Chapter 13 — Welcome to the dark side

Fallon:

My eyes snap open, sensing some kind of disturbance around me. Looking around, I realize that my head is resting on a soft surface, but my body is lying on the cold ground.

Sitting up, I see that I was lying on a beautiful woman’s lap. Her eyes are closed, and her back is resting on the wall. I narrow my eyes, trying to remember how I ended up here, but I cannot come to a reasonable conclusion.

The room is unfamiliar, and so is the woman. Running my gaze across her long golden hair, smooth skin and angelic face, I cannot recall if I’ve met her before. Based on the fact that we’re both dressed, I have to assume that our encounter was not sexual. Which is a true shame because she’s stunning.

As steadily as I can, I search the room. My vision blurs for a moment, and my head pounds. I must have been imbibing at one point because I feel utterly miserable. Using my supernatural vision, I look around the darkened room. The stone floors and walls are stained, but there is no furniture.

Not knowing what else to do, I approach the female and shake her awake. A soft groan escapes her lips, and her eyes are unfocused as they gaze up at me. After a moment, she stops blinking and mutters. “Fallon?”

Arching a brow, I lift her up and take a step back. “Who are you, and where the bloody hell are we?”

The woman gives me a wide-eyed stare. “It’s…it’s me, Bree, Fallon. We know each other.”

I scoff at her familiarity as I back her into the wall and cage her between my arms. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I suggest you begin talking before I truly become angry.”

Her face pales as she searches my expression. “You really don’t remember me?” she reaches for me, but before she can, I wrap my hand around her neck and release a disgusted snort. “You’re human.”

She frowns. “Yes, I am.”

Growling with rage, I tighten my hold and mutter. “If you do not tell me where we are within the next minute, I’m going to rip your throat out. Do you understand?”

Tears gleam in her eyes, making something inside of me hurt. Cringing at the sensation, I push it to the back of my mind and give her throat a stiff squeeze.

She opens her rosy lips, nearly distracting me from my purpose. “I don’t know where we are. I’m…my name is Bree, and we’re here because Lilith brought us here.”My jaw pops at the sound of my mother’s name. What game is Lilith playing now?”

“And why would Lilith bring you and I here?” I ask, careful to read her honesty.

“Lilith lured you here so that you could become the Erue. I…I’m the North Star. Listen, Fallon, a long time ago, Lucifer gave you a fragment of his soul so that you could leave the Nether after he trapped Lilith in a mountain. Because of that, you could walk freely in hell and earth. But Lilith needed you to give up that piece so that you could go back to who you were and—”

At the sound of Lucifer’s name, my fury soars. “Be silent!” I grit out. “Do not speak anymore.” Pulling her forward, I grip her chin tightly and wrap my palm behind her neck with a threatening growl. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, and I don’t care. Lucifer is my enemy, and if you are his, so are you.” The woman, Bree, struggles in my hold, her expression pained. What kind of idiotic name is Bree? I think as I run my gaze across her body for the second time.

“Please, Fallon,” she mumbles woefully as she tries to pry herself from my hold. “I know this doesn’t make sense, but you really don’t want to hurt me.”

My lips curve into a cruel smile. “And why would that be, little human?”

Coughing, she gives me a pleading look as she tries to slacken my hold. “Because we’re friends. You’ve always protected me and…and we care about each other.”

Though her words ring true, and my mind shies away from the idea of hurting her, I don’t release her. Instead, I push her onto the floor and let out an incredulous scoff. “You are mistaken, girl. I have no friends, and I care for nothing. Lilith!” I call out. “Enough of your games, Lilith. Come out and face me!”

True to her dramatic nature, Lilith’s shadows swirl before me until she appears. “Well, look who is finally awake. Had a good nap?” she caustically asks.

I gesture to the human woman. “This human just told me quite a story about me being the Erue and Lucifer, giving me a part of his soul. What kind of game are you playing, Lilith?”

Lilith places her palms against her hips and glares. “She’s telling the truth. Lucifer granted you a piece of his soul, and the human is the North Star.”

Jaw tight, I look at the girl who is now cowering near the wall. “Why would Lucifer let me anywhere near him?”

She shrugs. “Probably to keep you from killing him and taking his crown. But that should not be an issue for long. Because once the blood moon rises, we can stroll into hell and end Lucifer once and for all.”

“Where are we?” I ask.

Lilith grins viciously. “We’re on earth, in a city called Los Angeles. This is the dungeon of a house on a secluded mountain. I put a spell around the premise to keep intruders out. No one should be able to find us here.”

My mind pauses as I absorb what I just heard. “I’m on earth?”

She nods. “Yes, when Lucifer ceded a fragment of his soul to you, he freed you from the Nether,” she nudges her chin toward the woman. “And because of her, you no longer possess the fragment and can finally fulfill your destiny as the Erue.”

“Don’t believe her, Fallon. Lucifer loves you, and you love him. He didn’t give you the fragment to keep you from killing him. He gave it to you so you can have a life away from Lilith’s evil.”

Lilith rolls her eyes and waves an arm, tossing the woman across the room. “Be silent, you stupid girl!” she yells out angrily.

Fists tight, I resist the urge to defend her from Lilith. As the girl’s body slides across the floor, a painful cry escapes her lips. I don’t know why I’m reacting this way, and I don’t like it. Turning my back to her agony, I face Lilith. “Enough of this, let’s go and prepare for the blood moon.”

“You don’t want me to release her?” Lilith asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t care what happens to her as long as I can leave this place.”

Bree gasps, her eyes welling with tears as she takes in my words.

Lilith smiles viciously. “Well, we can’t kill her.”

“Why not?” I ask.

“Because she is the key to killing Lucifer’s mate.”

My brow furrows with confusion. “Lucifer has a mate?”

Lilith nods. “Yes, and this girl is her sister,” she waves her hand toward the woman.

Vexed by the whole situation, I stiffen my shoulders and nod. “Very well, we can leave her here until we figure out a plan.”

Without another word, Lilith waves her hand and transports us out of the room. Before we apparate out of the room, I take one last look at the girl’s terrified face as she calls out to me.

Her pleading expression haunts me for the rest of the night.