The Devil's Son ✔

The Hudson River

The terror on Maria's face was clear - etched into her skin like a mask. If I had any doubts about my aunt knowing about the daemon, they were all vanquished now. She knew who he was - what he was. Her eyes flitted from his hand on my shoulder to his face, over and over again, 'What do you want?'

'I think you already know what I want,' Lucian growled back and I felt his fingers on my shoulder tighten.

Aunt Maria's nostrils flared slightly with anger before she nodded once at his fingers upon my flesh, 'Isn't that burning, demon child?'

For a moment the library section was deadly silent, only my ragged breathing disrupting the tense moment, 'How did you know?'

Maria's eyes flashed with something that betrayed guilt and underlying secrets before she looked away, 'We shouldn't discuss it here, much less in the presence of a demon. You should come with me, Elizabeth, it isn't safe'.

I didn't know what overcame me but suddenly I was angry - beyond angry - I was furious, 'You haven't been in my life for years,' I started quietly, feeling Lucian's ice blue eyes digging into the back of my skull in surprise, 'You weren't there when mother died, instead, you cowered alone and here you tell me to take a step away from someone that's saved me multiple times. I know he's not doing it out of my own interests, but at least he's done a hell of a lot more than you have'.

Maria's eyes were wide and Lucian recovered quicker, emitting a low whistle that made me want to turn around and stomp him in the stomach, 'Well, that settles it. Why don't we go somewhere together?'

☠☜◊✙◊☞☠

Aunt Maria insisted we meet the next morning, around noon, in broad daylight. The desperate tone of her voice had made Lucian laugh and he had inserted how the sunlight would not burn him to death if that was what she wished for. She tried to make me go with her, to sleep in a hotel and I had been tempted if not for Lucian's hand on my shoulder and the whisper he had spoken against my ears, 'I can not protect you there'.

So Maria had told us where to meet her the next day, and Lucian and I headed to a hotel for the night.

The demon had been steering me to the Four Seasons when I had shook my head, 'I'm not letting you make someone else pay for our suite'.

'Who says it'll be a suite?' he had blinked innocently before a sly smile had appeared on his handsome lips, 'I was thinking more of a penthouse'.

'We're not doing that,' I had said, stubbornly refusing to move as he tried to drag me towards the hotel.

'What is with you?' he had finally growled, exasperated, 'You'd rather sleep in a motel somewhere? Do you know what happens in those places?'

'You would know, wouldn't you?' I started, folding my arms. I was well aware of the stares we were attracting. Two people standing on the sidewalk, having a small sized argument in front of the Four Seasons Hotel. I looked a mess, my hair hadn't been washed since we went to Maria's seaside cottage, and I was well aware of the dark circles under my eyes. Lucian, in comparison, was still gorgeous - not a single hair out of place.

His eye seemed to twitch with annoyance, 'I don't know why you're being so difficult'.

'Do you realise how fucked up this is?' I started, hoping my voice wouldn't crack under the strain of emotions, 'I just chose you over my family. And you're the bad guy, not only that, you're going to kill me at the end of the day. Do you know how fucked up that makes me feel?'

For a moment, Lucian's anger simmered before he clenched his fists, 'Who gives a shit about how you feel? You fucked up, now you're paying for it. I didn't tell you to choose me over your family, you did that all on your own'.