Lucifer lowered his chin and glared menacingly at Jimmy. The intensity of Lucifer's gaze was palpable, as if the intimidation emanated solely from his eyes. Suddenly, a sharp ring of static erupted in Raven's right ear, causing her to glance at Lucifer with a raised brow, unsure of the source of the random sound. Despite acting unfazed, the louder the static became as Lucifer awaited Jimmy's reply, the more Raven's brow twitched. Discreetly, Raven retrieved a small box recorder from her back pocket and slipped it into Lucifer's pocket, unnoticed by anyone except the crowd behind her.
"Look, stop staring at me like that, you freak," Jimmy spat at Lucifer, his voice dripping with venom and distaste. Lucifer's slight side smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "I am not playing that mind game with you," Jimmy said, avoiding direct eye contact with Lucifer. Raven noticed the fleeting change in Lucifer's expression, and the ringing in her ear ceased once Jimmy broke eye contact, piquing her curiosity about the "mind game" he had mentioned.
Stepping forward to position herself between Jimmy and his bride, Raven said, "Jimmy, dear, I know this must be difficult for you, but lying to avoid trouble doesn't work with me." The growl and venom in Raven's voice were enough to send Jimmy cowering to the floor.
Lucifer watched Raven with fascination as she effortlessly reduced the man before her to a quivering mess with just a few words. Raven crossed her arms over her stomach and glared down at the man, a childish yet sinister chuckle escaping her lips. "Shall I make a few calls? I already have the evidence proving you're the guilty party in this case. And don't worry, I love the chase - this was way too easy!"
Jimmy's eyes widened in shock. "Wh- What?" he stammered. Raven ignored the others in the room, speaking excitedly, "I won't play easy, Darling, but I do love playing games."
Lucifer moved closer to Raven, studying the eerie red glow emanating from her raven-red eye, the crimson circle in her iris blooming like a field of spider lilies. Raven's smirk deepened as she looked down at Jimmy. "If you win, I'll let you go. But if you lose, your life will be mine to control, to repay the government for your crimes." Jimmy wanted to speak, but Raven knew he was a coward and wanted to shift the blame to another suspect she had in mind - a rapper and a terrible actor, both of whom had the same watch as Jimmy when Raven had contacted them.
"I've already looked into Delilah's exes and affairs. She led a very interesting life as a singer. So don't bother trying to lie your way out of this," Raven said, relaxing her arms to her sides. "You get to gamble with me. Lucifer here will be the dealer. The game is called the 'Tarot Card of Life' - if you win, you go free, but if you lose, you become a government slave or go to prison, where some brute will make you his sweetheart."
Raven smiled excitedly at Jimmy. A sunbeam from the glass building reflected in her eyes, the violet in her left eye, as the other remained a glowing red.
Raven observed the priest clutching his necklace tightly in his fist, his Bible held close to his chest as he trembled under her gaze. "Don't worry, you can leave. I'm sure you're uncomfortable," Raven said, rolling her eyes at the priest's reaction to her unusual eyes. Raven had never gotten along well with religious people, simply because she had a rare condition that caused her eyes to appear red and violet.
Raven's eyes were not those of an albino, but rather a result of heterochromia - a condition where the irises are two different colors. Her eyes were sensitive to sunlight, appearing entirely red in the dark or low light, but taking on a violet tint in her left eye when exposed to direct sunlight.
Violet and red are exceptionally rare eye colors, caused by an iris with little to no pigment. When light reflects off the blood vessels in Raven's eyes, which have minimal pigmentation, her eyes appear violet or red. This can elicit strong reactions from some religious individuals, who may view the red hue as a sign of demonic or unnatural origins.
Raven blinked a few times and stepped back from the sun's glare. Lucifer was captivated by Raven's eyes, his gaze fixed on them until she relaxed her eyes from the sun's reflection. Raven rubbed the soreness from her eyes and put her hands in her dress pockets. Lucifer listened intently, impressed by how smoothly Raven had gained control over Jimmy with just a few words.
Jimmy growled, glancing back and forth between Raven and Lucifer. "You have no right to be here. You don't have a warrant! I will call my lawyer," he said, fumbling to retrieve his phone from his inner tuxedo pocket.
"Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't do that, Fido," Raven growled with a devious smirk, calling Jimmy a dog. "I've already contacted my superiors with the evidence to put you away." Raven lied, eyeing Jimmy, trying to instill a new fear in him. "This entire conversation has been recorded. I love it when murderers confess through empty words and promises." She said confidently. "You getting married the next day made you the prime suspect."
Lucifer noticed the lie at the start but realized it was a verbal weapon, part of Raven's brilliant trap that Jimmy couldn't see. "Very good, Detective!" Lucifer praised, tired of staying silent.
Raven held out her hand and said, "Lucifer in your left pocket, may you hand me my small box recorder?" Lucifer's eyes widened slightly as he retrieved the recorder from his pocket with his left hand. "Fascinating," he said, surprised to find it there. He placed the small black recorder box on Raven's outstretched palm.
Raven pushed the red button to stop the audio recording. "Okay, okay... You win. I'll play your stupid game," Jimmy said, looking at the floor as he stood up.
Raven then turned to address the audience behind her. "I hope you all enjoyed the show, but I must ask you to leave now. However, if you wish to stay and watch the gamble, you are all invited to the Lux club building in front of the Sunset Tower Hotel. I'm sure you're curious to learn how I figured out your dear friend or relative has been caught for murder." Raven announced this with an excited smile
Lucifer looked at Raven with a chuckle, unbothered that she had invited strangers to his estate. He was intrigued by how Raven had solved the case and was curious about the outcome of their game. "Free alcohol for every guest who bears witness to this beautiful game," Lucifer announced, capturing the attention of a few guests.
"Lucifer, you're in charge of getting Jimmy to your estate," Raven said with an excited smile as she walked away from Jimmy. "It will be my pleasure," Lucifer replied, placing his right hand over his chest and looking directly at Jimmy. "Follow me, Jimbo," he said, grabbing Jimmy's arm with a firm grip and guiding him to Lucifer's car.
"Let the games begin," Raven said with a devious smile, preparing for her drive to Lux.