"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot."
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Lothaire took Zarin on a tour around his mansion that was more like a castle. This time no illusion was involved. He let him see the luxurious interior and the people that were a part of his life. Not all of them, of course.
There was Hezznin and Tezznin. They were like his two hands. Tezznin was the vicious one. There was no job she couldn't get done. She was born to manipulate and make sin look like a garden in heaven. She was very tactful and could tell someone's weakness by only a look. Bringing out the worst in people was not only her skill, but also her enjoyment. Demons like her made his mission much easier.
Hezznin was the one to act less and observe more. Lothaire liked to have her around because she brought a different perspective, but also made them think carefully when they got too confident. She was the one to bring them down on earth when they needed to. She was also the one to welcome the new demons that joined his cause because she had a nature that made other's feel comfortable around her and trust her.
He had two other daughters and five sons, including Lucian. All of his children were five hundred years and older except for Lucian. Most of his children's mothers passed away, except for three. Lucian's mother and the only two female demons he mated with. Once they found their mate, they moved on with their lives. Lothaire didn't care since he only mated with them to get offsprings and eventually he found his mate as well. Who would have thought his experiment with a witch would turn out like this?
He didn't think that he, the devil, would have a mate, let alone a mate like Irene. She managed to get through him and make him feel things he didn't want to feel. Feelings he never thought he had in him. Many times she made forget who he was and why he was here on earth. She made him feel happy and miserable at the same time. But Lothaire was too proud to lose. Too proud to give up his mission for a woman and settle down with her. So he went back to who he was and to complete his mission.
He had many times tried to convince Irene to come with him, but she was determined to stay with her son right where she was. He could feel her hatred toward him. Lothaire had seen how far a mother would go for their child. No love was stronger than a mother's love for her child, and Lothaire knew he could never win against Lucian.
But Irene was his and his only. He would have her no matter what. He had been waiting for the perfect opportunity and for a way to make her his again. What better way than to take away her family since that was what held her back. Heaven was the weak link. Having her by his side would make everyone else come to him. He could already see Lucian offering himself as an exchange for his daughter.
Lothaire smiled wickedly to himself. The fight would not be easy, but it would be worth it. He couldn't wait to have Irene in his arms again.
"So you want me to get rid of Zamiel?" He asked as they walked.
Zarin looked around, fascinated. The castle had a dark, disturbing interior. It was like walking through hell, except the flames were black and red.
"Yes." He said.
"You know that will hurt Heaven's feelings?"
Zarin slowed down and looked at him. "I will take care of Heaven. I will make her forget about all the hurt."
Lothaire came to a halt and stared at Zarin. The boy really believed he could do that. He was baffled. Now he understood why Roshan had a hard time raising him. Zarin was the type to only see, hear and believe what he wanted. He turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to everything else.
"Why did you come to me? Why didn't you ask your parents for help?"
Zarin scoffed. "They don't understand. They think I should stay away because he is her mate. They treat me like I understand nothing and always talk about taking responsibility."
They treat you right, Lothaire wanted to spit.
The boy really understood nothing, and sloth was one of his many sins. His father would be heartbroken once he found out that his son came to see him.
Roshan also loved his parties and women, but he was a clever man from a very young age. Even when he and his father worked with him, Lothaire knew it was only a matter of time before they left. They were demons with strong morals, and those were hard to bend. Lothaire thought Zarin would be the same, but there was always one person who differed from the rest. And who would know that better than him, the devil?
The first of his kind to go against God.
"You have kind parents. I killed one of my sons because he didn't take responsibility."
Lothaire heard Zarin's heart skip a beat, and he halted. His eyes widened as he looked at him, and Lothaire could hear all the questions swirling in the young boy's mind. At last he decided it was a joke.
Lothaire let him believe that if it would put him at ease.
He laughed a nervous laugh and then continued the walk.
"They are kind. It is just that I have a long life ahead. Why do I need to rush to learn things?"
"You are right. You should enjoy your time while you are young. You can always learn things later." Lothaire agreed with him, encouraging him to to continue down the same path.
"Then what about Zamiel? What will you do?" He asked.
Zarin wasn't willing to let go of Zamiel.
Lothaire had no intentions of separating Heaven and Zamiel. Having them together benefited his purpose for now. In the beginning he had other plans for Heaven, but now he decided to take another route. A faster route that was unlike him.
A route that would shake things up, but he was the devil. No earthquake could make him sway.