She was shocked and, looking up at Raguel, said, "You did what?"

A thin smile parted his lips. He wasn't ashamed or upset about what he had done. He had hoped to do more than that, but she had too much to drink at the bar and fell asleep rather unexpectedly. "Only a kiss goodnight."

Belial growled again. Grabbing his arm, Elizabeth made a poor attempt at calming him down. She was still in shock over what Raguel had just confessed. What was he thinking?

Glaring at the angel, Lucifer was quick to comment, "You know the laws, angel..."

Locking eyes with Lucifer, Raguel quickly cut him off. "I'm aware of the laws. I'm one of their enforcers. But there are no laws when it comes to this. She's not a pure demon and is in fact half-angel as well, so what I did breaks no laws."

Lucifer took in what he said sinking deep into thought. Raguel was becoming a pain in his side. He was sharp and knew where and when he could push his luck. It would be no easy feat getting him to leave his great-granddaughter alone.

Belial's eyes never left Raguel. Looking away from Lucifer, the angel locked eyes with Belial. Putting his arm around Elizabeth, the demon pulled her closer to him. Raguel's smile melted off his face. His eyes narrowed and he now returned Belial's glare.

"You were planning to mate with her."

Lucifer's voice was distant. Frowning, Raguel's eyes never left Belial. "That wasn't my goal," he said, "but I definitely wasn't against it happening and knew with Belial out of the way, it was a possibility."

Belial's body tensed and gripping Elizabeth's arm tightly, he pulled her even closer to him. Placing a hand on his leg, Elizabeth prayed that he wouldn't attack the angel. Glancing over her shoulder, she tried to see what Lucifer was doing. His eyes were on fire. Raguel's confession upset him. Elizabeth was confused, though, and definitely wasn't catching onto the bigger picture. They were keeping something from her again. Unwisely she opened her mouth to ask, "I don't get it. Besides being sneaky, what's the big deal?"

Belial's eyes fell onto her. Glancing up at him, she quickly looked away and focused on the floor. Crossing his arms, Lucifer leaned against the doorframe and said, "He was trying to take your virginity in hopes that you wouldn't be of use to us after that."

Elizabeth was taken aback. The corners of her mouth rose ever so slightly. She tried not to smile but couldn't contain it and after only a few seconds was giggling uncontrollably. Belial physically jerked and Lucifer's arms fell to his side. Even Raguel's eyes softened and he shifted nervously. The thick air in the room instantly cleared and wiping the corners of her eyes Elizabeth gained control of herself. "I'm twenty-six years old. There's no way you actually thought I was still a virgin."

No one answered. Belial stared Lucifer who was having issues registering this new information. His eyes darted around the room, and then rested back on Elizabeth. They returned to their radiant amber color and she couldn't help thinking about how gorgeous he was. "I wasn't told anything about this," he said solemnly.

"Her mother never mentioned anything either." Raguel said, "It wasn't in any of our reports."

Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her parents were giving reports on her to the other worldly beings? Her blood was boiling and clinching her hands into fists she glared at Lucifer. "They didn't know. Why should they? I didn't tell my parents half of what I'd done."

"How many?" Ben's voice cut into her like a knife. Her anger melted and was replaced by fear. She was scared of him leaving again. She didn't want to be alone. Swallowing she couldn't look him in the eyes and instead opted to stare at the bed.

"Two."

Belial's eyes locked onto Lucifer again. She could only imagine what they were talking about. The silence lingered and was grading on her. Finally unable to take it any longer, she said, "What's the big deal?"

The demons didn't answer her. They didn't even acknowledge her presence. Even though the room was filled with people she felt strangely alone. Eventually Raguel's voice reached her ears, sending a wave of relief through her. "Demons like their women to be virgins. That way they can truly own them, in a sense, and the union is seen as binding."

Normally when Raguel would talk about the demon world the others were quick to stop him. Today, however, they didn't say anything, much less look fazed. Suddenly Belial stood from the bed and circled around towards the door. Lucifer left ahead of him and when he reached the door, she called, "Wait! Where are you going?!"

A choking feeling filled her throat and she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. He paused at the door and without looking back said quietly, "Lucifer has called a meeting. I must go."

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. Closing her eyes, she choked back the tears as best she could.

"Belial," Raguel said, "if you see Samuel, tell him I'm looking for him."

Holding onto the door frame, the demon turned his head so he could see the angel. "So it's as we suspected?"

"Yes. But he's gone missing."

Belial nodded his head then left the room without saying another word. Elizabeth listened carefully until she heard the front door open and close. The energy had been sucked from her. Slumping over, she fell onto the bed. Raguel's figure loomed over her but she wasn't in the mood to hear what he had to say. Sensing her desire to be alone, he left quietly.

Elizabeth didn't stay in bed for long. Instead of moping she decided to change into work clothes and kept herself busy downstairs. Finding the primer she had bought with Ben, she popped the top on one and started priming the walls. After an hour she couldn't take the silence anymore. Turning the radio on, she hummed to the songs and got back to work. In only a few minutes she was singing and dancing. Painting was normally a chore, but today it was a blessing in disguise. She forgot all about Ben and Lucifer, and instead focused all her energy on the task at hand.

She worked straight through lunch, and by the time dinner was approaching, she had nearly finished priming the entire downstairs. Her stomach was killing her, so after picking up, she raced upstairs and jumped into the shower. Standing under the water, she realized that she hadn't locked the front door. Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes and let the water wash over her face. Waiting patiently her heart raced. She listened to the water hitting the tub, praying that the curtain would open, that Ben would walk in on her.

Lowering her head she opened her eyes. The shower curtain was still closed and the house was still quiet. Sighing again, she turned the water off. Climbing out the tub she dried off and straightened her hair. Taking her time, she stared at the mirror solemnly. The silence was getting to her again. It was horrible.

She wanted someone to visit her. Anyone, really. Raguel, Lucifer, Crocell... anyone...

She just needed interaction, noise, or something. Staring at the empty makeshift kitchen, her foot tapped the ground softly. For how big the house was, it was closing in on her. Jogging down the stairs, she grabbed her purse and skipped out the house. She was going out for dinner and had the perfect place in mind. It was a Mexican restaurant not too far into the city that had great daiquiris. She needed to get Ben off of her mind, so a little bit of alcohol should do the trick.

It was early so the restaurant wasn't crowded but that was fine with her. Her waiter was a cutie and since she was his only table, he was extra attentive. Chewing on a chip, she scanned the numbers on her phone. Pausing at Claire's, she stared at the green button. It would be so easy to call her and apologize. Tell her that she was right and that Ben was nothing but trouble. Putting the phone back in her purse, Elizabeth let out a long sigh. Life was getting too complicated.

After dinner, she trudged back to her car. She enjoyed eating out but going back to an empty house was an ill prospect. Sitting in the car, she drove around the city aimlessly. Every few minutes she'd stare at the purse sitting on the seat next to her. Reaching over, she stuck her hand in the purse and fumbled around until she found her phone. Pulling it out, she dialed Claire's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Elizabeth said. "Um, can we talk?"

There was silence on the other end of the line. Claire was still upset and wasn't ready to forgive her friend just yet. She wanted her to sweat a little, but then again she did make the effort to call. "Yeah," Claire said. "I'm not home right now, though."

"Me neither."

"What are you doing? You're not with Ben?"

Smiling weakly, Elizabeth smashed the phone between her ear and her shoulder. Turning right, she straightened the car back up and said, "No, we had a fight. I was thinking of going get a drink somewhere downtown."

"Yeah. Um, I can meet you somewhere. What about... uh... Sammy's?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. "I'll see ya there."

"'Kay. Later."

Ending the call, Elizabeth tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. The first chance she got, she turned the car around and drove to the bar. The area wasn't crowded yet so she was able to park out front. Soft music thumped out of the building and onto the street. Taking a seat at the bar, she ordered an amaretto Coke and settled in to wait for Claire. There weren't many people there--only a couple guys sitting alone near the back.

Sipping her drink slowly, she stared out the windows. There were a few people walking up and down the sidewalks, and several cars drove by slowly. Looking down at her glass she swirled the dark liquid. The cherry was barely visible at the bottom of the glass, and it knocked against the clear walls, moving with the drink.

The bar was filling up by the time Claire arrived. Taking a seat next to Elizabeth, the girls nodded at each other hesitantly. Glancing around the building slowly, Claire took in her surroundings. She checked every face in the crowd for Ben, but surprisingly he wasn't there.

"He's not here." Elizabeth's voice was solemn. Rolling the cherry around in the empty glass, she stared at the red ball intently.

"So it's that bad, huh?"

Shrugging her shoulders Elizabeth stared at the bottles stacked neatly behind the bar. "It was nice not being alone, ya know?"

Nodding her head, Claire waved the bartender over. "Can I get an Abita beer?"

"Which one?"

"Any," Claire said. "Surprise me." The bartender nodded and smiled at her. Grabbing a beer, he popped the cap off skillfully and sliding it onto the bar winked at her. A thin smile crept across her face. He was cute and, leaning on the bar, she watched him walk to the other end.

Elizabeth was completely ambivalent to their whole interaction. Pinching the cherry stem between her fingers, she twirled it slowly. Popping it into her mouth, she dropped the stem back into the empty glass.

"So what happened?"

Glancing at Claire, she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. What didn't happen?" Putting her elbow on the bar, Elizabeth rested her head on her hand. Rubbing her nose, she stared at the empty glass. "Everything just got... too complicated, I guess."

"He's not still living with you, is he?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth said, "No. I think he's going to move out."

Taking a long sip of her beer, Claire's eyebrows raised. "You think?"

Shrugging her shoulders again, Elizabeth straightened. "Yeah, well, we really didn't talk about it. He was so mad that he just left."

"Wow. What did you do?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth didn't know what to say. It was so stupid and sounded even worse out loud. Leaning close to Claire, she whispered, "He... he was mad because he found out that I'm not... that I..." Pausing. she couldn't say it without smiling.

"That what?"

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth smiled and said, "That I'm not a virgin." Claire busted out laughing. It was so dumb that Elizabeth laughed with her. "I know, right?"

Waving her hand in front of her, Claire was at a loss. "You're twenty-six. What did he expect?"

Rolling her eyes again, Elizabeth really didn't know. Raising her hands in the air, she was at a loss. "You want another drink?"

The bartender was smiling brilliantly at her. He was cute, but not as attractive as Ben. Smiling back at him, Elizabeth said, "Yeah, why not? I'll take another."

Winking at her the bartender poured her another drink. Maybe she was going about this the wrong way. Maybe she should relax a little and say screw Ben. Then again, he was so hot. Picking up her drink, she drank half of the contents.

"You gonna be okay?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Elizabeth swirled her drink around. "Yeah," she said. "I guess."

Drinking her beer, Claire stared at the wall. "He was really hot."

Glancing at her friend Elizabeth said, "What?"

"Ben. He was really hot." Glancing at Elizabeth, she drank some more of her beer. "So was his friend. That brunette guy."

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed. Letting out a sigh, she finished her drink. "Thanks for coming, Claire."

"Eh, it was nothing. You do have to drive me home, though." Smiling, Elizabeth laughed. She did owe her that much.

His finger tapped impatiently on the outside of his arm. Leaning back in the chair, he couldn't get comfortable. The council had been meeting for too long. What could they possibly be talking about? Surely Lucifer was fighting for his great-granddaughter.

The large door creaked open. A single demon emerged and quickly raced off down the hall. Frowning, Belial let out a deep sigh. The air was stifling. How long was he going to have to wait?

The soft tapping of footsteps echoed down the barren hall. Barely lifting his head, Belial glared at the demon approaching. Even while walking Crocell looked like a statue. Looking away, he stared at the large doors again.

"Have you been out here the whole time?"

Crossing his arms even tighter across his chest, Belial didn't answer him. Smirking, the demon moved towards the large doors and entered the room hidden beyond. The large door shut with a loud thud. Clenching his hands into fists, Belial couldn't take it anymore. The suspense was killing him.

The large doors swung open suddenly and Belial shot to his feet. Standing perfectly still he watched the demons pour out of the room. Finally he saw Lucifer. He was taking his time and was still talking to one of the council members softly.

Kneeling, Belial waited patiently for his orders. Lucifer wasn't in a hurry, however, and took his time getting to his subordinate. "Come, Belial."

Nodding, the demon stood and followed his master down the long hall. Lucifer walked silently with his hands clasped loosely behind his back. Pausing at a window, he stared out at the dark sky. "Belial."

"Yes, my lord?"

"The council has made a ruling which you should find quite favorable."

Belial was smiling on the inside but knew to remain still and cold in front of Lucifer. If he would show emotion now, he would be pulled away from Elizabeth. Glancing back at the demon, Lucifer examined him for a moment, and then continued, "The council is willing to overlook certain past activities. You are to return to Elizabeth's home and continue to guard her until farther notice."

"Yes, my lord."

Frowning, Lucifer's eyes narrowed. "And Belial?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Make sure that angel doesn't get too comfortable. I don't want him alone with her for any reason. Is that understood?"

"Yes, my lord." Bowing, Belial quickly turned and strode down the long hallway. He was excited and anxious to get back. Heading straight for her house, he raced up the porch steps and was met by a locked door. Pushing on the door, it didn't budge. Banging on the wood, he peered through the window but none of the lights were on.

"She's not here." Frowning, Belial glanced over his shoulder. Raguel was walking up behind him slowly. "She left a few hours ago and hasn't returned."

"You've been spying on her?"

Smiling, Raguel chuckled. "Only as much as you have. Someone had to keep an eye on her while Lucifer debated if he'd still accept her as kin."

Turning around Belial marched down steps. Why would she leave and alone? What was she thinking? "Where are you going?"

Growling, Belial barely looked back at the angel. "I'm going to find her."

After paying for their drinks, the girls left the bar and made the short walk to Elizabeth's car. Unlocking the doors, she climbed into the driver's seat but Claire took more time getting in. Bending, she finally took a seat and closed the door. Pointing to the back seat she said, "What are those for?"

Looking behind her, Elizabeth saw the two shotguns still sitting on the back seat. She had forgotten they were back there. It was a good thing that she wasn't pulled over. There was no way she'd be able to explain that to a cop. "I put them back there awhile back and forgot to take them out."

Claire made a face but didn't say anything. Pulling on her seatbelt, Elizabeth threw the car into drive and waited to pull out onto the street. The traffic was picking up. Tapping the steering wheel she watched the rearview mirror meticulously.

"Man, talk about a creepy-looking guy."

Glancing back at the front of the car, Elizabeth saw what Claire was talking about. He was there, the man in the trench coat. The one Lucifer and Ben had warned her about. Lifting his head slowly, his eyes met Elizabeth's. They were completely lifeless. Shuddering Elizabeth saw her chance and pulled out of the parking spot and onto the road. The man watched the car the entire time.

"What a weirdo."

Nodding her head Elizabeth agreed. She needed to get Claire home as soon as possible. He meant nothing but trouble and she didn't want Claire getting caught up in whatever he had planned. While Claire flipped radio stations, Elizabeth's stomach tightened. What was his goal, assuming that he was behind the attacks at all? Maybe Lucifer sent him, or maybe he was just there to keep an eye on her.

Turning onto another road, flashing lights in the distance caught the girls' attention. Staying calm, Elizabeth remained at the speed limit, but her eyes never left the red and blue flashes ahead of them.

"Is that a check point?" Claire asked.

Frowning, Elizabeth nodded. "I think it is." She had no desire to go through a check point. She'd had a few drinks, and with the guns in the back seat in plain sight, she couldn't risk it. Being casual, Elizabeth flipped her blinker on and took a right into a subdivision before reaching the cops. Staring out the back window, Claire watched until the blinking lights were out of view.

Letting out a deep sigh, she stared at Elizabeth, wide-eyed. Elizabeth was focused on the road ahead, however. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she weaved through the subdivision streets until they came out the other side. Looking in both directions, the road was dark and vacant. Glancing at each other, the girls smiled and laughed. They had dodged a bullet and they knew it.

Pulling out onto the road, Elizabeth planned her next course of action. There were a few ways she could go to get to Claire's apartment but she wanted the path of least resistance. Slowing down, she stopped at a light and waited to turn. This road should end past the check point and she'd be able to get back to the road Claire's apartment was on. Claire was flipping radio stations again and was completely ambivalent to what was ailing Elizabeth.

One hand gripped the wheel tightly while the other remained locked on the shifter. A few cars passed them, going in the opposite direction. She eyed them all with suspicion. Something was making her uneasy. Her gut was in knots and it continued to tighten with every passing second.

The light turned green and Elizabeth slowly turned onto another road. The boulevard didn't have much along it. There was a football stadium and practice fields, as well as a park and a small workout facility. During the day this area was filled with people and cars, but tonight they were the only ones traveling down it. Claire continued to poke at the radio in disgust. Nothing good was playing.

A loud pop filled the air, and Claire jerked sideways, her head hitting the window. Gripping the wheel tightly, Elizabeth threw the car into the neutral. It swerved and skidded off the road into the grass. Coming to a rough stop, Elizabeth leaned back in her seat breathing heavily. Rubbing her head, Claire was disoriented. "What happened?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth ran her hands over her face. "I dunno. I think one of the front tires blew out." Looking Claire over, she said, "You okay?"

Rubbing her head, Claire grimaced. "Yeah, I think so." Looking back at her friend, Claire gasped. Turning, Elizabeth saw an all too familiar sight. It was the man in the trench coat. He was standing a good distance away from the car but Elizabeth was tired and wanted this to end.

"Stay in the car."

"What?" Claire said. "What are you doing?"

"I'm ending this." Grabbing the door handle she barely got the door open when Claire grabbed her arm.

"What? Ending what? What are you talking about?"

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth grimaced. She now knew how Ben and Raguel felt. She not only had someone to protect but was unable to explain what was going on. Pulling her arm away, Elizabeth looked back at the man and closed the door behind her.

He remained completely motionless. The noise from the car door didn't faze him. Looking around cautiously, Elizabeth took a few wary steps towards him. Eventually his head rose, revealing a pair of bright red eyes. The hat he wore cloaked most of his face in shadows but his eyes glowed in the dim light.

Pausing, Elizabeth swallowed, determined to hold her ground. Smiling crookedly, the man raised a hand and removed the hat from his head. His face was thin and had a pronounced bone structure that did nothing for his appearance. Thin, straight hair fell to his shoulders, making him look sickly.

"Cousin."

Elizabeth's heart froze. His voice was creepy. It wasn't that of a man or a woman. It was flat and gender neutral. "Who are you?"

Cocking his head, the man's eyes narrowed. "How rude," he said. "Hasn't Lucifer told you about me? He's told me all about you."

Crossing her arms, Elizabeth wasn't buying it. Lucifer wasn't the talkative type and wasn't much for sharing. "Are you Samuel?"

A weak smile parted his thin lips. Dropping the hat on the ground, his eyes lit up. "Ah, yes. See, you do know me, cousin."

"I'm not your cousin. I don't even know you."

Samuel's smile grew. "We are alike, you and I. We're different from the others. We're unique. A perverse image of their perfection."

Taking a small step backwards, Elizabeth contemplated her situation. There was something off with this guy. He wasn't all there.

"Elizabeth! Come on, let's go."

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Claire standing on the other side of the car. She had one of the guns in her hand and was pointing it straight at the Samuel. Looking back at the man, his eyes were wide with excitement. He had been looking forward to this moment for months and was ready to revel in her pain and torment.

"Pathetic human. Do you really think you can hurt me?" Pushing his trench coat aside, Samuel drew a long sword hidden beneath. It wasn't like the swords Belial and Lucifer carried. It was a normal steel sword. The blade was beat up and the end was covered in dried blood. He held it with a confidence that said that he had killed before. "I think I will kill your friend first, cousin. That way you can watch."

Elizabeth's hands clinched into fists. "Don't you touch her! I'm the one you want! Leave her out of this!" Samuel's eyes grew wider. He fed off of their fear.

The sound of gunfire echoed down the empty street. Claire had pulled the trigger but missed. The bullet ricocheted off of a tree behind Samuel. His smile faded and, gripping the sword tightly, he took a step forward. Two wings shot out of his back. They weren't pristine like the others she had seen. One was devoid of feathers. Thin, splotchy skin stretched over the bones. It looked more like a bat's wing. The other was covered in pathetic, gray feathers. They were dingy and actually made Elizabeth feel a little sorry for him.

"Did you like the last present I left you?" Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. She had no idea what he was talking about. Taking another step, Samuel continued, "That girl was easy to control. She was depressed and had contemplating killing herself several times before. Did you like how I did it? Humans are so easily fooled."

Elizabeth's breath grew still. The gun discharged again behind her. Claire's hands were covering her mouth and fear cloaked her face. She had dropped the gun. Sidestepping, Elizabeth blocked her view. She wanted Samuel to focus on her and not Claire. The corners of his lips raised and taking another heavy step he said, "How noble of you, cousin. Too bad you couldn't protect your other friend or your parents."

Whatever fear she was feeling was now replaced by anger and hatred. Samuel was enjoying himself. He had her right where he wanted her and she was falling for the bait. "Lucifer wouldn't tell me where you were so I found your parents. He wasn't concerned about protecting them like he was protecting you." Snickering, he continued, "They died easy enough. Airplanes are vulnerable. Although they didn't want to tell me where you were either. Quite stubborn."

Elizabeth had heard enough. Grinding her teeth, a single tear slid down her cheek. "Shut up."

Samuel's smile grew. "If you would have just died then they could have been spared. But you wouldn't die. No matter what I did you wouldn't follow the script."

"I said shut up!"

Samuel's body went limp. His arms hung loosely at his sides. Grinning from ear to ear, his eyes glowed intensely. "We're unique, cousin, and that won't do. There can't be two. I can't have you running around getting all of the attention." Cackling, his mouth opened so wide it split his face in two. "Now, cousin, it's time to die, and we'll see who the highest bidder is. Will your precious Lucifer save you or will He be bothered enough to wake up from His sleep?"

Swaying effortlessly, Samuel charged Elizabeth. Her feet felt frozen. His sword was raised, pointed straight at her, but she couldn't move. A piercing scream woke her from the trance. Leaping sideways, she narrowly escaped the blade. It plunged into her car like it was made of butter. Grinning he pulled the blade out and said, "Stand still, cousin. I'd hate to miss and hit your friend instead."

Claire was petrified. She remained crouched on the ground next to the car. It wasn't great protection but it was something. Staring at the gun, Elizabeth wished that she could reach it. Samuel wasted no time and charged her again. Stumbling backwards, she was falling but never hit the ground. Closing her eyes, she felt the wind rush by her face and then something wrap around her.

"Are you alright?"

Smiling, her muscles relaxed. Gripping his clothes, she opened her eyes and nodded. "I'm fine, thanks."

Samuel screamed in disgust. Whipping around, he saw Claire still huddling by the car. Rage consumed him. Flying towards her, he readied his sword. Claire was frozen in fear and Elizabeth was unable to move. Samuel reached his prey in record time. His sword fell down over her but was stopped short of its target.

A clear blade hovered over Claire's head, guarding her from the sharp steel. Pushing Samuel back, Raguel glanced down at her. "You okay?"

Unable to speak, Claire only nodded her head in reply. Grinning, Raguel took his place between Claire and Samuel. Claire was awestruck by the pair of pristine white wings blocking her view. Her heart was racing but no longer in fear.

Letting go of Elizabeth, Belial left her next to the car and took his place next to Raguel. Samuel was no longer smiling and was now contemplating his next move. His prey was so close to leave now would be counterproductive. Screaming, he leapt towards Elizabeth again but was easily cut off by Belial. Screaming, he swung wildly at the demon trying to break through his defenses.

Leaning against the car, Elizabeth ran her hand along the smooth surface, her eyes never leaving the fight. Fumbling for the door handle, she eventually found it and cracked the door open. The second gun was lying on the ground between the seats. Reaching in, she grabbed the barrel and pulled it out of the car.

Samuel wasn't winning but he and Belial were in a deadlock. Raguel made no attempt to help and instead waited in the wings, sword ready, just in case. Readying the gun, Elizabeth rested it on her shoulder and kept it pointed at Samuel. Ben was blocking her shot, but the second she had one she was going to take it.

Screaming wildly, Samuel drew a short knife with his free hand. Swinging, he caught Belial in the arm. Blood trickled down his arm and, jumping back, he had to refocus. Guarding against two weapons was exponentially more difficult and he was quickly becoming overpowered.

Raguel still didn't move. Watching silently, he had no intentions on saving Belial. He would protect the women, but the demon was on his own. Slamming into Belial, Samuel grinned evilly. Picking up his foot, he kicked the demon in the stomach, throwing him to the ground. Elizabeth was ready for him. Before Raguel could react, she had Samuel in her sights and fired the gun.

The bullet hit him just under his right shoulder and passed straight through. Dropping the knife, he raised his hand, allowing the blood to drip onto it and then onto the ground. A crooked smile crossed his face. Turning towards Elizabeth, he staggered towards her. The noise from the gun echoed in the still air. This time the bullet hit him square in the chest.

Stopping, Samuel's smile faded. Coughing violently blood flew out of his mouth, painting the ground red. Stabbing the ground with his sword, he rested his weight on the weapon. Blood oozed out of his chest. Coughing, he gasped for air but was having problems finding any.

Elizabeth leaned against the side of the car. She kept the gun pointed at the being kneeling before her. Staring at her, the corners of his mouth raised. Coughing violently, he wiped the blood from his mouth and whispered softly, "Well played, cousin."

The ground distorted and caved in around him, sucking him into the pavement like quicksand. His eyes never left Elizabeth and hers remained locked onto him. The concrete rippled and pooled around him until even his head was completely engulfed. The air diffused and the sky lightened. Everything seemed brighter.

"Where did he go?" Claire looked exasperated.

Shaking her head, Elizabeth wasn't sure. Walking over to the red, stained ground, Raguel touched the concrete. It was solid. Crossing her arms, Claire shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her eyes darted between everyone present. "Is he dead?"

"No." Everyone looked at Ben in unison. His eyes were still locked on the bloody stain on the ground where Samuel had once stood. "His wounds will heal. It'll be awhile before he's healthy enough to come out again, but he'll be back."

That wasn't what Elizabeth wanted to hear. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head in disbelief. The last thing she wanted was for that psycho to start going after her again. Turning towards the car, she opened the door and placed the gun on the floor. Slamming the door shut, she leaned her weight on it. Shaking her head again, she glanced over her shoulder. "All right. Let's go home."

Cocking his head, Raguel cross his arms over his chest. "Does that mean you're asking us to move back in?"

A thin smile parted her lips. "I suppose I am." Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Raguel nodded and made his way over to Claire. The instant he left, Belial was at her side. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tightly.

"Thanks for coming."

Shrugging, he let out a sigh. Looking down at her, he said, "I went back to your house and you weren't there. Raguel had been watching you and saw you leave almost an hour earlier." Pausing, Belial leaned against her car and ran a hand through his hair. "Lucifer's not happy about what he learned, but since the two in question were human, he's acting like they never happened."

Pushing away from the car, Elizabeth walked around to the passenger side. The front tire was blown. The last thing she wanted to do was change a tire. Walking around to the front of the car, she picked up the other gun. Belial was staring at the bare sky, completely ignoring what she was doing. He'd never changed a tire before and wasn't about to start now.

Taking a seat in the grass, he watched Elizabeth silently. She seemed confident enough and really looked like she knew what she was doing.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

Pulling the old tire off the car, she placed it on the ground gently. Lifting the new tire into place, Elizabeth said, "My father taught me."

"You miss him?"

Pausing, she looked over her shoulder at the demon. He was sitting cross-legged staring intently at her. "Of course I do. Why would you ask that?"

Shrugging, he watched her tighten the lug nuts back on. "I don't know. You never talk about him."

Frowning, she didn't know what to say. Lowering the car, she removed the jack and brought it back to the trunk. Glancing around, she asked, "Where's Claire and Raguel?"

Picking up the old tire, Belial carried it to the trunk. "They left a while back. Raguel said he was taking her to dinner and would catch up with us later."

Glaring at Ben she knew she heard no such conversation. Wiping her forehead with the back of her hand she slammed the trunk shut. "Can you drive? I had a few drinks and already saw a check point tonight."

Nodding, Belial casually climbed into the driver's seat. Lowering the windows, they drove in silence with the radio off. Resting her arm on the car door, Elizabeth leaned her head towards the open window, allowing the wind to caress her skin. Smiling, she watched Ben. He also had an arm resting halfway out the window and was leaning back in the seat casually. Just being close to him calmed her soul. It was similar to the effect Lucifer had on her, just not as potent.

Back at the house, Belial unlocked the door for her. She'd never thought about getting the key back from him. Locking the door behind them, he walked around the downstairs silently while Elizabeth fumbled with her purse. Nodding in approval, he was amazed by how much work she had gotten done in such a short period of time.

Following her up the stairs, he walked to his room. Standing in the doorway, everything looked exactly the way he had left it. It was like he had never left. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed he looked around the dark room. Leaning against the doorframe, Elizabeth crossed her arms and watched him silently. Staring at her he stated softly, "You know I have no reason to stay here anymore."

Looking down, there was no way she could respond to that. Her heart sank but he was right. With Samuel out of commission, the attacks would stop and there would be no reason for Lucifer to order him to stay. Swallowing, she asked, "Where will you go?"

Shaking his head, he stared at the ground. Pushing off the bed, he walked towards her. Swallowing, she stepped out of the doorway to let him pass. Stopping next to her, he looked down, but she refused to return his gaze. Smiling, Belial wrapped his arms around her.

Resting her head on his chest, she listened to his heart's steady, rhythmic beating. His chest rumbled from under her when he spoke. "Until Lucifer calls me back, I'm not going anywhere."

Smiling, she didn't believe him. Pushing away from him, she wanted to say something but the second her mouth opened he stopped her. His lips were warm and his tongue quickly found a steady rhythm inside her mouth. Her heart was racing and her skin tingled. Holding onto his shirt, her hands wrapped around his back.

Lifting her off the floor, Belial carried her to the bed in one smooth motion. Lying on top of her, his weight pressed her into the mattress while his mouth moved down her neck. She held onto his back while his hands moved under her shirt and up towards her chest. He slowly worked the shirt up over her stomach and towards her breasts. Arching her back, she tried to make it easier on him.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything."

Belial launched himself off of her. He was just as startled as Elizabeth. Standing in the doorway was the monochromatic Crocell. Frowning, he stared intently at Belial. "Lucifer wants you to report in. He has heard some disturbing news from an angel and wants to be debriefed. Immediately."

Letting out a deep sigh, he glanced at Elizabeth for a moment. Shaking his head, he followed Crocell down the stairs. Elizabeth listened intently. The stairs creaked under their weight then the door opened and closed. Silence. There were no other sounds. No car engine, no noise from the gravel. Rolling out of the bed, she took a shower, and then climbed into her own bed.

It was late. She was groggy but was sure she had heard something downstairs. Rubbing the crust away from her eyes, she blinked at the clock and saw 2:47 in bright red lights. The stairs creaked beneath someone's feet. She was frozen in place, her body rigid. Raguel had come back hours ago and had already gone to bed.

A dark figure slowly appeared in the doorway. Elizabeth's fears melted away. She couldn't see his face and he didn't say anything but the calm feeling that took over her body could only mean one thing. It was Ben. Without a word he walked towards his room and she slowly drifted back to sleep.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my book. If you enjoyed it please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer or at my website http://www.daniellembroussard.com

Thanks!

Danielle Broussard

