The Devil's Lover: The Resurrection

by Dahlia Lu

  “Living with a man and having a child with him doesn’t constitute a marriage. If this story leaks out, it’ll be a scandal at best. You are young, you are charming, and you are breathtakingly beautiful. There aren’t any reasons, even a child, that would prevent a man from trading an arm and a leg for you.”

  A little smile appeared on her face. At least she liked his sense of humor. He suddenly felt guilty for looking at her through pitying eyes. She probably saw it too, and turned toward the window. He had always wondered why her violet eyes carried so much sorrow and now he understood a bit. Her beauty may have been more of a curse than a blessing. She was taken from her childhood far too early and fell in love too soon. She became a mother too early, and was betrayed too soon.

  He felt a little angry that any man would be out of his mind enough to turn his back on her. The girl may be a little emo, but she had a goddamn good reason to be. She was probably a very cheerful girl before all of this. He shook his head. No, he couldn’t imagine her to be the cheerful type. Her beauty was dark and mysterious, like the full moon on a cloudless night.

  He had repetitively emphasized her beauty without meaning to. She was more than just her looks. He had been with many beautiful women, some of whom couldn’t even do multiplication. Fey was different. She had depth, intelligence, and admirable virtue. If he had tried to get her into his bed like he did with other women, he would have lost an eye or two. He found it charming and alarmingly bewitching.

  He watched her leave the limousine and realized they had already reached their destination. He got out and led her into the studio. Whenever he had the chance to open the door for her, like any gentlemen would do, he caught the sight of her back side. He noticed she had a frail yet dignified walk. Her steps were not as confident and energetic as other models he had known, but they were resilient and supple as if she wanted to preserve an injured pride. Grant shook his head again. He was thinking way too much about it.

  He pulled out a chair for her at the makeup table.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said with a gentle tap on her shoulders. “I forgot the equipment in the limousine.”

  “What do I wear, Grant?” She raised her hands lightly above her waist to emphasize her lack of understanding of his taste.

  “I don’t know yet, we’ll decide that when I get back,” he answered her and walked toward the flight of stairs.

  She sat there alone, watching the staff setting up the scenery. From what she could tell from the midnight backdrop and the gothic furniture, it was going to be something paranormal. She was distracted from the scenery by the laughter of the models who had just emerged from the dressing room. They were wearing white, but noticeably aged, wedding gowns. Their dangling ruby jewelry was heavy, and their make-up overly elaborates. As a whole, they looked convincing enough and with digital editing, they would look real, so to speak.

  “So you’re the one who’s been hogging Grant all to yourself,” one of the models said with barely-masked hostility.

  Kali didn’t know who the model was talking to until the girl was standing several feet away from her.

  “I guess you are kind of pretty,” she admitted uncomfortably. “Grant must have spent a ton hiring a makeup artist for you.”

  Kali didn’t know why a hand flew to her face to inspect her skin. She didn’t know if she should consider that a compliment or an insult. “You’re very pretty, too. Are you Grant’s models?”

  “We’re more than just his models, but he won’t admit that these days,” the tallest of the four models said. “You may be his favorite now, but in three months he won’t even remember your face.”

  There was something odd about this conversation that made her laugh. She laughed so hard that there were tears in the corner of her eyes. Why must everything remind her of Lucifer? Was forgetting about him that impossible? She could see the confused expressions on the models’ faces as they reacted to her sudden outburst. When her laughter died down, the tears that had accumulated earlier slid down her cheeks.

  “Did you girls make her cry?” a husky voice from behind them said. They turned around and gasped at the sight of him.

  “She wasn’t crying, she was just laughed too hard!” the blond clarified, but that didn’t sound convincing enough to him.

  He walked passed them and held her by the shoulders. “Are you alright?”

  She wiped off the tears with her sleeve and looked up at him. “What are you doing here, Trent?”

  “I have a photo-shoot with them today,” he gestured at the four women behind him. “Are you sure you’re alright? I could take you home.”

  He turned toward the models. “Please excuse us,” Trent said politely and led Kali away before they had the chance to protest.

  They entered a dressing room and he closed the door behind them.

  “I could take you home,” he offered. “It would only take a minute, Mother.”

  “I really am fine,” she smiled. “It’s not your turn to worry about me, yet.”

  “It’s hardly a choice.”

  Her smile faded. “I don’t know if I should hug you, or pet you, or what.”

  He understood what she meant. “Am I really that different, Mother? I may not be five years old anymore, but I am still your son. It doesn’t matter if I’ve grown to six feet tall or sixty feet tall, you are still my Mother, and I’ve missed you.”

  She wrapped her arms around him to hide her tears. She had been able to pick him up only a couple months ago, in her memories. Now he stood as tall as his father. “Do you hate me for not being there for you?” she asked. “What am I saying? You don’t need me for anything.”

  He held her tighter in his arms. “I may not need a cook or a nurse, but I need a Mother. I’ve never forgotten the lessons you taught me.”

  “Does your brother know?” she was hesitant to ask.

  “You’re holding us both right now.”

  She looked up at the blue eyes that so resembled Lucifer’s and smiled amidst her tears of joy.

  She turned to the sound of the opening door and saw Grant. He took a moment to evaluate the situation and came up with a plausible explanation. The girls standing behind him were dumbstruck at first, but they quickly scattered. Grant approached and naturally separated the couple.

  “Is he the one you were talking about?” Grant asked Kali. There was a strange sense of protectiveness coming from him.

  She looked up at Trent and saw his still expression. “No, he’s family.”

  Trent heard his name being called by his photographer from outside the dressing room. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered something into her ear. She lightly nodded, smiled, and watched him leave the room.

  “Are you that taken with him?” Grant asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I knew you were his fan, but I didn’t expect you to jump into his arms every chance you get. I don’t blame Trent for taking the bait, either.”

  “Don’t insult us!” she warned, clearly offended by his accusations. “He’s my family and is the only thing that truly belongs to me! Even if we were what you think, it’s still doesn’t justify your comments!”

  He didn’t know what made him say what he did. He knew her character better than that. No, he lied. He did know what made him said those things. His eyes might as well turn green. “Everyone’s is watching you now, so you have to be careful not to create scandals. Being alone in a room in the arms of the most popular vocalist will do just that.”

  It sounded like a legitimate reason.

  “And it is perfectly acceptable for a female model to be alone in a room or an apartment of a photographer?” she questioned the double standard.

  “As far as I know, it’s work. I haven’t made any advances toward you yet, have I?”

  She was going to reply, but decided not to. It would turn the conversation in a new direction and she may not like it. He would definitely be alarmed if he knew she could read thoughts. No
t his specifically, and not intentionally, either.

  She never figured out how this mind reading ability worked and wouldn’t dream of being able to control it. She picked up random thoughts now and then, and only from some people. It was distracting, but it had not reached a stage where it completely drove her mad. She could not read the minds of Lucifer or any of his kind. Not even Chevalier’s. Even if she could, she didn’t know if she wanted to. She had decided to neglect the ability.

  “Here, change into this,” Grant instructed as he handed her a mauve satin gown from the rack. The open neck line was lined in tiny crystal beads and was cut quite low. Kali pressed the dress against her body to see where her breasts would go and looked up in protest.

  “Half of my breasts will be showing!” she pointed out and shook her head. “I want another one.”

  “Hurry up and change,” Grant did not bother with her request. “I only have about half an hour left before I need to show up at another appointment.”

  He paused when he reached the door. “By the way, you should start packing when the shoot’s over. We’ll be leaving for a photo-shoot on a secluded island in two days.”

  Two days? “Secluded island?”

  “My family owns an island off the coast. It has beautiful tropical scenery. I’d like to take you there.”

  Chapter 13: Curtain Call

  "Chevalier!" Bi's excited voice called out to him.

  Chevalier pressed a finger against his lips to quiet her down. "Ka...Fey is trying to sleep, Bi.”

  "Oh," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I’ll try to be quieter next time I come home.”

  "What have you got there?" Chevalier looked at the box she held in her hands.

  She walked toward him to show him the interior of the box. "It's a rabbit. I found it on the side of the street as I was walking home. It was going to rain, so I thought I brought it home for the night.”

  Chevalier reached his hand into the box to pet the rabbit. He quickly jerked away. It had bit him!

  "Oh no!" Bi grabbed Chevalier's hand when she saw blood. "Let me get some bandages.”

  He pulled his hand back and hid it behind him. "No need.”

  "You're bleeding, let me see it!" She grabbed his arm and slide down to his hand. There wasn’t a scratch on it. "Odd, I could have sworn I saw you bleed. Anyways, I wanted to show Fey."

  Bi placed the box on the table and headed toward the kitchen, "But she's already sleeping. Maybe she'll like it enough to keep it.”

  "No, don’t show her,” Chevalier sighed. "She would be tempted to keep it and we have no room for a rabbit in our apartment.”

  "I suppose you're right,” Bi agreed. "I'll put it back tomorrow.”

  "On second thought," Chevalier said, "I'll bring it to a friend of mine.”

  †††††

  Skye frowned when she saw Chevalier approaching the mansion from the glass window. She felt like she had wasted her energy trying to convince the fool. Why had he come this time? She wondered. With a forced smile, she went to the lobby to greet him.

  "Chevalier!" She ran toward him. "Where have you been the last couple of days? I’ve been so bored without you.”

  Chevalier smiled. "I'm just dropping by to bring you a present,” he said as he placed the box and tipped it over. A small white bunny hopped out.

  Skye stared at it for several moments, trying to decide what to do with it. She looked at Chevalier's face and realized that he expected her to pick it up. She caught the creature and picked it up by its stomach. It began to panic and tried to escape. When its sharp claws scratched her wrist, she threw the wretched creature against the wall.

  "You didn't need to throw it so hard, Kali,” Chevalier chuckled.

  "I-I...I was only surprised,” she forced another smile. "I'll take good care of it, Chevalier.”

  "Eh, I'm late for work,” Chevalier placed his helmet back on his head. "I'll drop by some other time,” he said as he headed out of the door. He smiled mischievously before he left.

  Skye closed the door behind him. Looking at the scratch on her wrist, she felt angry. She picked up the frightened bunny by the neck and applied pressure until she heard a sharp snap.

  †††††

  The crystal clear waves bashed against the boulders on the shore. Kali could smell the clean ocean breeze passing by. She flinched when the clouds overhead suddenly blew away and the bright sun felt harsh against her skin.

  "It's over there.” Grant pointed at the small cottage not too far from shore. She didn't look where he pointed. She was too preoccupied trying to open up her umbrella. "Are you alright?"

  "Yes, I'm fine.” She managed to open it and place it over her head.

  "An umbrella?" On a perfectly beautiful day?

  "I'm very sensitive to the sun,” she gave him an awkward smile, knowing how odd it must have looked.

  Kali unpacked her clothes in her room. Grant’s room was next door. She poked her head out of the window to take in the breathtaking scenery. She wished she could put on her bathing suit and go for a swim, but the bright sun was causing her so much discomfort.

  After she had gotten all of her belongings organized, she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. She was a little worried when there were no food in the refrigerator, but Grant showed her the walk-in freezer where he stored all of the food. There were also some canned foods in the pantry that would last them at least a month.

  After dinner, Kali put on her bathing suit and headed to the sandy beach. It was within walking distance of the cottage. Odd, how she could see things very clearly in the dark. It was like looking at the world through a pair of sunglasses. The wet sand felt cold beneath her toes. She could feel the chilly waves running past her ankles. She didn't jump like she thought she would. Although she could feel how cold the water was, it didn’t seem to shock her body. She slowly walked into the ocean until the water reached her waist.

  She saw the world differently, heard it differently, and most of all, felt it differently. Everything seems clearer, more vibrant than ever. When she closed her eyes, she could have sworn she heard the heartbeat of the ocean. She felt connected with the earth.

  †††††

  Lucifer watched from a close distance. His presence was undetected by Skye, who was busy digging a hole in the garden. She seemed troubled and frustrated. When she had dug a hole she deemed deep enough, she grabbed the dead rabbit by the ears and dropped it in. Content with how it fit, she began to cover it up with the dirt she had removed earlier.

  Skye hid the shovel behind a bush and ran back into the house. She couldn’t wait to wash the dirt off in the shower. Damn that Chevalier for bringing that wretched creature into her home.

  “Where are you going, Kali?” Lucifer asked when she headed up the stairs. Skye was surprised Lucifer was actually home. Most of the time, she was by herself.

  “To take a shower, my Lord-” she paused, “my love.”

  “Would you mind if I join you?”

  She couldn’t believe her ears. He’d always been so cold and distant. “Yes,” she replied with a seductive smile. “Yes, Lucifer, join me.”

  He climbed up the stairs to meet her.

  “Have you finally decided to make up with me?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Maybe I have been wrong the whole time,” he said to her. “You are my wife, aren’t you?”

  “Yes,” she nodded. “Yes, I am.”

  She inched closer to kiss him.

  “Tell me, Kali,” His finger traced the outline of her lips. “Why aren’t you wearing the necklace I gave you?”

  “The necklace? I…I must have misplaced it,” she stammered. She didn’t know anything about the object he was referring to. If it was jewelry, it must be in one of the drawers in the bedroom.

  “Have you now,” he murmured as his hand slid down to her throat. “Would you look for it? I love to see you wear it. It compliments your skin tone.”

  She kissed
him again. “I will look for it after our shower. I will wear it for you.”

  He tightened his grip on her neck.

  “Lucifer?” her voice was shaky. Fear rushed to her head when she saw the storm of anger in his eyes. “Lucifer, y-you’re hurting me!”

  “Who are you?” The tone of his voice was grave. “Why have you come to deceive me?”

  “I-I…” Could it be that he have found out? Skye gulped when she sensed his intention to kill. “I’m Kali! Lucifer, your wife! Let me go this instant!”

  She could tell that he wasn’t convinced. Would he really kill her? After all, she was in his wife’s body. He couldn’t possibly…could he?

  “Seth!” she screamed out. “Seth! Help me! Help me!”

  Seth materialized by her side and teleported her away from Lucifer’s grasp. Lucifer clenched his hands into fists. It was the first time he had been deceived like this. A dark storm quickly brewed over perfectly clear sky outside the window.

  “Adria!” he called out to her.

  She materialized as soon as she was summoned.

  “Follow them,” he ordered. “Bring that woman to me. Dead or alive, it doesn't matter. I need that body.”

  With a quick bow, she melted into the shadows.

  As he walked down the hallway, the glass windows shattered one by one. He was furious. No, he was beyond furious. The reason he hadn’t felt like she had returned to him was because she never had. To try and convince him otherwise was beyond contempt. Unforgivable! If he found out whoever was behind this, he would rip them to shreds.

  Chapter 14: In Touch

  Something heavy atop of him woke him from his dreams. Grant opened his eyes to find a pair of glowing amethyst eyes staring right into his very soul. Her beautiful long hair was waving against his cheeks.

  “Fey, what are you-” She launched a kiss at his lips.