Sonia's POV

As I slammed my way out of my apartment, and arrived on the footpath - I paused.

"Why on earth would Ody risk so much?" I thought to myself, "His power is what has kept me safe. Its what has enabled him to locate me, everytime the shit has hit the fan."

I turned to the right, knowing a Cafe up the street sold not only amazing coffee, but bakery treats, too.

I could feel my anger and frustration levels grow higher with every step. I reached the Cafe, and stepped over the doorway only to feel a burst of golden electricity rush through me.

"What the fuc-" I started to ask.

There was a barista at the counter, who - at my words - perked up and said "Good Morning! How can I help you today?"

I looked at her strangely.
It was almost like she didn't see or didn't acknowledge the golden light show when I entered... or my question...

"Yeah.... hey... can I please get two large lattes, take away, with one sugar in each, and two of those apple lattice pastries from in the cabinet, please." I requested with a smile.

The barista's body seemed to cant forward, and shut down.

"What the fuc-" I repeated, from earlier.

Everything around me, the shop, the yummy pastries, and the barista - seemed to disappear in a shower of golden sparks. And I was left in a small, cold, dark and rank place.

"Ody?"

Ody's POV

She left.
She left me inside my own barrier.
And she walked out.

It's like a physical ache.
That could be the expenditure of too much magic, or the fact that she jammed me inside my own fucking barrier.

Why?
Did I not prove that I love her?
Did I not rescue her?
Ugh!
I'm so tired.

My head, there's so much pressure building up...
Where did that come from?
I know this feeling...!

I have to close my eyes... they're not working properly, anyway...

What are these golden sparks I keep seeing in my mind?
Why does it switch from that, to a small, cold, wet space?
What do the words "Broken Barista" mean?

I reach out within the tiny amount of space that was left in barrier one.

The pressure and pounding in my head increase, but out of nowhere, I'm trapped in the midst of the panic attack. My breath coming in short bursts, my pulse spiked and my heart-rate had to have jumped to easily one-hundred and twenty beats per minute. My head was pounding, pounding with fear, anxiety, and the words "I'm sorry, Ody!"

All of a sudden, it hit me! Like a light-globe lighting up above someone's head when they have a fantastical idea in a cartoon.
Sonia.

She was here, but then she left... because she was sad?
No... that doesn't seem right.
Angry. Yes, she left because she was angry... at me.

Why is she sorry?
Why is she scared?
Why is she in a dark, wet and scary place?

I started to shake with both anger and adrenaline.
Sonia allowed her emotions to be a GPS for me, last time. Would she be doing the same again?

A quiet voice in the back of my head said "She's dead already, it's a trap."
But I really wasn't ready to accept that loss.

I touched the beautiful barrier I had made for Sonia - and withdrew the spell. The magic I'd expended was coming back into my vessel.

Once I had my vision back, I called in for back-up.

"'Beez Kneez Bubble Corp', how may I help you?

"It's Ody, I'm super short on time. Please put me through to my brother." I snapped into my phone.

"I'm sorry, Ody, but the boss asked me to hold all calls today. He's in meetings until Four PM. Is there anyone else who might be able to assist you? Perhaps, one of your other brothers?" Was the short reply in the receiver.

This caused me to pause for a few moments, before enquiring: "M-my o-oth-other brothers?"

"Yes Sir, Lev, Luci and Satine have started in upper management, should I connect you?" The receptionist asked me.

"Yes, please. That would be wonderful." I answered.

"Hold, please."

Their stupid hold music - Drove. Me. Mental! Luckily enough for me, after fifty seconds, Lucifers voice was on the phone.
"Goddamn technology! This is what happens when we're locked underground for over a Century... and then the 'Powers that be' decide that putting us in 'Upper Management' was the best idea or strategy! Bah! Anyway, Asmodeus, you clearly called for an important reason - how can I help a brother out?" Lucifer asked me.

"Sonia has been taken. Again, Luci!! I expended over eighty-five percent of my magic erecting a barrier to keep her safe. I almost died, and once I was awake and on the mend - she stormed out. Next thing, my head was pounding and full of pressure and I got three distinct messages."

Luckily breathed deeply and said "What did you see, Ody?"

"Golden sparks. A cold, dark and wet place and the words 'Broken Barista' and then I reabsorbed the magic from the barrier and called Bubb." Ody finished explaining.

Lucifer sighed, again, and said "I know where she is."

Ody jumped up and headed for the door, "Where, Luci? Where?"

"Hell" he answered simply, "Her father would be the one responsible for the coup. If you expect her to live? You have around twenty-five minutes left in which to rescue her, and kill her Father."

Unknown's POV

The spawn is again downstairs.

Can I be bothered to look over her face prior to destroying her vessel and consuming her soul? Or do I make myself wait?

I killed her mother, because she should never have completed the pregnancy, or kept the infant. It would have been better for her health to have drowned her at birth.

"Servant!" I yell for a hand-servant.

My stuttering servant came into the room within seconds of my call.

"Yes, Sire?" he asked, and that was enough for me.

"Have the girl bought up in the magic-free cuffs. I wish to lay my eyes on her."

"As you wish, Sire. Do you require any guards, Sire?" the servant acknowledged and then asked.

"Only two, to stand outside the doors." I answered him. What, did he not realise, I was going to be the all-new Reining King of Hell? I'm hella powerful! A demon king!

I heard a scuffle and shouts from the hallway, then moments later - there she was. Two guards forced her in, and then to her knees in front of me.

"Bow to the King!" one of the guards yelled as he pulled on a chain that connected to her neck.

I watched her stubbornly fight him, but her pitiful human strength was no match for a demon.

"You may guard the doors. From the outside." I announced to everyone, making it clear I wanted to be left alone with her.

As the guards walked out, this made her physically shiver, and I almost moaned in delight. Almost.

I could smell her fear. It was so acrid I could almost taste it.
I slowly walked towards her, and the taste got stronger.

I stopped to the side of her body, and she froze. I reached out with my left hand, and felt the strands of her hair that had come free of her molten lava coloured bun - fine as silk - and tucked them, behind her ear.

Her breathing started to quicken, and, being a demon with beyond exceptional hearing, I heard her heart-rate double.
I had a wide smirk on my face, and then she looked up at me.

The look she gave me, promised my destruction. She may have been gasping for oxygen and wanting to clutch at her neck (thanks cuffs!) But still, the fire, anger, hate and genuine iron will to kill me was laid bare for me to see in that glare.

"Who. Are. You?" She spat at me.

I laughed.
Not a maniacal laugh.
Not a sadistic laugh.

It was a joyful laugh. A full belly-rumbler!
By the time I stopped, my face was red, I had tears - tears! - running down my face, and a massive stitch running down my side.

She looked at me with a cocked head, and those same fiery eyes.

"You really don't know who I am, do you?" I asked in genuine curiosity.

"No, Captain Fuctard! If I did, I wouldn't be asking such obvious fucking questions! Who. Are. You?"
She almost yelled at me.

I looked her in the eye and said "I am your father. Well, Sperm Donor - would be a more fitting term."

Her brows furrowed in the middle as she processed this, but then she suddenly burst out laughing.
It was like I had said the funniest fucking thing in the world!

"What's so fucking funny?" I growled at her.

In-between fits of giggles, she managed...
"Is this a-" *gasp* *giggle* "-Luke Skywalker, I am-" *giggle* *gasp* "-Your Father! Type of thing? Or what?" *giggle* *gasp* *giggle*

With barely contained rage, I looked at her and snarled, "What the hell is a Luke Skywalker? And why or how could I be his father?" I had to question all this!

This seemed to set her off laughing.
All. Over. Again.

I snapped.
I can admit it.
I picked up her slight frame - not more than one hundred kilograms, for sure. I started to shake her and then before I knew it, I had her over my knee and I was spanking her!

"What are you doooing?" she squealed, and then shouted in pain each time my hand came into contact with her bottom.

"You are rude, arrogant, disrespectful and your general attitude fucking sucks considering you haven't grasped who I am and why you're here. If you wish to act like a brat, as you can see I'll be more than happy to assist in returning the favour. In the aspect of a parent; I'll punish you each and every time you act like a bratty fucking child. Do you understand?"

I'd stopped spanking her towards the end of my rant, but I could still feel the warmth of her tears hitting my left foot.

I used my left hand to grab a fistful of her hair and raise her head until she is looking me in my eye.

"Answer, when spoken to - Do I make myself clear?"

She swallowed but whispered "Yes."

If it hadn't been for my demon hearing, I might have missed it.
"So, my original question - if you please - Do you understand? Act like a bratty child, get smacked like a bratty child."

She rolled her eyes.
I spanked her backside five more times.
"Do. You. Understand?"

Again, quiet as a mouse - "Yes."

I chuckle, and straighten her up to her feet.
"I truly am your Father. Your Mother never told me of her pregnancy, but she was only human... so she ran away. She managed to mask you all your life. Right up until a few weeks ago, I had no heirs, no one to uprise against me. So imagine my surprise when a seer requested to see me. He then visited the palace. He warned me about you. You have powers thanks to me. And some of the powers of the demon who unlocked your seal, apparently." I said to her.

She looked at me in shock, throughout my entire little monologue, and then seemed to remember her 'Resting Bitch Face' mask she'd been trying (and failing) to wear since she was bought up.

"My Mum told me a man that had a job with a travelling 'Show & Carnival' had gotten her pregnant from a one-night-stand, and that she didn't feel it was right to take eighteen years of Child Support payments from someone who didn't know about nor get a say in the child in the first place." The girl told me,  "And what do you mean 'warn'? I'm a boring human." She said, looking me square in the eye while lying.

I chuckled, quite darkly this time.
"Do you know what I am? And what I do for a job?" I asked her, with a mean glint in my eye.

I saw her throat move, and I actually heard her - audibly - gulp before she shrugged and cast her eyes to the floor.
In response, all I heard was "No."

I leaned forward and she stiffened, but I used only one finger under her chin to tilt her face up so she could meet my eyes.

"I am a demon. I am soon to be King of all Nine Hells. My name is Sammael. What is yours, daughter?" I asked her.
Pffft! As if I was even interested!

"Sonia" she answered me through gritted teeth.

I let go of Sonia, once I had my answer, and took a few steps back out of her personal space.
I watched her body physically relax once she I was away from her.

She really is my daughter. Fire, ice and powers. Maybe I don't need to kill her quite yet.

Ody's POV

Sonia. Was. Pissed!
Her rage was currently the driving force of our emotional GPS connection we have.

My brothers, Lucifer, Leviathan and Satan are with me.

"Sonia is so incredibly angry!" I yelled in a blind panic, "Hurry up!"

"I honestly think he knows about your connection, and is upsetting her to make us go to him." Lucifer says to me.

"Don't you dare say that to me, Luci! Just - No!" My voiced boomed in utter frustration and hurt.

Lucifer walked over to me - hands raised in a 'I surrender' manner - as he spoke to me soothingly.
"It's all going to be ok, Ody. Sonia is alive, and we will rescue her. I don't doubt you - or us - I-I-I've met and had some unfortunate dealings with him in the past... what the locals say - about how sadistic this demon, Sammael is? They're not just stories! They are the tales of woe from surviving family members! If So nice is as smart as you say she is? She'd best play this situation carefully, you understand Ody, my bro?"

By the time he was done speaking, I'd been breathing, listening, and imagining Sonia quite literally - giving them hell! I couldn't help but smile at that image!

"Naaww! Ody is in looooove! Sonia and Ody, sitting in a tree K.I.S.S- oof!" Satan had been singing, until Leviathan wacked him in the stomach.

"Cut it out, Satine!" Was all Leviathan whispered to him.

"Satine my right ass cheek!" Satan yelled back, "It was only because 'Hi my name is Satan' would freak people out, or people then won't take me seriously, thinking I don't take myself seriously." Satan decided to monologue.

Lucifer called out to me, "How much further?"

I winked before answering "Why, Luci? Had enough of listening to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's banter over there already? Only joking!! We're about five minutes off, brothers. Luci, I'll need you with me. As her emotions and feelings spike stronger - I tend to lose my vision."

"I got you Ody." Luci replied.

It was time for our showdown with Sonia's Father, Sammael, a Fallen one.

EEP! OHEMGEE!
Who saw that plot twist coming?

I had entered NaNoWriMo but fell short by eleven-thousand, seven hundred words. Which, for a fifty-thousand word count 'Challenge'  - I am SUPER proud of myself!!

Have a good week everyone!!
~Sonia Rose 🥀