at that, and then he helped me inside the helicopter, which was another new experience for me. At least, I assumed it was. Then he got in the pilot’s seat and we both put bulky headphones on so we could talk over the roar of the helicopter. Zel and Gad got in the seats behind us, but they didn’t bother with headphones.
I was truly impressed when Lucifer guided the helicopter into the air. I supposed when you were as old and rich as he was, you could pick up some expensive hobbies. First we flew over the city, and I marveled at the view of The Strip from above. Then we set out over the seemingly endless desert, and excitement nearly spilled out of me at the sight of the world laid out before us.
I turned to watch Lucifer, who exuded masculinity and power as he flew the helicopter with practiced ease. “How was your day? You looked…troubled earlier.”
He shook his head slightly, as if surprised by the question. “You always did catch everything. Yes, troubled is a good word for it.”
“What happened?”
“We managed to capture some of the demons involved in the kidnapping and the attacks, but we couldn’t get them to tell us anything. Not even when I questioned them personally…” His eyes burned with dark fire. “And I can be very convincing.”
“Did you…” I drew in a breath and tried again. “Did you torture them?”
“Not physically.” He glanced over at me as if considering something. “One of my powers is…coercion, you could say. I can convince people to tell me anything, or do what I wish.”
A memory sparked in my mind of Lucifer telling me to sleep, and cold fear trickled through me. “You used it on me, didn’t you?”
“Only to help you sleep. That was all.”
I bit my lip. “But you use it on others?”
“Now and then, yes. It’s a useful tool, but one I use sparingly.”
I had a sudden realization and gasped. “The devil made me do it. That’s really a thing, isn’t it?”
He let out a low sound of discontent. “I can’t make anyone do anything. That’s more of a vampire power. What I do is tempt. Coerce. Sway. If someone is at a crossroads, I can nudge them down a path I choose.”
“The darker path, no doubt,” I muttered.
“Perhaps, but is darkness always evil? Or is it necessary for there to be light?”
I shook my head, unsure about his justification for what he did. Maybe to an ancient being like himself it seemed normal, but to me it sounded like mind control—and made me wonder what other powers he had that I didn’t know about. And how many stories about the devil were true.
I sighed and turned back to the view, as we flew along a river that eventually led to a big bridge and a white dam behind it. Lucifer informed me it was the Hoover Dam, and I leaned over to get a better look at the impressive structure nestled between the arid mountains. At the entrance, two huge green statues with tall wings stood guard. When Lucifer caught me looking at them he explained, “I helped fund the Dam, long ago.”
More conflicting feelings warred inside of me. Was he good or evil? Should I be worried about the feelings I was developing for him? And how right it felt to be by his side?
I stared out at the view to distract myself, which was easy when the sunset set the Grand Canyon ablaze with color. The immense size of it left me awestruck, as did the raised plateaus and steep canyons, with winding rivers cutting through them. My inner nature lover longed to be out there hiking the trails, checking out the plants that grew here and breathing in the wild scents.
Suddenly the helicopter swung low over the canyon, making my stomach drop, and impulsively I grabbed Lucifer’s hand. He gave it a squeeze as he prepared to land the helicopter on top of one of the plateaus, and I spied a table with a white tablecloth with rocks holding it down so it didn’t get completely blown away by the chopper wind.
When the blades quieted, Lucifer helped me step out onto the rocky terrain. Zel and Gad exited behind me and took flight, quickly disappearing from view somewhere among the crags of the steep walls.
The sun had just sunk behind the cliffs, leaving us in a glow of orange and red. Lucifer kept my hand as we walked across