Dreaming of the Devil

8

"Absolutely not. I won't help you kill innocent people. I want no part of it. I don't understand why the choice is hard for you to make" I expressed bluntly. Lucifer raised his eyebrow but said nothing. Stepping back, I stared at him, waiting for him to respond. He let out a sigh before running his fingers through his hair.

"Adeline. War is always costly. People will always die, no matter what. You also need to understand the choice is a difficult one to make, for two reasons" he stated. "Firstly, I won't risk losing my soul again. I need you to rule beside me, and in time, you'll see that I'm right. We could oversee both ends of the scale. You could rule with the light half of me, and I could ensure this kingdom thrives alongside it. With you at my side, we could be unstoppable" he spoke with a seriousness that shook me to my core.

He couldn't be serious about ruling both kingdoms. About me ruling anything, let alone an entire kingdom.

"The second reason is that the Old One is not the only threat to me... To us, and to my plan. I want to ensure that you and I are untouchable" he finished, brushing his thumb across my cheek. I stepped away from him, glaring.

"So basically, you've put me in danger no matter what way this plays out" I said, my frustration sneaking through.

"I cannot physically be without you. I need you to stay with me and in return, I promise to protect you for as long as you at my side" he murmured.

"What happens if I die?" I said, stepping further away from him. I crossed my arms against my chest. Lucifer's face grew serious for a moment as he stepped forward and again placed each hand on my cheek, tilting my face and forcing me to look up at him.

"Adeline, you have half of my soul. I will never allow you to die. There are ways for you to be with me, and I will not allow you to die" He replied, sincerity ringing clear in his voice.

"I'm just a human... A mortal. One day, whether it be an accident, old age, or one of your many enemies, I will die. What will you do then?" I finished. He scoffed, shaking his head as he narrowed his eyes at me. Taking my hand, he walked me further through the garden toward a pond with a small waterfall flowing freely over the rocky peak. The water shimmered in the evening dusk light. Peering over the side, a flash of golden scales caught my eye as a large fish swam by.

"You need to learn what gifts you have, and then control them. There may come a time where I'm not here to protect you, and I need to know you can protect yourself. You need to be able to do more than run and climb trees" he said, a smirk tugged the corners of his lips. The change in conversation had me concerned, but my interest had peaked.

"Your training begins now" he said, turning to face me. Gripping my arms, I felt the view of the gardens around me change, rippling like the surface of the pond, and when it started to clear, I knew we weren't in the same place anymore.

Pine trees surrounded me, standing tall in the air. Most of the branches had been covered by a thick blanket of snow. It was freezing cold, the chill moved through me, all the way to my toes. Luc held his arm open, and I rushed forward to him, wrapping my myself against his side. He felt warm, almost like the snow had no effect on him. I placed my face against his chest, he hissed.

"You're freezing" he said, pulling me in tighter.

"Well why in the world would you bring me to a snow forest without giving me warm clothes first?" I asked sarcastically. Looking up, he met my stare and raised an eyebrow.

"I forget how mortal you are sometimes, Adeline" he sighed. He reached into thin air and pulled out a thick cloak, wrapping it around me. It smelt like him, and I exhaled deeply, clearing my mind before returning my focus to the handsome face before me.

"The possible powers you may possess are as follows" he said.

"The first, and easiest, is telepathy. The gift goes beyond just speaking to me through our connection. You could take control over someone's mind and actions completely once you have learnt to master it. You could learn to crush your enemies from the inside out without ever lifting a finger" he said with a sly smile.

"The next is the ability to control the elements" he said. Tilting my head slightly, I tried to understand if he was serious. He raised his hand and twisted his wrist slightly. Slowly, the environment around us started to change.

The snowy winds began to blow harder as the trees began to groan under the pressure of the wind. My hair whipped in all different directions around my face. Twisting his wrist even further, the trees began to shake violently as the snow fell and the gale-force wind rocked through the clearing. As Luc lifted his hand to face me, everything stopped. Bringing myself to look at him, he was smiling. A thought occurred to me suddenly.

"Did you control the winds before.. When we kissed?" I asked him. The dimple in his cheek made an appearance as he smirked and crossed his arms.

"Even I lose control of my abilities sometimes. My emotions take control of certain situations" he grinned, that dimple making an appearance. Flicking his fingers, small flames ignited at the tips, moving softly like a flame from a candle. His other hand moved up over the top of the flames, and as he twisted it, small drops of water fell, extinguishing the flames, leaving only wafts of smoke in its place. His smile slipped away as his expression turned serious.

"Your turn Adeline. You need to focus on the nature surrounding you. Your memories of nature, the burn of anger, or the airy feel of love. Anything to help push your power to take over the elements" he instructed.

Lifting my hands, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. The cold air burnt my lungs but pushed me to focus. Memories of home came flooding through. The meadow where my grandmother took me every full moon was the first place I envisioned. A tingling sensation began in my palms. Pushing that feeling forward, I could feel the environment around me change. The chill of the cold snow began to disappear, replaced with a cool breeze that smelt like the flowers that grew in my meadow. Somewhere in front of me, I heard Luc's small, surprised inhale. After a moment, he spoke.

"Open your eyes little bird" he murmured. My eyes shot open as I zoned in on him. His beautiful face twisted into part awe, part pride. Finally moving my eyes from his face, the trees around me caught my attention first. They had changed. The thick snow had melted away, a few damp puddles across the grass. Thick green branches hung, and traces of winter had disappeared. Spring had taken its place. The warm breeze floated over my skin and I sighed, tugging the cloak off, letting it hang over my forearm. I stepped forward and inhaled deeply. The scent of pine and earth imbedded deep into my lungs. Opening my eyes, I gaped slightly, leaning forward to touch the flowers that had begun to open and bloom before my eyes.

"Absolutely incredible. You not only have the ability to control the elements, but you possess the power to change them" he spoke. Stepping towards me, his eyes roamed my face before settling in on my eyes. Something in that moment told me that not even he had the ability to change the elements. The power beneath my skin purred at his touch; Like it had woken up because of him. I felt like the earth had healed with my touch – The chilly death of winter had faded, and spring grew in its place.

"You are so much more than I ever expected" he said before reaching down to place his lips on mine. Kissing him back, I felt exhilarated. My hands gripped his shirt at the same time his tongue touched mine, deepening the feel of the kiss. Every time he touched me, I felt like he was a drug I couldn't have enough of. I wanted more of him, I wanted to give him more of me. The bond was growing. I wished we were alone back at the castle. A low rumble of laughter brought me out of my thoughts.

Looking around, Luc had shifted us back to the room. Fresh food and Ambrose had been placed on the side table, along with a large box of female clothing items, including thick leather boots. Looking back at Luc, I wondered if he had read my thoughts about how I was feeling and transported us back to the room.

"It seems, little bird, you may possess more power than anyone could have expected."