Part Eight:A devil A diva and A prison
2775 Words
AUTHOR'S POV
Lucian expected Daemon to run.
He expected him to disappear into the darkest corners of Hell.
He expected him to hide.
Perhaps even return to the lower dimension.
What Lucian did not expect was for Daemon to remain in the prison.
Not the prison where he had escaped from.
Not the prison where he had found the pure blood.
A different one.
A prison belonging to one of the humans.
Daemon had always been difficult to predict.
That was one of the many things Lucian hated about him.
Daemon did not run when people expected him to.
He did not fight when people expected him to.
And he certainly did not do what he was told.
So while Lucian's guards searched the corridors of Hell for him...
Daemon was walking through a prison.
A prison he had no permission to enter.
A prison that technically did not belong to him.
Not that he cared.
The walls of Hell had never been much of a problem for Daemon.
He could walk through barriers.
Doors.
Walls.
Even certain magical boundaries.
The only reason he had been trapped in the lower dimension for centuries was because Lucian had made sure the barriers surrounding it were strong enough to keep even him inside.
Unfortunately for Lucian...
Those barriers were no longer strong enough.
Daemon moved through the darkness of the prison corridors.
He had no destination.
No particular plan.
He had simply been curious.
The humans had been brought to Hell.
Lucian had created separate prisons for them.
And Daemon wanted to know why.
His brother had never been particularly interested in humans.
So why had he gone to the trouble of bringing five of them into Hell?
Daemon passed one prison.
Then another.
A voice echoed from inside.
He stopped.
Not because of what the person was saying.
But because of how she was saying it.
He turned toward the door.
Inside, someone was speaking.
The voice was smooth.
Confident.
Beautifully irritated.
“Honestly, if this is supposed to be Hell, I expected better interior design.”
Daemon raised an eyebrow.
He looked at the prison door.
Then at the empty corridor.
Then back at the door.
Interesting.
He walked through it.
The prison was not like the others.
It was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
The walls were covered in mirrors.
Dozens of them.
Hundreds.
Everywhere.
On the walls.
On the ceiling.
On the floor.
Some of them showed reflections.
Some showed different versions of the same room.
Some showed nothing at all.
In the middle of the room stood a girl.
She was staring at one of the mirrors.
She looked furious.
Daemon watched her for a moment.
Then spoke.
“You know, most people scream when they realize they're trapped in Hell.”
The girl turned around.
She stared at him.
Then looked him up and down.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Daemon smiled.
He already knew that look.
It was the look people gave him when they were trying to decide whether he was worth being afraid of.
The girl finally spoke.
“You're not Lucian.”
Daemon's smile widened.
“No.”
She stared at him.
“Then who are you?”
“Someone far more interesting.”
She looked unimpressed.
“That's a bold statement to make when you look like you walked out of a bad gothic romance novel.”
Daemon paused.
For the first time in a very long time...
Someone had insulted him before he had even introduced himself.
He smiled.
“I'm beginning to understand why my brother kept you locked up.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Your brother?”
“Lucian.”
She stared at him.
Then glanced toward the door.
Then back at him.
“Oh.”
Daemon waited.
She nodded slowly.
“That makes sense.”
He tilted his head.
“What does?”
She looked at him.
“You have the same annoying face.”
Daemon stared at her.
For a second, he said nothing.
Then he laughed.
A genuine laugh.
The girl looked even more annoyed.
“What's funny?”
“You.”
“I'm not joking.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Because you are standing in Hell, trapped inside a prison, speaking to a stranger who looks exactly like the Devil…”
He stepped closer.
“And your first concern is insulting my face.”
She shrugged.
“I've had a difficult day.”
Daemon smiled.
“Clearly.”
The girl crossed her arms.
“Who are you?”
“I already told you.”
“No, you said you were someone more interesting.”
“Yes.”
“That wasn't an answer.”
“It was an excellent answer.”
“It was a stupid answer.”
Daemon raised an eyebrow.
“Careful.”
She stared at him.
“Or what?”
Daemon smiled.
There it was.
That confidence.
That complete lack of self-preservation.
He had seen it before.
But rarely in humans.
“What is your name?”
She hesitated.
Then lifted her chin.
“Nessa.”
Daemon repeated it.
“Nessa.”
“Don't say it like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you're about to put it on a gravestone.”
Daemon smiled.
“I was going to say it sounded pretty.”
She blinked.
Then immediately narrowed her eyes.
“Was that supposed to work?”
Daemon placed a hand over his chest.
“I am deeply offended.”
“You'll survive.”
“Unfortunately.”
Nessa rolled her eyes.
Daemon looked around the room.
Mirrors surrounded them.
Everywhere he looked, he could see her reflection.
Hundreds of versions of Nessa.
Some angry.
Some frightened.
Some crying.
Some staring back at him.
But the real Nessa was standing directly in front of him.
Still glaring.
“You are the one Lucian brought here,” Daemon said.
Nessa's expression hardened.
“Congratulations.”
“Why are you here?”
She stared at him.
“Because your brother kidn*pped me.”
Daemon nodded slowly.
“Fair.”
“And my friends.”
“Also fair.”
“And then he put us in these ridiculous rooms.”
Daemon looked around.
“Ridiculous?”
“Yes.”
“Your prison is full of mirrors.”
“Exactly.”
“I thought humans liked mirrors.”
“Normal humans do.”
Daemon looked at her.
“And you are not normal?”
Nessa smiled.
“Obviously not.”
He laughed again.
She frowned.
“You laugh too much.”
“And you complain too much.”
“I have standards.”
“You have mirrors.”
“I have both.”
Daemon nodded.
“Impressive.”
Nessa pointed toward him.
“And stop smiling like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you're enjoying this.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because you are entertaining.”
She stared at him.
Then smiled.
“That's unfortunate.”
Daemon's smile faded slightly.
“Why?”
“Because you're not.”
He stared at her.
Nessa smiled wider.
Daemon slowly tilted his head.
“You've been here for how long?”
“Long enough.”
“Long enough to develop an attitude?”
“I was born with one.”
“That explains a lot.”
“Your mother must have been very proud.”
Daemon paused.
Nessa's smile widened.
He stared at her.
Then laughed.
“You're good.”
“I know.”
“Arrogant.”
“Accurate.”
“Annoying.”
“Still accurate.”
Daemon stepped closer.
Nessa did not move.
That was interesting.
Most humans backed away when demons approached them.
Nessa simply stood there.
She looked at him like he was a particularly irritating person she had been forced to share a room with.
Daemon found himself amused.
“You're not afraid of me.”
Nessa looked him up and down.
“Oh, I am.”
Daemon raised an eyebrow.
“You are?”
“Of course.”
“Then you have a strange way of showing it.”
She shrugged.
“I can be afraid and still think you're annoying.”
Daemon smiled.
“That's a rare talent.”
“Thank you.”
“It wasn't a compliment.”
“I accepted it as one.”
Daemon stared at her.
Nessa smiled.
He had to admit...
She was good.
He looked at the mirrors again.
“Do you know what this place is supposed to do?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“And it doesn't work.”
Daemon turned toward her.
“Why not?”
“Because I don't want what it thinks I want.”
He studied her.
That was interesting.
The prison was designed to reveal a person's deepest desire.
It had shown him nothing about Nessa.
Only reflections.
Endless reflections.
“What does it show you?”
She looked at the mirrors.
Then her expression changed.
For the first time since he had arrived, she looked uncomfortable.
Daemon noticed.
The change was small.
But it was there.
“What does it show you?” he asked again.
Nessa's eyes moved to him.
“Nothing.”
Daemon smiled.
“Liar.”
Her expression immediately hardened.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Nessa stepped closer.
“You've known me for approximately five minutes.”
“Six.”
“And you think you know when I'm lying?”
“Yes.”
She stared at him.
Then laughed.
“That's adorable.”
Daemon frowned.
“Adorable?”
“Yes.”
“I am many things.”
“Adorable is definitely one of them.”
Daemon stared at her.
Nessa smiled.
He had been called many things throughout his existence.
Monster.
Murderer.
Tyrant.
Prince.
Demon.
Never adorable.
“Do you know who I am?”
Nessa tilted her head.
“No.”
“Good.”
“Should I?”
“Probably.”
“Are you famous in Hell?”
Daemon smiled.
“Very.”
“Congratulations.”
“You don't seem impressed.”
“I've never heard of you.”
“That's because you are human.”
“That's because you're probably not important.”
Daemon stared at her.
The girl was trying to get herself killed.
He was almost certain of it.
“You really have no idea who you're talking to.”
Nessa crossed her arms.
“No.”
“Doesn't that concern you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because whoever you are, you came into my prison and started talking to me.”
Daemon frowned.
“Yes.”
“So clearly, you need something.”
Daemon stared at her.
Nessa smiled.
“And if you need something from me, then I'm probably in the better position here.”
For the second time in several minutes, Daemon said nothing.
Then he smiled.
Slowly.
“That's a very dangerous thing to believe.”
Nessa shrugged.
“Maybe.”
“You are trapped in Hell.”
“Yes.”
“Your friends are trapped in Hell.”
“Yes.”
“You are standing in a prison you cannot leave.”
“Yes.”
“And you believe you are in the better position?”
Nessa smiled.
“No.”
Daemon raised an eyebrow.
She pointed at him.
“But I do believe you're more desperate than you want me to think.”
Daemon stared at her.
The smile disappeared from his face.
For the first time, Nessa's smile disappeared too.
The room became quiet.
The mirrors reflected them from every angle.
Daemon studied her.
She had noticed.
Not everything.
But something.
He had entered the prison out of curiosity.
He had expected to find another frightened human.
Instead, he had found a girl with a sharp tongue, a Russian accent, and absolutely no instinct for self-preservation.
He liked her.
That was unfortunate.
Nessa broke the silence.
“So…”
Daemon looked at her.
“What?”
“Are you going to kill me?”
“No.”
“Kidnap me?”
“No.”
“Torment me?”
“Not today.”
She nodded.
“Good.”
Daemon frowned.
“That's all you have to say?”
“Yes.”
“You aren't going to ask who I am?”
“I already did.”
“And you aren't going to ask why I look like Lucian?”
She looked at him.
“Oh, I was going to.”
Daemon waited.
Nessa smiled.
“But I decided I didn't care enough yet.”
Daemon stared at her.
Then he laughed.
Again.
Nessa pointed at him.
“See? You laugh too much.”
“And you talk too much.”
“Yet you haven't left.”
Daemon's smile faded.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Nessa noticed.
“You're not actually here because you were bored.”
Daemon looked at her.
She continued.
“You were curious.”
“About what?”
“The humans your brother kidnapped.”
Daemon said nothing.
Nessa smiled.
“Got you.”
Daemon looked at her.
“You are very confident.”
“I have been told.”
“By yourself?”
“Mostly.”
Daemon laughed.
Nessa shook her head.
“You're impossible.”
“And yet you continue speaking to me.”
“You entered my prison.”
“Ah.”
“So technically, you're the one who started this conversation.”
Daemon nodded.
“Fair.”
Nessa smiled.
“That's twice you've agreed with me.”
“Don't get used to it.”
“Oh, I won't.”
Daemon looked at her one last time.
Then turned toward the wall.
Nessa frowned.
“Where are you going?”
“Leaving.”
She stared at him.
“That's it?”
Daemon turned around.
“Were you expecting me to stay?”
“No.”
“Then why do you sound disappointed?”
“I sound relieved.”
“Your accent makes everything sound dramatic.”
Nessa's eyes widened.
“Excuse me?”
Daemon smiled.
“There it is.”
Nessa pointed at him.
“You have about three seconds to leave before I find something heavy to throw at you.”
Daemon looked around the room.
“Everything here is a mirror.”
“Exactly.”
He laughed.
Nessa's face hardened.
“Stop laughing.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you are entertaining.”
She stared at him.
Then said:
“You're going to miss me.”
Daemon stopped.
Slowly, he turned toward her.
Nessa smiled.
“Don't worry. I won't.”
Daemon stared at her.
Then smiled.
“That's unfortunate.”
“Why?”
“Because I already do.”
For once...
Nessa had no answer.
Daemon smiled wider.
There it was.
His victory.
He turned toward the wall.
Then walked straight through it.
Nessa stared.
Her mouth fell open.
“Wait!”
Daemon stopped on the other side.
He looked back through the wall.
Nessa pointed at him.
“You could do that the entire time?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you spend all that time standing here?”
Daemon smiled.
“Because you were entertaining.”
Nessa stared at him.
Then picked up a small object from the floor and threw it at him.
It passed through his body.
Daemon laughed.
Nessa shouted after him.
“Go to Hell!”
Daemon stopped.
He slowly turned around.
Then smiled.
“Already there, sweetheart.”
And disappeared.
Nessa stood alone in the prison.
She stared at the wall he had walked through.
Then at the mirrors.
Then back at the wall.
She was silent for a moment.
Then muttered:
“Annoying.”
A pause.
She frowned.
“Very annoying.”
Another pause.
Then, reluctantly:
“...But funny.”
Far away from the prison, Daemon continued walking through the darkness of Hell.
He had gone there because he was curious about the humans.
He had expected fear.
Weakness.
Desperation.
Instead, he had found Nessa.
A girl who spoke with the confidence of a queen.
A Russian accent hidden beneath every word.
A sharp tongue.
A sharper mind.
And a remarkable ability to insult him without realizing exactly who he was.
Daemon smiled.
Behind him, the prison remained silent.
Ahead of him, Hell waited.
And somewhere in that kingdom, his brother was searching for him.
Daemon had no intention of letting Lucian find him yet.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he had just found something far more interesting than revenge.
He had found a human who had managed to win an argument against him.
And Daemon was not used to losing.
TO BE CONTINUED...
- Writer
