Chapter 1 #2
She landed on the table and squawked, and he finally got control of himself. With a deep inhale, he wiped a tear from his eye and took Clara’s hand. He glanced around the room, leaning back in his chair to peer through the doorway.
“Hello, Lilith. To what do I owe the pleasure…I would say of your company, but it appears you’ve sent only your familiar.”
“I need your help,” she said into his mind before vocalizing, “Caw, caw!”
He rubbed his thumb and forefinger on his chin. “I see. Well, I am a busy man.”
“You speak crow?” Chole gave him a quizzical look.
Lucifer chuckled. “Lilith is using telepathy. I hear her thoughts.”
“Now that would be a cool power to have. Hi, Lilith.”
“Hello. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I desperately need Lucifer’s help.”
“Indeed.” Lucifer waved a hand at Percival like he was trying to shoo her familiar away. “Leave us, Lilith. Clara was in the middle of a hilarious story.”
She narrowed the crow’s eyes and pecked at his hand before letting out an ear-piercing squawk. “Damn it, Luce, it’s an emergency.”
Lucifer’s eyes turned molten red, and if it were possible for steam to shoot out of his ears, it would have. In hindsight, pecking the ruler of The Underworld wasn’t in her best interest. She’d known the man for eons, and his temper was like lightning. Thankfully, Clara stepped in.
She rested her hand on his shoulder, and his anger visibly simmered, the red in his eyes dimming as he covered Clara’s hand with his. “Hear her out, honey. She flew all the way here.”
“Anything for you, my love.” He tugged Clara’s hand to his lips and kissed her fingers before focusing on Lilith. “What seems to be the problem?”
“It’s Esther. She’s sick.”
He laughed. “Nonsense. I created her.”
“She’s not moving. I barely got her to open her eyes this morning, and I can’t connect with her.”
His brow furrowed, his forehead pinching as if her words perplexed him.
“What’s wrong?” Clara asked.
“She claims her reptilian familiar is ill.”
Clara gasped. “Oh my. How can we help? Do you need me to call a vet? Do you need help getting her topside?”
Finally, someone was listening to her. “I don’t think a vet can help. I need Lucifer to look at her.”
Clara smacked him on the arm. “You’re not too busy to aide an ill animal, are you, dear?”
“No, my love. I suppose I’m not.” Lucifer arched a brow at Lilith. “Give me five minutes to say goodbye, and I will be there.”
“Thank you, oh great one.” The sarcasm she tried to lace into her words didn’t sound quite as good through the filter of Percival, but Lucifer smirked, so the message was received.
Lilith released control of her familiar—she’d be sure to give him extra raisins in his trail mix tonight—and returned her consciousness to her own body.
Rising to her feet, she paced to the front door, though why she bothered, she wasn’t sure.
Lucifer appeared in her living room a minute later, bypassing the formality of knocking.
Not that Lilith could complain. She’d done the same thing to him through Percival.
“Thank you for coming.” She held his gaze, waiting to be berated for barging in on his quiet time with Clara, but Percival flew in through the window and perched on the back of the couch to caw at Lucifer.
“Percy.” Lucifer ran the backs of his fingers over the crow’s feathers. “I’m glad to see you’ve returned to your old self, my friend.” He looked at Lilith. “Lead the way.”
“She’s in the bedroom.” She strode down the hall and tossed her hair behind her shoulder, but her fingers caught in a tangle.
She nearly ripped out a lock by the roots trying to free her hand, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from shouting profanities at the rat’s nest she’d allowed her mane to become.
“How long has it been since you left your house?” Lucifer stopped in the doorway, crossing his arms and raking his gaze up and down her form.
She gaped at him like he was crazy. “I was just in your palace. I know you’ve only got eyes for Clara these days, but we had a conversation.”
He shook his head, clicking his tongue like a disappointed father. “Percival was in my palace. How long has it been since you left your abode?”
She shrugged a shoulder and lifted Esther from her rock. “A while. Please, you have to help her.” She shoved the snake into his arms.
Lucifer cradled her familiar, closing his eyes and stilling, focusing his magic into Esther. His mouth pinched, and he carried her back to the terrarium, returning her beneath the heat lamp and running a finger along her scales. “I can’t help her.”
She laughed, unbelieving. “What do you mean you can’t? Of course you can. You’re Lucifer Fucking Morningstar. You can do anything.”
An amused grin lifted his lips. “Thank you for the ego boost, not that I needed it. I’m afraid, however, that Esther’s condition is irreversible.”
Her stomach dropped so hard she clenched her cheeks to keep it from falling out of her butt. “Irreversible? But she’s immortal. Are you saying she’s going to be a zombie snake for the rest of eternity?”
He lifted a finger. “It’s irreversible unless…”
Lilith leaned toward him, her weight shifting so far forward she nearly toppled over. Straightening her spine, she parked her hands on her hips. “Would you care to elaborate, oh great one?”
“I created Esther to be an extension of you, the same for Percival.”
“But I can’t connect with Esther anymore. She’s lethargic, and she’s lost her color. What’s wrong with her?”
“I rather hoped you’d figure it out on your own.” Lucifer sighed. “Tell me, Lilith. Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
“I saw myself through Percival’s eyes before I sent him to your palace.” What was he getting at? Her first and best friend lay lifeless—not in the acceptable, undead way—and Luce was asking about mirrors.
“And how do you think you look?”
Sweet Persephone, tell me he’s not going there. A cramp seized her tightening jaw. “My appearance has nothing to do with Esther’s condition.”
“Doesn’t it, though?”
“No, it doesn’t. Do you hear yourself?” Leave it to a man to blame a dire situation on a woman’s unkempt hair. Typical.
“You’re not taking care of yourself, Lilith, and until you do, I’m afraid Esther will remain a ‘zombie snake.’” He made air quotes before turning on his heel and striding out of the bedroom.
Lilith followed him down the hall. “I don’t understand.”
“She feels what you feel, and you, dear Queen of the Night, are a miserable, lonely wretch.”
“How dare you?” She crossed her arms, and though she was tempted to stamp her foot, she refrained.
Lilith was not miserable or lonely. She had plenty of friends.
Hell, she was thinking about meeting Eve for drinks this afternoon.
So what if she hadn’t felt like leaving her house in the past week or three.
She had enough blood in the fridge and pet food in the pantry.
She had her books, TV, and her phone. It wasn’t her fault the modern world made going outside utterly unnecessary.
“I call it as I see it.” Lucifer gave her a sympathetic look. “You need help, Lil.”
“I don’t…” She scoffed. “If Esther were sick because of me, then Percival would be too. They’re both connected to me.”
“Indeed. If you continue your current path, your crow will be a sitting duck, and I’m afraid both their conditions will be terminal.”
“Terminal?” Surely he didn’t mean…
“They will not survive this, Lilith. If you want to help your familiars, you must help yourself.”
“They’ll die?” Her jaw trembled, so she clamped her mouth shut.
“Yes.”
Her throat thickened. She was responsible for poor Esther’s condition, and if she didn’t fix it, she would die. How could she have let this happen? She loved her familiars more than anything in the world. Hell, they were the only creatures she’d ever loved.
“What can I do?” Her voice sounded tiny.
“Go to the counseling center and ask for Azrael. I’ll let him know to be expecting you. I’m sure he can partner you with someone to help you work through your…issues.” He curled his lip. “And Lilith, take a shower before you go. You stink.”