Chapter Twenty-One

Understand it's out of your hands

Sleep tight where you've made your bed

Last kiss, leave your lips blood red

Burning bridges, breaking dishes,

look you made me something vicious

Chapter Twenty-One - S.O.S

Nephele's POV

THERE IS VIOLENCE IN THIS CHAPTER. BEWARE

Boredom took to me rather quickly. Yes, I may be somewhat intelligent, but this was just tiresome. Thanatos, who was the vampire-looking male staring at me intensely from the side of the room, and I had become silent friends. I occasionally pulled faces at him, and he made some back with some pestering. I cold tell that Lucifer was ablaze at the excess attention I was giving Thanatos instead, but Thanatos did not bother me, and gave off more playful vibes.

Plus, at this point in time he was keeping me entertained.

He was obviously very important in this meeting, because he was regularly giving advice and talking about possible suspects in a killing that had occurred nearly two decades ago in the human realm. The circumstances were very similar to that of my mother but I didn't say anything and chose to remain outside this conversation. If it was about my mother, I didn't want to be involved.

She was my mother, and I didn't like to think about it. I had very vague memories of her, and at this point they all seemed to be bad.

I was so engrossed in my thought that I didn't know that everything had roughly come to an end. Everyone was talking about different matters, as in not business or Hell matters now, and it was calming to see that. Lucifer's hand was warm against my skin, the soothing circles his thumb was drawing even more calming.

"How about Elle and I head to the city whilst you three talk this over." Lilith pipes in and I am so thankful for her input that I almost jump out of the chair. Lucifer's hand, which had come to rest just over my collarbone squeezes slightly with some unknown intent, before he stands straight once more.

"No- "Lucifer starts but I cut in to save my own day.

"That sounds like such a good idea." I smile sweetly at Lilith. I had told lucifer about how I had wished to go when he showed me the city lights from a distance, but maybe it was better that I went without him at first. He would draw attention that I didn't want. I wanted to experience the city first hand, like a tourist!

"It is a bad idea Nephele." He said it aloud even though I know he read my thoughts.

"You cannot disagree with the logic I present. Besides, I have Lilith. She has a reputation for a reason." I swivel in my chair to make a 'duh' face towards him, the gen-z energy radiating from my skin as I smile gracefully.

"If it is really necessary, I can accompany them, My Lord. Yourself and Adam are required to meet with the rest of the cabinet in preparation for the W- "Thanatos interjects coolly, a sly smile on his face. It makes my purse my lips to suppress my own smile as Lucifer is being cornered.

"Only Lilith will be required, Thanatos. You are also required in the cabinet meaning in replacement of Lilith if she is to go." I smile as I have won. Looks like I am going to the city of

"Gehennom, is the city name my love." His voice was like velvet in my mind and I smiled. He was observant when he wanted to be, I will give him that. I stand from my chair and link my arm in his with a lit-up face. He didn't seem to mind as I dragged him from the large office room and back down the hallways we had previously traveled. It was a quick process as I practically ran away from the room, too traumatised by the office-things to even consider going back. I also didn't organise anything else as assume Lucifer would also drop me off to Lilith, my escapee buddy, after I was ready.

He was silent as our feet fell against the paved tiled, but it wasn't calm like it had been two hours before when we walked into the room. It was tense.

"You really want to go without me?" The way his voice sounded, the vulnerability in his voice hurt my physically, although I wouldn't never show it. Lucifer's voice was low, and even though we had put distance between the room and other people, I was worried that someone would get the wrong idea. I turn on my heel to face him, my other free hand coming to cover his forearm as I looked into his eyes. I was searching for the joke in his eyes, the deception but I didn't find it.

"No way." I answer almost immediately after determining he wasn't messing with me. "I want to go with you, but you are famous. The way most people have looked at you these past days only show that. Imagine in public. People will be either cowering away or praising you on their knees because they adore you." I raise my left hand to meet his cheek softly, my icy fingers running gently across his warm skin. "I want to go with you, but I want to see your land without the hassle. I want to experience what your people experience. I want to give this a go." I admit quietly. I was willing to try and accept this place, to try and accept what this place was.

"But it will be safer if I was there, and I can order them – "He tries, with worry alight in his eyes I don't want him to worry about me. I smile sadly at him. Our relationship was rather young, and I was trying to take it as slow as possible so I didn't get sensory overload, but I couldn't help but want to be around him, to comfort him.

"Luci, you know commanding them will not solve the problem." I interrupt him in a soft voice. With a smile on my lips I continue. "I can also protect myself, as you have seen. My fighting skills are adequate against those of the same strength. I also have Lilith! She's a badass and we shall be fine."

"Fine." I can still see his reluctance, but I smile cheekily at him. I lean up gently on my tippy toes, continuing to hold him against me. His hands come to rest on my waist as I lean up to connect our lips in an entanglement of sparks and fireworks.

Except the moment was ruined by the teleportation of us through the air until I am planted on my feet again in my, or his, bedroom. I gasp as I pull away from the brief kiss, our lips barely touching before I had to pull away from shock.

"You can't do that!" I take a step back and lean my hand over my heart as I try to calm myself down after my near-death experience. Lucifer, instead of helping me was trying to withhold his laugh. I was happy he was less bothered now, but I know he did it to distract himself.

"This is not funny Luci. I should have you beheaded for your actions." I state with a straight back and sharp jawline, squinting at the offender in front of me. He seems to smile at this and it makes me happy knowing I can make him smile.

"Oh amare, only the King can do such things." I bite my lips as I quickly reply.

"And a King is nothing without his Queen. He will listen to any order she has." I snap back, putting my hands on my hips as Lucifer stands closer, his own arms coming between my bent arms and my waist.

"That he will do, My Queen." My eyes widen in shock as I realise, I walked into that one by myself, before I start to blush furiously. I clear my throat in an attempt to avoid this situation and pull away, running into the wardrobe to find something suitable to wear. It was a nice day, not too warm not too cold apparently, so I should dress for that.

All I can hear is his demeaning laugh from the other room as I try to calm down and scurry around, searching for the perfect clothes for my first visit to the Capital of Hell.

Some time later, and after kissing Lucifer a solemn goodbye at least twice as he internally freaked out, I was within the streets of a beautiful city. Lilith had a black shawl covering her velvet black hair whilst I had an ivory shawl that covered the ashen blonde fuzz that was in a low pony-tail. I was wearing simple clothes that I had eventually gotten Lucifer to choose as he knew what was normal, and Lilith was wearing similar clothing so I thought It was normal. Thankfully everyone around was dressed similar.

By similar, I mean 2019 styled human clothing.

It was majorly confusing but there was definitely clothing that people from earth wore. However, even though there was earth-clothing, or clothing similar to earth, there was also a large variety of clothing from different cultures and probably different planets or realms. They were all so beautiful. Colours of the rainbow filtered through the streets, amazing me by the beauty of the people within this world.

There were three ladies, who were obviously not human specifically as they had the blue skin I saw last night in my dream and there eyes were a pitch black, who wore silken short skirts that came to mid-thigh and a short cropped top along with a beautiful coloured head piece that fell the their ankles. The headpiece was a piece of sheer material, coloured the same as their outfit, that feel over their shoulders. It was a beautiful masterpiece.

There were two people with blackened rough skin, who were sitting at what appeared a coffee shop, or what would be the equivalent of a coffee shop if they had coffee here, who were dressed in decorative dark blue and maroon robes that fell to their toes. Their heads were covered in rough cotton hoods which made them look conspicuous but also cool looking at the same time.

This place was so inclusive, and it was admirable. I was proud of Lucifer, even though he was not directly the leader of the people, he was obviously a part of this. I hoped he was at least.

Time passed so quickly hear. I had seen a lot of the city, and Lilith had been an excellent guide in the touring process. She has shown me all the little fountains and gorgeous buildings. She had shown me old memorials of lost souls and decorative pieces to coumarate the past.

Eventually, Lilith and I had walked around for hours. The streets were small as we got further into the centre. There were no cars in this town, it was unique in that sense. There were magnetic trains which rain in the skies over the city buildings as a monument to the city, but not drawing away from the beauty of the city. The city was old, architecturally aging but in a respectful way. For sure, the world here was modern. There were so many modern technologies within this world that the human race had not even come close to inventing, but the city itself seemed to be based of the roman empire cities from our world. It made sense, this world being ruled by gods and everything, but it was still astonishing.

The cobblestoned paths didn't seem too worn, but it was still easy to misstep. The buildings were absolutely gorgeous, murals painting both grotesque and stunning images of battle, telling the tales of this world.

"The people love Lucifer here. They admire him for what he has done over his reign for these people. He went through Hell, pun intended, to get where he is today Nephele. That man fell from heaven, and he built his own world from it. He might say the almighty bastard of God intended him to come down to Hell and bring balance, but I know that he wasn't built like the other angels up there. He was different, and he was punished for being different." Lilith looks up from her chilled drink. We were currently sitting outside on a two chaired table, in front of a small restaurant in the inner city. It was becoming dark outside, and there weren't many people around anymore but it was still nice out. I liked it like this as well. Despite the Red sky being not the same as the day back on earth, it still brought light.

Apparently, the city here did fall into darkness, similar to what Earth Did. Lilith had explained briefly that at the castle you never properly saw the light sky from the realm, but you could also see it outside the castle grounds. Basically, the Castle had some voodoo stuff happening, and the rest of the realm worked normally with a day and night cycle.

I felt saddened by what Lilith sad, but remained quiet so she could continue.

"Lucifer let me in when I was forced out. He took me in, gave me a home, he even gave me a title here. He took me in like a Big Brother and I can never be more thankful for what he has done to me. I never deserved any of that."

"I am sure you did Lilith; you have been nothing but kind to me since I came here. Heck, you even helped me escape from him." She smiles sadly but doesn't bring it up again. She goes on to tell the story of the people though.

"The people here, they were trapped within this realm. They were ruled by a monster, someone everyone wished to forget but never can. Lucifer rallied the people and fought for them. He killed the monster withing the first few years of arriving in Hell. He hated this place initially, because up there" She pointed to the sky as though heaven was above, "You were taught that down here is bad, and the other realms serve the purpose of only to carry life. You were taught that heaven was were the ultimate life forms exist. You were taught that everyone down here, everyone of these people, everyone in all the other realms across the universes are bad. They are not worthy of love and acceptance. We were taught wrong." She seemed pained but continue regardless. I extended my hand in sympathy and squeezed her thumb gently. She didn't have to tell me, but she did.

"Heaven is the place at the very top, the place for the almighty and holy" There was sarcasm and wit in her voice, "Then there were the realms of the worlds in between. These worlds include Earth, they include thousands of other life forms too. It is a truly beautiful thing. And here, here is Hell. We take the deceased, give them punishments for their crimes if they have any, and then rebirth them into a new realm where they can live systematically throughout their soul's life spans."

Lucifer had also explained this too me. Each soul had a life span, and your soul was reborn everything you died in a body. Your soul carried on, living and dying in life bodies within the realms, until its life force ran out and you literally died. There was nothing left after that. There were new souls being born of course, but everything had to die at some point.

The only thing guaranteed in life is death.

"Anyway, back to the story, the people loved Lucifer. They absolutely adored him and his quest to set them free." She laughed. "There a lot more to it, but I think we should – "I turn my head to the side sharply as the few people around screen in fear. The restaurant we were seated at was facing a large square, not the centre of the city but about a kilometre or two away. Through the western facing side of the square had entered a large dairy truck that was roughly ten metres away from us.

I didn't have time to react, and neither did Lilith, as the truck ploughed straight into the table between us. I narrowly missed the truck; my leg being scrapped as I jumped to the side with a role. I feel my chest tighten and my mouth dry up as my adrenaline kicks in. The doors to the truck are kicked open roughly as I rise from the ground and come to stand defensively.

There was no way this was not intentional at this point.

A person in a black sweatshirt and black jeans jumps from the van with a smug smile, as though he thought I was an easy target. There was an advanced looking gun in his hands that he appeared to be holding up at me. I smirked back at him, moving to the side closest to the building we were just at, and running up with swift speed. I may be smaller than the buff man, but I was arguably more agile. I had trained in martial arts after my dads' persistence, and in most circumstances, I could hold my own.

I leap from my right foot a mere metre away from the man and twisted my body around mid-air, raising my right leg as high as I could whilst spinning. I feel it connect with something squishy, whilst I continued to spin my body and bring my left leg up as well hitting something along the way before I gracefully land on the floor. I liked that move. It was a double hit, one leg then another. I look at the man who is now lent against the now partially closed door with a cut to his forehead. I smile knowing I can do damage.

"Gloria!" The masculine voice calls. I fake gasp at him as he stands full on, looking down at the fallen gun which lay on the floor in between us.

"If you are going to call me a bitch, at least do it in a language you'll assume I know, you dick-less twat." He seems more aggravated by this, which was the intention I was going for. If your opponent isn't focused and is aggravated, they are more likely to make silly mistakes. Like what he does now.

The thug, we are calling him a thug because he called me a bitch, leaped for the gun off the floor. I started at him again as well, knowing this was an obvious move to make. Reaching the gun just before him, I bend down swiftly and snatch it from the floor. As his crouched body reaches mine, I lift both my legs and jump, sliding over his back as it doesn't register that I have reached the gun yet. I had done gymnastics for some time whilst I was little, and could still do some bendy moves. This however was easy, and very similar to sliding over a car bonnet.

This person has the reflexes of a snail, which means he isn't professional and just a pawn.

Whilst I was over his back, with my hand wrapped around the end of the large piece of material known as a gun, and swing with all my might at his head. According to physics, the amount of force I am able to achieve is greatest when I extend the radius between the object and the force being applied. The gun makes a clunk against the man's head.

My feet land on the ground and turn around as a natural instinct and hold the gun up with my finger on the trigger ready to fire if necessary. Finding the thug out cold on the ground, I lower the gun and look across the table to find Lilith fighting two other thugs. Lilith seemed to be doing well with the first man, but that was unfair to bring a gun to a fist fight.

I raise the weapon in my hand and am for the pink haired and black dressed individual who is raising her own gun towards Lilith as the other individual fights with her. I shot without thinking about the shot itself.

I was always able to shoot without a worry. I was brought up on guns as well, and my dad had always expected me to know how to use one. Especially when we were travelling to the risky countries for his work. I knew guns were bad and I certainly did not like them, but in situations like this I was trained to use them in self-defence. My brother and father would have done the same, so what if I was a female? My sex shouldn't justify my ability to handle a gun.

Despite the sexist undertones to my thought process, the pink haired pixie chick falls to the ground, her body flailing in the light breeze as some of her blood leaves the bullet wound and splatters against he cobblestone pavements.

The sight was disturbing, and I tried not to let it get to me too much despite me knowing it was necessary. If it were to help Lilith, which it was, I would do it again.

It was a hefty gun, similar to ones back on Earth.

"Nephele Run!" I furrow my brow as she says that, only to look past her and see a whole convoy of trucks with numerous looking bad guys in the back. "I will hold them off, but they are after you. Get out of here, go to the centre- "Her sentence was cut off again as she blinks out of existence with the thug locked in her arms.

They must have teleported together, meaning I am left alone.

Fuck.

My heart hammers against my chest for a second but I know I have to go. Those trucks are getting closer by the second and I cannot outrun them in this area. Logically I have to make it to the smaller streets. The chair which I was seated on still holds my shawl and small purse which holds somethings that I didn't care to look at. I pick the shawl up in between my index and thumb, lacing the purses shoulder strap through my hand. I pull my lips tightly together and spin on the heel of my converse which I had appropriately worn today. I run into the ally about two metres from the restaurant. The ally was small, stony, and heading into the centre of town. That's where she said to go and she was the only one I could trust at the moment.

I swallowed the small amount of pain coming from my shin that had been briefly hit by the van and sprinted down the ally. There were normally no cars around in this city, so I was an easy target with no where to duck in between. To the people passing by I probably looked more than stupid. I had a medium sized black gun in my hand, a small yellow shoulder strapped purse and a sheer ivory shawl.

I bite my lip as I pass a smaller lane way, deciding to cross the street over before continuing towards the centre of the city. Whilst in the lane way, I turn to look back only to find a small female carrying a small, hand held unidentifiable gun in her hand coming after me. I bounce of the walls and continue to run with my heart in my throat. She fires the gun but it misses, unknown by how much thought. It is a small alleyway. A metre and a half across at most.

I turn the corner into the busier street bustling with individuals who don't seem fazed by my burst of activity from the lane way. I take a breath and halt, thinking logically and quickly, putting my cheek against the wall that leads into the corner of the alleyway. In short, she would be expecting me to have run further along, trying to hide. The market place hear is too crowed to get a car through so I am not expecting any more trucks coming through and only individual people. People normal expect you to act a certain way, and the best way to overcome someone is through surprise.

I have my back flat against the pastel orange wall of the building, end of the gun raised in the air as I wait for her to run around the corner so I can hit her and disable her as efficiently as possible. I see a blur of the individual, all black covering her brown hair and blue skin, come from the corner. I swing the gun as hard as I can onto her awaiting forehead, knocking her to the ground. She tries to rise again but I quickly fall on top of her, curling my knuckles as I straddle her and push my fist down upon her cheek. Her body language shows an action of surprise but it doesn't last quickly as she manages to flip me over. I am assumingly lighter than her in my defence. I am also disadvantaged as I am no expert in this action movie stuff. I can hold my own, and I will defend myself, but I cannot hold up against a God or a Demon. All I can use is logical and common sense when I am faced with this type of adversity.

I raise my hands up, forearms crossing to cover my face as she pummels her own fists down in an attempt to hit my face. I hold my arms strong, let's the forearms to take the brute force of her fists rather than my face.

She, in a swift move,,pushed past my left forearms, crushing my cheekbone in a desperate hit as I move around underneath her. I force my eye shut at the blinding split second pain but manage to slowly crawl my now sidelined left hand to the right of her waist and pick the gun from her holster. I pull it away freely without her notice in a second and aim it against her abdomen.

I turn my head to look up at her, her eyes violently flaring as she hits a fist against my eyebrow this time.

I fire the gun, the trigger feeling cool against the skin of my finger. I watch as her eyes die a little, the enticement and flame in her eyes, die a little as the bullet enters her skin. I know to hold back any emotion at my action. I know I cannot get caught in any of this right now.

I watch her fall silent, the sound of the gun minimal and I figured these guns work differently than the ones on Earth. I push her away from me and slide out from under her.

I didn't aim to kill, I aimed to disable.

I have to tell myself that in order to keep my sanity. It was the truth, but anything will become the truth when told often enough.

I sit on my knees, eventually pulling myself up from them and stand.

I need to get out of this darkening city. I need to keep going. I have to keep going.

I cough as my throat is now dry, but stand on two steady feet. I look to the place where I briefly left my bad and shawl, picking up the discarded items. I wrap the ivory cotton around my face, covering my features from anyone who might be able to identify me quickly, although he shawls wont stop that if they are able to directly see me.

I grab the bag and throw it over my shoulder, holding the actual purse close to my hip. I touch a finger to my eyebrow and cheek quickly, pulling away some blood but not enough to draw dramatic attention to anyone. I continued on, blending into the mass of people heading either towards the city centre or away from it in a rush. The people helped me hide, but I also knew I shouldn't raise my head because I didn't know who was my enemy. I also knew I had to contact Lucifer somehow.

I thought about a payphone but that would be too difficult right now. I looked around lowly, keeping my eyes to the ground. I purse my lips, the people bustling and pushing around me as I move a lot slower than they do.

Think Nephele, think.

"The Castle has its hotlines for my fans Nephele"

I swallow as I spot a sign on a stand. I smile at the fond memory of Lucifer teasing me about his apparent girlfriends before shoving it to the side and focusing on the matter at hand. I walk anonymously, trying not to draw too much attention, up to the stand, looking the lady seller in the eyes. She was a beautiful tanned skinned female with violet eyes and black hair.

"Miss, would you like to buy a candle for the King, it is his celebration this week?" I knew it wasn't English, yet it sounded like English to me. I replied in English and at first, she seemed surprised, but then smiled and nodded.

"Uh Can I borrow your phone? I just want to ring the Palace and ask what scent he would prefer." The lie ran smoothly from my mouth, it being made up on the spot. She did seem taken aback with what I said, but smiled sweetly at my words and pulled a weird looking device from her back pocket. I didn't question anything as she typed away at the holographic screen, and then passed me the phone.

"I put the number in for you my dear. Don't be long please." I smile gratefully to her and gesture to behind the counter where I could briefly sit and talk. She didn't say anything but smiled at me and nodded her head.

Gods these people were so kind.

I waited for the dial ring to cease with some anxiety. I hope it goes through. It has to go through.

"Hello, this is His Majesty's office, how may I help you during this week of celebration?" I smile with ease and reply

"Lucifer! You need to tell Lucifer that there are some bad people chasing me. I need hel – "

"Miss, we do not appropriate someone using the King's first name so freely. May we please – "

"Tell Lucifer that there are bad people after me and I need help. Tell him he was right. Tell him this is Nephele and I need his help right now."

"I am sorry miss but – "

"Please, I am begging you. Tell the Devil that I am going to the centre of town like Lilith said and I am being chased and I need help. Tell him he was right and this was a bad idea, please tell him to come get me." I almost break down as I continue to talk against the wall behind the violet woman's stall. "Please tell – ". The phone line is cut and I almost cry out in agony. I swallow my tears and turn back to the women, handing her phone.

"I am sorry miss but I have to go. I will come back later and buy some candles, they seem lovely." I smile defeatedly. I take a deep breath, looking around my surroundings and fixing the shawl that covers my hair when I spot three men coming along the sides of the stalls, directly in line with me. I swallow as I make eye contact with the man on the side, his darkened eyes growing violent as he spots me and starts to run.

Fuck. I am so glad I was wearing some black pants that looked like jeans but were stretchy. I could easily move which was pleasant. I hold back my emotions and survey the area, looking for escape routes, before I start to sprint across the bridge that connects the inner city to the outer city. The bridge was compact and there were a fair few people on there. It was enough so I wouldn't get shot or seen to easy.

So, I run away, planning how I am going to get rid of these three men as they hunt me down. I knew I was trained for this. I knew what to do. I may not have been able to fight Derrick, or Lucifer, but I knew how to fight off people. I knew how to hide. I knew how to blend in.

Like Lilith was taught to praise the almighty Gods, I was taught to defend, hide and survive.

Hope you are all doing well!! Much love to you.

Sorry I haven't been active. It is currently 1.30 AM and i had the desire to write so here you go. Will be focusing on this more than I will be on TKM.

Word Count is 5546

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QOTC: Favourite Song Ever?

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If your waiting for the read, go check out my other book > The King's mate ~

SONG: Vicious - Tate McRae

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Rose xo