Lucifer slouched through the crowded hallways of Paradise High, his mind still reeling from his encounter with Margot. The discord of student chatter and slamming lockers did little to drown out the alarm bells ringing in his head.
Great, he thought bitterly. Now I've got a superpowered Concord teacher on my case. What's next, the cafeteria lady turns out to be a Valkyrie?
Lost in his brooding, Lucifer almost missed the familiar figure standing by the teacher's lounge. Ezra was there, her face set in that maddeningly neutral expression she seemed to have perfected. As their eyes met, Lucifer felt a jolt of... something humanly. Anxiety? Excitement? Indigestion from that questionable cafeteria meatloaf?
Whatever it was, he didn't have time to analyze it. Ezra was already moving towards him with purpose, her blue eyes locked on his face.
"Lucifer-san," she said, her voice low and urgent. "We need to talk."
Lucifer glanced around nervously. He wasn't even a shadow of his true self right now; if anything, he felt tainted by endless human vulnerabilities. The hallway was still bustling with students, many of whom were now eyeing them with undisguised curiosity. Apparently, the new transfer student cornering the class delinquent was prime gossip material.
"Uh, sure," he said, trying for nonchalance and probably landing closer to constipated. "But maybe not here? I don't think--"
His words were cut off as Ezra grabbed his wrist, her grip surprisingly strong for someone so sexy. Without a word, she dragged him down the hall and into an empty classroom, shutting the door behind them with a decisive click.
"Okay," Lucifer said, rubbing his wrist. "I know I'm irresistible and all, but this is getting a bit--"
"Stop," Ezra interrupted, her eyes flashing. "This isn't a joke, Lucifer. I need answers, and I need them now."
Lucifer felt his facade of cool indifference crumbling. There was something in Ezra's tone, a mix of determination and... was that fear? It set him on edge.
"What's going on?" he asked, all pretense dropped. "Did something happen?"
Ezra paced the small space between desks, her usual composure clearly frayed. "There was an incident this morning," she said. "Another Rebis attack, right here in the school."
Lucifer's eyes widened. So that's what the commotion during his exam had been about. "Was anyone hurt?" he asked, surprised by the genuine concern in his voice. This body of his was keen on making him more human than he would like.
Ezra shook her head. "No, thankfully. It was contained quickly. But that's not the point." She stopped pacing and turned to face him, her expression intense. "Lucifer, these attacks... they're not random. They're targeted. And I think... I think they might be after you."
Can't say I'm surprised, Lucifer thought, then feigned surprise. "Me? Why would you think that?"
"Because," Ezra said, her voice barely above a whisper, "the Rebis was carrying this."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small object. As she held it up, Lucifer felt his breath catch in his throat. This time around, he was really surprised. It was a feather – jet black, with an iridescent sheen that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
A feather from an angel's wing. His wing, to be precise.
"This is impossible," Lucifer muttered, reaching for the feather. As his fingers brushed against it, he felt a jolt of familiar power. There was no mistaking it – this was part of him, a piece of his true form that he was trying to rekindle, but had reach a bottle neck due to his mortal shortcomings.
Ezra watched his reaction closely. "You recognize it," she said. It wasn't a question.
Lucifer nodded, his mind racing. How had this ended up here? Who could possibly have...?
A sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. The classroom seemed to blur and shift, replaced by flashes of vivid memories of hell. Fire. Screaming. The sensation of falling, endlessly falling...
"Lucifer?" Ezra's voice seemed to come from far away. "Lucifer, are you alright?"
He blinked, the visions fading as quickly as they'd come. Ezra was staring at him, concern etched across her features. Lucifer realized he was leaning heavily against a desk, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge.
"I'm fine," he said automatically, though they both knew it was a lie. "Just... a little lightheaded."
Ezra's eyes narrowed. "This is more than just lightheadedness," she said. "Lucifer, what aren't you telling me? Who are you, really?"
For a moment, Lucifer was tempted to tell her everything. To lay bare the truth of his identity, his past, his fall from grace. But the words caught in his throat. How could he possibly explain? And more importantly, how could he be sure she wouldn't immediately try to exorcise him or something equally unpleasant?
"I... I can't," he said finally, hating the weakness in his voice. "It's complicated, Ezra. And dangerous. The less you know, the safer you'll be."
Ezra's expression hardened. "That's not good enough," she said. "People are in danger. You're in danger. I can't protect you if I don't know what I'm up against."
Lucifer couldn't help but laugh at that, a short, bitter sound. "Protect me? Ezra, you have no idea what you're dealing with. Trust me, I'm the last person who needs protection."
"Oh really?" Ezra shot back, her temper finally flaring. "Because from where I'm standing, you look like a scared kid who's in way over his head. You might have some power, Lucifer, but you clearly don't know how to use it. And that makes you a liability."
Her words stung more than Lucifer cared to admit. Because deep down, he knew she was right. After seeing the feather, he was scared. He was in over his head. And for all his bravado, he had no idea how a part of him had ended up in the hands of a Rebis.
This was all bad timing! Someone's onto me. Someone knows I'm at my weekest... but who?! He thought.
"You're right," he said quietly, surprising them both. "I don't know what I'm doing. But I do know that getting you involved any further would be a mistake. Please, Ezra. Just... let this go."
For a long moment, they stared at each other, the air between them charged with unspoken tension. Finally, Ezra sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly.
"I can't do that," she said. "It's my job to investigate supernatural threats, and like it or not, you're at the center of this one. But..." She hesitated, then reached out and placed a hand on Lucifer's arm. "I meant what I said before. I want to help you, Lucifer. If you'll let me."
The touch sent a jolt through Lucifer's body, a warmth that had nothing to do with his demonic nature; rather reminding him of his new humanly desires. He looked down at Ezra's hand, then back up at her face. The determination in her eyes was tempered now with something softer, something that made his chest tighten in a way he couldn't quite explain.
"I don't know if I can," he said honestly. "But... I'll try."
Ezra nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "That's all I'm asking for," she said. "For now, at least."
As they left the classroom and rejoined the flow of students in the hallway, Lucifer couldn't shake the feeling that something fundamental had shifted between them. He wasn't sure if it was for better or worse, but one thing was certain – his life on Paradise had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.
And as the black feather burned a hole in his pocket, a constant reminder of the mysteries yet to be unraveled, Lucifer found himself almost looking forward to whatever came next.
Almost.
***