A couple of days passed. Thankfully they were completely uneventful. She went to work and came home. There were no surprises or angels or anything else waiting for her, only Ben. Claire had called her a few days earlier, and tonight she was supposed to meet her for dinner. The two boys that they had met at the club were going to meet them at the restaurant and Elizabeth was strangely looking forward to going out on an actual date. It had been months since she’d been on one, so the prospect put a little extra pep in her step.
Jogging into the house, she tossed her purse down and raced up the stairs. She had stayed at work a little longer than normal. One of the horses needed his hooves trimmed and was being a baby about it. Now she was covered in dirt, sweat, and other foul things, but she was also running late. Charging straight into the bathroom, she immediately turned the water on and raced back to her closet.
“Hey, you want to go to dinner tonight?”
“Can’t,” Elizabeth said. “I’m going out with Claire, remember?”
Leaning against the doorframe, he grumbled, “I thought I told you that you couldn’t go. Remember?”
Glancing at Ben, Elizabeth shot him a dirty look. “Last I checked you’re not the boss of me, remember?”
Frowning, he marched into her room, but she was in a hurry. Grabbing her clothes, she raced back into the bathroom and locked the door before he could interrupt her. Pounding on the door, he yelled through the wooden barrier, “Lucifer is going to be pissed if he finds out you went on a date with a human!”
Stepping into the bathtub, she reveled in the hot water. “Is Lucifer going to be pissed,” Elizabeth yelled back, “or are you going to be pissed?”
Silence. Good. Washing off quickly, she jumped out of the tub and blow-dried her hair straight. Although she had no plans on this turning into a serious relationship, she wanted to look her best just in case. After applying a light coating of makeup, she braced herself. Unlocking the door, she opened it cautiously. The cool air from the bedroom rushed into the small bathroom. Poking her head out, she noticed that Ben was nowhere to be seen.
Slipping on a pair of heels, she glanced around the room carefully, examining every corner. She even knelt down and peeked under the bed--but no Ben. Walking to the stairs, she announced loudly, “I’m leaving!”
Cocking her head, she listened for something, anything, but heard nothing. He was so mad; surely he’d try to stop her from leaving. Moving slowly, she poked her head into every room but he wasn’t there. Shrugging, she pranced down the stairs and called again, just in case: “Ben, I’m leaving!”
Standing by the door, she waited for a response, but none came. Walking outside, she locked the door behind her. He must have gone to tell Lucifer. Well, good for him. He could tell Lucifer all he wanted; she was still going.
Cranking the music up in the car, she drove straight to Claire’s apartment. Elizabeth had offered to drive since it made no sense taking more than one car if they were going to the same place. Claire was already waiting outside, sitting on the steps leading up to her apartment when Elizabeth pulled into the complex. Jumping up, she bounded over to the car before Elizabeth had a chance to park. Opening the door, Claire reprimanded her friend, “You’re late.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Was Ben giving you a hard time about coming?”
“Kind of,” Elizabeth said. “But he’s not the reason I’m running behind. I got held up at work. The stallion was being a turd.”
Flipping radio stations, Claire laughed. She couldn’t stand listening to commercials on the radio and switched stations until she found a song she liked. Bouncing and swaying in the seats, they belted the words at the top of their lungs. The restaurant wasn’t very far from Claire’s apartment, so within a few minutes Elizabeth was parking the car.
Their dates were already there. They were waiting outside on a bench near the main doors. Smiling, the girls strode up casually, pretending that they were on time. Their dates didn’t mind their tardiness, and after exchanging pleasantries, everyone headed inside.
After being seated, drink orders were taken and an appetizer was ordered. Everyone was relatively quiet while they looked over the menus but once the appetizer arrived, the boys opened up.
“So where do you live, Elizabeth?”
“She lives out in the boondocks,” Claire joked, smiling brilliantly. Nudging her friend with her elbow, Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
“If you leave the city and start driving south,” Elizabeth said, “you’ll come to a small town…”
“Oh yeah, I know where you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, well, I live just south of there on the river.” Taking another chip, she watched the hostess sit another table near theirs.
“That area is pretty well off. Do you still live with your parents or something?”
Glancing back at the guys, Elizabeth wasn’t sure if the question was directed at her or not. All eyes were on her, though. Claire looked a little sad but this was a conversation she was slowly getting more used to. Clearing her throat, Elizabeth took a sip of her drink and said, “Um, no, I live alone. My parents are deceased.”
“Oh God, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“No, it’s fine,” Elizabeth tried to reassure him. He looked really upset but she didn’t mind. Most people her age still had their parents and a good chunk of them lived at home, so it was a valid question. Not wanting him to feel more awkward than he already did, she elaborated, “They died in a plane crash earlier this year, but it’s fine.”
“I’m so sorry.”
The waiter showed back up, creating a much-needed distraction. They ordered the entrées and an awkward silence took hold of the table. Taking another chip, Elizabeth nearly choked. Claire gripped her arm with excessive force, shaking her violently. “Ow, what?”
Claire tried to whisper but did a poor job of it. “Oh my God, he followed you here.”
Glancing to where she was pointing, Elizabeth saw the hostess not only seating Ben, but also Lucifer. Rolling her eyes, she stared at the ceiling. They were worse than over protective parents. How embarrassing. At least Claire didn’t know who Lucifer was.
“Who’s that?”
Elizabeth didn’t answer but Claire was too eager to explain to her date who the blond bombshell sitting a few tables away was. “That’s Elizabeth’s roommate.”
“You live with a guy?” Elizabeth’s date didn’t sound concerned but intrigued. “What, is he gay or something?”
Shaking her head, Elizabeth looked back at the demons. “No,” she said. “Definitely not gay.”
“Who’s the guy with him?”
That was a question even Claire didn’t know the answer to. Running her fingers though her hair, Elizabeth looked back at the table. “That’s one of his friends. He’s a bit of a control freak.”
“What’s his name?”
“Uh, I don’t remember,” Elizabeth said.
The boys continued to stare at the demons. This was just great. This was the last thing she needed. All she wanted was a quiet evening out with no demons--and not only did Ben follow her, but he brought Lucifer with him. Although it could have been worse; he could have brought Crocell, which definitely would have attracted some attention.
“He didn’t really follow you here, did he?”
Chewing on another chip, Elizabeth thought about her date’s question. “No,” she said. “I actually think it’s pure coincidence. He said he wanted to go out tonight, and he really likes hamburgers.”
“This place does have a really good burger.”
They all nodded in unison. Thankfully the waiter returned with the food shortly after, ending the conversation about the nosy demons. They both would be hearing about this; Dark Lord or not, Lucifer was going to get a piece of her mind.
She ate in silence. The rest of her company carried on a conversation but she had too much on her mind to
pay attention. Her date noticed her lack of enthusiasm, but Elizabeth was pretty sure after tonight he wouldn’t want to see her again anyway. Ben had done a good job at closing that door. At least the food was good.
When the waiter brought the check, Elizabeth’s date was quick to stop him before he could leave. “Excuse me, this isn’t right. You didn’t charge one of our meals.”
Smiling, the waiter explained, “It’s already been paid for. The gentlemen at the table over there took care of it.”
Lifting her head towards the ceiling, Elizabeth closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. That motherfucker! What the hell was wrong with him? Shaking her head, Elizabeth decided that she wanted to kill him right there, in front of everyone. Her hands clinched into fists and Claire said, “You okay?”
“No, Claire. I’m not okay,” Elizabeth said. “I’m going to pummel that piece of shit when I get home.”
Their dates remained silent, although she didn’t expect them to say anything. She was sure this would go down in history as the worst date ever. Standing to leave, she glanced at the table where Ben and Lucifer had been sitting. They were gone. Good. Moving slowly, the group made their way outside. Stopping short, Elizabeth barely made it out the door of the restaurant. The demons hadn’t left; they had only relocated.
Shaking her head, she rested her hand on the top of her forehead. Sliding her hand down her face, she had to fight every instinct to scream. A soft hand touched her shoulder and glancing to her right, she saw her date standing close. “Um,” he said, “we’re going to go have a few drinks if you want to come.”
Smiling weakly, she said, “I’m really sorry about all of this. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He’s never acted like this before.”
“No, it’s cool. I get it.” Pausing, he glanced down and said, “Well, it was nice meeting you.”
“Yeah, same here.”
Claire walked up to her after the guys wandered towards their car. “We’re going get some drinks.”
“Yeah, I know,” Elizabeth said. “I’m just going to head home. You think one of them will be able to give you a ride?”
Nodding, Claire said, “Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Glancing over her shoulder at Ben and the other man, she mumbled, “Be careful, okay? There’s something off with that guy.”
Nodding, Elizabeth agreed. Smiling, Claire hugged her friend. “Maybe we can do something with Rachel over the weekend.”
Nodding, Elizabeth agreed. She wasn’t too keen on seeing Rachel but she did enjoy hanging out with Claire. “Yeah, sounds good. Just figure out what y’all want to do and give me a call.”
Jogging to catch up with the guys, Claire waved goodbye to her friend. Letting out a sigh, it was now time for Elizabeth to confront her demons. They were leaning on the hood of Ben’s car, arms crossed and talking softly. The conversation came to an abrupt halt when Elizabeth approached, but neither demon said anything to her.
“All right,” Elizabeth said. “You happy now?”
Grinning, Lucifer inquired, “Why didn’t you introduce us to your date? I was looking forward to meeting him.”
Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth crossed her arms. “Sure you were.” Spinning, she took a seat on the hood of Ben’s car. “Well, he’s gone now. Never to call again. Congratulations! You two are officially the best cockblockers in the history of cockblocking.”
“Don’t be upset,” Lucifer said. “He was a mere mortal; hardly worth your time.”
Glaring at Lucifer, she wanted to slap the grin off his face. “News flash,” she said. “I’m mortal too, ya know.” Tapping her finger on the hood of the car, she smiled. “Oh, and paying for my food? Bravo. That was just classic.”
Belial frowned and looked away. He actually looked a little embarrassed. This whole thing was probably Lucifer’s idea, but she still didn’t feel bad for him. He was the one who ran off to tell on her after all.
“Stop that,” Lucifer said.
Glaring at him, Elizabeth inquired rudely, “Stop what?”
“That incessant noise.” She had forgotten that her finger was still tapping Ben’s car. She had tuned the noise out but promptly stopped at his request. Sliding off the car, she took only a few steps when Lucifer questioned, “Where are you going?”
Whipping around, she walked backwards, “To my car, to go home, where I will live out the rest of my lonely life as a spinster, only to be missed by the ungodly amount of cats I will adopt at some point. If that’s okay with you, Mr. All High and Mighty.”
Taking a step away from the car, Elizabeth thought Lucifer was going to go after her but instead he turned towards Belial. “Follow her home and deal with her. I have more pressing matters which need my attention.”
Belial nodded at Lucifer but Elizabeth was flat out upset. Turning back around, she flew to her car and started the engine the second she was seated. She wasn’t going to wait for him. He knew the way back. Peeling out of the parking lot, she sped back to her house. Once there, she raced into the house, locking the door behind her. Belial had a key but she was hoping that he’d get the hint and leave her alone.
Leaning against the door, she stared into the dark house. The rumble of Belial’s car reached her ears. He was already there. Sighing, she dropped her purse on the floor and trudged up the stairs. Yawning, she turned towards the kitchen to get a glass of water. She was nearing the doorway when a soft voice caused her to pause. Her heart stopped and her body tensed up.
“There you are. I was beginning to think you were going to make me wait all night.”
Shifting, Elizabeth glanced to her right stiffly. Standing just outside her sitting room was a man she’d never seen before. He had dark hair, gorgeous eyes, and flawless skin. Biting her bottom lip, her leg twitched. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she took a small step towards the kitchen. Grinning evilly, the man leapt at her. Diving for the kitchen, she slammed the door closed behind her. He was too quick, however, and shoved the door open before she could lock it, tossing her against the wall.
He was on top of her in an instant, pinning her to the wall. There was nowhere to go. Pulling a knife out, he wasn’t wasting any time. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”
Elizabeth wanted to close her eyes but couldn’t. They were locked on the angel’s horrifying grin. Jamming the knife down, he missed. The blade sunk into the wall next to her. Belial had the angel’s arm, throwing him off target. Baring his teeth, the angel growled, “Belial. I thought I smelled a rat.”
Belial’s eyes were on fire. He didn’t respond. Grabbing the angel, he forcefully pulled him off of Elizabeth. His muscles bulged from under his shirt and, baring his teeth, he grunted. Wrestling the angel, Belial forced him back, giving him a quick jab to the stomach. Coughing violently, the angel hit the floor. Crawling towards the door, he spit up blood and a strange bile-like fluid.
Standing in front of Elizabeth, Belial tried to block her view. She wanted to see though, and gripping his arms, she peeked out from around the demon. Hacking violently, the angel coughed up a strange lump. It was pink in color and pulsing. Staggering, the angel made it to his feet and promptly fled the scene. Belial didn’t give chase and instead approached the strange mass on the floor.
Bending, he examined it for a moment. Then, standing, he pulled the knife from the wall. Returning to the mass, he jammed the knife into the pulsing flesh. It opened easily, seeping more blood onto the floor. Hidden inside the pulsing mass was a small gray capsule. Frowning, Belial jammed the knife into the object, splitting it in two.
Unable to remain silent any longer, Elizabeth took a few steps towards him. Her voice was shaky but she knew he’d hear her. “What the hell is that?”
Glancing at her from over his shoulder, he poked the mass a few more times. “He was drugged.”
Taking a step back, she allowed Belial to stand. He was lost in thought b
ut Elizabeth still wanted answers. “Drugged how? That didn’t look like any drugs I know. It looked alive.”
Running a hand down his face, the demon stared at the ceiling. “Elizabeth, why don’t you go to bed? I’ll get this cleaned up.”
She knew what that really meant. Sure, he’ll clean the mess, but he also needed to talk to Lucifer, and didn’t want her around to hear it. She was tired, though, and bed really didn’t seem like that bad of an idea. Nodding, she agreed and left him to do whatever it was he was planning.
Chapter 16