Chapter 1 LUCIFER'S CHILD OF WOE.

Kamala never spoke of him, not out loud, but he lingered in every corner of her life. The memory of his touch, his voice, haunted her like a dream she couldn't wake from. It had been years since she last saw him-since that night in the woods where the world itself seemed to pause as he appeared. Lucifer. The king of Hell.

She didn't know who he was at first, not truly. To her, he was just a man, beautiful and mysterious. His eyes held a darkness that called to her, and before she knew it, she was swept into his arms. They spent a single night together, a night filled with passion she had never known before. But by morning, he was gone.

He disappeared as quickly as he had come, leaving no trace behind. Kamala had no chance to tell him she was pregnant.

When she told her parents, their faces twisted with shame and anger. They couldn't bear the disgrace of their unmarried daughter carrying a child. Without hesitation, they cast her out, forcing her to fend for herself on the streets. Alone, Kamala wandered, her belly growing heavier with each passing day, but she found solace in the life inside her, a quiet strength growing within her.

Months passed, and eventually, Kaidan was born. From the moment she laid eyes on him, Kamala knew he was special. His emerald green eyes, deep and intense, looked up at her with an ancient wisdom no infant should possess. His hair, dark and long, fell in soft waves around his tiny face. He was beautiful, in a way that unnerved her. Yet, he was hers, her pride, her purpose.

Raising Kaidan wasn't easy, but Kamala managed. She took odd jobs, scrubbing floors and washing clothes, anything to keep them fed. The town whispered about her, the strange woman with the too-beautiful son, but she ignored them. Her life revolved around Kaidan, her love for him stronger than any hardship.

As the years passed, Kaidan's features became even more striking. His eyes glowed brighter, his presence commanded attention wherever he went. People often stopped and stared, their gazes filled with curiosity, awe, or fear. Kamala noticed it too-the way animals would grow silent around him, the way the wind would still when he walked by. But she never spoke of it, not wanting to acknowledge the truth she had buried deep within her heart.

One evening, as the sun set over their small cottage, Kaidan came to her, his tiny hands clasped behind his back, his curious eyes searching her face.

"Mother," he began, his voice soft but firm. "Where is my father?"

Kamala froze. She had always known this day would come, but she wasn't prepared. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she knelt down to meet his gaze. "I... I don't know," she said carefully, though the words felt heavy on her tongue. "He left before I could tell him about you."

Kaidan frowned, his small brows furrowing. "Do you miss him?"

Kamala's eyes softened as she nodded. "Yes, I do. I've prayed that he would come back, but... he hasn't. Not yet."

Kaidan looked down, considering her words. After a moment, he asked, "Do I look like him?"

Kamala smiled, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "You look so much like him, Kaidan. His eyes, his hair... you carry him in everything you are."

Kaidan's frown deepened, but he said nothing more. He turned to look out the window, watching as the sky darkened, the first stars appearing. A sense of longing filled his small frame, something deeper than a child's curiosity.

Kamala watched him for a moment longer, her heart aching. She had no answers for him, no comfort beyond her love. But deep down, she feared the day when Kaidan would learn the truth-that his father wasn't just a man, but something far more dangerous.

And that someday, Lucifer would come for his child.