"I'll try not to take too long with my father, but I feel I'll be held up for a while," Lucifer informed, turning away from his Baby Girl and walking over to the liquor cabinet, finding the glass he had poured for her earlier.

"That's fine. I think I'm still going to go for a walk in the garden," she said as he picked up the neglected glass. "Can you pour me one?" she asked just as he turned around to find her sitting cross-legged on the bed and facing his direction.

"Of course," he replied, momentarily considering bringing her the glass in his hand. "It's a bit late for a walk alone, I think." He decided to pour her a fresh one and sipping from the glass he held. The liquid in the glass tasted off, and it only took a second for realization to hit. He quickly turned his back to his Baby Girl and put down the glass.

"I won't go far, just the garden. I want to enjoy the outside before it gets too cold," Kathrine Ann replied, but he barely caught what she said as his demon started cursing, and the back of his throat began to burn. "The weather is supposed to get bad soon, right?" She asked.

"Oh yes, the Hell showers will begin in a couple of weeks," He replied, clearing his throat and tasting blood as the burning intensified.

"Can I go? I'll be fine, I promise," She pleaded,

"Okay," he answered quickly, fighting back the urge to cough. Be careful and don't go near the woods." He needed her away from him now.

"I won't." She reassured, walking toward him.

"Go on then." He ordered, clearing his throat again as his mind flooded with curses while the burning in his throat spread like fire through his body, "Before it gets too late."

"What about my pour?" She asked, stepping closer.

He turned his head to look at her, his eyes squinted in pain, "Do you wish me to change my mind about your walk?"

His Baby Girl shook her head and ran to the closet. What was taking so long? He gasped, holding tight to the edge of the liquor cabinet. His nails dug into the wood as his demon fought to get to the surface. Finally, he heard her shuffle across the floor, and the door clicked shut. Another few seconds until he dropped to one knee and hunched over. He started coughing as his eyes fluctuated between blue and red while his demon cried out. Blood speckled the ground with each cough,

"Fuck!" He cursed.

"Make it stop!" Came the slow, demanding order from his demon.

"I will." He replied, "I've got it. Just hold on."

"Louie!" he cried with desperation. "I don't want to see her! She's coming. I know she's coming."

"Then control it!" He hissed as he spat out some blood in his mouth, "I can't do shit if you let our mind descend into chaos."

Lucifer used the cabinet to pull himself up. A tingling burn radiated from anything touching his skin, but he had to fight through it. Leaning his back against the cabinet, he felt a surge of pain erupt as he pulled out his carry. His vision blurred as he searched through his contacts until he found the one he needed,

'Kathrine Ann is taking a walk around the gardens. Find her and keep her safe. I will explain later. Do not tell her you talked to me.'

Lucifer sent the message and dropped his phone on the ground as he crossed the room to the phone next to his bed, silently cursing his ancient uncle, who refused to keep a carry. He picked up the receiver and held it to his ear, waiting as the bell-like trill rang,

"Young Prince, how may I," Began Vassel,

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"Belial. Find him. Tell him I need him in my office now." Lucifer ordered through gritted teeth and was about to hang up but quickly added, "Blood. Tell him I'll need blood, probably a lot."

"Louie! Is everything okay?" Vassel asked, her calm and proper demeanor vanishing as worry soaked her voice.

"Belial. Now, Vassel." Lucifer hung up and fought through the burning pain as he crossed back to the liquor cabinet.

He began pulling bottles and decanters off the cabinet, allowing them to fall to the floor. Glass shattered around his feet while liquor and wine splashed all over his shoes, soaking the cuffs of his pants. Still, he continued till the cabinet top was almost bare. The only thing left was the glass that he had drank from. Grabbing it, Lucifer turned for the door and forced himself to move through the pain that burned through his body. Broken pieces of glass cracked under each step as he moved across the room. He swore that whoever did this would pay as he began to see a black-haired woman materialize in his peripheral.

~~~

Lucifer stood in the dark office. One hand held tight to a fresh, unpoisoned glass of whiskey while the other clutched the edge of his desk. His pain had dulled a bit, but the effects on his demon half had seeped through into his consciousness. His flickering eyes focused on the tainted glass of alcohol and familiar dagger that lay on his desk as he desperately tried to ignore the sound of scratching that echoed through the room.

"Do it!" his demon hissed aloud. Lucifer's strength to hold him back was long gone. "Come on, Louie! Make it stop."

Lucifer took a large pull from the glass in his trembling hand. "Not till Belial gets's here," he replied through gritted teeth.

"If you knew what I was dealing with," He accused.

Lucifer scoffed as his eyes shot over to his chair, where his half-decayed mother sat staring at him through one black eye because where the other should have been was an empty socket. Clumps of her black hair were missing, along with patches of skin revealing muscle, tissue, and bone, while her lips curled up into a demonic smile that creeped even him out, but the worst part was that fucking scratching! Her rotting fingers were the only thing moving. Her nails scored the arms of his chair, creating grooves of splintered wood stained with the blood of her bleeding fingers, "I see her too. I know exactly what—"

"Fucking great!" His demon interrupted, "It's a damned family reunion now." He moaned as their eyes moved to the other side of the desk to see Olreth and his crushed throat now standing there motionless. His lifeless eyes also on Lucifer. Olreth's ragged clothes were soaked from the blood dripping out of most of his facial orifices, and he, too, had an unnerving smile.

"He'll be here soon," Lucifer mumbled, finishing the whiskey before putting the empty glass down and reaching for the decanter next to his dead mother. Her head slowly followed the movement, but her eye stayed focused on his face.

"You can't hear them." His demon whispered, "You don't understand."

"I'm sorry, but we could die if I act too quickly." Lucifer sighed, filling his glass halfway before recapping the decanter.

Right as he took a sip, the door opened, and in walked Belial with a small chest under one arm and his medical bag in the opposite hand, "Louie, what is going on?" He asked, concerned, "Vassel called saying you—"

"Bout fucking time!" His demon hissed, and before Lucifer could stop himself, he slammed the glass down, grabbed the ancient blade, and sliced a deep gash from his wrist to halfway up his forearm. Blood instantly gushed out of the wound.

"Lucifer!" Belial yelled and ran across the room, the chains on his wings rattling angrily, "What in all of Hell are you doing?" He demanded, dropping both the crate and bag on the desk before yanking the knife out of Lucifer's hand and tossing it across the room, where it hit the ground with a loud clatter.

"I had to make them stop." His demon hissed.

Belial quickly opened his bag and dug through it as Lucifer became light-headed, but his two ghostly family members began fading. Once his mother was completely gone, he fell into his chair as Belial knelt next to him with a leather strap, gauze, and a small glass vial. Lucifer leaned forward to grab his drink,

"I think not!" Belial snapped, swatting Lucifer's hand and causing his nephew to glare as he tightly tied the leather strap around his upper arm.

Lucifer leaned back in his chair, still glaring at his uncle as his head swam, "It seems my Baby Girl's trick has already proved useful." He mumbled as Belial began dabbing away the blood from the wound. The sharp pain and less-than-gentle approach used by his uncle kept Lucifer from drifting off, but he was becoming weaker. Suddenly he felt a cold and tingling relief on the wound. Slowly turning his head, he saw Belial capping the small bottle, "Belial?"

"What do you want, you stupid boy?" He grumbled, returning to his bag and digging through its contents.

"Keep her safe," he mumbled as darkness crept in from the sides of his eyes. "Viskiam, Milril, and Orad need to be there. Oh, and Thron, definitely Thron."

"Wha are you going on about?" Belial demanded, looking up from his rummaging.

"Kathrine Ann." He stated, closing his eyes as darkness closed in, "Keep her safe."

As Lucifer faded into unconsciousness, a wicked grin similar to the ones his dead relatives wore snaked across his face.