“You don’t sleep or you don’t need to sleep?” Atlas questioned.
Bel shrugged. He began to eat and Atlas dug into his own food. It would be a shame to let Bel’s hard work and all this yumminess go to waste or get cold.
That wasn’t an answer.
“I spoke to Luci this morning. He’ll be stopping by with his mates soon.”
“Luci?”
Bel nodded as he stared at his plate. “How religious are you?”
“I’m not,” Atlas answered even if the question seemed to come out of nowhere.
“You understand that you are technically in hell?” Bel asked.
“You said a plane in hell. Like part of it?”
“Yes. Luci…Lucifer is our king.” Bel cleared his throat. “He hates that title and some of us might use it to tease him but that is basically what he is. The first angel to come. Most of our realm was made from his magic.”
“Lucifer? You mean the devil? Satan?”
Bel shook his head. “That isn’t him.”
“Not the same person or not evil?” Atlas asked gently. He had a feeling that this was a very important conversation.
“Humans have labeled Luci as evil. Have made him out to be evil. He’s not. He is an angel. Luci wasn’t cast down from heaven or anything ridiculous like the stories you’ve probably heard. He is still close to his father and brothers. Lucifer is not the devil.”
“And demons are evil?”
“We aren’t. Most of us have been working jobs for centuries in a very difficult environment. Hell has left its mark on all of us. That doesn’t mean we haven’t chosen to be here. We do get a choice,” Bel explained.
“You chose to live in hell?” Who would do that?
“I chose to stay with my family. Demons, just like angels, shifters, other paranormal, and humans make decisions about their own lives. We are different…demonkind have always relied on a royalty anarchy. Things have been changing though. With paranormals finding their mates again, but demons are slow to adapt to change. Like most creatures, I believe.”
“Even though I’m not religious, I guess that I’ve still thought of heaven as good and hell bad. Angels good and demons evil.”
Bel snorted. “Angels are dicks. Just wait until you meet one of them.”
“You think I’ll meet angels?” That was a weird thought.
“I know you will. I mean Luci is an angel so…”
Atlas rolled his eyes. “Other than Lucifer.” He had never cared one way or another. Atlas thought there must be some kind of higher power but he didn’t know if he believed in God.
“Yes, we work closely with those in heaven. Some souls can’t find their peace until they’ve seen that the evil person in their life has suffered for their sins.”
“Okay.” Atlas was just filling his head with more questions at his point. He finished off his eggs and bacon and started on the fruit salad. Atlas loved fruit. It wasn’t something that he splurged on often. “I feel like I could spend my entire life here and still not know everything.”
“I’m overwhelming you,” Bel said as he set his fork down.
“No!” Atlas rushed to assure him. “I want to know everything! I’m just worried that you’ll kick me out before I get answers.”
“You are welcome here, Atlas,” Bel responded with a soft smile.
“Why?” Atlas couldn’t help his suspicions. “I doubt you all allow humans just to come and go all the time.”
“We do not,” Bel agreed.
