Chapter 12 — Not quite

Bree:

I sit in class still seething with anger over waking up alone this morning. I keep replaying what we did and what I might have done wrong. There has to be a reason Fallon left without saying a word. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere too. I mean, we didn’t have sex in the traditional sense, but what we did was amazing.

Now, I feel stupid because I even dressed up in case he called me. I look down at my white razor back top and black flounce skirt and grimace. Thankfully, I opted to wear my plain, white all-stars instead of heels.

My pencil taps on the desk in a rapid staccato as I run through every scenario. The girl in front of me turns back and glares at me, but I glare back. I’m not in the mood to be nice this morning, and if she wants to try me, she better be ready to lose.

Needless to say, the day drags. As I make my way toward the school’s cafeteria, I scowl at my silent phone. It’s only when it vibrates a moment later that my mood slightly brightens. It’s Lana. “Hey girl, how’s your trip going. Find anything? Meet any rugged mountain men?”

Lana chuckles. “Hey sis, the trip is going well. But I’m sorry to say, it’s a “no” to the rest of your questions. How are you? Are you missing me already?”

I smile. “Of course, I miss you, you goofball. I’m okay.” I lie. “As for the rugged men, give it time; you’ll meet one eventually.”

She snorts. “Yeah, well, I’m here to work, and that’s what I’m doing.”

“Tell me about it?” I ask, trying to distract myself from my own man problems. “Where are you living? Have you made any friends?”

Lana recounts her first week, adding humorous moments that she has experienced and telling me about her experience so far. I sigh with relief when I realize that she’s really enjoying herself. I try to keep the conversation light because I don’t want to burden her and can’t help but feel guilty when I disconnect the call without telling her the truth. I reason that it’s better this way. The last thing I want is for her to cut her trip short because she’s worried about me.

Unwilling to go home, I head to the school’s coffee shop. Once there, I tuck in my long, plaid cardigan, order a latte and open my laptop. I might as well do some work while I’m here. Once in a while, I check my cell phone, but there are no messages from Fallon. I’m on my third Latte when Nevaeh walks into the shop. She waves enthusiastically as she makes her way over. “Hey, Bree, I’m so glad to see you after what happened last night at the club. I was going to call you but realized that I don’t have your number. Thankfully, Azazel called Fallon and confirmed that you were able to get out.”

The sound of Fallon’s name makes a painful pang ring in my chest. “Yeah, are you and the others alright?”

She nods. “Yeah, we had just left when everything went down.”

She slides a chair out and leans her elbow, her long golden-brown hair falling around her shoulders like melted honey and her brown eyes gleaming with intrigue. “So, what happened between you and Fallon after we left?”

I bite my lower lip and blow out a frustrated breath, making Nevaeh frown.

“What’s with the long face? I thought you two were doing so well. I mean, you should have seen the look on his face when he saw you dancing.”

“Well, everything was going alright until I woke up alone this morning,” I muttered grimly.

Nevaeh’s expression falls further. “What? No!” She groans. “There has to be a reason he left.”

“Whatever his reason is, he hasn’t called to tell me, so I’m seriously pissed at him now.”

“I’m sorry, Bree. Do you want me to call Azazel and tell him to kick his ass?”

I shake my head. “How about we just change the subject for now?”

She nods in agreement. “Alright. Well…”

We talk for a while until it begins to grow late. Nevaeh gathers her things and mutter hurriedly. “I better go. I have a late class, and the teacher can be a real jerk when people walk in late.”

I wave goodbye as I pack up my own bag and head home. I’m several blocks away when Fallon lands in front of me. Arching a brow, I shake my head and walk past him.

He calls out. “We need to talk.”

I shake my head. “Oh, now he wants to talk. Leave me alone, Fallon.”

Before I can take another step, he grips my forearm firmly and pulls me close. “I don’t have time for petty arguments, Bree. I need to take you somewhere safe.”

Scoffing at his tone, I try to release myself from his hold. “Just go away!”

Before I can walk away, he turns me around and pulls me into his arms. His eyes gleam like small beacons of light, and his strong jaw is clenched tightly. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

Looking away, I bite my lower lip and mutter. “What do you want from me, Fallon?”

His breath fans my face as he leans close and whispers. “You know what I want, Bree. Why are you acting like this?”

I hesitantly angle my face toward him, nearly choking when my lips graze his. His eyes become heavy-lidded as our lips hesitantly meet.

Thinking back on it now, it was definitely careless to do this out in the open. Because we do not notice the dark figure behind us until it’s too late. Something large wraps around me, making me choke on a scream as I’m lifted up in the air.

Looking down, I see Fallon following below us. I struggle in the creature’s arms, but it’s too strong. Looking behind me, I cringe at what I see. The creature has the face of a serpent with large fangs. Looking down, I find myself wrapped in some kind of tail. The thing is completely wrapped around me.

“Fallon!” I scream out, but Fallon is quickly surrounded by other creatures. Just as I’m going to call out again, a bright light surrounds us and the world around me contorts. Blinking my eyes, I wince as the light shimmers until it gives out.

I search for Fallon, but before I can do anything, I’m thrown across a cold stone floor. My knees ache as my body makes contact with the rough surface.

Wincing with pain, I move to stand up but stop when a pair of high-heeled boots appear in front of me. A snort escapes the boot’s bearer’s lips as she takes me in and mutters. “Well, aren’t you an underwhelming creature? I expected more from the one who will be complicit in bringing an end to hell.”

Snapping my head up, I look in the darkest eyes that I’ve ever seen. There’s not even a hint of an iris, and her hair is as dark as her eyes. Her skin, however, is as white as snow and her lips are the color of blood. If she represented a sweet disposition, I’d say she was Snow White. But based on her cold expression, I’d say she’s more like the wicked witch. No, she looks more like Morticia Adams, in her tight, black mermaid gown with its wide sleeves. Rising carefully, I see demons standing nearby and that Fallon is nowhere in sight.

Taking a step back, I try to see what’s beyond the dark shadows of the room. The walls are made of stone and covered in soot and grime. Swallowing hard, I bite my lip and try to find an exit.

“Where am I? Am I in hell?” I ask.

The woman chuckles. “Oh dear, I’m afraid you’re still on Earth.”

My heart pounds wildly in my chest at the woman’s words. “Who are you?”

The woman steps closer and lifts an arrogant brow. “I see my son hasn’t spoken to you about me. How ungrateful of that boy.”

Her words make my breath hitch as the realization of who this woman is dawned on me. You’re…you’re Lilith.”

Her smile practically promises pain in all its venom. “Ah, you’re not as daft as I thought…good.”

Maintaining a steady breath, I bite my lip and take another step back. Just then, the ground begins to rumble, making gravel and dirt rain down on us.

“Looks like my son is here for his lover,” Lilith says. She narrows her eyes and does this strange move with her hands that causes some form of shadow to encompass her body. Before I can react, an arm wraps around my stomach, and a knife is resting beneath my chin. “I wouldn’t move if I was you. This knife is very sharp,” whispers viciously.

The walls continue to tremble until a light bursts through the room. Fallon steps through some kind of portal, his chest heaving and his eyes burning with rage. “Let her go, Lilith!” he growls, enraged.

Lilith tightens her grip around my waist and laughs. “How rude of you not to greet your own mother.”

Fallon sneers. “You were never much of a mother. Now, let her go, or I will end you.” His voice thickens into a gruff, deep bark that makes all of the hair stand in my body. But Lilith does not seem fazed by it at all.

“I don’t think I will,” she replies as she digs the knife a little deeper. A startled gasp escapes my lips as the sharp glide of the blade shallowly cuts into my skin.

Fallon raises his palm up to his mother and mutters. “Don’t hurt her!” he steps back and soothingly raises his palms up. “What do you want, Lilith?” he asks calmly.

Lilith keeps her grip in place and laughs maniacally. “What do I want? Let’s see. There’s so much that I want. For now, I will settle for the soul fragment Lucifer gifted to you.”

Fallon reels back. “What? Why?”

She snickers. “Because it pleases me to take something from you and him. It’s your choice. I won’t kill her if you give up your fragment.”

Fallon’s gaze meets mine. I can see from his expression that he’s going to agree. Shaking my head, I call out. “Don’t do it, Fallon! She’ll kill me anyway.”

My head reels back when she takes my hair between her fists and pulls my head back. “Make a choice, Fallon! You know that I can end her without a thought. Are you willing to risk it?”

I shake my head, trying to avoid the blade’s sharp edge. I know how much that sliver of Lucifer’s soul having means to him. It’s his only tether to his humanity. A tear escapes my eyes, remembering his words when he told me that he’d be who he was before Lucifer saved him from the Nether. “Don’t,” I mutter tearfully.

Fallon’s chest expands with untold emotions. “What guarantee do I have that you won’t kill her?”

In the blink of an eye, Lilith cuts into her palm with one of her claws. Using her power, she keeps the knife in place and extends her bloody palm, pouring blood as dark as tar into the stone floor. “I make this blood vow to do as you request and release her unharmed. Do you accept my terms?”

Fallon’s nostrils flare as he does the same thing to his palm. As his blood falls into the floor, it combines with Lilith’s and begins to boil. “I accept your terms.”

As soon as the words leave his lips, Fallon’s large body is enveloped by a bright light, and he begins to bow and shudder.

Screaming, I push out of Lilith’s hold and kneel before him. “Fallon! Fallon!” I call out.

Fallon falls to his knees with a pained roar and claws at the ground like a rabid animal. His eyes glow fiery flames of fire, and his teeth elongate into sharp fangs. His body trembles and shakes as the light surrounding him weakens. After a moment, he slumps into a deathly faint.Tears fall down my cheeks as I tuck his head in my lap and caress his ashen face. “Fallon…Fallon, wake up…please…” Sobs wrack my body as I try to shake him awake. “…please…please don’t be dead.” I cry woefully.

Lilith stops beside us, her expression smug. “He’s not dead. He’ll just be insentient for several hours. Having a soul ripped out of you is quite difficult on the body. However, once he awakens, he will wish he did in fact die.”

I glare at her through blurry eyes and mutter scathingly. “How could you do this to him? He’s your son.”

But Lilith is unmoved by my words. If anything, she’s amused. “My son! Oh, bother. The only reason I didn’t murder him in his sleep is that he’s still of use to me.”

I flinch back when she steps closer and squats down in front of me. “You can’t take me from him. I don’t care if you made a blood oath. I’m staying with him!”

Lilith scoffs. “I wasn’t planning on it, dear.”

My brow furrows with confusion. “W-what? But you made an oath.” I don’t know why I’m arguing with this crazy bitch, but I’m rattled by the whole situation.

She shrugs. “I made an oath that I’d let you go free and unharmed if Fallon wishes it. However, I’m sure once he reawakens as his true self, he will change his mind.”

“I don’t understand,” I mutter.

Lilith raises her hand and caresses my face with a calculating gleam. “Well, let me explain so that your stupid little human brain can understand. Fallon has no soul, which means he lost all empathy, hope, and memory he built while in Lucifer’s care. Once he awakens, he’ll be the same cruel, heartless bastard that he was in the Nether.”

With each word out of her mouth, the color drains from my face. “He didn’t say that he’d lose his memories.”

“That’ is because he didn’t know. I’m sure Lucifer didn’t enlighten him of that fact because he didn’t think it would be an issue.”

“Why not let me go now?” I ask.

“I can’t just let the Erue’s bringer escape my clutches, now can I?” She tilts her head and cackles. “Do not worry, child; you still have a part to play. Oh, how joyous I felt when those two horrid witches released me out of my prison. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I saw that the witches had also held the North Star captive. All I needed to do was bide my time and replenish my powers before finding you and my traitorous son again. And here you are, the bringer of the Erue, the Oracle of the prophecy.”

At this point, my confusion has reached a pivotal level. “Wait, but the prophecy states that I would have a child with the Creator’s champion. How can I do that if I’m here?”

Lilith snickers with amusement. “Of course, that’s what Lucifer heard…” she looks down at Fallon’s prone form and sneers. “Oh, how I enjoyed the Seer’s lies. Even after my capture, she couldn’t tell him the true meaning of the prophecy.”

Lilith rises from her squat and snaps her fingers, making a large throne appear next to her. A vicious grin spreads across her face as she graciously takes a seat and continues with her explanation. “You see, what Lucifer and our spawn didn’t know is that before I chose to seduce Lucifer, a Seer came to me asking for help saving her child. The child was the first of its kind. A progeny of an archangel and a Seer. Many are not aware that all Seers come from the same line, and only one child will have the Seer’s power. This Seer’s child only exhibited strong angel traits. In fact, others of her kind would have confused her for a pure archangel. I would later learn that her angelic background would not be the sole reason she needed to be hidden. No, there were other things the Seers didn’t share about the girl’s destiny. But I cared little. In exchange for hiding the child, I asked the Seer for a boon to be named later. Somehow, I knew that the boon would be important. Once the pact was made, the Seer could not go back on her word, or death would befall the child and all the Seer children who come from the Seer’s lineage. If you didn’t know, Seers are rare. Only a handful are born into the family every century, which is why they’re so protective of them.”

I try to piece together her story. “I assume the boon you asked for was that they’d never reveal the true interpretation of the prophecy?”

She nods. “Exactly. I’m sure the Seer didn’t know the repercussions of our pact. But I held up my end of the bargain, and she had no choice but to hold her own.”

I know that I shouldn’t be dragged into a conversation with this psycho, but it beats her hurting me while Fallon is unconscious. “What happened to the child?” I ask.

Lilith’s expression darkens with rage. “The agreement was that the angel’s soul would be hidden inside a human child’s body and continuously be reincarnated until the day she would find her mate. You see, her human form can perish, but her angel soul cannot, which is why she needed to continuously be recycled into a new body. What I didn’t expect is that the child would have a destiny of her own. A destiny that the Seers foretold and cannot even be broken by the Creator. Unfortunately, saving her life came at a steep price. For one, even though she is to be born human, her angel side would know of her forfeited fate due to her mate’s actions. She also would never be complete until her human and angel side merge, and she is reunited with her mate.” She looks at me closely as if conveying a message that I can’t decipher. “Regrettably, my interference also came with a price. Since I changed her fate, the child was destined to be born in the same lineage as the bringer of the Erue.”

My eyes widen as the missing puzzle of Lana’s existence connects. “Lana…” I mumble, dazed.

Lilith nods. “Oh, the irony that I’d save Lucifer’s true mate while also fulfill his destruction.”

Glancing down, I see that Fallon is still unconscious and run my fingers through his silken hair. It makes me feel comforted to know that he’s still breathing.

“So, what is the true prophecy?” I ask.

Lilith looks back and forth between Fallon and me with a knowing glint in her eyes. “What an interesting turn of events. You’re in love with him, and he’s in love with you. How deliciously twisted fate can be?” She claps her hands and leans back on the seat. “The true interpretation says that the North Star will be the bringer of the Erue. The Seer understood that “the bringer” would be interpreted by many as “birthing,” but that’s not quite true; it can also mean rebirth.”

She looks down at Fallon and sneers. “And this is where it gets interesting. You see, the Nether was created to keep soulless creatures sealed in, which means Fallon could not fulfill his destiny as the Erue until he was free. However, once Lucifer granted him a piece of his soul, he was able to step through the barrier, and as you humans say, 'the rules no longer applied.' Once out, Fallon was unrestricted by the Nether. Regrettably, Lucifer entrapped me, but I knew that the prophecy would eventually come to pass. Once I was free of my prison, all I had to do was find a way to free Fallon of the only thing keeping him from being reborn as the Erue—the soul fragment.”

“While he had a fragment of Lucifer’s soul, he wasn’t the Erue,” I comment out loud.

“Yes, he only lived in the Nether because I kept him tethered without his soul. Unfortunately for him, his affection for you made it possible for him to forego that one obstacle. And once the Erue slays Lucifer, he will fulfill his destiny and unleash hell into the world.”

I hold tightly to Fallon, guilt threatening to overwhelm me over what I’ve done. I just set in motion a prophecy that I worked so hard to stop, and I didn’t even get a chance to tell Fallon how I feel. I’m so stupid. This would not have happened if I had just called him instead of giving reign to my anger. I have so much regret now.

Lilith must be done with me because she rises from her throne and dusts herself off. “Well, it’s growing late, and I have Lucifer’s death to plan, so I will leave you to care for Fallon until I get back.”

I grit my teeth at her callous behavior. “What makes you think that as soon as Fallon wakes up that I won’t tell him everything you shared.”

Lilith shrugs. “It doesn’t matter because I’m sure he will not remember or care. Fallon was never the type to welcome emotions, and he not very trusting of strangers, which is what you will be. You will only be telling him at your own peril.”

Before I can reply, she turns into a shadow and disappears.

Closing my eyes, I look around the dingy room, but there’s nothing to even sit on. The place reminds me of a dungeon or an old bomb shelter.

As I sit on the cold floor and wait for Fallon to awaken, I can’t help but wonder what will become of us. Is Lilith, right? Will Fallon not remember me?