Micaiah's face darkened, a dangerous golden gleam in his eyes. "You're making a big mistake."

Catching the threat in his gaze, I reached downwards and slowly felt for the drawer's familiar knob. The wolf-man beside me had already begun to gradually close the distance between us, inching sideways in an attempt to stand in front of my body, as though to block me from the two Witch Hunters.

This time, Lucifer didn't stop me from pulling a sharpened knife out.

"The only mistake I made was letting you in," I retorted, raising the weapon to point it at Micaiah. I couldn't bring myself to aim it in Cleo's direction, so I stuck with letting Mik have it.

I jerked the knife towards the kitchen's doorway. "Leave."

The Witch Hunter growled frustratingly at my dismissal. Yet surprisingly, his eyes didn't once flicker to the knife I held in both hands, as if he couldn't be bothered by it.

"You will hear us out-"

"I said leave!"

"Mik!" Cleo grabbed Micaiah's arm to hinder his brisk advancement towards where I stood. It seemed to me that despite Lucifer's imposing figure and the weapon I'd held out, he wasn't in the least bit intimidated.

"Calm down."

"Calm down?" Mik repeated, ripping his arm away. "She's kicking us out after repaying us with nothing, has a damn knife aimed at me and I should calm down? The hell is wrong with you?"

"This is my house!" I interrupted with a glare, my fingers not appearing so firm anymore. "And I want you to leave it. Now."

"Until you fulfil the end of the bargain, I'm not moving an inch," Mik challenged with a murderous look of his own. His monstrous change in appearance had me unwillingly backing away a step, but I managed to hold my ground after.

"How can I after you cheated me?"

"Listen here. You told us to tell you everything about Et Kar and we did," Micaiah snapped. "What else do you want us to do? We risked a lot to get here tonight and this is what we get? Nothing?"

"That's exactly what you get after leading me on. Just give me one good reason why I should help you, Micaiah," I said, holding the knife higher. "And don't give me that 'because you need us too' nonsense."

I darted my gaze to Cleo's for the first time since I'd brought out the blade. Staring into his deep blue eyes, I couldn't help the slight tremble of my bottom lip as I held my once friend's stare.

"I need a way out, Cleo. So unless you can guarantee that there's a chance that I'll be liberated forever from that bastard," I gripped the weapon tighter, "then count me out."

As expected, Cleo's expression remained impassive, but a shadow of emotion crossed over his eyes so briefly yet so clearly that I just couldn't ignore it.

"Xandar is the only thing I can offer you, Lena," he spoke with little remorse in his gruff tone. "We're Witch Hunters. Our main objective isn't just to put those witches to sleep for the fun of it. We do it purposefully to weaken Et Kar and cut all his sources of power so that he's liable to vincibility for us to finally end his reign. We just need your help this time around."

"Why? You've managed just fine without me."

Cleo frowned. "This is different."

I snorted, scepticism weaving its way into my voice. "How is this any different?"

"It's different because this particular Night Witch is somehow bound to Et Kar in ways that even we aren't sure about," Cleo explained. His voice held a displeasing edge as he proceeded, "The Night Witches we took care of in the past were powerful. But this particular one is slightly beyond what we are used to subduing."

"But you just confessed that to put a stop to him you have to eradicate his power source..." I paused after I'd addressed my words to Cleo. I still aimed the knife and my line of sight at the other Witch Hunter, only casting quick glances in Cleo's direction to avoid being caught by surprise.

I knew this was crazy, but despite his deception, I couldn't deny that I knew and trusted him more than Micaiah.

However, the reality of the situation made me harden my resolve. "Do you think I'm a dimwit, Cleo?"

"No. I only know that you're refusing to listen to reason."

He continued before I could defend myself. "Listen, Lena, I apologize for deceiving you, but I couldn't reveal myself to you not knowing for certain what I was up against nor how close you were with Et Kar. Besides those reasons, I can't complete this without Mik."

"So you had to wait for this bipolar bum to show up and ruin my day?" I cut in.

"Watch your mouth, Kid," Micaiah muttered with a snarl.

"I am not a child."

"The hell I care."

"That's enough," Cleo ordered with an irritated growl. "Lena, listen to me. The point is I'm asking you to trust me. Helping us find the Night Witch will also benefit you."

I cocked an eyebrow dubiously. "Enlighten me then, Cleo. 'Cause from the way I understand it, you'll have to put me to sleep in order to finish off Et Kar."

"And that would happen only if you were a part of him," Cleo said. "But from what I know, that hasn't happened yet, has it?"

When I hesitantly shook my head, his expression relaxed a fraction. "Then the only Night Witch left is the one he possesses. When we find her and put her to sleep, it'll further weaken Et Kar and make him vulnerable. His abilities will be affected as well, making him less powerful and more capable of defeat."

"Nice strategy, but then how on earth are you going to find her?" I reasoned. Despite his explanation making slight sense, it didn't mean I wasn't going to be sceptical about the whole idea.

"That's where you come in," Cleo said, making brief eye contact with Micaiah, who still glared at me. "If only-"

"If only you are willing to do this." Micaiah arched an eyebrow in a silent challenge.

I ignored his provoking statement and pondered on the offer.

Think about this, Lena. Your freedom. Forever. From Et Kar.

No more watching your back day and night and no more freaky shadows.

What do you have to lose?

I eyed the two Witch Hunters carefully before reluctantly taking the bait, coaxing myself to imagine over and over what great benefit I'd gain if I just helped them out this one time.

My freedom is worth it.

So with that purpose in mind, I placed the knife back into the drawer and slightly distanced myself from the ever stoic wolf-man rooted next to me.

"Fine. What do you need me to do?"

☆~☆~☆

I shut the front door and leaned my head against it, blowing out a breath in an attempt to soothe my racing heart.

"We need to talk," Lucifer's incredibly rough voice rang out as he emerged from the kitchen.

I groaned. Great. Just when I needed time to think.

"No," I lifted my head, turned around, and pointed my thumb towards the door I'd just closed, "you need to leave too."

Lucifer frowned. "You think I came all this way for the same reasons those two did?"

I shrugged, wearily rubbing my eyes. "Honestly, I don't really care. Just leave."

"Not until we talk."

"Talk," I murmured out of spite and covered my eyes with my left palm. "That's all everyone's doing now. Just talking."

"I don't care about everyone," he retorted. "I only care about us right here and right now."

"Get out of my house, Lucifer."

"You need to come with me."

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. There it was again. "I said I'm not going anywhere with you."

"It's not an option anymore."

Dropping my hand, I looked up to face him, perplexed. "Are you even listening to yourself?"

When he didn't reply, I pushed away from the door and stepped closer, although I maintained a reasonable distance.

"I am a step closer to getting rid of a stalking shadow demon and you're talking to me about leaving this place? Why the hell would I when Et Kar's just going to follow me? And even if he didn't exist, what makes you think I'd just pack my stuff and fly away with you when I barely even know who you are?"

Lucifer didn't miss a beat. "You'll find out on the way."

I glared at his advancing form. "That's not funny."

"Who says I'm joking?"

"I didn't - urgh!" In exasperation, I moved forward in order to sidestep him but was halted when he gripped my arm with his right hand.

Something smooth, small and hard grazed my skin, forcing me to peer down at an intricate ruby ring I hadn't noticed before that had enclosed his middle finger.

"I need you to come with me."

I shut my eyes and grunted in frustration. Can't he just leave me alone?

I tried really hard to ignore the immense heat beginning to seep into my arm and instead, tried to jerk that part of me away.

"I can't Lucifer. Why can't you just get that?" I tugged harder. "And that's beside the fact that I now have a part to play in getting rid of Et Kar. You want me to abandon all that just to go on some voyage with you?"

"This voyage will benefit both of us." He raised his voice, apparently done with being patient, but I wasn't going to be intimidated.

I stopped struggling out of his grip and stepped closer, unwillingly permitting his nature-induced scent to pave its way into my nostrils and to make me wonder why I hadn't brought a nose mask to ward off his alluring smell.

Or rather, a freaking oxygen mask to also reduce the suffocating feeling I always experienced.

Though it was too late, I immediately realized my mistake when Lucifer didn't back away in surprise, but held on and even moved to close the distance between us.

Just then, the lights chose that precise moment to turn out and I'd be damned if I wasn't on the brink of sweating my backside off.

I gasped, unable to stop myself. We were completely encased in darkness. Not a single sound echoed in the foyer, save for my heavy, uneven breathing.

"Come with me."

I felt it rather than heard it. His warm breath wafted over my ear so lightly that it was impossible not to quiver in response. Despite my self-will and defiance, I didn't turn away.

Only God knew why.

"Why is this so important to you?" I asked, softer than I had intended. "Why did you come to find me in the first place? Tell me."

I was met with silence.

In frustration, I stared up into his glowing silver eyes and spoke louder, "Tell me!"

Lucifer didn't say anything immediately, merely stood, allowing his nearness to itch me way more than it already was.

"I'm telling you, you are not ready to know yet," he repeated the same damn thing he'd been saying ever since we'd met that night. "You'd be better off clueless regarding what's to come."

"Then forget it," I replied with similar impatience, tugging my hand out of his grip.

This time, he let me go easily.

"I'm going to put up one hell of a fight," I continued, although I still stood in that same position for some absurd reason. "You're not going to tell me? Well, I'm not going to go willingly. What I'm going to do is to help put that Night Witch to sleep-"

"Your mother."

The words suddenly froze on my tongue.

What?

My brain got muddled and for a second I couldn't think.

Then it passed.

My mother?

"What has my mother got to do with this?" I questioned breathlessly, barely able to hear myself speak. If I'd thought only being in close proximity with Lucifer made me unable to breathe, I was dead wrong.

The wolf-man grabbed my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes. How he was able to find them in the dark, I had no idea.

He tightened his grip before saying,

"She is expecting you to come to her. Very soon."

☆~☆~☆