Kathrine Ann watched Lucifer talk to Thron for a moment before walking around the front of the car. The way the light from the setting suns hit him made her breath catch, the well-fitted suit, his confidence, that smirk. He glanced her way through the windshield as he passed, his beautiful blue eyes catching hers, causing her to blush a bit and smile. He was a very handsome man, maybe the most handsome she had ever met. Kathrine Ann had begun to forget what William looked like. She wasn't exactly sure when it started, but slowly the details of his face were fading from her memories, and so had the longing pain deep in her chest. When she first arrived in Hell, she had dreamt about him a lot, and the dreams seemed so real that the pain of her loss tortured her when she woke. Yet now she stared at this man, no this Devil as she once stared at her William, and that scared Kathrine Ann because she feared Lucifer would never see her the same way.

The car door opened, snapping her out of her dismal thoughts, and Lucifer slid in. Quickly thinking about the night ahead, she smiled, but he sniffed the air several times before looking at her questioningly. Kathrine Ann gave him an innocent and sweet smile,

"Let's go!" She urged.

Lucifer stared at her for another moment like he was trying to pull the truth out of the air. Finally shaking his head, he focused on the driveway in front and threw the car into gear before taking off.

As he sped through the castle gates, Kathrine Ann stared out into the open land on either side of the road. The suns were setting quickly, and she wanted to take in as much as possible before it became too dark to see.

"You act as if you haven't seen the light of day in months." He accused, and she scoffed.

"What do you expect? You've been holding me up in the castle since I got here." She retorted, a bit annoyed.

"I've let you out," He protested, shifting gears.

"In the garden?" She laughed, "That's hardly letting me out."

"It's better than nothing." Lucifer countered as the car smoothly glided around a curve.

"Oh, believe me, I know. I hadn't forgotten the weeks you kept me locked inside." Kathrine Ann reminded, only to be met with Lucifer's glaring eyes peeking over at her, "Calm down, grumpy. All I'm saying is it's exciting to see what the world beyond the wall looks like." She added, rolling her eyes and looking back out the window.

"I've gotten better." He mumbled, and she sighed but not at his remark, "I have. Haven't I?"

"Oh yea, you have. Sorry I wasn't sighing at you. I can't see much anymore." Kathrine Ann explained truthfully, staring out into the darkened landscape. Though a bit of light was still in the sky, it wasn't enough to light the details of the world outside the car.

"Ah, well, no need to worry, you'll see plenty soon enough," Lucifer reassured as he guided the car around yet another curve, and he wasn't lying. They soon approached a massive stone wall, as tall as the one around the castle, "Welcome to East City."

Lucifer slowed the car as they drove through a dark metal gate illuminated by huge lights. As they passed under, Kathrine Ann noticed the thick bars, and a few places had a bit of what she thought looked like rust.

"Why the wall?" She asked.

"To do what a wall does," Lucifer replied, stopping at a smaller lifting gate operated by two guards who approached the vehicle.

"A wall has two uses." She retorted as one of the guards reached the window. Lucifer rolled it down, and the man quickly bowed and raised his hand to the other, who promptly swung the gate up.

"This one is to keep out." He answered sharply, "When the Cities were new, there were still a lot of feral creatures running about. Some that were very dangerous and powerful."

"Demons?" She questioned as the car moved forward.

"No, believe it or not, the demons aren't the most dangerous thing this world has to offer. However, there's not much to fear anymore. The most dangerous of creatures have been exterminated, and the others are under control. The wall is nothing but a reminder of the past."

Kathrine Ann was about to reply, but her words caught as her eyes fell upon the most dangerous area of Hell City,

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"This is East City?" She finally managed to get out.

"Yes, you're surprised?" He noted, "What did you expect."

"Not this." She mumbled as she watched the neat and quaint buildings and houses pass by. Nothing about this place said unsavory, crude, or dangerous. It was cute and homey. Sure some of the buildings looked a little old and needed some maintenance, but this was not what she had envisioned, "This is where you find drugs, gambling, and assassins?"

"Poison, prostitutes, gangs, and illegal merchandise," Lucifer added. "Why are you so surprised?"

"It's just. I've never seen such a clean and well-maintained slum. The ones I know are impoverished, houses falling apart, roads full of potholes, drugs in the streets, countless homeless living in the gutter, prostitutes on the corners, all while the police and local government turn a blind eye."

"Well, that's the difference, my father and I don't turn a blind eye. As I explained earlier, Hell City is small, and because of that, it's easier to maintain. Also, East City is not impoverished. They're not rich and don't have many of the luxuries Central City has to offer, but they are by no means starving. I guess that makes the deeds of this area all the worse. It's not out of necessity; it's out of desire. But that is the nature of demons. They enjoy all the pleasures of life at no cost. You have to envy it a bit, living so carefree. No conscious nagging them, no soul, so no chance of an afterlife, literally nothing to lose." Lucifer explained as Kathrine Ann tore her eyes away from the window to look at him.

"You sound jealous." She teased.

"Aren't you?" He countered as she pressed her lips and shook her head, "Oh, don't lie, Baby Girl, the thought of a guiltless life appeals to everyone, even if it's just the tiniest of desires."

"I don't know, maybe, but I can't imagine what it would feel like not to care. It actually seems like a really sad and lonely existence." She replied, looking out the window, feeling sorry for all the soulless demons. No afterlife, no second chance, just dead and gone. She'd never believed in an afterlife when she was alive, but she also had a happy, fulfilling life and the ability to love and be loved,

"You have to be fucking kidding me!" Lucifer exclaimed, "I can't believe you. You, my pure, sinless little doll, have got to be the only person in history to pity demons. Even Grandpapa doesn't have any sympathy for them." He laughed as he shook his head, "How did you end up here, Baby Girl?"

"You know the answer to that." She huffed, crossing her arms, "Obviously, I'm not sinless."

Lucifer hit the brakes as a mixed group of demons and halflings passed in front of the car. Kathrine Ann was busy looking at one of the signs and missed Lucifer's lips pulling back into a snarl. Two of the men in the group eyed her like she was the dessert after a fine meal.

"No, Nol? Nol, Nook?" She mumbled, trying to decipher the sign above the bar, "Nolk's!"

"Nock's." Lucifer chuckled, forgetting about the demons, "It's named after the owner Kazgranock. This is where I usually come when I go out." He explained, and Kathrine Ann quickly stifled the feelings trying to pop up at the word, usually.

"Will you take me there," She started to ask.

"No!" He quickly interrupted, "I'm sorry, Baby Girl, but no. You may not think this place looks dangerous, but it is."

"Right." She sighed, slumping her shoulders.

"Kathrine Ann, I need you to trust me on this," Lucifer replied, but this time he was cut off when she let out a gasp.

"Holy Hell!" She whispered, her eyes falling on another gate. This one glimmered in the remaining sunlight. It was strange, the metal looked black, like black onyx, but as the light hit it, it glowed with specks of red and orange.

"It's beautiful."

"Brimzonite," Lucifer said, stopping yet again for a lift gate as she looked at him curiously, "Extremely rare ore that is only found in the deepest caverns of Hell, aka the lowest level of the chambers. My father very rarely lets anyone down there to mine it. For obvious reasons, of course. I've personally always found it a bit flashy." He admitted as the gate popped up,

"Says the man driving a bright red sports car through a carless city." She laughed.

"We all have our limits." He smirked.

She turned her eyes back to the window as they drove into Central City, and her eyes doubled in size, "I'm officially out of expressive words." She admitted as the tall, beautiful buildings came into view. Unlike East City, these weren't cute and quaint. They were tall and elegant, bricked with shining stones of numerous colors, all muted but beautiful. Greens and blues, reds and yellows, blacks and whites! All accentuated in moldings of gold and silver. Adorned with statues of angels, devils, gargoyles, fairies, and dragons. Every creature you could think of while plots of beautiful flowers sprouted everywhere, and every time she blinked, there was a fountain positioned in a courtyard. Lights hung along the street and walkways looking like they were floating in the air, while the trees grew thin and tall but still had crystal-like leaves that glittered in the last of the suns' light.

"You okay, Baby Girl?" Lucifer asked.

"Umhum." She replied, her hands pressed to the window as she tried to take it all in. Beautifully dressed people walked the streets, paved with a dark smooth stone, their car catching most's eyes. Lucifer was telling the truth about being one of the few owning a vehicle. Many people were bowing to them, making her suddenly aware that she had childishly placed her hands on the window and was gawking out of it.

Kathrine Ann pulled herself back and sat straight in the seat, looking down at her feet, embarrassed when she heard Lucifer chuckle,

"They can't see you, so ogle away, Baby Girl." He reassured.

"It's amazing. It's nothing like I've ever seen. It's,"

"A 'Holy Hell.'" He smiled, pulling the car off to the side and parking it, "I'll come around, stay put."

Kathrine Ann looked out the window and saw Thron waiting by her door. Lucifer walked around the car and said something to him before handing him the keys. He then turned to her door and opened it offering his hand. With a smile, she grabbed it, and he helped her out of the car.