Lothaire briskly walked into his room, his eyes wandered to Laverna who hovered above Larisa who was sleeping but not in a peaceful way as she struggled violently on the bed, with chest heaving heavily as she screamed in fright. She was having a nightmare again and Lothaire wanted nothing more than to hug her tight and assure her that everything was going to be fine but he refrained from it since he couldn't interrupt Laverna as she tried to use her powers to figure out the origin of the nightmare and whoever or whatever was behind it. She placed her palm on Larisa's forehead and Lothaire watched her with focus as she closed her eyes and after a few minutes, her eyes shut open turning her blood red eyes to a pitch black colour and her eyelids fluttered uncontrollably as the wind grew stronger and a force pushed her back slightly but hard. Larisa stopped struggling and her screams stopped as she lay peacefully on the bed, Laverna's eyes turned into a blood red as she closed and opened it and she gave out a heavy sigh with confusion etched all over her face.
"What happened?" Lothaire asked impatiently, as he looked at her confused facial expression.
"Whatever's giving her the nightmares is blocking me out so I can't figure out who or what is behind this and what their motives are." Laverna explained and Lothaire didn't like her explanation. He was barely done with one problem and another one was knocking at his door already and worst of all, he couldn't figure out the cause of the problem.
"Figure something out then! I need to take care of it as soon as possible!" He ordered with a low growl and truth be said, Laverna flinched a little.
"But you haven't even paid me yet." Laverna said as a mischievous smile crossed her lips.
"The only payment you're going to be getting is leaving here in one piece..." He threatened with a low voice to prevent waking Larisa up but the impatient anger could be heard in his voice and his eyes burned into hers angrily as he glared at her and Laverna knew better than to argue with him because he had once threatened her during the war with the gods that if she didn't call a truce with them, even though he couldn't kill her, he would chop her up in pieces and bury her parts separately which would be an eternity of torment because she'd be as good as useless since gods and goddesses couldn't regenerate a body part and there was no doubt he would do that if she bargained for a payment as he was in a very angry state.
"Of course, I'm more than grateful for your humble payment and I'll do my best to do whatever you ask of me." She drawled as a grin cut through her face.
"I have a feeling it's Hela messing with her...But it's just a hunch." Lothaire said and Laverna squinted her eyes warily.
"Hela can't operate in the physical realm, she's as good as useless without her heart and moreover, she's trapped in your abyss." Laverna reasoned with creased eyebrows, she knew that if Lothaire had a feeling about something them it would either be right or slightly wrong but neither of them were good news and if it was Hela behind this then whatever was going through her mind was either disastrous or insane.
"Try to figure it out then. I need results as soon as possible." Lothaire ordered and she nodded, then disappeared into thin air.
Lothaire stood above Larisa watching her sleep, he could ask his father for help to figure out who was messing with Larisa's mind but he knew that he would ask for something in return as always that always came with heavy prices, just like the way he had coveted something precious from him even before he could have it. He had lied to Larisa about his Father not asking for anything in return for his help to protect her yet, because he knew that if she found out the truth of the deal he made with Lucifer, she would be as angry as hell and she would never forgive him for making the deal with him. Lothaire's thoughts wandered to when he made the deal with Lucifer.
.........
Many hours ago.....
Red sparks of hellish flame engulfed Lothaire and he disappeared into thin air and within a second, he appeared in a dark, eerie hellish castle as the flames disappeared from his body. He had never once visited his Father's castle but he could easily teleport there since he was a demon. He looked around the dark castle built with black crystals and other black precious stones, it was solely terrifyingly luxurious because every single thing in his Father's dark castle was full of dark but beautiful vanity and he could feel the pure evil and darkness that filled the castle and he felt drawn to it but he immediately shook it off because he had come there for Larisa and nothing more. A female demon walked up to him with exposed clothing, she was tempting in every inch but Lothaire just stared at her dead in the eyes unaffected by her beauty, in fact, he felt repulsed by her. She bowed her head deeply in respect.
"You're here to see Lucifer right? Follow me." She said as she turned around to move and Lothaire wasn't surprised she knew as he followed her quietly through the dark hall with demons in every corner, staring at him in awe as they bowed their heads deeply giving him their utmost respects because they all knew he was the devil's son and the prince of darkness.
The demoness led him to a large double door and gave it a slight push and left immediately, giving them their privacy. Lothaire walked into the room to see his Father seated in a black spiky throne, wearing a black long robe as he sat down lazily on it, staring at his son with golden emotionless eyes as if he had been expecting him any moment.
"No matter how far you run, you'll always come back home." Lucifer drawled with a low, deep voice as a wicked grin drew on his lips.
"I'm not here to stay." Lothaire said firmly, making his words crystal clear. He felt an anger rise in him by just looking at his Father who had abandoned him heartlessly and he wanted nothing more than ripping him apart but he had to calm his nerves for Larisa but his rage in his burning eyes were visible.
"I know, you're here to protect your weak breed mate. I was disappointed at first, hearing that your breed mate was just a weak human." Lucifer said with an expressionless face and eyes that held nothing but cold darkness in it.
"I'm not here for your opinions." Lothaire said in between gritted teeth and Lucifer sat back, resting his body proudly on the throne.
"You're here because you need my help to protect the fragile life of your mate." Lucifer said and Lothaire was a bit surprised on how he knew the reason he was there but he didn't show it.
"Are you going to help or not?" Lothaire asked arrogantly, he didn't want to spend any more time with his Father whom his hatred for was immense.
"Let's have a drink first." Lucifer said calmly as his dark golden gaze peered through his son's.
"Speak or I'm leaving." Lothaire said with obvious impatience and Lucifer smirked like the devil that he was.
"Parental love is for the weak hearted humans, I don't expect you to be furious at me for making you who you are." Lucifer said with a cold voice, devoid of emotions or remorse for abandoning his son which only made Lothaire more furious. Lothaire knew what he was doing, he was only trying to manipulate him into believing that he abandoned him to make him stronger and heartless but no matter what, his hatred for him would never cease to exist.
"For making me the monster that I am you mean." Lothaire growled angrily at him, as he glowered at him with a hellish gaze.
"Is it because you killed your mother? Or because she hated you? Which are you angry at me for, or is it both?" Lucifer asked with a sardonic smile creeping to his lips making him look even more terrifying but he didn't terrify Lothaire, he only made him filled with rage.
"I'm not doing this with you, if you're not helping then I'll be taking my leave." Lothaire said, about to leave until Lucifer spoke.
"Of course I'll help my son." Lucifer said and he halted back in his steps.
"I'll give you anything but I'm not staying with you for your ridiculous quests to rule the word." Lothaire stated firmly because the devil never gave anything free of charge, not even for his own son. "So name your price." Lothaire asked, not wasting any time.
"Your first child." Lucifer said and a wicked grin escaped his lips.