18.

Father...

That specific word sounded so strange in my mind, no matter how many times I kept repeating it, continuously remembering how those silvery grey eyes held so much warmth and sincerity as they firstly gazed upon me.

My father...

So many questions kept rising inside my head, with each new one feeling even more and more desperate for answers.

Glancing at the intimidating male casually sitting on the counter, absently toying with the small yet very sharp blade in his hand I then nervously shifted in my seat, taking a deep breath as I willed myself to finally speak.

“Is there any chance I could see him again?” My voice sounded so small and weak yet louder than I had expected, resonating through the spacious kitchen.

His every movement abruptly stopped, that dark gaze ultimately landing on me, my already tensed body almost cowering under its intensity.

“Are you seriously asking me that?” His harsh tone suddenly breaking through the very tensed silence forced the tiniest flinch escape my body, remaining completely silent as I blankly stared up at him.

“What makes you think that I would want to meet him ever again?” That single question instantly crushed all my hopes on ever seeing the one who contributed at my creation again as I obviously had no clue on how to find him, even if I’d eventually escape this damned place.
A single, stray tear made its way down my cheek, lowering my head as I once again felt so hopeless, all my thoughts momentarily forgotten as I suddenly heard him also say,

“What makes you think that I would deliberately meet any of them ever again?”

“Them?” My gaze instantly snapped back up, curiously staring at his somewhat conflicted self, noticing how his features contorted into a frightening glower, those pitch black voids seeming like they could end my very existence on spot.

“Forget that I ever said those words.”

Nervously fiddling with the hem of my t-shirt I hesitated for a few moments, harshly biting my lower lip as I struggled to keep my mouth shut, until those words suddenly tumbled out on their own,
“A-are “they” your other brothers?”

It seems I have woken up with a death wish today.

The sharp sound of something violently shattering against the opposite wall made me jump in my seat, ultimately noticing he had actually thrown a ceramic bowl across the room, his entire appearance now completely terrifying as he pointedly stared down upon me, breathing fast and hard.

Holy gods.

Without even blinking a second time, I got up from my seat and ran straight towards the main door, not even thinking about the fact that it was probably still locked. And once my hand landed on the doorknob, forcefully twisting it, it surprised the living breath out of me as I ultimately discovered it was actually unlocked.

My eyes instantly went wide as I stared at the foreign, unexplored hallway for a few seconds, until I quickly remembered that a threatening, dangerous fallen was probably right behind, on the verge of catching me in his merciless claws. So with a quick intake of breath I bolted outside the apartment, running down the long hallway like my life depended on it -probably because it actually did- until I reached a flight of stairs, taking two at a time as I hastily climbed down, trying to put as much distance as possible between the psychotic fallen and I.

Pushing myself to go a little faster I kept on climbing down the long sets of stairs, after only a few minutes finally reaching the bottom, suddenly finding myself in a rather large main hallway, the glass doors standing between my freedom and I just a couple of steps away.

Come on Daya. You can do this.

I mentally encouraged myself, my knees lightly shaking as I feared of another disastrous encounter with any of the innocent humans roaming outside since it was broad daylight, only now feeling the cool marble beneath my bare feet as I finally took a few, hesitant steps.

Only just as I was about to reach the metal handle, strong arms suddenly wrapped around me like constrictor snakes, threatening to snap my bones, that familiar heat and spicy scent sending a cold shiver run down my spine as I recognized the owner.

“You will be punished for this.”

My loud, terrified scream echoed across the whole room, feeling my captor’s hold around me momentarily loosen, giving me the precious, yet short moment to tear myself away from his firm grip.

And not even daring to waste another second of the single chance to escape him, I then roughly pushed at the glass doors and finally exited the building, my bare feet slapping against the hard concrete as I ran as fast as I could on the relatively deserted sidewalk.

My heart kept on slamming wildly against my chest as I kept imagining all the horrible ways he would “punish” me if he would’ve caught me, those specific, terrifying thoughts giving me enough strength and determination to go even faster, skillfully avoiding the few people casually passing by.

Anything to escape him.

Not even looking back once, I kept running and running until the familiar conglomeration of tall trees suddenly appeared in my line of sight, like a fawn almost leaping with joy at the beautiful view.

The forest!

A tiny, almost unnoticeable smile touched my lips as after only a few moments I finally entered the only place I actually felt safe and comfortable too, basking in the woodsy scent and calming amber view.

Slowing down a little bit I then took a glance behind, assuring myself there was no one following me and once I did I finally slowed my pace to a relatively fast walk, giving myself time to rest a little bit and also enjoy the sight.

Oh how I missed these places...

My hearing concentrated on the soft sounds of my own feet rustling in the fallen leaves and regular breaths as I headed towards the other familiar, yet not so comfortable place.

A small, tired sigh escaped my lips as I realized I was going to see my mother again, dreading of what could possibly happen as a result of our so sudden, unexpected encounter.

Maybe she missed me...Or not...

Lowering my gaze on the leaf-covered ground I remembered exactly what happened those quick moments we lastly saw each other, the pure disgusted look etched on her flawless features as those azure blue eyes landed on my bloodied form, and those words...

Those filled-with-hatred, hurtful words...

“...she is a walking disaster! A monster, just like him!”

A small, stray tear trailed down my cheek as I ultimately realized how lonely and loathed I actually was...

If only I could find him...

Another small sigh escaped my lips as I remembered that pure candor and warmth glinting in those silvery eyes, imagining what could’ve been...

Maybe he would’ve actually cared for me, just like a true parent would, in spite of all the bad things rumored about him in both Olympus and human realm, and all those horrible things written about him in mother’s ancient books...

Closing my eyes for a brief moment to clear all those saddening thoughts, my gaze then rose back up, ultimately noticing the tall, imposing mansion standing so close.

So close...

Taking a halt I then stood still, taking slow, deep breaths, staring at the place that for so many human years had been both my home and prison as well.

My body moved on its own accord as I took a few steps closer, just in time to notice the massive entrance door opening, revealing my dear mother.

My unnaturally strong heart started banging wildly against my ribcage as I rendered still, waiting for the imminent encounter.

Her small steps seemed so firm and calculated, her bare feet peeking from beneath her ruffling skirt as she walked through the fallen leaves, those unnaturally glowing sapphire orbs coldly fixated on my steadied form as she abruptly stopped at a fair yet barely reachable distance.

“What are you doing here?” Her words dripped pure venom, a small, sudden ping of pain darting right through my chest at the sound of them.

“I...”

I blinked a few times, struggling to form a coherent sentence, obviously to no avail as her form of “welcoming” me seemed to take a serious toll on my right state of thinking. The truth was, I was kind of expecting her to have a negative reaction at my so sudden appearance...but still...This already seemed just way too much.

“Haven’t you disappointed me enough already?” She fired yet again, my hands already trembling at my sides as I struggled to remain impassive, defiantly staring right back at her though on the inside I was already crying like a lost child.

“Running away with that vile, abominable fallen...” She spat those last words like they tasted bitter on her tongue, small tears prickling at the corners of my eyes as I remembered exactly how I left the house that night, yet I did not find the strength to utter a single word about it.

“My own daughter...” She quietly said, mostly to herself, taking a step closer, her small, pointy nose wrinkling in disgust as she seemed to take a few whiffs, repulsively snarling at me,
“You reek of him!”

“You have already given yourself to him, didn’t you?”

Small, warm rivulets trailed down my cheeks as I watched her sapphire gems size me up and down so abhorrently, deeply hurt as I realized she would actually think so lowly of me, once again suddenly remembering how those silvery eyes held so much warmth as they gazed upon me for that single time, a single word instantly passing my lips before I could even stop it.

“Why?”

Her perfectly arched brows creased into a frown, obviously failing to understand my question, let alone answer it before I took a deep breath, and with a newfound ounce of courage I finally asked,

“Why did you choose never to tell me that Lucifer was my father?”

Silence followed after that single, yet so important question, watching how pure, unbridled hatred instantly rose within those glowing orbs, seconds before her palm rose in the air right above me.

But before she could even strike, a much larger, strong hand firmly curled around her slender wrist, effortlessly stopping her.