Late at night when Lhori got back to her room, she looked at her phone for the first time this evening. There was a notification with a message from Lucifer. She opened it. He wrote a couple of hours ago.

You're restless. Did something happen?

She looked at her watch. It was already one in the morning. She quickly tapped her reply.

Something peculiar did happen. I'll call you in the morning.

She didn't even manage to put the phone down when it started ringing. She frowned and quickly picked up, afraid the loud ringtone would wake the rest of the family.

"Lucifer? Are you not sleeping yet?" she asked in a hushed voice, sitting on the bed.

"How could I sleep? You didn't respond to my message earlier, and I'm sensing you are stressed out. I was worried. What's happening?"

"You won't believe who is a new tenant in my parent's house."

"Tell me."

"Remember the weird guy that bumped at me at the theatre couple of weeks ago?'

"Are you kidding?" Lucifer asked, surprised, his voice was concerned.

"Afraid not. My parents love him. He seems to be a perfect tenant, very kind and helpful. During the dinner he blabbered out that we met in London, putting me on a very uncomfortable situation."

"What an idiot."

"Actually, I don't think he is. He seemed like he was just telling a funny story, but I have a feeling that it was all planned. Like to the exact moment, he pointed that out. I think he is much sharper than he lets out. Then he started to ask an awful lot of questions about my job and exchange program."

"That doesn't sound good, Lhori," said Lucifer after a pause. "Can you come back earlier?"

"You know I can't. Tomorrow is Rosie's birthday party, and on Sunday we go to the funfairs. I can't miss any of this. Besides, he is living in my parent's garage! I can't just pretend I don't know that and run back to Devildom!"

"Then I'll come to you," he said impatiently.

"No, Lucifer," she protested, although deep inside, she wished he was here with her. "You have the meeting with Diavolo tomorrow. Nothing is happening just yet. I'll try to talk him up, to see if I can find out what is he scheming."

"Are you certain? I can be with you in fifteen minutes."

"I'll be fine. I didn't mean to worry you."

"All right, then. But if anything happens, you have to call me right away, ok?" Lucifer insisted.

"I will. We should go to sleep now. It's late."

"We should. I miss you, Lhori."

"I miss you too."

"Sweet dreams, my love."

***

The next morning was quite hectic with all preparation for the party. It was only shortly before the guest started coming that Lhori found a moment to have a little alone time with her little sister. They were sitting in Rosie's room, Lhori was brushing her long hair.

"Tell me, Rosie, what do you think about Noah?"

"Why do you ask?" the little girl asked suspiciously.

"He is practically living with you guys. I'd like to know what kind of person he is."

"He's very nice. He fixed my bike, and he often helps me with my math homework."

"That's very nice of him."

"Yes. He's really friendly. He always asks a lot of questions and really listen to what you're saying. Not like most adults who only pretend they hear you. That's why I asked him to be my boyfriend when I grow up," she added proudly.

"Well, he's quite a catch," said Lhori plaiting the hair at the top of Rosie's head in a French braid. "Tell me, before yesterday, has he asked about me?"

"About you? Why would he ask about you?"

"I don't know. But yesterday he asked me about my job, and he seemed to know quite a bit of what I do."

"Hmm," Rosie thought for a moment playing with a glittery hairpin. "I think mum was talking about you. She always talks."

"You're probably right," Lhori said, putting the hairband at the end of the braid. "Ok, you're all ready, princess."

"Wow! I have a braid just like Rapunzel!" Rosie exclaimed excitedly admiring her reflection in the mirror. "The girls will be so jealous!"

"I'm sure they will," said Lhori with a smile, and kissed her sister's head. "Come on; your guests will arrive soon. We have to greet them!"

***

The party was a huge success. Little girls and boys were running around, laughing, dancing, jumping, and playing all sorts of games. Lhori was so busy running different entertainments for kids that she hasn't even had time to think about ambushing Noah. And of course, he was there, helping with carrying plates full of food, blowing balloons, and cleaning after kids made a mess. She could felt his green eyes following her most of the time. Finally, in the afternoon she found an excuse to take him away from the house.

"Mum, we ran out of ice creams," she said, feigning worry. "We won't have enough for all the children."

"Oh no! Lhori, can you drive quickly to the mall?"

"I can't drive, I had a glass of wine with lunch," she replied and looked at Noah, who was cutting strawberries. "Noah, do you drive?"

"Me?" he perked up. "Yes, I do."

"Then can you come with me to the mall real quick?"

"Oh, of course," he said, wiping his hands with a kitchen towel.

"Thank you. You're a lifesaver!" Lhori said happily. "Mum, give me the keys, we'll be back in no time. Do we need anything else?"

"Maybe buy some more orange juice?"

"No worries. Let's go, Noah."

They got into a car. Noah was clearly too tall for a little Fiat, but he wasn't complaining. He put the keys in and started the engine.

"It's a nice party," he said reversing to the main street. "Rosie looked delighted."

"She did. But I'm not here to talk about Rosie," Lhori said coldly.

"Oh?" he asked, with polite interest. "Do you have something else in mind?"

"Yes. For example, why are you so interested in me?" 

He snorted. "That sounded very arrogant, you know. Why do you think I'm interested in you?"

"Because you are asking loads of questions about my job."

"I'm interested, because of my thesis, I told you already," he said calmly stopping at the red light.

"Funny you should say that. You are aware I was studying at the same university, right? I still have some friends there. Including one who is also a Ph.D. student in the literature department. And guess what? She never heard of you." He looked at her, and flinched, surprised.

"That's not possible. Maybe your friend is attending different classes."

"Noah, do you think I'm an idiot?" she asked politely. 

He sighed. "Unfortunately not. Although I had my doubts when I saw you hanging out with a demon."

"A demon?" she raised her brows.

"Now you are treating me like a moron," he scoffed. "Yes, and not just some random demon, but Lucifer himself, one of the most powerful ones."

"Ok, who exactly are you?" she asked. Noah was silent for a moment. Then he drove into the parking and stopped the car. He sighed heavily and turned sideways to look at her.

"First, you tell me. How did he charm you? You don't look like you are under a spell. Is he blackmailing you?"

"What are you talking about? He didn't charm me!" 

He frowned. "Why are you with him, then?"

"That is none of your business," she hissed. "No one is forcing me to do anything. Who the hell are you, and what do you want from me?"

"There is a group here in the human world, that prevent illegal trespassing of demons from the underworld."

"Ok, I imagined there has to be some institution that Diavolo is cooperating with," Lhori said thoughtfully.

"Diavolo?" he asked his face turned a shade paler. "You mean Lord Diavolo, ruler of all underworld?"

"Yeah, him. He's my employer."

"Employer?" Noah asked baffled. "So, it is true. You really are working for demons..."

"It sounds horrible when you say it like that," she sighed. "Ok, back to you now. I get you are part of this group keeping illegal demons in check, no?"

"Yes, it's a complex organization that makes sure the treaties between the human world, underworld, and the Celestial realm are honored. I'm a member of an executive arm; you can call us demon hunters."

"Demon hunters?" Lhori raised her brows. "I'm sorry, but you don't look the part." 

He scoffed. "That's the whole idea. Do you think I can track down convicted demons running around in medieval armor or something?"

"Well, you have a point. But you have to know that Lucifer is not exactly illegally slipping into the human world."

"Well I do," he said and rubbed his neck nervously. "I was there because there were some rumors that one of the runaway demons may show up in this area. So, I follow up after magical auras signatures, and obviously, I was drawn to the theatre because what Lucifer is emitting is off the charts. I would normally just ignore it, as the high demons are not the one making problems, but then I saw you with him," he broke off and looked at her quizzically. "I've never seen a demon so casually hanging out with the human, so I was sure you had to be charmed. And that is a serious breach of the treaty."

"Did I look distressed to you?" she asked skeptically crossing her arms.

"No, but if you are charmed you wouldn't be, would you?"

"So, you just decided to bump into me? Did it clarify anything to you?"

"Well, I couldn't possibly confront him right there in the middle of the crowd. I was suspecting he will just ditch you somewhere when he gets bored."

"Ditch me? Really?" she scoffed.

"That's what demons do," Noah said his tone and expression all serious. "So, I needed a way to find you." He reached to his pocket and fished out a small earring.

"You took it!" Lhori gasped shocked. "But how could you possibly..."

"I told you," he interjected. "I choose to seem clumsily and harmless; it makes my job so much easier. Anyway, I tried to track you down, but you just vanished. So, I did a background check on you, found out your name, where you live..."

"That sounds like an awful lot of work," she noticed. "Why didn't you just let it go?"

"I don't know. I should have. I got in trouble with my supervisor for wasting my time and recourses like that. But I just had this throbbing gut feeling, that you may be in trouble, and if I just leave it, there would be no one to help you," he said and turned away from her, looking through the windows, trying to hide the emotions showing in his eyes.

"Noah, you seem like a decent guy," Lhori said gently. "But there is no need to worry about me, I am perfectly fine, and no one is forcing me to do anything against my will." He sighed and rubbed his face with a hand. His green eyes got back to locking away all his feeling.

"I can see that now. But I had to be sure. When I saw your parents are looking for a tenant, I just went for it. That way, I learned a great deal about you. Your mother is a real chatterbox," he said with a smirk.

"I know," she sighed. "I really have to talk to her about babbling everything to strangers."

"Don't be too harsh on her. She's a good woman."

"I know. So, weren't you satisfied when you learned that I wasn't kidnapped?"

"I must admit I got intrigued. The whole working abroad on the exchange program? How did you come up with that?"

"Well, most of it is true, just the location is made up."

"You are kidding, right?" he said with disbelieve.

"No, why?"

"The exchange program? Like, sending people to Devildom? Are you out of your mind?" His eyes were wide with incredulity.

"No, I think it's a great idea."

"You gotta be kidding me!" he hissed.

"I'm not! I was the exchange student myself," she explained calmly. "I spend a year there, living among demons, and some angels too. And it made me understand them all better."

"This is crazy. There is no way it would work!"

"It is happening very soon, and it will work. Haven't you heard about it at your work?" Lhori asked, confused.

"I've heard rumors, but I never give them any thoughts, as it is a ridiculous idea!"

"Why are you hate them so much?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising his brows, something changed in his eyes again, but he quickly shoved it down before she could put her finger and identify it. "It's demons we are talking about! Foul creatures that are living only to satisfy their desires, using humans for their entertainment."

"Wow. You really are prejudiced."

"And you are naïve if you think they are better than their nature."

"They are not that different from us, you know," she said quietly. Noah sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"There is no point in this conversation. I can't convince you, because you are clearly in love with him." Lhori felt her cheeks gone red.

"It's not the case!" she protested.

"Yes, it is. I just hope you come to your senses before some tragedy befalls on you," he sighed.

They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. Suddenly Lhori straightened and looked at him with determination.

"I'll prove to you that you are wrong about them."

"What do you mean?"

"When we start with the exchange program, I'll show you. I'll take you to Devildom and show you how very wrong you are judging them like that."

"That's insane," he scoffed.

"Give me your number," she said unperturbed by his resistance, and took out her phone. "I'll call you when everything is ready, so you can see with your own eyes what I'm talking about. Or are you too afraid to admit you might be wrong?" she teased.

"Ugh, I'm must be crazy too," he groaned, but took her phone from her and tapped in his number.

"Great, we have a deal then. In the meantime, please stop wasting your time worrying for me, as I'm perfectly fine. I'll call you when we can arrange your visit."

"All right. But if you are ever in trouble with those demons, you call me," Noah said, looking at her solemnly.

"Yeah, not gonna happen," she scoffed. "All right, let's get those ice creams before the kids go rampant!"