Читать книгу A Friend to the Darkness - Katherine Rathbone - Страница 4

That Saturday night, I met my friends down by the river. They were accompanied by a fourth being this time. As I stepped closer to the fire, Seth leapt up and took my face in his hands.

“What happened?” He exclaimed, studying my black eye, turning my head from side to side.

“You should see the other guy.” I muttered, removing his hands.

“Katie!” Sera seemed angry. “Why didn’t you pray for us?!”

“It’s no big deal, you guys.”

“Who did this?” Sebastian’s voice didn’t sound on the brink of laughter this time. “We will destroy them.”

I barked out a laugh. “Seth already ruined her life.”

He drew in a sharp breath. “Carmen?!”

I grinned and nodded.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t think she’d have the guts to do anything!” He sounded a bit panicked.

“Like I said, it’s no big deal. I handled it.”

“What did you do, Seth?” Sera’s tone was cautious.

He coughed, and glanced guiltily towards the figure at the fire. They had their back to the flames, and all I could tell was that they were tall. Taller even than Sebastian. “I uh, I kinda possessed her a little bit and made her say that she was jealous of Katie. And wanted to have sex with her.”

Sera and Sebastian’s lips twitched, and they glanced at the figure by the fire too.

“Oh come on, guys. That’s funny. You should have seen it. It was gold.” I told them.

The figure by the fire stepped closer to us, and I could make out their features. He was achingly beautiful. He made my other demon friends look plain in comparison. He didn’t have red skin like the others. His was a creamy alabaster, flawless. He had white blonde hair, similar in length and style to Seth. He had horns, but they were massively long and arched delicately well behind his head. They were a gleaming silver, and matched his intelligent eyes. I reflected that silver eyes should have looked creepy, but they just accentuated his beauty. I hoped whoever he was that he was an idiot. It wouldn’t be fair for him to be so beautiful and interesting.

“Explain that to me, Seth.” He spoke with an unconscious air of command, as if it didn’t occur to him that whoever was listening wouldn’t follow his direction. That irked me.

Seth looked a little hunted. “That girl was making Katie’s life Hell, my Lord. So I possessed her, just for a little while, and… fixed it for her.”

The new guy raised an eyebrow, and Seth shifted his feet uncomfortably. “Was that wise, do you think? And do you think perhaps you should have run that by me, first?”

Seth stared at the ground and mumbled, “Yes, my Lord.”

I stepped between them, hands on hips, and glared at the new guy. “Back off, buddy.” I snarled. He blinked, and I took a step closer to him. He smelled like hot cinnamon doughnuts, and rain after a hot day. Wow, how could someone smell so good? I tried to ignore it. “Who the fuck do you think you are, talking to Seth like that?!”

My friends made panicked noises behind me, and I felt hands grabbing for me, pulling me back, away from him. New guy raised a hand, and the hands holding me dropped away. I turned to my friends, who were now standing in a straight line, hands behind their backs, heads bowed. It occurred to me that maybe I had fucked up. Oh well, I was committed now. I turned my glare back to the new guy. “Well, who the fuck are you?” I challenged.

He tilted his head and regarded me with a slight smile. “I am His Eternal Majesty Lucifer, King and Lord of all Hell. I believe you have pledged me your allegiance, Human.”

“Oh.” I squeaked. “Well, ok then, carry on.” And stepped aside so he could see Seth again.

Lucifer looked at me wonderingly, then burst into musical laughter. “She is remarkable!” He addressed my friends, who laughed nervously. “Come, let’s drink!” Lucifer said, eyeing me with a calculating look. I frowned at him, then remembered who he was and tried to smile instead. He shook his head at me, amused, and handed me a drink. The tension in the air eased, and we chatted and drank. I kept stealing glances at Lucifer, weighing him up. Eventually, I addressed him.

“So, is there a rule against possession? Or is it just because Seth is a low level demon that he should have checked with you first?”

Lucifer blinked. “HEY!” Seth yelled, sounding offended.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“What makes you think I’m a ‘low level demon’, you bitch?” Seth was indignant. Lucifer looked amused.

“Aren’t you all?” I looked around at everyone. Sera had one eyebrow raised, and Sebastian was chuckling quietly. “I mean, why else would you be hanging out with me?” Seth spluttered. Lucifer answered for him.

“You are in the presence of the majority of my Court, Human. Sebastian is my First Lord, Sera my Second Lord, and Seth my Third Lord.”

“Woah, you guys are Lords of Hell?!” I was excited. Sebastian laughed loudly, Sera rolled her eyes and Seth fumed. “How many are there?”

Lucifer smiled indulgently. “Four Lords, plus my Second in Command.”

“Wow, I had no idea you guys were important!”

“Have another drink, Katie. You’re going to make Seth’s head explode.” Sebastian filled my cup. I took a long swallow, and said,

“Oh, Lucifer?”

“Mmm?” He looked at me curiously.

“Stop calling me Human.” Sera gasped. Lucifer blinked, and regarded me curiously.

“What should I call you then?” His tone was indulgent.

“My name is Katie. That might be a good start.”

He took a drink, and eyed me speculatively. “Katie.” He said it slowly, as if tasting it. The sound of my name in his mouth gave me a shiver that I shoved down.

“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I beamed at him and winked. He blinked and shook his head disbelievingly.

“I uh, I’ll be back in a minute.” Seth mumbled and disappeared. He reappeared not long after, holding a joint. I looked at it questioningly.

“Oh, I need this.” He glared at me. “You’re stressing me the fuck out.”

Sebastian and I laughed at him. Sera shook her head. Lucifer’s lips twitched.

I tilted my head as I looked at him. “Have you used up your quota?” I asked him.

“Oh, here we go again.” Seth sat and lit his joint, smoking in long draughts.

“My quota of what?” Lucifer asked, puzzled.

“Of laughter. Or are you too important to laugh? Too serious?”

Sera snorted, then reached for Seth’s joint when Lucifer glared at her.

“You should give that to him. He needs to chill out.” I pointed to Lucifer. Sera looked at him, shrugged, and offered him the joint. He looked at it warily.

“Go on.” I spoke encouragingly. “There’s only us here, we won’t tell anyone if the King of Hell has a good time.”

“Oh, I want that back.” Seth groaned.

“I think we might need more, Seth.” Lucifer eyed me, and took a long drag.

“There you go!” I clapped.

“Your wish is my command, my Lord.” Seth disappeared again.

Lucifer tilted his head back and regarded the stars.

I stood to refill my drink. Seth reappeared and settled down by the fire again. I was about to ask if anyone else wanted another drink, when Lucifer said, “Get me one.” With that air of unconscious command.

“Nope.” I retorted. My friends froze.

“What?” His tone was dangerous.

“NOPE.” I said it loudly and clearly.

“You would deny the King of Hell, Human?”

“I said don’t call me that, buddy. ” I snapped.

“You swore your allegiance to me, Human.” His silver eyes were flashing.

“Allegiance, not servitude. You’ve got legs. Either use your manners, or use them.”

“Get. Me. A. Drink.” His voice rang with authority, and I found myself reaching for his cup. I shook my head violently to clear it. I wasn’t his fucking servant.

“No.” My friends gasped, and Lucifer looked surprised, then chuckled.

“Katie, would you please get me a drink?” His tone was only a little sarcastic.

“Absolutely, Lucifer my friend.” I grinned as I took his cup.

“You’re impossible.” He said wonderingly to my back as I filled the cups.

I turned and grinned at him.

A couple of days later, Seth was in my room again when I got home from school. “Hiya, Katie.” He smiled lazily.

“Hey. What are you doing here?”

“Your mum is working late, right?” He asked.

“Yep. Why?”

“I’m going to teach you how to fight.” He said it resignedly.

“What? Why?”

He rolled his eyes. “So you stop getting your arse kicked, and my siblings stop worrying about you getting your arse kicked.”

I shrugged. “Why not? I’ll just get changed.”

He settled back on my bed and eyed me up and down. “Ok.” He said with a smirk.

“OUT!” I demanded.

“You’re no fun.” He pouted as he flounced through the door, slamming it behind him.

He took me to a mountain clearing. The air was clean and smelled of eucalyptus. “Where are we? It’s beautiful!” I said wonderingly, taking in the sights.

“Tasmania.” He replied softly. “I love it here.”

“I can see why.” I turned to smile at him, and found myself sprawled on the ground, flat on my back. “Oof! What the fuck, dude?” I yelled.

He grinned down at me. “First rule, always be aware of your surroundings.”

I kicked out at his shins, and he leapt backwards. “That’s it!” He laughed.