by Dahlia Lu
“He’s always been popular with women,” Kali said.
“I’m not surprised!” Hana replied. “He’s so dreamy. I wonder if he’s good in bed.”
“In bed?” Kali gave Hana a puzzled look. “You guys just started going out and you’ve already thought of that?”
“We are going out,” Hana pointed out. “It’ll happen sooner or later. Plus, he’s experienced with women. A man has his needs, and as his girlfriend, I…” Hana stopped when she realized she was about to say something embarrassing.
“It’s bound to happen, I guess,” Kali said with a hint of disappointment that could easily pass for fatigue. They walked to class, and discovered something different from her classmates. The atmosphere was much heavier than usual, which was hard to imagine. They were staring and whispering at both of them. Kali leaned over to her whisper to her friend, “What’s wrong with them today?”
“Ignore them,” Hana said, checking her bag for a pencil. “They’ve been like that since yesterday. You were too dazed to notice, as usual.”
“Since yesterday?”
“They were just wondering who you danced with, and then left with from the dance,” Hana giggled. “I think they’re thinking of something naughty, but the rumors should go away now that Chevalier is my lover.”
She had already elevated him from boyfriend to lover, Kali thought.
“By the way, do you know where he lives? Close to your place?” Hana was suddenly concerned.
“I never told you?” Kali blinked. “I’m sure I told you before that we live together.”
It took Hana a minute to react. “Live together, as in, the same house?”
Kali nodded. “I’ve been staying with him since my grandmother passed away.”
“How long have you known him?” Hana asked, clearly uncomfortable even with a smile on her face.
“I’ve known him all my life,” Kali tried to remember when they first met, but nothing came up. “He’s always been there, I guess.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing between you two?”
Kali drew back when she realized what Hana was really asking. “No, no! It’s not what you think!”
She waved her hands in denial. It almost felt like a lie, even though technically it was the truth. At least, she thought it was the truth. A cold wash of guilt cascaded over her. She should have stopped Chevalier last night; if not for her sake, then for Hana. With Chevalier’s usual behavior, Hana would end up broken-hearted just like all of his other women. She was a horrible friend. Hana’s feelings never once had crossed her mind last night.
“I believe you,” Hana said with a smile.
†††††
He watched her as she entered the library, throwing cautious looks behind her to see if she was being followed. Spying no one, she let out a sigh of relief. She sat rigidly at one of the tables, still glancing out of the corners of her eyes. After a few minutes, she slumped down and tapped her fingers rhythmically against the cherry wood. She was obviously hiding from someone.
Her eyes trailed to the shelves. Getting up, she walked slowly through the rows of bookshelves. Her eyes were scanning the titles as she passed. When she found something suited to her taste, she pulled it down to flip through the first several pages.
Lucifer grinned.
With a subtle signal with his left hand, he sent an undetectable burst of energy toward the first bookshelf. It wavered back and forth before wrapping around the structure. The circular design of the library made it perfect for a domino effect.
Kali jerked her head up at the peculiar noise. Her eyes widened with surprised when the bookshelf she was facing suddenly leaned towards her. For a moment, she was too shocked too move. She instinctively ducked down, her arms over her head. She waited to be squashed.
Nothing happened! Kali opened her eyes to discoverer Lucien arching his body over hers to protect her from the heavy books threatening to fall on her. The corner of his lips dripped blood on her hand.
“Lucien?” she reached up to his face. “Lucien, why did you…”
The heavy weight of the books caused him to collapse onto her lap. She pushed them off so he could breathe. His glasses had fallen off and his lids were closed heavily over his angelic blue eyes. His face was quickly turning chalky pale.
“Lucien!” she yelled out his name, hoping it would keep him awake. They were trapped under a cage of collapsed bookcases and a mountain of books. By the time the people outside dug them out, it may be too late. “No. Don’t die on me! Are you just going to die after you saved me? Lucien, can you hear me?”
Kali began to panic. She wiped the tears from her eyes as quickly as they came. It was not the time for crying, she decided.
“Help!" she yelled, trying to get the attention of someone outside the shelves. “Please help! We’re stuck in here! Help! He’s going to die!
Minutes passed with no reply. Kali turned her attention back to Lucien.
“Please don’t die, Lucien,” Kali pleaded.
She started moving books from the front of the pile to the back, intends on making a way out of this mess. The weight of the bookcase made it difficult to lever some of the bottom books from their places, but she continued to pull them until they were dislodged. Her fingers were becoming chap from the intense friction against the fabric covers. It’s didn’t matter though; she had to get out before it was too late.
“I won’t let you die,” she said with determination. The tips of her fingers were beginning to bleed, and we’re staining the covers of the books she was moving. Wiping the sweat off her forehead, she continued until she found a book that was simply too stubborn to move. She looked back at Lucien to see if he was still live, and let out a breath of relief when she discovered the faint but stable movement of his chest as he breathed. He was beginning to get colder, though, which was making her very worried. She rubbed his hands with her own to maintain his body heat. The tears from her eyes were streaming down her coral cheeks.
Genuine tears.
Lucifer felt the droplet of tears that landed on his hands. Were these tears for him? He opened his eyes to discover her gentle, crying face. He had never found her beautiful.
No. She was just another human that would satisfy his curiosity and temporarily cure his boredom. Then why, as her face was covered in tears, did he find her strangely beautiful?
“You opened your eyes… you’re awake!” she said, breathless.
Lucifer reached out to her face and pulled her closer to him. Gently he kissed the tears from her eyes. This girl had just utterly and completely foiled his plans.
Is anyone trapped under there? A voice came from the outside. Kali’s eyes widened.
“Yes! We’re here!” she cried out. “Help us please!”
Chapter 5: More Than a Promise
“You are a great actor, lord Lucifer,” Soren praised.
He was sitting on a tree branch next to the hospital window, watching over Lucifer since they first brought him here. As a full-fledged demon, he questioned why his master was wasting his time with this human. Even if the human was just a toy to entertain him for the meantime, has his master spent too much effort just for the fun of the game?
“Be gone Soren,” Lucifer dismissed him through telepathy when he detected footsteps approaching. Soren complied and vanished.
Kali opened the door. Walking to his side table, she placed a freshly picked bouquet of flowers in the empty vase. She looked to the tree branch outside of the window and smiled at the chirping birds.
“It’s nice of them to get you a room with a view,” she said as she casually sat down beside the bed. She placed a hand gently on his forehead to feel his temperature. That’s good, no fever. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m well,” he replied. He noticed her little fingers were covered in a thin layer of bandages when she had reached for his forehead. “I still don’t know why you would intentionally cause harm to yourself for my sake.”
&nb
sp; Why would he ask that? Anyone in that situation would have done the same.
“Well, I don’t understand why you jumped in from the shelves for me. If you waited a few seconds more, you could’ve avoided this whole thing completely.”
And you would have been dead. Again.
“I owe you my life,” she admitted when she thought back to the library. “I really thought you were going to die. I really don’t know how to repay you.”
He reached out to her face. “You cried genuinely for my sake,” his voice was soft and alluring. “I am substantially rewarded.”
“There has to be something,” she insisted.
“Maybe there is something I want from you,” he drew her closer to him. “I want a promise from you.”
"A promise?” she asked. "What kind of promise?"
"You must promise…” he placed a gentle kiss on her lips, "to never regret meeting me.”
"Why do you think I would regret meeting you?" Kali asked. It was a strange request even for him. When she realized he had just kissed her, her coral cheeks turned beet red. "If not for you, I would have been dead,” she stuttered through the sentence.
“Do not offer me hallow promises, especially when you do not know what the consequences will be,” he warned. “I won’t excuse, not even for a moment, if you should break your words.”
“Fine, if it makes you happy,” she said, nodding her agreement. After all, he had just saved her life. She would agree to even more outrageous request.
“You have my promise.”
†††††
He had been waiting for her. The dinner on the table was already cold. Seeing her walking toward the apartment complex from the window, he turned to face the door. Kali came in, took off her shoes, and then put on her slippers.
“You’re home so late,” Chevalier said. He stood up to grab a plate from the table and placed in the microwave.
“There was an accident at school today,” she informed him. “The bookshelves at the library suddenly collapsed. If a friend hadn’t saved to me, I probably wouldn’t have made it home at all.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?” his eyes scanned her body thoroughly. He walked over to take her bandaged hands in his. “Does this hurt?”
“No, but I can see the same for my friend,” Kali sighed. “He’s been hospitalized. I just came back from there.”
“And you didn’t call me?” he huffed. His brows knitted together in anger.
“You were at work.”
“It doesn’t matter where I am,” he examined her fingers thoroughly. “You need to call me for stuffs like this. What did the doctor say?”
“Nothing major, it will heal in a week.”
"I would go to the hospital and thank your friend personally, but I have to work all day tomorrow. I’ll wake up extra early to make your friend some chicken soup, though.”
"That would be nice. I don't have an appetite today. Put my plate in the refrigerator,” she headed toward her room. "I'm skipping school tomorrow to take care of him.”
“Kali?” she turned back to hear what he had to say. “A friend like that is hard to come by.”
A smile appeared on her face. “I know.”
†††††
Lucien could already stand up by himself and was dressed neatly in his school uniform. Kali wondered if the nurse had helped him before she arrived. She hurried to his side to provide support, although he didn’t seem to need any.
"You shouldn't be getting up yet. You don’t need to go to school today,” she guided him to sit down on the bed and poured him a glass of water. "I don't know who you think you are, but after an incident like that, you should stay in bed.”
"I’m fine.”
He didn't seem to be lying. "I guess I should be glad you recovered so quickly.”
"This place is permeated by the stench of death," he said, standing up again. "Come, I’ll walk you to school.”
"Are you sure?” she no longer felt the need to ask. His attitude was changing again, more formal and more unpredictable. He had somehow reverted back to the man she first met. She wondered if he had put up a charade just to impress her, or if he had a split personality she didn’t know about. One minute he was strong and confident, the next he was modest and vulnerable, and then back again.
The weather was warm and sunny today. Although it was high in humidity, Kali preferred it to rain. She had thought she would need to provide him support just to walk, but he seemed to be fine on his own. She stole a glance at him now and then to read his expression. He and looked like he was in pain. Those bookshelves and textbooks must have weighed a ton.
“You seem to be worrying,” he finally said when he noticed she was looking at him.
“A little,” she admitted. “Say, Lucien, you don’t happen to have a split personality, do you?”
His return stare made her felt silly. “I suppose you could call it that.”
“I see,” she said, giving him an awkward smile. So he does have a split personality. That would explain a lot.
They walked silently for several minutes. Suddenly she stopped, seeing a group of men ahead. Several of them looked familiar. Their faces were the ones from her dreams, but how could that be possible? Could she have seen them before and incorporated their faces into the characters she had dreamed about? That seemed plausible, but why did she still have this uncanny feeling that it hadn’t been a dream at all?
“What’s wrong?” he asked when she suddenly paused.
“Those men,” she murmured, and hastily stepped to hide behind him. Her heartbeat was racing. “They’re the same men from my dreams.”
Lucifer threw them a quick glance. “So they are.”
“I think we should go another way,” she grabbed his hand and nudged him away. Suddenly her wrist was snatched from behind.
“You…” the man’s expression was furious. His face was reddening even further under its sunburn. “You’re that witch!”
His hand flew up to slap her. She winced.
When she didn’t felt any pain, she opened her eyes. Lucien had caught the man by the wrist.
“Run,” he said to her over his shoulder. “I’ll see you at school.”
She shook her head, horrified.
“What about you? You just got out of the hospital!”
“I said, run!” his tone brooked no argument. The other man took the opportunity to punch him in the stomach, and then pushed Lucien to the ground.
“Lucien!” she flung herself at the man, fists flailing. He pushed her aside. Several men from the distance began to gather closer.
"Get out of here, now!" this was not a request. The brute was stomping on his body, over and over. When he changed his target to come after Kali, Lucifer shoved against the ground to grab onto his leg. Kali fell back two steps, not knowing what to do in the face of the men who were charging her. There was nothing to do but run and get help.
"Let go, you freak!" the man was about to give Lucifer another stomp. This time, his body froze. Watching Kali vanishing around the corner, Lucifer calmly got up and brushed the dirt from his school uniform. The man and his comrades were frozen, confused and frightened at their inability to move.
"I knew I had forgotten something," Lucifer said.
"It wasn't the girl, it was you!" one of the men realized. "W-what are you?”
Kali was pleading with everyone as they walked by, but they seem to be ignoring her intentionally. In fact, their cold stares seem to pass right over her. Brushing her aside, they continued with their normal days. Her cries for help were evidently falling onto deaf ears. She could feel herself beginning to get hysterical. If she couldn’t find someone to help him soon, he could be dead. Oh God, she shouldn’t have left him behind! The people around here wouldn’t even blink if someone fell over and died in front of them. Turning, Kali dashed back to the street where she had left Lucien.
It was completely silent. There was no one here.
She began
racing through the alleys, looking for him. She couldn’t find anything except trash cans and stray cats. Even the other bad men had disappeared. Maybe they’d kidnapped him! She felt like crying. What would she do if she opened the paper tomorrow and see a picture of his corpse? She shouldn’t have left him behind…he had just gotten out of the hospital! She should have just run at them with whatever weapon she could find and hope that it would scare them away. The worse that could’ve happened is that they would have died together. She couldn’t live with the guilt!
Then she heard his voice calling her name. She turned to find him standing a few yards away. Although there were footprints on his uniform, he seemed to be completely unharmed. Words failed her as relief flooded her body. She started crying again.
Chapter 6: Chained Hearts
The two couples were sitting opposite each other. The beautifully-attired hostess had placed them at a table overlooking the city. They were all finding it difficult to admire the detailed tableware, the pleasant scent of freshly prepared cuisine, or the inspiring scenery. It was just too obviously awkward. Whether the feeling was real or imaginary, Kali wished that she hadn’t agreed to Hana’s request. It had seemed like a bad idea from the beginning.
“Is that all?” the waitress asked, a hint of flirtation directed at Chevalier.
“That’s all,” Chevalier replied. Hana was proud that her boyfriend’s good looks attracted those kinds of reactions from women.
“So Lucien,” Hana said, her voice ever-so-playful. “How does it feel to be the hero rescuing the damsel from distress?"
“I wouldn’t call myself a hero,” he replied.
“You’re too modest,” she complimented him. "I think it's naughty that you kept us in the dark for weeks.”
Lucifer glanced at Kali, who was looking down at her hands. She hadn’t said a word since they arrived. Lucifer observed the young man sitting on the opposite side of the table, who was evidently paying close attention to her. There was something about those beautiful golden eyes that Lucifer despised. “Kali?” he called to her.