by Ivy E. Gomez
Lucy? I snorted inwardly. What happened to calling him Lucifer and nothing else? I guess that rule only applies to me. Lucy sounds like something you'd call your pet dog.
"Nice to meet you," she said, holding out her hand with a smile. "I'm Lucinda Summer.”
I smiled and took the hand she offered. I felt a pulling sensation in my nerves; it was cool and alluring. "Nice to meet you, Lucinda. I'm—"
"Leave us now," Lucifer interrupted coldly, his eyes boring meaningfully into Lucinda's.
I snatched hands quickly from hers and turned towards the kitchen door. It's no surprise that Lucifer doesn't want his girlfriend to associate with the housekeeper. I shouldn't feel hurt, but I did.
Chapter 3
I froze in place, eyes fixed on an image in the shadows. I knew what it was—a familiar monster. But I waited still. I could feel my chest tightening. I can't breathe. I can't. I let out a chilling scream at the frightening sound of thunder accompanied by lightning that streaked across his monstrous face. I need to get out of here! I started to run as fast as my legs could carry me. I need to go. I need to . . .
I gasped sharply as my leg caught on something. I went tumbling, rolling on the wet ground. I heard his chilling laughter right beside me. I looked up and gasped in surprise.
This wasn't the monster I used to know. This is Lucifer Amon.
I opened my eyes and sat up slowly in bed. What was that? I haven't had a nightmare in days, and now that I have one, the character has changed. I glanced at the small table clock by my bedside. It was only past two in the morning. I'm sure I won't get a wink of sleep till daybreak. I sighed deeply and got out of bed. I need something to occupy myself, especially my mind. I wore my robe and headed out of the house. I'm not sure if Lucifer would appreciate me sneaking into the kitchen at night to bake, but I just have to be very quiet. Besides, the house is so huge that he wouldn't know what's going on in the kitchen from his quarters.
I hinged the kitchen back door open as quietly as possible. I waited for a few seconds after I closed the door behind me, listening for any sound at all. No one came. The house was eerily silent, like a graveyard with ghosts, lurking in the shadows, waiting for their clueless prey. I chuckled softly at the direction of my thoughts and began to gather bowls.
"JoAnn?"
I yelped and jumped at the sudden sound of my name; a wooden bowl raised above my head in self-defense. Lucifer stared at me, brows raised in what might have been amusement if I thought he was capable of being amused. How did he enter the kitchen without making any sound?
"You seem to enjoy making private jokes in your head," Lucifer said, walking farther into the kitchen. He stopped right in front of me. I swallowed hard and bit my lips, grateful for the dim lighting. At least, he couldn't see how much his closeness affects me. I leaned hard on the kitchen counter, trying to put some space between us. My heart thumped widely in my chest from fear. However, was it fear?
"What are you doing in my kitchen at this time, JoAnn?" His voice was a whisper that traveled across my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. He seemed impossibly close even when there were a few inches between us.
"I . . . I . . ." I ran my tongue across my lips nervously and swallowed hard. "I . . . I’m sorry. I couldn't sleep."
I let out an inaudible gasp as I felt Lucifer's index finger on my lips. My eyes flew to his face. His eyes were as detached as always as he slowly trailed his finger across my lower lip. I stood there, eyes wide-opened, gaping like a fish caught on dry land.
"Look at me when you talk to me," Lucifer said softly. As if compelled, I raised my eyes to his and felt myself become a prisoner of his icy gaze. I couldn't look away for the life of me. "That is better," he said with a small nod. He dropped his hand and stepped back as if he hadn't just shaken my whole core with a single touch. He looked totally unaffected.
I turned away from him and took a deep breath. I started to pour the flour into a bowl, trying to mentally distance myself from his presence, as if that was possible.
"Why couldn't you sleep?" Lucifer asked in a mild voice, leaning on the counter beside me.
"I had a nightmare, and I couldn't sleep after that," I said with a slight shrug. "I used to bake when I want to get things off my mind. So, here I am."
Lucifer was quiet for a while. He went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap and drank straight from the bottle. I stared at the beautiful sight he made. How does he make drinking was so sexy? I caught myself wishing I was the water sliding over his tongue and—
Lucifer suddenly snatched the bottle away from his mouth and coughed lightly. He snapped his head towards me and scowled at me.
"Are . . . are you okay?" I asked with concern. Why was he looking at me like I steered the water from going down the right pipe?
"What do I do with you?" He murmured, almost to himself.
What does that even mean? I shrugged and raised my hand to retrieve the milk jar. I stretched on my toes but still couldn't reach it. Who the hell made these cabinets so high, by the way?
My breath suddenly hitched as I felt Lucifer's powerful body right behind me . . . against me. Everything in me stopped functioning due to the overwhelming sensation of his body against mine. He reached up slowly and picked the milk jar. He dropped it on the table and leaned even close—so close that his lips brushed my nape. I could feel his warm breath against my ears. I couldn't move from the overwhelming current running through my body.
"Stay away from Lucinda," he whispered into my ears. And just like that, he was gone.
It took me a whole minute to get my breath back. And another one to process his parting words.
I was probably the only fool feeling these incomprehensible and confusing emotions. I always am.
*********************************************
I pursed my lips as I studied the list in my hand. This isn't everything. I slowly looked around the large kitchen, trying to remember the things we don't have. Lucifer had informed me that I could only go into town once at the end of every month, so I needed to stock up on everything we don't have. I should get a lot of peaches. I have noticed that Lucifer seems to favor them more than other fruits.
After last night, I only have caught sight of him in the stables. I'm kind of glad that I don't have to run into him around the house, though. I needed time to catch my breath and sort out the complicated emotions I feel around him. I have been thinking about it, and I don't think it's anything weird. It's probably more the fact that his presence commands so much attention and fear. I'm sure everyone feels the same way around him, maybe even men.
I heard someone enter the kitchen. I looked up to see Lucinda. Her eyes lit up the moment they met mine. She waved cheerfully and started toward me. She seemed so nice. I wonder why Lucifer keeps warning me to stay away from her. He probably doesn't want his sophisticated girlfriend to associate with a lowly housekeeper like me. It's understandable, I guess.
"Hello, JoAnn," Lucinda said with a big smile. She stopped directly in front of me and held out her hand. "Lucifer wouldn't let us be properly introduced the last time."
Was it me, or were her brown irises tinged red at the edges? Her eyes seem different than when she got here. I took her hand slowly and managed a smile. "Hey, Lucinda. I hope you are enjoying your stay at the manor."
"Well, Lucifer has been keeping me busy," she said with a cheery shrug. "And I've been in town a few times. I'd say it's not such a bad visit."
"I'm glad you seem to be enjoying yourself," I said, trying to pry my hand away from hers. Lucinda didn't let go, though. She leaned closer and stared deeply into my eyes.
"Your eyes," Lucinda whispered. "They are a beautiful green. I have never seen this shade of green. It's like a mixture of lush pastures and summer leaves. So bright and lustrous."
And like the first time, I felt a strange lulling sensation that traveled across my entire body. A strange calm descended on me, and it seemed
like I've never had a day's worth of worry. I couldn't look away or even blink. I felt helpless against the intrusion of something powerful—something I couldn't explain. "Th . . . thank you," I stuttered, my hand forgotten in hers.
"You don't need to," Lucinda said, her smile widening even more. Her eyes seemed to glow as they delved even deeper into mine. "Your eyes. They are a beautiful revelation of your pain and fears. You have been through a lot. Don't you want to let it go?"
I felt heady now. I began to see pictures of a better place in my head. Places better than where I was coming from. Better than being here. They were all very tempting. Of course, I want to let go. I nodded slowly, as if entranced. "I want to let go," I said in a monotone. The voice didn't sound at all like mine. It sounded like it was coming from far away.
"I can help you with that," Lucinda whispered. "You just need to—"
"Enough!" Came a thundering voice that broke through my consciousness. I jerked my hand away from Lucinda's and blinked up at Lucifer in confusion. When did he get here?
Lucifer had a murderous expression on his face as he walked purposefully toward us. I wonder why he looked so angry.
"Hey, Lucy," Lucinda said with a cheery smile. "JoAnn and I were just catching up. I was telling her what beautiful eyes she has. You should—"
"Leave us," Lucifer said in a quiet tone that brooked no argument.
Lucinda looked between Lucifer and me for a tense second. She rolled her eyes and walked out of the kitchen.
"What in damnation's name is wrong with you?" Lucifer said to me. His voice seemed to grow quieter the angrier he got. "Do I need to drill the words in your head? What part of staying away from Lucinda, don't you understand?"
"I . . . I . . . She came to me," I tried to explain. "I was just here and—"
"If you are too dumb to understand simple instructions," Lucifer continued as if he didn't hear me speak. "How are you going to survive? What is wrong with you!"
I felt a fit of unexplainable anger boiling in the pit of my stomach as I watch him scowl down at me. I've held back for too long. I blinked back my tears and raised my head determinedly to meet his gaze. I held his icy gaze with my own fiery glare. "What the hell is so special about Lucinda, huh?" I said with a scoff. "I get that you place your girlfriend on a high horse, but don't you dare insult me. I may be a lowly housekeeper, but I've got my pride. Tell your weird girlfriend to stay the hell away from me! And you too!"
I caught the look of surprise in Lucifer's eyes just before I turned and stomped away. And before I even got to the door, I was already regretting my outburst.
********************************************
I transferred the shopping bag from my left to the right hand and continued walking down the street. I know I shouldn't keep stalling like this, but the thought of facing Lucifer after the earlier confrontation scares me. Why did I have to lash out like that? I wouldn't be surprised if I got back to the manor, and he turns me back at the gate. I have barely been there a month, and I have caused trouble already. I should have just held my anger in. I was usually good at that. However, whenever I'm around Lucifer, I get wrapped in several foreign emotions that keep messing with my composure.
But what's that strange, heady feeling I get whenever Lucinda holds my hand? There was something creepy about that woman. Whenever she has my hand and speaks in that sultry tone of hers, I start to feel like I'm floating out of my body. Maybe that's me being paranoid again. Things like this don't happen, right? But perhaps I should humor Lucifer. Whatever his reason was, I'm going to make a conscious effort to avoid Lucinda. I don't like the way I feel around her, anyway.
I looked up and noticed a few townspeople huddled in groups in front of a building. They were whispering loudly amongst themselves. An ambulance stood a few meters away, alongside two police vans. Three police officers stood beyond a yellow tape, preventing people from getting closer to what looked to be an accident. I unconsciously started to move closer to the crowd. I wonder what happened there.
"Hey, I know you!"
I turned around to see the familiar smiling face of Sarah McCannan. She looked as pretty as the day I saw her at the train station. I let out a little surprised laugh as she suddenly wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug. Sarah was the reason I initially thought that everyone in Rosewood Valley was as welcoming and friendly. However, the Cafe woman proved me wrong.
I returned the hug and instinctively pulled back immediately. I wasn't used to such open friendliness, but for some reason, I feel like I could use a friend like Sarah. She was all sunshine and summer. I needed that from time to time.
"Hello, Sarah," I said with a soft smile. "How have you been?"
"Oh my," Sarah said, her eyes opened wide in delighted surprise. "You remember my name? Why does that make me so happy? That reminds me, you didn't tell me your name the last time. It makes me feel kinda bad now."
"Please, don't," I said. "My name is JoAnn. JoAnn Webber."
"You have a lovely name," Sarah said with a kind smile. "And truly befitting of your beauty. I am so happy to run into you like this again. I blamed myself for not asking your number that day. I was so worried. You looked so troubled."
She seemed so genuine that I couldn't take offense at her probing words. "Thanks for your concern," I said with a small smile. "What happened here?"
"Oh! It's such a tragic incident. A man jumped from that building and died. I heard that he lost his wife and two kids in a fire accident two years ago, and he has been depressed ever since. It's so sad that he decided to take his life in the end. I can't seem to understand the sudden tragic events in town these days," Sarah said, shaking her head sadly.
"What do you mean by sudden tragic events?" I asked.
Sarah looked around and moved even closer to me. "Well, there's been a report of several suicidal occurrences in town during the past week. Just yesterday, a man set his house on fire and locked himself and his family inside. And now, this—Something isn't quite right."
"That's horrible," I said. "I—Oh my! Look at the time—I need to get back to work."
"Where do you work?" Sarah asked with a small smile.
"I work as a housekeeper at a manor outside of town," I said. "I don't come to town often. It's probably why—Sarah? What's wrong?"
Sarah had suddenly gone sheet white. She was staring at me like I have suddenly grown horns and fangs.
"You . . . you work at the cursed manor?" Sarah croaked. "Oh my God!"
"The cursed what?" I said, more than a bit confused. "What are you talking about? I don't seem to—"
"I need to go now," Sarah said quickly and hurried off.
I stared at her retreating form in surprise. One would think she was being pursued by a nine-tailed demon.
That's strange.
Chapter 4
The voices became clearer as I got closer to Lucifer's study. He was clearly having an argument with Lucinda. Despite the calm tone of his voice, I could tell that he was very angry. I wondered if I should return later. I had decided to make peace with some peaches as a bribe. It had taken me a lot of courage to climb these steps. If I back down now, I don't think I would be able to do it again. Oh well, I might as well know the cause of the trouble in paradise. I placed my ear against the door and listened, trying to breathe as quietly as possible.
"Don't you think you have done enough, Lucinda?" I heard Lucifer ask. "You have caused more than enough chaos. It's time to go back."
"This is so unlike you, Lucy," Lucinda said. "You usually don't care about how long anyone stayed or how much chaos they caused. It's because of her, isn't it?"
What are they talking about? Was Lucifer seeing another woman?
"I don't care what you think, Lucinda," Lucifer said with barely restrained force. "But do not make me take extreme measures. And I am only warning you for old time's sake."
There was a second of silence. Then, I heard Lucinda sigh. “What happened to you, Lucy?” she asked in
that sultry voice she used to take with me. I imagine she was all over him now. "What happened to us? You used to love it when I came around. You didn't mind what I did or how much trouble I caused—"
"Get your hands off me, Lucinda!" Lucifer snapped. I jumped a little from my place, thankful for my firm grip on the fruit tray. I would have been caught otherwise. This is the first time I've heard Lucifer raise his tone. And damn, he's scary.
"I get it now," Lucinda said with a snort. She sounded angry now. "This is because of that woman, isn't it? I didn't want to believe it, but now it's so obvious that you were trying to protect her. For how long do you think you can do that, huh? Who is she to you, anyway?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Lucifer replied coldly. The statement sounded more like a warning.
"And what will you do if I don't stop? You see that woman. She has enough in her filthy past to satisfy me. Her pains are especially tempting. I could feed on her alone, and I won't have to fight for a chance to come up for another century. Come to think of it, Lucifer, you have never fought for any of your keepers in the past. You couldn't be bothered. Wasn't that why you always employed those whose lives were already near their expiration. I knew there was something special about that woman from the moment I laid my eyes upon her. I wonder what it is."
"Lucinda," Lucifer said in a warning tone.
"I know you, Lucy. You don't do anything for anyone. You are an unapologetic cold bastard. You must stand to gain something in all of this. But whatever it is, I don't care. Do you know how many of them would want to have her, especially when they see how much you want her? You have made more than enough enemies, you bastard. I'm going to take her with me, and while I'm at it, I'm going to do my damn possible best!"
I heard her footsteps approaching the door and quickly hid behind a huge flower pot in the hallway. I watched Lucinda come out of the study and slam the door. She started to walk in the opposite direction from me, then suddenly stopped in her tracks. I held my breath, my eyes huge with fear. Does she know I'm here? What if she knew I overheard their argument? My heart thudded like crazy as I desperately wished that she continued on her way. She slowly turned her head toward the flower pot. Her mouth pulled up in a slow, knowing smile that sent a cold chill down my spine. She knew. She turned and continued on her way. I waited till the sound of her heels faded before coming out of my hiding place. I leaned back against the wall and let out a huge sigh of relief.