Noah
“How could you just stand there like that while he nearly killed me?”
Lucifer transported us back to my bedroom, and I let the rage I’d unleashed on the Angel change focus to Lucifer.
“I wouldn’t have let him kill you.” His smile is easy as he takes a seat in my throne. “It’s curious, though. He shouldn’t have been able to touch you at all.”
“That’s what worries you?” I ask, pacing before him. The Angel might’ve healed me, but my shoulder still hurts like a mother. “What about the whole plan almost going up in smoke? What about the fact that I had to kill Emily?”
There it is, the pain I’ve been covering up with all my anger. And suddenly I feel defeated, not angry. At least, not at the Angel.
I never meant to hurt her. Not like that. Yes, I’ve killed before, but Hale deserved it. Emily didn’t.
“Yes. It is unfortunate. We may have been able to corrupt her if she’d gone to prison. But as I said before, I’m willing to sacrifice a soul or two to Heaven to get my way.”
“She shouldn’t have died.” I say the words so loud that they echo off the walls. The blue flames in the torches shoot sky-high, and I don’t know if I was the cause, or if Lucifer reacted to my outburst. I don’t care. “I panicked. He had glamour, too, and he used it on her. She attacked me. I knew I had to do something. It all happened so fast.” I collapse onto the couch and bury my face in my hands.
“The question isn’t whether you did the correct thing,” Lucifer starts, leaning down toward me. I feel him more acutely than I can see him through my fingers. “The question is, are you really the One?”
I stand. “What? Are you fucking insane? Of course I am.”
Lucifer is in front of me in less than a beat of my heart. His hand closes around my throat, and he lifts me into the air, choking me. I reach for him, my hands flailing until I find his arms and push with all my might. Lucifer falls backward at the foot of the throne, and I rub my neck, gasping for breath.
Lucifer stands quickly, fixing his jacket and tie, eyes wide. “It would appear you are indeed,” he says.
He opens his mouth, about to say something else, then shuts it again and glares at me, sizing me up. I stay still and simply stare back, trying not to appear completely freaked out that Lucifer just tried to kill me.
For the first time, I feel like I’m in over my head. I long for Keira’s arms. I need her to tell me what’s real.
He continues as though his attempt on my life never happened. “You made the right choice, Noah. I’m proud of you. What was she? She was just a simple human. Nothing. She was nothing compared to you or I. Don’t make the same mistake they do upstairs. Don’t start feeling like they’re equals, because they aren’t.”
“She was better than you and me put together,” I say, remembering the way Emily used to smile when I told my goofy jokes to her and Grace. They always made time to hear them, even when they were busy.
Or Grace did, at least. Emily burned me after Grace died.
I sit on one of the leather sofas again. I’ve never felt so conflicted. Is this what it means to be the Antichrist? I wanted a crown and respect, not innocent blood on my hands.
“The news should contact you soon for interviews and statements. Remember that even though I can’t physically harm you, I can easily make others do it for me. So make it good.” Lucifer flicks his wrist and disappears.