The Fallen King [Dark Temptation Spin-Off One]

Chapter 2

Lucifer

She was fine by herself? Think again, woman. Not when she had a man following her. Not me. A random man. Well, I was following her but I did nothing to her. This man…I had to step out and kill him myself. I knew what was inside his nasty head. He wanted to rape her. And if I didn’t follow her, only Ivy and her God knew what would happen to her. But the most primary question was… “What were you doing, Lucifer?” I asked myself.

I’d been following that woman ever since she found me. I never showed myself to her after she caught me at Micah’s and Venus’ wedding. I didn’t deserve her and I still stood for the same reason. No matter what, no one wanted to meddle with me. Including Ivy herself. She wanted to get closer to me because I saved her life. I was trying to. In end then, it was Clara who saved her. Not me. However, everything that happened around her was because of me trying to save her.

What was happening to me?

Why I was still following her?

Why did I want to be with her?

“You’re still here?” Daemon’s voice appeared in my back as I heard his footsteps coming out of the portal. Even Daemon couldn’t tell what was going on with me. He stood beside me and set his eyes to the window of Ivy’s apartment. Seriously, why she chose that building anyway? It was so hideous and I think it would break just by me looking at it. Mind you, I could destroy it just by stepping on it and all the residents would be dead, including Ivy. That sad-looking building she called home. “She leaves some food for you again,” he stated.

“She does.” Although she didn’t really need to do that. Not that I was hungry. I never needed human food to survive. I never liked any of them. I ate because I was meeting someone as Lucius Godiva. Maybe I should’ve just closed down the business. Coming back to Hell and proceed with my plan to eradicate Earth. What was stopping me? Ivy. Goddamn it!

“Well, if you want to stay here until tomorrow morning, I won’t stop you. I just want to report that everything is alright down there and there’s nothing you need to worry about,” Daemon explained. Yeah, because even with Daemon’s watch, no one would be brave enough to do something…funny. “You may continue stalking your precious little human for the time being, King,” he added as I rolled my eyes and set them back to Ivy’s window.

What did she leave for me this time? That Slurpee thing again? I jumped from the rooftop and ended up at her balcony. And yes, the Slurpee. With the chicken.

How about this time, leave something for me? Like if you like the food or not so I can choose something else.

That was what she said. To let her know how they tasted to me. Hideous, obviously. But I still grabbed all of them and I ate the chicken first. Bland. I tried the Slurpee too. Plain. Simple. “Awful, little human,” I murmured. I didn’t even want to give them to an animal. She wanted me to know but how I was going to tell her? I looked inside and saw her table. There was some paper and some pens. Did she purposely set them so I could come in and tell her? Maybe she did.

So, this was what breaking and entering looked and felt like? She didn’t even lock the door. It seemed she indeed wanted me to come in and let me know how the food she left for me. I walked in and grabbed the blue pen and wrote down how I felt about the food. Once I was done, I looked at where the bathroom was, she was still showering. Looking around her apartment, well, the inside was not as bad as the outside. It was quite comfortable despite how small this place was. I smirked. “You got what you wanted, little human,” I said and I stepped out of the balcony, and with my power, I locked the door. “Just to keep you safe.”

And I flew away with the awful dishes she left for me.

***

“Thank you so much for sparing your time for me, Mr. Godiva,” he said.

“No problem, Mr. Palmer. I will contact you again with my decision.” We parted at the door as Desmond escorted him to the front door. I closed my office and headed to my desk. Sitting down, I rested my elbows on my desk and my chin on top of my palms. Bored. Desmond told me someone wanted to see me this morning when I witnessed how Ivy reacted to my answer. She wasn’t really surprised though – both me entered her room last night and how I thought about the food. And so here I was, listening to Palmer. Just the usual thing where he wanted some of my workers to work for him. He just lost a few. The problem was his clients were mainly the nasty bastards who never knew how to hold back their hands. I didn’t know if the man noticed it at all or simply didn’t care. I already knew the result, no one was willing to work with him. Oh, well.

I sighed. “Why am I still here anyway?” I asked myself. Actually, I could’ve just closed down this business. Erase their memories and they wouldn’t remember I existed. I had enough play in the human world. I used to be here because of Micah. And now he was gone, I had no business around here. Micah had moved to Mexico with Venus and Levi. Starting their new lives as a proper family. Away from this city. Determined to not repeat their parents’ mistakes. How noble though. Although I knew one day, they would have to deal with Levi’s demon just how they handled Venus’. If Levi already knew, Micah had another responsibility to teach the boy how to control it so Venus’ incident would never occur again. Even as a baby, I could tell how strong Levi was. He had Micah’s blood and Demetrius’. As much I didn’t want to acknowledge it, even Rowan’s. So, yes, Levi was powerful. Strong enough to be my warrior, at least. My favorite.

Therefore, I should not be here anymore. I had enough played as a human. I should— “Excuse me, Mr. Godiva?” I blinked at Desmond’s voice.

“Yes?”

He walked in and said, “You have a guest.” A guest? I remembered I didn’t have an appointment with anyone besides Palmer. Did Desmond forget to tell me? No, he was an excellent secretary of mine. There was no information even slipped under his watchful eyes.

“Who is it?” I asked.

He tilted the side of his lips and stepped aside without letting me know who my guest was. Allowing him to enter… Oh, damn you, Daemon. Ivy instead…stepping in. She was wearing a white shirt with blue jeans. Her blonde hair was tied up into a ponytail. Wait, what time was it now? Shouldn’t she be still at her studio right now? I glanced to my back, seeing the dark sky outside. Oh, it’s night already. Didn’t she have any work at the diner? “I found her outside when I escorted Mr. Palmer out. Looking so confused and anxious I couldn’t help it to call her in,” he explained. For the love of God, Daemon! What have you just done? This guy knew I always refused to see her as Lucius again. One time was enough when she accused me of offering her sister about the job. And now that she was here, I couldn’t escape anymore. At least, as Lucius.

I put on my smile, the smile where I promised him that I would kill him right after I get rid of her. “Thanks, Desmond.” Yes, he knew what I was thinking now and went out, leaving me to deal with my…obsession. Should I call her that? I stood up. “Miss Phoenix,” I addressed her formally and her crystal eyes went to me.

“You’re a busy man, aren’t you?” Kind of.

“What brings you here?” I ignored her statement.

“Well, I never had a chance to apologize for my action before.” I knew it. I already knew Ivy wanted to apologize because she acted with her mouth instead of listening to her head first.

“That’s okay. You were being a wonderful sister to protect your younger one. It was no wonder to me.”

“But Naomi has explained everything to me and I feel bad about it. Besides, I called you names at that time.” Oh, yes, she did. What was the word again?

“I believe you called me simp, Miss Phoenix.”

“Well, technically, you are.”

I chuckled. Indeed, I was. “Have a seat, Miss Phoenix.” Where the hell that came from?

“Oh, no, that’s okay. I came here to apologize.”

“And you already did.” Hold on, she hadn’t.

She stepped forward. Every step she took, something inside of me beat following her steps. Matching the rhythm of her long legs. What were those beats anyway? I even rounded the desk and pulled out the chair for her as she smiled at me. And her perfume hit my nostrils. Damn, she smelled nice. What was she was wearing? It smelled airy and…heavenly. Like a goddess. s**t. I returned to my chair. Sitting down awfully slow I felt like the next day had arrived because of how tardy my movement was. Even Ivy was avoiding eye contact with me. She was utterly different with me – as Lucius. I could tell if I showed up as Lucifer, she would throw another tantrum on me because I acted as her stalker. You are now, Lucifer. What should I do now? Think, think, think. Glancing to the glass…okay, drink. “Would you like a drink, Miss Phoenix?”

She shook her head. “I’m good, thanks. I just want to apologize.” Then, apologize already and leave me alone, little human.

“That’s okay.” Stupid.

She shook her head again and set her goddess-like eyes back to me and finally, “I’m terribly sorry about what happened to us before.”

I smiled. “I forgive you already, Miss Phoenix. I should apologize as well because I didn’t explain to you about your sister’s circumstances.”

“Not that I would believe you either at that time,” she said. Right. “But I heard it,” she added.

“About what?”

“When I was standing outside, thinking how I was going to talk to you, your workers came out of the building, perfectly clothed and in a normal way.” Ah, I see. “I talked to them, asking how they’re doing here. They initially thought I wanted to apply for a job and they said you treat them kindly and with respect. Maybe I was too narrow-minded because I thought people who work in this kind of industry are not like them. Well, maybe there are but I never saw ladies like them. And just by witnessing how they enjoy their jobs because their boss gives them the respect they need, they don’t feel the burden to do this job. You made me change my mind a bit. Before I got sick, there was a dance who just joined and she used to be a prostitute. She collected money by working as one before she became a ballerina. I have to admit, I looked down on her before. As the result, I got my karma. Being sick with Alzheimer’s.”

“That’s not your karma, Miss Phoenix. It’s just bad luck. You didn’t do anything bad. Let me ask you this, have you ever thought to hurt her? Bully her just because she used to sleep around for money?” She roughly shook her head and I smiled, stating, “That’s enough to prove your sickness before was not your karma.” She looked at me again and she…smiled. I had to admit when she genuinely smiled like this, Ivy looked so utterly gorgeous. She was like a rare gem. Many people, especially women, because they wanted to get pretty, they did a lot on their bodies and faces to stand out. I saw from her memory that Ivy never did any plastic jobs on her. Her beauty was natural. She was born with an exquisiteness that no one could compare. Even she managed to capture my attention.

What made me drawn to her this much? If it was because of her appearance, many women were prettier than her. Why?

“Okay then. I had my business. Don’t worry because you won’t see me anymore,” she convinced. I could only smile. She stood up and I followed. “Thank you for listening to me, Mr. Godiva.” Oh, Mr. Godiva, huh?

“Don’t mention it, Miss Phoenix.” She headed to the door as I was looking at her back. She would not be in this situation ever again. I, Lucifer, would only watch her from afar. Not this close anymore. Was this what I wanted? To let her go? To never see her smile from close again? As she reached the door, before I could digest what I was doing, “Miss Phoenix!” I called her. She turned around. What the heck did I just do? And before I knew it, “Will you have dinner with me?” I asked her that. “Consider it as my apology to you.” What did you just do, Lucifer? Just reject me, little human. Although the corner of my mind…was begging her to accept.

When she smiled, I’d sealed my fate. “Of course. Tomorrow is Saturday.”

“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at your apartment.” And she wrinkled her eyebrows. Damn it.

“Do you know where I live?”

“No. That…slipped out of my mouth.”

“Okay then.”

And before I noticed it too, I grabbed my phone from my table and headed to Ivy. “Can I have your number?”

“Sure.” She saved hers into my phone and handed it back to me. “Should I dress formally?” she asked. Right, she must be thinking I would take her to a fancy restaurant.

“Just a little bit. Wear anything comfortable to you, Miss Phoenix.”

“Okay then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow. Do you need a ride home? It’s late.” There must be something wrong with me tonight.

“That’s okay. I can walk.” Yes, she could. But I would follow her from behind to make sure she got home safely.

“Very well. See you tomorrow, Miss Phoenix.”

“Bye,” she parted and walked out of my office.

I closed the door, reverting my form as Lucifer immediately and smirked. “No use regretting now.”

Time to do what I did best these days…

…Stalking my little human.