A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 41 – 50
After Liam finished his coffee and said his goodbyes, I sat there a little longer, my thoughts racing. The idea of going to a self-defense store wasn’t something I’d ever thought I’d need, but after everything that had happened with Lucifer—and whatever strange connection I now had to him—it felt necessary. A safety net.
I took a deep breath and stood up, heading over to the counter. The restaurant owner, Mrs. Richardson, was wiping down the counter with a rag, her salt-and-pepper hair tied up in a neat bun as usual.
“Mrs. Richardson,” I began, trying not to sound rushed, “do you think I could leave a little early today? I’ve got a few errands to run.”
She gave me a kind smile, always the understanding type. “Of course, Selene. You’ve been working hard. Go on, take the rest of the day. I’ll handle things here.”
I thanked her quickly, grabbing my bag from the back room before heading out the door. The streets were bustling, people moving about their lives as if everything were normal. But for me, nothing felt normal anymore.
It didn’t take long to find the store Liam had mentioned. It was a small, unassuming shop nestled between a pawn shop and an old bookstore, the kind of place you’d miss if you weren’t looking for it. A faded sign above the door read “Defense & Safety Supplies.”
I hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open, a small bell ringing as I stepped inside. The interior was dimly lit, with rows of shelves displaying everything from small alarms to stun guns. Behind the counter, a middle-aged man with a friendly, if tired, face looked up from a magazine.
“Help you with something?” he asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.
I swallowed and approached the counter. “Yeah, I’m looking for some self-defense gadgets. Something… effective.”
He raised an eyebrow, setting the magazine aside. “Effective, huh? Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got a lot of options, depends on what you’re looking for. What’s the situation?”
I wasn’t about to tell him the truth, so I just shrugged, trying to appear casual. “Just… you know, for general safety. Walking home alone, that sort of thing.”
The man nodded, understanding. He stepped out from behind the counter and motioned for me to follow him down one of the aisles. “Well, first off, we’ve got your basic pepper spray. It’s small, easy to carry, and pretty effective at close range. But if you’re looking for something with a little more punch…”
He stopped in front of a display case and pointed to a sleek, black device that looked almost like a small flashlight. “This here is a stun gun. Packs quite the shock—literally. If anyone gets too close, just press the button and zap ‘em. It’s enough to stop someone in their tracks.”
I nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the choices. “What about something a little more… portable? Something I can keep in my pocket.”
The man smiled and led me to another shelf where a variety of small knives were on display. He picked up a sleek, silver pocket knife, flicking it open with a quick motion. “This one’s popular. Easy to carry, discreet, and sharp enough to do some damage if it comes down to it.”
I stared at the knife for a moment, imagining what it would be like to actually have to use it. The idea made my stomach churn, but I knew I couldn’t ignore the reality of the situation anymore. I had to be ready.
“I’ll take the stun gun and the knife,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt.
The man nodded, ringing me up at the counter. As he handed me the bag, he gave me a serious look. “Remember, these are tools for self-defense, not toys. Use them wisely, and only if you really need to.”
I nodded, thanking him before heading back out onto the street. The weight of the bag in my hand felt heavier than it should have, the reality of what I’d just bought sinking in. I had never thought I’d need something like this, but now, with everything that was happening, I couldn’t afford to be naive.
As I walked back toward my aunt’s house, my mind kept drifting to the mansion, to Lucifer’s cryptic words, and to the strange connection I felt growing between us. Whatever was coming, I needed to be ready.
But as I turned the corner onto the street where my aunt’s house was, something stopped me in my tracks. Standing just outside the door, leaning casually against the wall, was Lucien.
My heart skipped a beat as I took in the scene. Lucien, with his unmistakable white hair and dark, piercing eyes, stood there like he belonged, his posture relaxed. But what caught my attention even more was the small crowd of girls surrounding him, giggling and snapping pictures on their phones. They were clearly enamored with him, each one trying to get his attention, asking for his number, or just fawning over his appearance.
I froze, unsure of what to do. My first instinct was to turn around and walk the other way, to avoid whatever interaction was about to happen. But before I could make my escape, Lucien’s gaze found me. His face lit up with a wide smile, his eyes bright with recognition.
“Selene!” he called out, his voice filled with an almost puppy-like enthusiasm. He pushed away from the wall, waving me over as if we were old friends.
I forced a smile, though I couldn’t quite keep the unease from creeping into my chest.
Lucien smile.
I saw her before she saw me. Selene, walking with that same quiet grace she always had, her head down, as if trying to avoid the world. But it didn’t matter— I was trying to keep my cool, even as a group of girls hovered around me, snapping pictures and giggling. They were all excited, asking for my number, trying to pull me into conversations I had no interest in. I wasn’t here for them.
When Selene finally looked up and spotted me, I was grateful, finally I will get to leave this nasty girls and place…. Lucifer always give me this exhausting jobs.
I expected her to walk over, to close the distance between us like any normal person would, but—
Wait.
No.
What the hell?
She wasn’t walking toward me. She was turning around. And then she bolted.
“Selene?” I called out, confusion turning into panic. She was running. Why was she running? I didn’t even do anything yet.
The girls around me continued to clamor for attention, but I barely registered their voices now. “Sorry, gotta go,” I muttered, pushing past them, my eyes locked on Selene’s retreating figure. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Not at all.
“Selene!” I called again, louder this time, as I broke into a run after her. She disappeared around the corner, her small figure moving faster than I’d ever seen her move before.
Was she really running from me?
I chased after her, cursing under my breath as I navigated through the winding streets. How the hell was she this fast? She was tiny, barely a wisp of a girl, but she ran like she was being chased by demons. I mean, technically she was being chased by me—a demon, but still.
“Selene!” I shouted, sprinting after her, my breath coming quicker than I expected. She ducked around another corner, her red hair flying out behind her, and I struggled to keep up. How could someone so small know so many shortcuts?
She dashed into a narrow alleyway, one I hadn’t even noticed before. I cursed again, following her down the narrow path, dodging garbage bins and random obstacles. She knew this town far better than I did, and for a second, I wondered how she had all these escape routes memorized.
“Selene, wait!” I was close now, just a few paces behind her, but every time I thought I could grab her, she seemed to slip through my fingers, turning another corner or weaving through a crowd with ease. I was fast—I had demon speed on my side—but this girl was like a ghost, always just out of reach.
Did the gods gift her or what?
I pushed harder, my feet pounding against the pavement as I closed the distance between us. My heart was racing now, not from exhaustion, but from the sheer thrill of the chase. There was something almost playful about it—like she was daring me to catch her. And I would.
Finally, just as she was about to dart around another corner, I reached out, my fingers brushing against her arm. “Selene!” I yelled, grabbing her hand and spinning her around to face me.
In one smooth motion, I pulled her close—too close, maybe—her small body colliding with mine. I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, fast and wild, and I smirked down at her, still trying to catch my breath. “You little—”
Before I could finish my sentence, something strange happened. A sharp, sudden pain shot through my entire body, and for a second, I was frozen in place. It wasn’t the good kind of shock, No, this was different. It was real. And it hurt like hell.
“Ah, what the—” I gasped, letting go of her instinctively, my muscles convulsing as the electric shock surged through me. I stumbled back, staring at her in disbelief.
What did she just—
Selene stood there, a mischievous smile on her face, holding up a little black device in her hand. A stun gun. She had a freaking stun gun.
“You—” I started, but before I could get the words out, she stuck out her tongue at me, that same impish grin on her face, and then she turned and ran off again.
I couldn’t move. My legs felt like jelly, and the electric current still buzzed in my veins, paralyzing me momentarily. I tried to take a step forward, but my body refused to cooperate. The little brat had actually stunned me.
I watched her disappear into the distance, that grin still etched in my mind, and I swore under my breath. “Selene!”
She was gone.
But next time, she wouldn’t get away so easily.
That little brat. She was going to pay for that. Why didn’t I use my powers? Fuck that hurt
But, damn, was she fast.
A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 41 – 50
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