I stand completely stagnant. My body immobilised and unable to move as I stare at the person walking through the doors, some light instrumental music commencing again. He is looking everywhere, at everyone but me. I keep holding my breath wishing and hoping he looks at me. Please look at me, just look at me.

He doesn't.

He is so poised and sure of himself. Chin up and shoulders back. I have never seen him this self-assured before. It feels like everything turns into a fuzzy background noise and I see all in slow motion. Lucifer gliding across the ballroom, people raising from their bowing and curtseys, some demons trying to grab a hold of him like he is a famous celebrity.

I wish his mask wasn't on, that way I would be able to see his facial expressions much better, but right now he looks cold and distant. He is and knows he is better than everyone else in this room. The devil is arrogant and unapproachable looking. The nervous shivers running up and down my spine as I just can't take my gaze away from him.

Faintly, and very briefly I can see his face much better as he walks past me. Eyes of palest watery blue, like a creature who's spent it's life in perpetual shadow, from me. As his eyes look at mines again, standing before me I still don't know what to do with myself. Do I take the hand he is holding out for me? Do I turn and run?

I feel Lilith nudging me and when I twist my head to look at her, she is gritting her teeth and mouthing, "You do not keep the king waiting."

Without realising my actions, my hand places itself into his and he squeezes, tightly, almost putting me in a shock of pain and he tugs on my arms and harshly pulls me into his embrace so that we are ready to dance.

A deep and dark song comes blasting around us with a somewhat upbeat tempo. He pulls my constricted waist closer to him and begins waltzing us around the ballroom, still not ushering a single word. Looking into his eyes they are still emotionless. I want to say something to him, but for the first time in a while I'm afraid.

I bite my lip and guise away from his face, looking at the creatures that surround us, watching us, slowly gathering into pairs to join us into the cinch. I have never danced the waltz before, but his control of my body is so dominant that following his lead is done with ease.

"What are you staring at?" he asks me, his voice deep and sinister making me fretful to answer his question.

"They are all looking," I say with my speech all husky.

He laughs maniacally with a sexual undertone. Spinning me out and back into his arms.

"You don't miss much do you?"

He swings us around almost too aggressively.

"You seem different," I state making him look at me confounded.

"Different how?"

"Like a different man that I am meeting for the first time."

I gulp loudly waiting for his response, gazing into each-others eyes.

"This is me Annabelle, all of me," there is a hint of sympathy in the way he is looking at me right now. Why? Because he is not what I expected him to be?

We dance through the rest of the song in silence and when another tune begins playing, he continues to dance with me, gazing down at my timid body.

"Lilith did a good job, you look beautiful tonight Annabelle."

"Will you tell her that or shall I pass it on?" I ask annoyed at the sudden change of conversation. I wasn't up for talking about Lilith, especially after finding out he left some major details out when telling me about her, never mind the threats.

"I think I should tell her myself," he voices but it sounds like he is speaking to himself rather than me.

"Of- course."

I try to pull away from his dancing embrace, but he makes me wince in pain as he squeezes my delicate fingers with his hand, pulling me closer to him and holding me steady by the waist.

"What are you irritated about?"

"Lilith, but mostly you," I say through gritted teeth.

"Is it because I left and walked in without you, Anna that's standard-"

"It's not about that!" I cut him off and lark at his superiority. "It's about how you failed to tell me that Lilith is actually Eve, or how she basically threatened me if I do something wrong."

"That's just Lilith being protective, she is my maiden after all-."

"Damien!" I snap trying to get him to listen to me. "I don't care who she is, why didn't you tell me?"

I don't know why but I can feel a few streaks of tears running down my cheeks, but I ignore them because we get caught off mid dance with Aba tapping on his shoulder.

"Sir, if I may?"

He doesn't object letting Aba glide in and take over. His dancing is really good, but not as perfect as Damien's so I have to put a little bit more effort into my moves.

"You shouldn't cry in front of him and his people," he leans over and whispers in my ear, sneakily brushing off my tears with his thumb. I flinch from his touch but let him carry out the action.

"You see he is in his element right now, he won't want you showing him your weakness," he stops to look around. "They may think you are an easy target."

"At this point I don't care about others, I just want to know why he kept all those things from me."

"From what he told me," he sounds tentative. "He doesn't like the idea of overwhelming you." He purposefully pauses staring me down with his grey eyes. "With information that is, unlike fucking, that seems to be a whole other story."

I roll my eyes at him. Why does everything have to come back to fucking with him? If anything, he should be the devil of sex not sluggishness. Despite this, I feel I am already quite fond of him.

Our conversation halts and I start feeling my body long for some alone time, so I can engulf myself in numerous moments of miserable thoughts.

"Is there a place away from all of this ...that I could go to, to think, just for a moment or two."

"I can take you back to the bedroom you were in."

Before I can reply we hear the trumpets again and Damien's voice. Aba ushers me to the side into the crowd as I watch him stand in the middle of the room with a crystal glass held in his hand. He's making a speech, but I am too mesmerised by his allures and magnificence to know what he is talking about. Something about a moonlight celebration or sacrifice of a goat?

Fleetingly, our eyes meet and I long for them to stay on mines but much to my disenchantment, they don't.

His senses travel to eye Lilith and I wonder whether he has had his conversation with her, praising her services in making me look presentable for his majesty.

Soon, before his speech is even finished, I have had an adequate amount of all of this. I begin to move through the crowd to the doors. Aba endeavours to stop me, but I repel his assistance.

Once I get to the doors they open and out comes a black living goat standing on top of a white cloth on a moving table being pushed by a demonic looking body. I flinch from the mere sight of it not wanting to think about what is about to happen.

Quickly and quietly I creep out of the immaculate ballroom and out into the gloomy halls of this furtive palace. We must be so bottomless into the ground to have enough isolation for the devils and demons to be partying like this.

Walking through the halls I feel bewildered. This residence is like a labyrinth. Every turn I take is like I end up in another place and not in the bedroom I was in earlier, that is, until I come across some double doors. They look old and creek as I open them.

When I walk in, I am astonished once again. How is this possible? I can't possibly explain what this room is but there are huge mirrors and an ancient roman bath, old concrete in a creamy colour with candle lights attached to the walls. The water and light is casting subtle shadows on the white marble pillars and the ceiling.

Wondering around I look up and see all sorts of paintings of angels getting tortured by demons. The water in the bath is sizzling warm. I can see vapour rising from it warming up the air around me, creating a moist environment. My footprints are echoing around the hall from the wet floor.

I take off my masquerade mask and let it rest on a big double sink counter in front of a hexagon shaped mirror around the room.

I try to stretch my body, but I am so constricted in my corset it's impossible.

Indistinctly, I can hear a distant hissing and rattling noise beneath the trickling water. I ignore it trying to focus my mind on one thing, Damien. No. I should call him Lucifer now, should I not? He is acting so different now that he has the ability to embrace his role in all its glory. It is unsettling but I can't help but stay.

Perhaps I just need him to slow down a little. Everything is happening so quickly its making my head spin.

The hissing noises get louder and when I turn around there is nothing there, but it looks like the water is moving. Like someone just walked in and out of it. I pace closer to inspect it and slip down to my hands and knees when a number of black slimy serpents come out of the water. Even their eyes and tongues are the same shades as Salem. One which catches my attention has a hint of green in their eyes.

The serpent and I are on the same level and I look straight into its eyes. My breathing is shallow and my mouth parts, frightened to look away.

"Normally only I can look them in the eye," I overhear a recognisable voice ring around me.

My eyes dart up and away from the snake and I see Damien in all his splendour. I feel a nip on my index finger causing me to let out a scream. When I look down all the snakes disappeared, and my finger is bleeding.

"Their venom isn't poisonous."

I look up at Damien again and watch as he glides across the concreate floors towards me. Kneeling down to be at my level.

Tenderly, he holds my hand and lets some of the blood ooze out of my finger before he puts it in his mouth and sucks. Drinking my blood as if he were a voracious leech.

When he is finished, he rubs my finger with his thumb and kisses it.

"I didn't think your blood would taste so good too."

"Is this the only comment you are able to say?" I ask, still upset with him.

"No, it isn't." He leans closer as he sits beside me. "I'm sorry. I should have told you everything. I thought I would have time to tell you everything, but...at the same time I want to tell you and show you everything as soon as possible."

He turns his head so that he is looking me in the eyes. "I need you to know all of me, so that you can be sure when making up your mind about us."

I give him a compassionate smile, brushing my fingers on his warm cheek.

"I already made up my mind Damien. I want to say, be here for it, it's just..." I feel myself choking on my own words.

"Overwhelming."

My breathing accelerates as I see him feel uneasy to hear my words spoken aloud for him.

"All of this," I say pointing my hand and looking at the rest of the room. "Is so much. It's a lot to take in."

Gazing back at him I feel my eyes water.

"But I love you, I love you so much more than I can possibly comprehend, it's one of the reasons why am I still here, I just want you to be more honest with me."

Distrustfully I add, "Tell me things before Lilith does."

His eyes look down. He looks like he is shying away from me. Where did the ostentatious king go that I saw earlier? He clasps my hand with the no longer draining finger and affectionately grazes his skin against mines.

"I'm sorry, I never wanted you to feel the way you do, you're just so delicate, I never desired to overwhelm you like this."

"I know-"

"I love you so much Annabelle." He cups my face, "Please next time I overwhelm you with everything tell me."

I nod, biting my lip, wishing for him to kiss me, and as if he can read my mind, he does just that.

His lips brush against mines, delicately, like butterfly wings, just long enough so he can inhale my breath, feel the coldness of my skin, and taste the lipstick that lingers far after our lips depart from each-other.

We gaze at each other in unspoken love before he helps me stand back to my feet, touching me as if I am made of porcelain.

"Would you like to go back home?" he asks still holding me up even though I feel perfectly fine to stand on my own.

"I'd actually prefer to stay and have you ask me to dance again."

A bright smile appears on his face and it warms my heart.

"As you wish," he takes out his hand for me to intertwine with mines. "Shall we?"

"Please, lead the way sir."

Back in the ballroom, we must wait for the applause of our audience to die down as I franticly try to ignore the stares we receive. At last, Damien and I take our places and wait for the soft flow of music to begin.

Once it starts, we take a step forward and bow. As we circle each-other, our gaze remains locked. He places his hand on my back, mines on his shoulder, and our free hands finally met. Together, we dance to the music, our feet in perfect sync to the beating of my heart.

As the song progresses, I start to relax some more, and I allow a small smile to form on my lips. He is perfect. His eyes, blue as spring rain, were deep and irresistible. One thing is for sure, I was one lucky girl to receive a partner like him.

He turns gracefully, his body in tune with the slow music. Yet, there is a sort of harshness to him, like he is someone who shouldn't be underestimated.

The warmth between us grows more powerful by the second. My heartbeat growing steadily along with it. Our dance is perfect; everything from our breathing to how our feet stay in sync.

"Damien," I whispered. "There is something else I wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead," he encourages me with a smile.

"Well, should I not call you Lucifer from now on?"

"Only if it makes you feel more comfortable."

Mid our dance he briefly touches his lips against mines taking me by wonder. I feel my entire body flush in high temperature as he releases my bottom lip from his grasp.

Now, I am deciding to let ago. Let my worries, my pain, and sorrow go. Right here, right now I am living. Nothing else seems to matter anymore.

I allow him to take me anywhere he pleases on this dance floor. He goes right, I go right. He speeds up, I speed up. We become one with the song, with the dance and with each other.

We continue like this until we have to separate. All the females forming a circle, twisting and turning. I am having fun, so even though I don't quite know the moves I let my body flow to the rhythm of the more upbeat classic. I mimic the lead of the female I saw gawking at me earlier this night, the girl with a forest antler mask.

When the song is complete, I find my way back to my partner and clash my body against his, giggling. I wrap my arms around him and press my mouth to his. I could feel fireworks ignite within me, and I didn't care if everyone was watching. The applause begins to be a fuzzy, aloof sound at the back of my head, as my body becomes engulfed with a desire for him.

"I love it when you're this happy," he tells me once he pulls his lips away from mines.

He cups my chin with his finger giving my lips a one last quick kiss.

"If you'd like, I would like for you to meet a couple of people."

"Who?" I asked smiling. He smiles back at me. That smile that shows me he is being carefree.

"You'll see come."

He takes my hand and starts guiding us through the crowd of demons until we are met by a small group of men. One of which I recognised, Aba. They were all dressed similarly to each-other, in a royal renaissance kind of way. It got me wondering, are these the rest of the devils of hell?

"Annabelle, this is Beelzebub, Mammon, Belphegor and Asmodeus," he informs me, gesturing his hand to each individual as he says their names.

"And Abaddon, but you already know him," he says causing an over exaggerated gasp to escape ones mouth, I believe his name is Asmodeus.

"Hello," I try timidly but a chaotic riot belts out between the men as they burst out into a conversation.

"You did not tell us you met the one who stole thy Lucifer's heart," says the one with tanned skin and yellow hair.

I see Aba shrug his shoulder in defence as he sips on some champagne from his crystal glass.

"How dare thee not tell us," says another in complete shock.

My eyes are darting from one man to the other feeling lost and disoriented. Their conversation is making me feel dizzy, bouncing from one to the other. I am so out of my element here. At least they don't hate you, I try telling myself.

"Obsecro quiesces gentlemen," says, Asmodeus?

He turns to me and takes my hand, shaking it and kissing the knuckles.

"Please excuse these fools, they know no manners."

"Asmodeus," Damien says his name. I guess I was right but why is he saying it in such an unemotional tone? If I remember correctly from the night in the cottage, he is the devil of lust.

"Lucifer," he says his name with equal coldness.

I wonder what the reason is behind their indifference towards one another. Damien wraps his arm around my constricted waist, pulling me closer to him. I cannot tell if he generally wants to be closer to me or if it's a form of protective behaviour, but from who? Asmodeus? Surely it can't be.

"I hope you won't mind if I ask the lovely lady for a dance?" he asks Damien to which his body tenses up for a moment. I peek up at him and watch as his shoulders ease with sudden relaxation.

"One dance won't hurt, Anna?"

Is he asking me for permission? I nod and he releases me from his protective bubble.

Within a single moment, I am back on the dance floor in the arms of someone who Damien didn't show much fondness to.

Asmodeus dances better than I expected, but his rough touch makes my body feel uneasy. He glides us across the floor to a slow-moving song which is completely out of beat with my heartbeat.

"You are not what I and my brothers thought you'd be like," he comments taking me by disbelief.

"What did you expect?"

"Someone who would find it much more difficult to deal with this."

I don't reply, just think about his words. All of this is difficult to take in, am I really taking it all in the way I should? I quite literally just had this conversation with Damien not too long ago, at the mysterious roman bath.

My chain of though is disturbed as he leaps me out of his grip, circling me out and back in. My body almost crashes against his from the belligerent impact of his vigour.

"You are human," he states the obvious.

"And?"

"The king of hell should not be with a human, I mean," he laughs in my face. "How do you expect to ever marry him or bare his children." He looks me straight into my eyes. "They'd kill you before you can even deliver, I've seen it enough times with Incubi."

I did not expect him to say this. I am almost angry. He is thinking so far into the future. Why? We have been together for a little over three months now, its far too soon to be thinking those things even though I want them. A lot. Perhaps, my human years are the reason Damien mentioned marriage before, because my years are ticking by much faster than his. The though depresses me. I cannot imagine growing old whilst he doesn't. It feels unnatural.

"Humans are weak," he continues. "And you don't strike me as someone with the abilities needed to be by his side."

Now I am angry, I am very much capable of being by his side more than he can think. The anger begins to consume my body, feeling myself overheat as I accidently step on his foot.

"Inepta canis Exprimamus!" he lets out as he whimpers a little. I'm not even feeling a little sorry for this but what in the world is he saying?

"Excuse me?"

I should probably apologise but he offended me first and my stepping on his foot was a complete accident. When I peek over at the crowd, I see Aba and Damien talking and laughing in our direction whilst the other devils are gone.

"Don't you know how to dance?" he whimpers some more. Well, he is a bit of a drama queen, it wasn't even that bad.

"I am not a weak little human," I snap at him.

I am not sure what possesses over me, but I feel a strange new feeling overcome my body that I cannot describe. It's a feeling that causes me to smile a little.

"I know that you and Lucifer aren't on good terms, perhaps if you apologise, I won't get him to-."

"Is everything okay here?" I feel a hand on my shoulder and Damien's voice in my ear sounding concerned. Only now do I realise that my hands are clenched into fists.

"Everything is fine," I express.

Just your little pig of a devil whimpers like a child over a dancing misstep.

I gasp at the sudden thoughts that are occurring in my head. Is this the influence of all of this? Unquestionably it can't be. I won't let it be.

I have to deepen my harsh breathing as I try to calm down taking the glass of champagne from Damien hand and downing the rest of it into my mouth. The bubbling deliciousness feel so cool down my throat as it makes me feel the buzz.

"I think that's enough dancing for now." Damien says sounding stern. His cold eyes finding Asmodeus.

Without saying another word, he leaves us, and we stand in the middle of the ballroom surrounded by demons dancing to a dark love song.

I suddenly feel like everything that I look at is swirling around. Like everything and everyone is knocking into us on purpose, laughing hysterically in my face. Their masks melting off of their faces to reveal scary looking monsters.

Everything becomes a distant background noise in my head with sweat dripping down my face. I am overheating. My hands feel like they had their blood circulation cut off.

What in the world?

Out of the corner of my eye I notice the monsters now growling at me, some continuing to laugh. Showing me sharp pointy teeth, venom dripping out of their mouths, their eyes as dark as the black plague.

What are they snickering at?

A dead goat on a moving table comes to my view and there I watch as the king of hell is devouring it's raw flesh. Everything, his lips, hands, even his perfectly white shirt is covered in patches of red.

I try focusing my eyes on what I am seeing but it all just keeps swirling around, until my eyes momentarily lock his and everything goes black.