A Light in the Dark Part Thirty-Three: The Harsh Truth!

Lucifer:

A white haired baby girl wailed in the window of my lover’s home, her ruby eyes staring at me with the deepest love. Her mother called me in, her messy hair clung to her face.  Taking in my casual ruby button up shirt and dark jeans, her trembling arms laid her in my arms. Tears flowed from her eyes, her lips pressing into a thin line. What was with her damn body language?

“I need you to disguise her demon form for me. People are starting to stare.” She spoke coldly, her eyes refusing to meet mine. “I don’t even know if I want her at this point. Fix her or take her away from us.” Hurt dimmed my eyes, her words cutting deep into my heart. Bowing her head in shame, my lips parted to speak. How could she say such horrid things!

“I hate her.” She admitted icily with no tears in her eyes, fury burning in my eyes. “Too bad my husband wants her.” Running her hand through her hair, silent tears stained my cheeks at her honesty. Raising my hand in the air, her clothing was rumpled with weeks of wear and tear. Noticing that she meant every word, her heart would never be warm enough for her. 

“I can’t take her away from your husband and you know that. You’re a fucking bitch for hating your daughter.” I snapped hotly, desiring to take her with me. “You begged for me to give you a freaking child! Now that you have one, you don’t want her. Screw you.” Folding her arms across her chest,  she turned her back to Lily. How dare a mother turn their back on their child!

“As if you would know! I am falling apart, Luci!” She screamed bitterly, tears still refusing to cascade from her eyes. “I will keep her and pretend to love her for my husband but I will never love her. She is ugly and a fucking freak.” Touching my finger to her forehead, her hair darkened to a lovely caramel. Her red eyes lightened to the prettiest copper, my heart shattering at the situation. Holding her close to my chest, a car pulled into the driveway. Snatching Lily away from me, her hand met my cheek. Twisting my face with pure disbelief, she wasn’t the woman I worshiped so many years ago. Taking a step back, the car door slammed shut. Time! I needed more time with my little girl.

“Get out of our lives and fuck the concubines you have in your castle. I renounce your influence in my home.” A force knocked me out, hatred and shame dimming my eyes. A familiar voice called out father, Lily’s voice bringing me out of my sadness. 

Groaning awake at the table in the library’s storage room, her slender hand shook my shoulder.  Asking if I was okay, her smile fell at the silent tears staining my cheeks. Pulling up a chair, the scrolls she was holding hit the table. Wiping away my tears, she seemed nothing like her mother. Her mother’s lack of love for her had to be kept secret, her next words had me freezing in my place. 

“Not that it matters, I was aware of how much my mother hated me. We played our parts for my father. That doesn’t mean that my world didn’t come crashing down around me. She was bitching to my aunt about how much of a brat I was. Don’t worry about not being in my life.” She explained simply with a wry smile, her hand holding mine. “My father made it all worth it. How daft must I be to think that she ever would love me? None of that matters because you are in my life. You get to play with your grandchildren.” Smiling softly to myself, her warmth left nothing to be desired. 

“How did you turn out so mature?” I asked with a hearty chuckle, my eyes taking in the eager mess. “‘What are you looking for?” Scanning the scrolls on the table, a long sigh poured from her lips. Placing them gingerly into a tall pile, her tenacity reminding me of my younger self.  Leaning back into her chair, her arms folded across her chest. Drumming her fingers on her arm, her simple black lace rockabilly dress made her look elegant. Fuming in a tainted silence, her sharp eyes narrowing in the direction of the pile of scrolls on the table.

“You don’t have the lost scroll I am looking for. It holds the secrets of what kills the Dark One. The word through the grapevine is that he is hunting it down as well.” She returned with an irritated huff, my heart going out for her. “It would be one thing if I could get rid of him as easily as the rotting souls but it can’t be that way, can it?” Popping to my feet, that scroll had been written by a good friend. Fishing around the drawers, his hand drawn map had me beaming triumphantly. Returning to my seat, life lit up her eyes. That's my girl.

“If I knew this buffoon, he hid it with a few riddles.” I blabbered excitedly, the adventure reminding me of how much I loved her. “Shall we have a father-daughter day, Lily?” Popping to her feet, her hands rested on my hips. Accepting that as a yes, her eager eyes tracked me rising to my feet with the map. Smoothing out my scarlet velvet suit, a flurry of feathers danced around the room the moment she opened her wings. Plucking her scythe off the wall, her smile couldn’t be any more genuine.

“I love you, father.” She assured me with another one of her real smiles, pride glistening in my eyes.  “Hell would have to freeze over before I ever let you go. Nothing short of a miracle brought us together. Pride swells in my heart to call you my father.” Burying her in a bear hug, she had to know that I loved her. Fighting back tears, she stuck out her tongue the moment I released her. Clearing my throat, the scroll was deep in the badlands. Black ribbons whisked us to a decaying library, the ivory wood standing out in a thick fog. Unfolding the map, the inner workings of the building glowed to life. Motioning for me to go ahead, her wings folding back up. Spinning her scythe in her palm, the image of her nearly bleeding out with her last childbirth had me sinking into the horrible image. If Life didn’t work with me to save her life, Matty would be a widow. If she hadn’t created our new family of celestial beings, none of the joys in my life could exist. Massaging the bridge of my nose, a cookie being shoved into my face snapped me back to reality. The sweet scent had drool dripping from the corner of my lips, Lily grinning ear to ear as she shoved it into my mouth. Damn, the sweetness with the dark chocolate was a magical combination.

“I never thanked you properly for saving my life. Don’t even say it is because you are my father. I know you would have done it without a second thought. I did ream God out on your behalf.” She chirped cheerfully, chewing on her own cookie. “Everyone deserves a second chance.” Skipping into the library, the oddity of seeing her bound into danger with the biggest smile had me grinning to myself. Chasing after her, the worn shelves were bare. Searching around the room for a clue, her real smile never left her lips. Glancing back at me, her fingers curled around the map with a deep scarlet color on her cheeks. Spinning around the room with it, her slender fingers plucked out a few cubes from the wall. Spinning as she flipped them over her fingers, the image of a younger version of me played out in my head. Why didn't I raise her?

“Do you know how long it has been since a puzzle has entertained me this much!” She gushed adorably while maneuvering them into the shape of a key. “This guy was a freaking genius.” Hiding my smile underneath my hand, this guy was unhinged at best. Never mind the riddles, pride had me grinning at her level of intelligence. Bouncing it off of her palm, her eyes flitted between the map and the walls. Feeling around the shelves, something had my hair standing on the back of my neck. Summoning my blades, onyx ribbons swirled around me. Spinning my blades in my palms, shadow guardians darted towards me. Cutting them down with ease, a door groaned open. Calling me over, her hand grabbed mine. Dragging me down a spiral staircase, we leapt over the arrows. Skidding to a halt in front of a door full of cubes with symbols, roars echoed in the distance. Snapping her fingers, a wall black energy hummed to life. Returning her attention to the puzzle at hand, her fangs chewed on her bottom lip. Flipping over the map, an endless stream of words had her scratching her head. Struggling to read the language, her ears perked up at me plucking a pen from my pocket. Loving the twinkle in her eyes, the sight had me thanking fate for this moment. Asking for the map, curiosity twinkled in her eyes as I marked each word with the correct symbols. Thanking me with a big grin, her steady hands flipped the tiles until it matched the map in her hand. The rock groaned open, her smile falling at the mountain of scrolls. Cursing under her breath, the artifacts proved to be his private collection. Leaning against a column, the thunder had been stolen from her. Where did it go? The mess was bad but together we could solve anything.

“The pile is a decoy which means that the scroll is in the least obvious spot.” She spoke while working through the plan out loud, her finger tapping her chin. “If I were him, several traps would be set up.” A blast of energy had our head snapping in the direction of the door, the Dark One sauntering in. Dragging me into the pile of scrolls, his shadowy form darted around the room. Scratching at the loose sand underneath my feet, a trapdoor rattled. Motioning to the trapdoor underneath my feet, her head nodded once. Crouching down, exhaustion wore on her face as I ripped it open. Climbing down the rungs after her, water splashed onto our boots. Spinning around to face me, a nervous grin twitched on her lips. Eager to show off what she had learned, it would be my fatherly duty to entertain her.

“Is it okay if I use a tracking spell?” She inquired sweetly, a quick shoulder shrug answering her question. “Flames of Hell! Burn up this map and lead us to the scroll of the wise one.” Onyx flames devoured the map, a black phoenix rising out of the ashes. Mesmerized by the beauty of her spell, her adventurous grin made me feel young again. Splashing after it, her hair floated up with each step. Wondering if I should have whisked her away, our days would have been like this. Turning around another corner, my mind kept wondering how she knew to burn the map. Huffing to a stop in front of a bubble with the scroll floating in it, the tip of her finger glided through the bubble. Wonder brightened my eyes at the pure fact that her honor allowed her to break through the shimmering bubble, my past being too rancid to break through to the prize at hand. Spinning around with it close to her chest, ashes rained down around her the moment the phoenix decayed to ash. Opening it up, the color drained from her cheeks. A furious rage seethed in her eyes, a snarl curling on her lips. Energy had her hair floating up, low growls rumbling in my throat. 

“It’s fucking blank!” She fumed in bitter protest, her brow twitching with pure annoyance. “And here he comes!” Raising her scythe over her head, her hand pressed the scroll into my chest. Crashing down the tunnel, black ribbons swirled around her. Opening up the scroll, the page wasn’t empty. Tears welled up in my eyes at the picture of her, the oracle foresaw her winning. Whistling closer to me, my arms caught her. If we were going to get out of here in one piece our wits would be our friends.

“There aren’t words. The oracle saw that you are the one to defeat him.” I explained with a sly grin, her temper simmering down. “Lose our matching tempers and distract him while I prepare an old-fashioned transportation spell.” Flipping off of my arm, she landed gracefully with a defiant grin. Rubbing her blade in God’s blood, her boots splashed away. Fishing around my pocket, chaos ensued in the tunnels all around me. Cutting my palm on the sharp edge of the corner, an inky pool filled up my palm. Dipping my fingertip into the pool, my fingers drew a double circle. Tracing the symbols on the wall, the neatness had much to be desired. Whistling loud enough for her to hear, a ball of shadows barreled towards me. Flying out of the center, my arm caught her. Pressing my palm against the wall, a portal swirled to life. Crossing over into the study of my castle, the portal sealed shut. Setting her down in my leather chair, her shaking fingers tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Sliding down the chair, she rested her palms on her flat stomach. The day had defeated her, the evidence showing in the way her head bobbed up and down.

“I can’t believe we went through all that trouble for a picture of me. How foolish.” She yawned groggily, the memory that haunted me this morning seemed less like a thorn in my side. “Do you think my mother would have been proud of me?” Laying her head on my desk, tears splashed onto the dark wood. The discreet weeps became violent sobs, her fingers digging into the desk. Every ounce of emotion broke from its dam, her next words stealing away any background noise.

“It wasn’t fair! Growing up underneath her thumb was horrible. I lied to Matty about it because I didn’t want to be a burden.” She mumbled into the desk, her wet eyes meeting my guilt ridden features. “Part of me wondered what life would have been like if you raised me.” Plopping down across from her, her chair groaned as she sat up. Rolling up her sleeves, her finger pointed to the burn scars along her arms. Did my former lover do that to our child? Nothing could describe the range of emotions causing my heart to race a mile a minute.

“She had a terrible habit of burning me with a hot poker when my father was on a business trip. I usually cover them in foundation but I forgot to do that this morning.” She admitted with a broken smile, another wave of guilt threatening to drown me. “Don’t look at me like that. Pity makes me feel pathetic. Don’t tell Matty. He had enough to worry about in high school.” Mike came in with a tray of cookies and tea, low growls rumbling in his throat. Shouting a thousand questions, a sad smile lingered on her lips. Waving her hands around, Mike set the tray down another round of growls. Keep your cool, brother.

“Don’t worry about me.” She choked through another wave of tears, silent tears staining her cheeks. “She did way worse things like starve me when I didn’t listen and lock me in my closet when I was younger. My father’s smile when he came home kept me going. Sorry for being a burden.” Bowing her head in shame, a quiet alarm rounded her eyes at me slamming my palms on my desk. Mike caught the glass before everything scattered across the desk, both of them tracking me marching up to her. Clutching her close to my chest, I had no idea her mother had been this horrid. 

“Let me be your father?” I pleaded earnestly, her fingers gripping my jacket. “Never again will anyone hurt you.” Knowing that was a promise that I couldn’t keep, her tenacity would always put her in danger. Snores echoed in my ears, her emotions draining her energy. Mike grumbled to himself before pausing in the doorway, his grip threatened to break the door frame. 

“Why didn’t you try harder?” He demanded bitterly, his eyes refusing to meet mine. “You could have saved her.” Shaking my head, her mother renounced me. Realizing why before I could answer, his expression softened. Dropping his hand to his side, a steady stream of curse words flooded from his lips. Leaving me alone with her, my arms couldn’t let her go. Lifting her out of the chair, I laid her on the couch closest to the fire. Sitting down in front of her, my heart ached for all that I had lost. Please grant us a better future.