Page 15 of Unholy Night

“I thought we were going to hell?” I say the words quietly.

“Not what you expected?” Lucifer whispers in my ear. His soft breath tickles the hair tucked behind my ears.

My heart speeds up and I bite my lip. My knees feel a little shaky at the warmth so close to me. Not trusting myself, I nod my head in reply to hisquestion.

“Let me guess. You imagined lava, dark rocks, and the screams of tortured souls?”

I nod again before I realize that might be rude. I turn to look him in the eyes, intending to apologize, but instead I suck in a deep breath, my body responding viscerally to his nearness. His face is so close to mine, the dark pull of his eyes mesmerizing. The allure of his lips, parted slightly as if in anticipation, so hard to resist.

“I--I--um.” I take a step back and brush at my coat while trying to regain my composure. I feel bad at first but then decide if I only have one night with Satan himself, I’m not going to hold back. All cards on the table. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s exactly what I pictured. Maybe more blood and some demons running around too.”

He chuckles but quickly turns serious. “You’re right of course. There are levels of hell full of blood, levels full of demons, levels full of lava that glares against dark stone walls. And yes, levels filled with the screams of utter agony.”

I meet his gaze and shudder at the intensity. “I was beginning to think you might not actually be the Devil.”

“Oh, I’m most certainly the Devil, Lyla. I might be a refined gentleman, but never forget it is my duty to punish those that deserve it.”

“How do you know they deserve it?” I don’t break eye contact. I don’t think I can. I feel a pull to him that’s intoxicating.

“Is this part of our deal?” He asks, his voice deep and resonating, a caress of sound. “Part of the truth you seek to understand?” His eyes narrow.

“Yes.” I lift my chin. “How do you know someone deserves to be punished? You keep talking about levels of hell. How do you know who deserves what punishment?”

His narrow eyes assess me quickly before glancing in Mandy’s direction. I look over to see her giggling as some of the glowing orbs dance around her.

“With a look.”

I jerk my gaze back to Lucifer. “A look?”

“With a look I can see all the sins committed in a person’s lifetime. It’s that simple, that quick. Then I sort the souls into the level they deserve.”

I wrap my arms around myself. All my sins lay bare before this man. What counts as a sin? Envy, greed, lust… oh, boy. I’m definitely full of lust, which means sin. There was also that one time I backed up into a car in a parking lot and didn’t leave my identification. There hadn’t been any marks on their car, so did that count? And what about the time I snuck into my best friend’s parents’ liquor cabinet?

“Don’t worry. That thirty-year-old bourbon you nicked from the Jackson’s house is very low on the sin-o-meter. Though, I must say, you were far too young to truly appreciate what it was you were drinking.”

“Hey! Jessica drank it too!” I push his shoulder. “And don’t do that!”

“Do what exactly?” Amusement sparkles in his eyes.

“Read my mind… or my sins, or whatever.”

“Well, it was right there on the top of everything. Unless you’d rather discuss the lust.” His gaze turns hot, serious, penetrating. His lips part a fraction and, as if I’m inheriting his power, I swear I can taste his desire for me. It’s a disorienting moment and I sputter and turn away from him to look for my daughter. It has nothing to do with hiding the red I can feel flaming my cheeks. “Mandy! We should hurry. Time is ticking.”

Lucifer snorts beside me then picks up the red bag of Santa gifts and throws it over his shoulder.

“You’re right! We need to deliver these presents!” He says. Mandy runs over and grabs my hand. “Mr. Lucifer, can I come back here another time? I want to play with those lights some more.”

“Mandy!” I’m shocked at her audacity.

“I’d be honored.” Lucifer smiles down at her as he starts walking toward the drawbridge. “But those aren’t lights.”

“What are they?” Mandy reaches out and grabs his free hand with hers.

I open my mouth to say something, but the smile that lights Lucifer’s face is so pure and full of delight, I remain silent.

“Souls,” Lucifer explains. “Those are the souls that have served their punishment and are awaiting reincarnation.”

Ice runs down my spine and I look back over my shoulder at the lights--no the souls-- of people so evil they had been sent to hell. I let them play with my daughter simply because they were pretty and seemed harmless. Isn’t that how it always is?

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