I felt a hand slightly shaking me and I groaned, my head ringing loudly. I didn't move at first, but the hand continued to shake me like a damn martini.

"Shit.." I hissed and turned on my stomach, burying my face in my hands and clutching my head, trying to make the ringing stop.

"El...ar...al..ght?" I heard a very faint voice speaking to me and I groaned even louder, the ringing increasing by the second. My throat was dry and my body sore and in pain. I opened my eyelids halfway while I looked up to my side to see who was talking to me. My eyes were blurry and the only thing I could make out was a figure with caramel-blonde hair hovering over me.

Christine.

"Hey.." I croaked out and let my head fall back on what I thought was my pillow. My head hit something cold and hard, and I tried really hard to suppress my moans as pain ran through my nerves and straight to my brain." Ah, fuck!"

It felt as if a thousand needles were piercing through my brain.

"Eli! What in the world happened?" Christine said and grabbed my biceps, trying to lift me up. I placed my hands on the floor and managed to lift my torso. "Why are you sleeping on the floor?" I heard a confused Chris speak up as she carried me, my head falling back.

What time is it? What day is it? Why am I sleeping on the floor?

I didn't even realize when and how did Chris manage to move me on the couch but I was glad. I rubbed the sleep off my eyes and looked up at her worried expression. In a span of a second, her worry turned into horror as she took in the sight in front of her.

"Eli, what the hell happened? What are all these? Were you attacked? Did someone break in? Why didn't you call me?" She shouted as she looked at the bandages around my neck and thigh. She quickly grabbed my head and pushed it upwards so she could look at my neck, making me groan at the sudden movement.

"Chris, Chris calm down, please!" I said and tugged at her hands softly. She let me go and I looked at her again. Her mouth was slightly ajar, her eyes wide and sad. I grabbed her hands and placed them on my lap, caressing them, trying to calm her down.

I couldn't tell her what happened. She would think that I was crazy and that I had completely lost my mind. And I, myself, still didn't know what the hell was happening. It was all too much to process and I couldn't deal with a worried Christine right now. I needed time to think about what happened over the last month, to understand, to find out more information about Lucifer King.

"I promise I'll explain everything. I'm fine, that's what's important right now." I said and softly stroked her palm with my thumbs."What time is it? Why are you here anyway?" I asked her, trying to distract her.

"I uh... it's eight pm. Elliot said that you didn't show up on either classes today and we all called you about a thousand times. You weren't picking up your phone and I decided to come and check if something's wrong... Eli, please tell me what happened..." She whispered the last part softly, her eyes watering.

Oh no...

"Hey hey I'm sorry! Please don't cry, I'm fine!" I pulled her into a hug and she immediately let out a sob, her tears wetting my shirt." Hey Chris, don't cry please, I'm fine! Look at me! I'm okay..." I trailed off as I caressed her back and her hair, trying to comfort her.

"Who did this to you Eli! Se parakalw pes mou!" She said, switching between Greek and English, clearly upset. ( Please tell me!)

I could literally hear the clogs working inside my brain, as I desperately tried to find a good excuse as to why I'm bandaged up like a mummy.

An attack on the street? No.

Kidnapping? No, too far.

Attempted murder? Kinda true, but she doesn't need to know that right now.

Break-in? Bingo!

"Someone broke in last night," I said quickly and paused, while I tried to think what could have possibly happened if it was indeed a break-in. "Um, I- I tried to stop him and h-he attacked me. He grabbed my neck hard, scratching it. Th-that's why I have a bandage around it. It's nothing, really!" I said and she pulled away to look at me, tears staining her beautiful hazel eyes.

"Why the fuck would you try and stop him? Did you even think about calling the police?" She shouted angrily at me, but I knew that she was more worried than angry.

"I-uh...no," I said and looked down at my hands. What was I supposed to do? Call 100?

"100, what's your emergency?"

"Yes hi, Um the Devil accuses me of theft and he's currently choking me to death because I don't have his necklace!"

"Eisai ilithia, gamwto? What the fuck is wrong with you? You could have died!" Chris kept switching between the two languages, which meant that she was really, really upset and nervous. (Are you fucking stupid?)

"Chris, come on. I couldn't call the police even if I wanted to. It all happened too fast. But he's gone now and all he managed to get was like 20 Euros that I had in my pocket." I lied to her face, anxiety creeping up on me. Christine is super smart and she always sees through my lies. I watched her closely, my face emotionless so she wouldn't understand what I'm thinking about.

"And why didn't you call me? Why were you sleeping on the floor? And what about the bandage on your thigh?" She shot me more questions and I was having a hard time answering.

"I .. ah... It was too late and I didn't want to worry you, Chris. I know you care for me and I know you'd hop into a taxi and come all the way to my house if I called you, but I can take care of myself." I said, trying not to trigger her with my words. "As to why I'm sleeping on the ground, well...you got me there. I really don't know. Maybe I passed out when I got up..."

"Judging by the huge bump on your head, you might be right..."She trailed off and raised her hand to slightly touch my scalp. I winced and immediately backed up, pain rushing through my head. "Shit, you need to have that checked out El. It looks bad." I sighed at her answer and relaxed a little.

It seems like she believed me. Thank God!

Thank the Devil, my subconscious spoke up.

Hell, I'm not thanking that bastard!

You're calling our Lord a bastard? Do you have a death wish or something?

Our Lord? What are you on about again?

Just don't curse at his name again. Don't be a fool.

"Eli! Earth to Eli!" I saw Christine wave a hand in front of me, trying to catch my attention.

"Huh?"

"I said I'm staying with you tonight. Wanna call the boys and have a movie night?" She asked as she got up, completely dropping the subject. Yeah, probably she didn't believe me but oh well...

"Ah, no sorry... I'm not in the mood right now." She nodded at my answer and pulled out her phone.

"I'm ordering Chinese. The usual?" She asked and a big smile crept on my face as I nodded at her. She winked at me and I stood up, deciding to take a shower before the food arrives.

After my shower, I put on a baggy shirt and a pair of SpongeBob shorts. As I was combing my hair, my gaze fell on my purse and I stood up, stalking towards it. I opened it and there it was.

My necklace.

I picked it up and looked at the engraving inside the ring.

So if a necklace, that looked exactly the same as my mama's, had engraved inside it the name Lucifer King and my necklace had L.K., then that means that the initials stand for his name. This can't be a coincidence.

But why did mama have a necklace with his name on it? Did they know each other? Did my mother hang out with the Devil?

You know, you can ask him yourself, my subconscious said. Just summon him.

No way I'm calling for him! You, young lady, are absolutely crazy!

There will be times in the future, where you'll be begging for him to come to you. Mark my words, little demon, She said, sarcastically calling me by the nickname that he gave me.

I ignored her and made my way downstairs. I sat down on the couch and Chris placed a plastic bowl with hot noodles inside, on my lap.

"Oh shit, this smells so good!" I said and put some in my mouth with my fork. Nah, I can't deal with chopsticks. It's too hard and I just wanna eat damn it!

"I forgot the Cokes! Let me-"

"Nah, sit down! I'll go." I interrupted her and placed the bowl on the coffee table, standing up and stalking towards the kitchen.

My gaze fell on the counter and I froze.

Blood and shattered glass were all over the counter, like the night before. I couldn't blink, I couldn't move, I couldn't think.

My mind was fogged and my hands started trembling, my whole body shivering. I couldn't bring myself to look away. I heard his laugh inside my head and tears started welling up in the corners of my eyes. I felt a hand on the small of my back and I jumped, my body jerking forward.

I looked behind me to see Christine looking at me with sad eyes. She took a step forward and I unconsciously took a step back, my back hitting the counter. Hurt and simultaneously understanding took over her facial features, as she reached for my hand.

"It happened in the kitchen, right?" She spoke softly, her hand grabbing my wrist and caressing it. I looked up at her and whipped away the tears that fell on my cheeks. I nodded slowly, not wanting to talk right now. I knew my voice would betray me.

I looked behind my back to see the kitchen counter crystal clear. Not a trace of blood.

I sighed and quickly grabbed the Cokes, going back to the living room to sit down on the couch. A moment later I felt a soft kiss on the top of my head. I looked at Chris once she sat down and threw her a sad smile.

We watched eight episodes of Friends, before falling asleep on top of each other on the couch.

*

*

*

7:20 am

I watched as Chris slept peacefully on the couch, sipping on my hot coffee. It's been twenty minutes since I've woken up and in about two hours, me and Chris have to head over to the University for our classes.

I don't know if I should go to today's classes given my state, but I really need some air.

Why don't you go for a run at the port?, my subconscious suggested.

I nodded at myself, thinking that it was probably a good idea to get my body moving a little. I drank the rest of the coffee and stood up, going straight for the bathroom.

I took off the bandage over my neck, and looked at the scratches and the bruises on my neck. I cringed at the sight but immediately looked away.

I walked to my bedroom, got dressed in simple black leggings and a Dry-fit purple hoodie, pulling my hair up into a ponytail and grabbing my earphones. I headed downstairs, tip-toeing to the door and I put on my sneakers. I grabbed my post-it notes and wrote down a message for Chris:

Eat your breakfast before you go to class! I'm not coming today. I went out to get some air. Might be late. BRB -Eli

I left the note on the coffee table and headed to the door. Grabbing my keys, I shut the door behind me and started walking along the sideway. I reached the ending of the road and turned right, starting to jog straight ahead towards the decks.

The roads were empty at this time of the day and the sun was about to rise, a soft morning glow falling in between the tall buildings.

By the time I reached the decks, I was panting like a dog and my head started to spin. I bought a water bottle from a small mini-market on the side of the road and made my way inside the port. Not even a single soul could be seen inside the port, as I made my way inside the gates. I continued walking, trying to catch my breath as The Death Of A Bachelor by Panic! At The Disco started playing on my earphones.

I sat on one of the benches and my gaze fell on the beautiful sunrise that made the sky glow yellow and blue, and the sea sparkle. The cold morning breeze hit my sweaty back and I enjoyed the feeling, inhaling deeply. Cold fresh air filled my lungs as I looked at the sparkling sea in front of me. I looked around and my gaze fell on the Ambrosia. The club was, of course, closed, the entrance shut and the pavement empty. The sun rays fell on the one side of the wall, the one that is about one meter away from the edge of the deck, too close to the water.

A man in a suit walking by the entrance and making his way up the stairs on the side of the building caught my attention. I frowned deeply as I watched him climb the stairs and reaching the rooftop.

What is he doing up there?

Follow him, my subconscious spoke up.

Curiosity got the best of me and without any second thoughts, I stood up and jogged towards the building. I climbed the stairs as softly as I could, my sneakers hitting the metallic stairs with a soft thud. I reached the rooftop and crunched down, so he wouldn't notice me. His back was turned towards me, blocking me from seeing his face.

I slowly rose to my full height, as I watched him gaze at the sunrise, standing on the edge of the rooftop.

Wow, I thought as I took in the beautiful sight in front of me, slowly taking inaudible steps towards him.

Well, he certainly knows how to properly enjoy the view.

The second I looked back at him, I saw him falling head-first off the rooftop.

Holy fucking shit!

My reflexes kicked in immediately and I took two huge, fast steps, my hand shooting out and grabbing his black blazer.

I heard a tearing sound and I was tugged forward, not being able to hold him back. A scream left my lips as I fell off the roof, holding onto his ripped blazer for dear life.

It felt like I was falling in slow motion. I wrapped my other hand tightly around his arm, as he turned his head to look at me, his hair moving around from the wind. We made eye contact and realization hit me hard, as I took in his facial features. My eyes widened more and before I knew it, he threw his fist on my stomach and tried to push me away.

In a second, we both entered something dark and empty. I closed my eyes and shut my mouth as we fell inside the freezing cold water. I held his arm tighter and he still tried to push me off, as we were both sinking. I felt another strong punch in my stomach and the air evaded my body, leaving me breathless. As soon as I knew that I was safe in the water, I tried to untangle my body from his, so I could swim to the surface but my legs were tangled with his.

Before I knew it, the water suddenly disappeared and I felt like I was floating. I immediately opened my eyes and it felt like I was in another dimension. Black and orange sparks were flying around us, as we continued to fall inside the endless void.

What the fuck is happening?

I gazed over at him with wide eyes and saw him staring back at me, bewildered. He somehow untangled his body from mine, pushing me away and now I was falling on my own, right beside him, my ponytail slapping my face continuously.

After what seemed like half a second, my feet hit something hard, making me lose my balance and fall down, my wet clothes clinging to my body. Pain shot up my spine and my head hit the ground hard, leaving me wondering how my skull didn't crack after such a harsh impact.

"Holy shit.." I grunted out as I held my head, rubbing it, trying to subdue the growing pain. I forced myself into a sitting position and opened my eyelids halfway to look around. The first thing I saw was the pitch-black rocks beneath me. How the hell am I still alive?

I slowly looked up, still holding my head with both hands. He was right in front of me, standing on his feet, in all his glory. His strong hands were on his sides moving along with his deep breaths. Oh, but the look on his face is priceless...

His perfectly shaped eyebrows were pinched together on his forehead, the flames inside his eyes burning up. His strong jaw was clenched and his lips were in a tight line. He looked both shocked and angry, and I couldn't look away.

His suit was still in perfect condition, except for the piece that I accidentally ripped apart. Despite the fact that he was free-falling about a second ago, his hair looked perfectly combed and pushed back. How did he get away without a scratch?

"What ha-"

Just when I started talking, he darted forward and wrapped his hand around my throat, bringing me up and I winced, feeling his claws piercing through the bandages, a millimeter away from my skin. The hair tie was long gone and my messy strands of hair were falling in front of my eyes.

"How the hell are you here? How are you not de-"He started shouting but cut himself off as his eyes fell on something on my neck. He set me down as his hand grabbed my necklace, tugging me towards him.

"Where did you find this? Why do you have it?" He asked more calmly. His piercing red and orange eyes fell on mine, searching for an answer.

"I- uh... It's my mother's." I said and he cocked his head to the side, arching an eyebrow. My head was aching badly, and I felt pressure in my brain compelling me to answer. That, and also the fact that I was scared shitless.

The scorching temperature suddenly hit me in full force as he stared into my eyes. I tried to breathe normally and steadily, but the air was too dry and hot, and I felt dehydrated. Sweat was forming on my forehead, hair sticking on it, as we looked into each other's eyes.

"Who's your mother?"He spoke up and tugged on my necklace once again, his upper lip curling up on the one side, his teeth showing, and his left eye twitching once.

"M-Madison. Madison Haynes." I said and something clicked in his mind, as his facial muscles relaxed visibly.

Does he know her?

It felt like forever, until he broke the eye contact, letting my necklace fall on my hoodie and taking a step back.

"Well then, little demon." He said and smiled wickedly at me. A wicked, cynical smile. He raised his chin, looking down at me and suddenly a sound erupted from behind him. A very soft, silky sound.

Whoosh

My eyes were as wide as saucers as I watched two huge, magnificent, midnight black wings unfurl behind his back. Silky smooth feathers set on his back, framing him and casting a shadow on his face, making the color of his eyes stand out.

I watched his smile turn into a devious smirk before he spoke up.

"Welcome to Hell."

*

*

*