I sit in the seat I’ve become familiar with as my father looks at me, taking me in. I have to look away for a moment because his gaze is too intimidating. It makes me want to spill my guts and let all these sappy, ridiculous emotions out. I don’t fucking like it.
“I see you found your mother before I had the opportunity to,” he starts.
“You would have probably killed her too.”
“No doubt about that,” he confirms, and that’s when I force myself to look at him.
“Why?”
“Because she hurt you,” he admits softly. “I’m not oblivious to my part in your creation and lack of guidance throughout your youth. But I need you to fully understand, Mara. I would have never left you there.”
“You left Blair there.”
“Blair was half-witch, more mortal than demon. You are more demon than siren, you weren’t meant for the mortal realm.”
I rub my eye sockets with the palms of my hands. “You really knew how to choose women when you were on Earth, huh?”
He grimaces and pours us both a glass of whiskey. “I’m not a good being. I’m more than well aware of that. The list of my faults is longer than I’d ever care to admit, but there are a few things that I would never do, and that is to intentionally hurt you, Blair, or Lilith.”
I take the drink and chug it down in one go. “So, I guess you know I found Beelzebub in the pit.”
“I also know you didn’t kill him.”
I shrug. “Didn’t seem fair to Lilith.” He smiles and summons an old tome from his library shelf.
“This is the oldest piece of literature I have on sirens, their capabilities, history, and first-hand accounts.”
I leaf through a few of the pages and look up at him. “Why are you giving me this?”
“Because you’re my daughter, and you deserve to know everything about who you are and what you’re capable of.”
“You don’t care that I have abilities that you don’t?” I ask, gauging his reaction.
He smiles at me and shakes his head. “Mara, I’m many things, but a liar isn’t one of them. I want you here to help me make this place run smoothly. It’s been lonely, being at the top for so long. I trust your power will only aid you in being the heiress to Hell.”
I rub my temples and take a few deep breaths.
“Did my mother seduce you into sleeping with her? Did she compel you to forget her? Is that why you didn’t remember?”
He loosens his tie slightly and pours himself another glass.
“It was a dark time in my life. But it is possible that she used her gift against me to some extent.”
“I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want to use my gift all the time.”
Lucifer nods and takes a drink. “Then you’ll need to do as much research as you can and learn how to use your gift properly. I want to help you with this.”
Liquid drips from my eye, and I rub it away. “So, is there like family therapy in Hell? Because I don’t know how to handle everything that has happened today,” I joke, causing him to laugh.
“Trust me, you don’t want to spend any time with Sigmund. He’s annoying.”
“Thank you for the book,” I say, standing and holding it against my chest. “Toth isn’t in trouble, is he?”
My father shakes his head, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“I did make him forget something. But he did nothing wrong.”
Lucifer arches an eyebrow at me but doesn’t comment immediately. After a few moments, he states, “You realize you two have officially waged war against Heaven with your little outing?”
