A Friend to the Darkness. Katherine Rathbone

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ go with her.” He effortlessly lifted me to my feet. In an instant, we were standing outside of the local hospital. Lucifer’s eyes were now an icy blue, and he didn’t seem to have horns. I wondered what would happen if I waved my hand over his head. Before I could try, he took my good arm and guided me in through the front door.

      He stayed with me, explaining to the nurses that he wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but that maybe I had been balancing on a rock wall in a nearby park and tripped, landing awkwardly. He stood by me while I called my mum from a payphone. She was working the nightshift, and told me she’d leave work and come immediately. “Nah, it’s ok, mum. It doesn’t hurt that bad.” I lied. “Don’t leave work. I’m here with a friend, and he can take me home after.”

      “Oh boy are we going to have a conversation about this, girly.” She was mad.

      Lucifer took a seat beside me in the waiting room. I sighed. “I am in so much trouble.” I lamented. He laughed gently. I thought about the way he had spoken to the nurses, a suspicion forming in my mind. “Can you lie?” I asked abruptly.

      He raised an eyebrow. “No.”

      “How do I know you’re not lying?” I challenged him.

      He laughed easily. “You can’t, I guess. You’ll have to trust me.” He eyed me speculatively.

      I snorted. “Like I said to Sebastian one time, never trust a good looking guy who tells you to trust him.” He looked uncomfortable.

      “So anyway it’s my birthday in a couple of weeks.” I changed the subject quickly.

      “Sera told me.”

      “Are you guys going to throw me a surprise party?” I grinned at him.

      “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.” He reasoned.

      “Ah, that’s not a ‘no’.”

      “But it isn’t a ‘yes’, either.” He teased.

      He stayed with me while I had xrays done, and held my (good) hand while the doctors got my arm into position and applied the cast. Although painful and awkward, it turned out it was a straight forward break, and should heal easily. We walked away from the front door of the hospital, and as soon as we were out of sight of other people he dropped his glamour and rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck.

      “Is that hard?” I asked curiously.

      “What?” He countered cautiously.

      “The glamour.” I waved my hand in the direction of his head.

      “Um, kind of. It’s tricky for the others to hold for a very long time, but I’m stronger.” He shrugged. “It’s… it’s kind of uncomfortable. Oh, I know. Have you ever worn a pair of jeans that were too tight?”

      “Why? Do you think my arse is big?”

      He laughed. “Have you?”

      “Yep.”

      “You know how good it feels to take them off at the end of the day?”

      I raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you flirting with me?” I teased.

      He rolled his eyes at me and otherwise ignored my last question. “That’s what it feels like to drop the glamour. A relief.”

      I nodded thoughtfully. “Take me home?”

      “Mind if we walk for a bit? I mean I can teleport if you want to, but it’s such a beautiful night.”

      “You don’t want to go home yet?”

      “No, actually. It’s… peaceful up here.”

      “And you don’t have to be King?” I prompted gently.

      He looked surprised, and a little vulnerable. “I don’t.” He replied softly, not meeting my eyes. I clapped him on the shoulder.

      “Your secret is safe with me, buddy. All that responsibility would be stressful as, well, Hell, I guess.”

      He smiled, and we walked in silence for a while.

      My arm started to hurt more and more as I walked. I didn’t want to tell Lucifer and cut his night short. Eventually though, I started to feel woozy. “Lucifer? I don’t…” I stumbled before I could finish the sentence and began to fall. I closed my eyes and braced myself to hit the ground… but I didn’t. Warily, I opened them, and found myself hanging in midair. “What the fuck?!” I yelled. I tilted back to upright, and gently settled back down on my feet, Lucifer stepping close to me, ready to catch me.

      “You ok?” His voice was concerned.

      “What was that?!”

      He shrugged. “I’m the King of Hell.”

      I shook my head wonderingly. “You guys have so many cool tricks. Can the others do that too?”

      He nodded, and watched me carefully. I wondered why, then realised he had still been supporting me with those unseen bonds as they loosened. My legs trembled, and I instinctively reached out and grabbed Lucifer’s arm. “I don’t feel so good, man.” I admitted.

      He didn’t say anything, just swept me up into his arms as if I didn’t weigh anything. “We’re not far from your place, mind if I walk?” He asked me.

      “What, and carry me the whole way?” I snapped.

      He shrugged easily. “It’s not like you’re heavy.”

      “Whatever. As long as I don’t have to walk.”

      “Thank you.”

      “You’ve been practicing your manners.” I teased. He rolled his eyes at me.

      At some point, I must have fallen asleep, because I awoke to Lucifer gently murmuring my name. I snuggled closer to his chest and grumbled, “No!” I was comfortable and sleepy. His arms tightened around me briefly, before he said,

      “Come on, Katie. We’re home. You need to open the door.”

      I awoke fully, and became aware of my surroundings. “Shit! Sorry!” I scrambled to get out of his arms.

      “It’s ok, calm down…” He mumbled to me as he put me back on my feet. My legs still didn’t want to hold me up. He supported me as I searched for my keys, and opened the door. I tried to walk away from him, but stumbled again. He steadied me, and wrapped an arm around my waist, half lifting me off my feet.

      “I can walk.” I snapped.

      He let me go and raised his hands. I stumbled again. Once again, he caught me, and said quietly, “Sure you can.”

      I snorted, and pointed the way to my room. Shit, had I tidied up? I hoped my underwear wasn’t on the floor.

      It wasn’t. “Are you able to get changed by yourself?” He asked me. I raised СКАЧАТЬ