Sloth

by L-J Baker

  Harley's mouth dropped open. "So unless she's an awful person, bad enough to be sent to Hell, she goes to Heaven, and you can't see her anymore?"

  "Yes."

  "That's just cruel."

  It was. Worse than banishing him from Heaven to begin with. Luc figured that when he found his soul mate, their relationship would transcend the boundaries of human life. She would be able to stay with him in some form, or join him in Hell as his queen. Instead, he would lose her, unless she rightfully belonged there. And knowing his father, even if she sinned badly enough to get there, it would have to be naturally, not done just to stay with him.

  "I'm also not allowed to tell her. If I do, he will intervene, and we both know when dad intervenes, nothing good comes out of it."

  "I'm so sorry, Lucifer. You should have just left me with Michael."

  She meant it, too. That was the hardest part. Luc never would have chosen his own happiness over Harley's life. He loved her, now. He couldn't risk her life for some possibility of a soul mate that may or may not happen, in the future. Even if he had found her, he wouldn't have chosen her over Harley. She wouldn't understand that. There were some things a demon just couldn't grasp, but Luc knew how much she meant to him.

  And it was much more than finding his own happiness.

  "I would never do that." Luc grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. "You're my family, Harley Saxon. I love your annoying ass."

  She pulled away. "Just as long as you keep your hands off my ass, pervert."

  "Are you two involved?" Uriel asked with her lip curled. "I thought she was into women?"

  "Not all women." Harley looked over Uriel and scowled, then went to help another bartender. It was no secret that the two didn't like each other.

  "I really don't know what you see in her, Lucifer." Uriel slipped onto the barstool next to Luc and grabbed a cherry from behind the bar. She popped it into her mouth, then yanked off the stem.

  "She's loyal."

  "Oh whatever. I was here when you needed me."

  "Because Father sent you."

  "And I came back, didn't I? I'm here now to help you and that's not because of him."

  Luc still wasn't sure about her motivation, but he was grateful for the assistance, regardless of what drove her to it.

  "You did and I appreciate it, sister. How was your trip home? Did you find any useful information?"

  "Actually, I think I did." She grabbed another cherry and ate it.

  "Are you planning on sharing it?"

  "Michael has been burning bridges back home for some time now. With all my travels, I hadn't noticed what an asshole he'd become. Even father has had enough of his shit."

  "He told you that?"

  "Pretty much." Uriel waved over one of the bartenders and had him make her a drink. It was one of those pink things with more sugar than alcohol. Very Uriel.

  "I also learned that there may be a few angels on his side. No one as powerful as us, but some of the third and fourth generations agree with his crazy ideas."

  "What crazy ideas would those be?"

  To be fair, Lucifer had been banished long ago. He really had no idea what Michael, or anyone else in Heaven, was into. As long as they stayed away from him, he hadn't much cared. Except now, Michael was bringing his shit to Earth, and Luc wasn't about to bend over and take it in the ass.

  "Michael thinks that humans have squandered their gift from Father. He tried to convince him to do another culling, like the flood, or maybe a plague. He even suggested a complete reboot. Father said no. He thinks the humans will either change, or bring about their own demise. He wants to let them see it through."

  "And Michael doesn't agree."

  "No, he doesn't." Uriel sipped her pink drink, licking sugar off her lips.

  "And that's why he wants the Hell Tablet. To use it to end the world as we know it."

  "The demons running amok will either end humankind, or force Father to do something drastic. Either way, Michael gets what he wants."

  "I'm so sick of that self-righteous prick getting his way."

  "I spoke with a few of our siblings. None of them are ready to step in. They prefer to wait it out at home and see what happens. If Father were to ask them to assist, they say they would, but unless that happens, and it won't, they are staying out of it."

  "Even Raphael?"

  "Yes, even Raphael." Uriel sighed. "I was hoping with his tight-assed need for rule following, he would be willing to help, but he declined."

  Luc wasn't that surprised. Raphael didn't like to get his hands dirty.

  Or leave Heaven.

  "So we're on our own." Luc swirled his drink around in the glass. It was nothing new. He'd learned long ago that he couldn't count on his family when he needed it. With the exception of Az, and maybe now with Uriel, they would never have his back.

  ***

  Luc sat alone in his apartment flicking through the channels on his under-used television. He wasn't even sure why he bothered. It never much interested him anyway. He needed a distraction, something to keep him from thinking about Michael and his plan to destroy the world that Luc felt he belonged in.

  It was just like his brother to try to take away what Luc loved most. Maybe it was best that he hadn't found his soul mate yet. Knowing Michael, he would do his best to take her away as well.

  Luc got up and paced the room. He should be spending time with the girl of the month, getting to know her better, or having loads of amazing sex. But this month was different. He'd already gotten to know Talia well and there would be no amazing sex. There would be no sex at all.

  After wandering to the kitchen and nibbling on a few grapes, he made his way to the mirror. He would just look at his own reflection, he told himself. After all, he was one handsome devil. He should have known it wouldn't end there. Without giving it much thought, he flicked his wrist and brought up Talia.

  She was sitting on her bed, engrossed in a game, giving some snarky remark to some idiot watching her. She was in her element, running on instinct and skill, and she was damn good. Luc was almost disappointed that she wasn't the one.

  Being around her was easy, when she let her guard down. She was fun, and despite her lousy taste in movies, he liked spending time with her. But Talia had her own path to travel and Luc couldn't be a part in it other than as an outsider, a friend. Oddly, he was okay with that role. If there was one thing he'd learned recently, it was that a good friend was everything.

  He flicked his wrist again and dark fog covered the mirror. Slowly it faded to Valerie. She was sitting in a circle of people sketching out someone who sat in the middle. It was a guy, one that was smiling at her in a way that made it obvious that he was interested in her. A pang of jealousy washed over Luc as he saw her return the smile.

  She was with her own people, doing what she loved. This was the life she was meant to have and he wanted it for her. She wouldn't be happy at the side of the devil. He'd known that for some time before he would admit that she wasn't the one. This whole finding his true love thing wasn't one-sided. It had to be right for the woman, too.

  Luc flicked his wrist once again and the mirror showed him Amanda. She was the one girl he felt he hadn't gotten enough time with. He'd tried, but she wasn't ready to let him in. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, with a textbook in her hands. There were several new plants around her that hadn't been there the last time he'd looked in on her. One of them he'd sent her as a back to school gift.

  He still saw Amanda on the rare occasion, since she still delivered alcohol to his club. He'd wanted to check in on her so many times. In a way, he did. He asked Toby about her periodically, just to make sure everything was going well for her. It wasn't enough, but it was something.

  If things were simpler, he would pop over and visit her. Harley certainly wouldn't approve, but she would get over it. Even though technically his month with Talia wasn't actually over, he felt they resolved things, and were content in a place of fri
endship. So it wouldn't hurt to see Amanda, just to see how things were going.

  Luc stepped closer and watched her mouth as she chewed on the cap of her pen. She was beautiful, in a tiny, blond, badass, kind of way. She'd bottled her guilt up over what happened to her boyfriend for so long, that it stopped her life in its tracks, and sent it reeling down the wrong path. But she was doing better now. She was living her own life, not her dead boyfriend's. It would be wrong to step in now and interrupt that.

  He sighed and flicked his wrist again. The fog faded away to Ronnie, the first sin and his introduction to the game. Luc had no idea what he was doing back then. She was a mess and he wasn't looking at the long-term goals. They'd had a great time together and he was able to help her out of some trouble. When he left her at the end of the month, he thought that would be it for their relationship.

  Then he'd gone to her again.

  Between greed and sloth, he went to Ronnie. They spent the night without words. In fact, he was sure neither of them said a single one the whole time. They didn't need to. He'd needed her, needed the quiet in his mind, the break from reality, and she gave him everything she could. That was how Ronnie was. She gave all of herself, every beautifully flawed ounce.

  It was late and Ronnie was getting ready for bed. She was brushing her teeth with her eyes closed. It made Luc smile. Ronnie was the first woman Luc ever spent the night with and actually slept. He wanted to flash over there, crawl into her bed next to her, and listen to her breathe until he dozed along with her. As much as he loved the naked fun time with Ronnie, there was more to it than that.

  The door opened behind him and he waved his hand over the mirror to hide what he was doing.

  "What's going on?"

  It was Az, thankfully. Harley would have known he was up to something and not let it go until he told her the truth. Az would pretend like he didn't already know, which was what Luc preferred right now.

  "Nothing, just… you know. Any news?" Luc walked over to the bar area and poured a couple drinks, then handed one to his brother.

  "Oz texted me. He would like to meet tomorrow. He said to bring anyone you aren't sure you can trust, except the mage. He said not to tell her anything."

  "So we can't trust her then." Luc pressed his lips together.

  "That's how it sounded. But hey, maybe Cupid doesn't know?" Az tipped back his drink and put the glass down on the table. "Are you going to bring Uriel?"

  "Do you think I should?"

  "I do." Az headed toward the door. Right before he walked through, he turned back. "I also think you should go see her."

  "Uriel?"

  "No, Ronnie Falcon."

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  "I don't really see why you needed to drag me along to this dirty warehouse, Lucifer." Uriel scrunched her face up and took slow, deliberate steps, as if she was avoiding land mines.

  "Because, sister, the mage wanted to meet with everyone involved." Luc said, leading her toward the middle of the room where several chairs were set up.

  "Why isn't Azrael here then?"

  "He's the one who set this all up. They've already met."

  Cupid followed behind them in silence. Luc took a quick peek inside his mind, not all that concerned with politics or what was right, even though he knew it likely wouldn't work. There was a dark fog covering his thoughts, as if something was put there intentionally to block them. Normally, Luc couldn't get a read on another angel, but then Cupid wasn't exactly an angel either.

  Rather than waiting in the shadows mysteriously, as he did the last time Luc was there, the mage came out to greet them as they neared the center of the room.

  "Please sit." He motioned toward the seats, but remained standing himself.

  Uriel stood defiantly, while Oz stared at her. He folded his arms across his narrow chest and waited her out. Eventually she huffed and took a seat.

  Oz circled the group, stopping at each person for a moment, then moving on to the next. After several passes, he sat across from Luc and rested his hands on his thighs.

  "Your mage is lying about what she's doing." He spoke directly to Luc, ignoring the other two. "The sigils she has up on your club won't keep anyone out. They're actually transmitting information. I can trace the signal to a point, but then it gets away from me. It's not close by."

  "I knew we shouldn't trust that little runt." Uriel turned toward Cupid. "And you brought her to us."

  "That's why he brought her to you."

  Cupid jumped up and took a few steps away. "I had no idea."

  "He's lying," Oz said with no emotion. It wasn't like he had a stake in any of this other than the end result, that he knew of. "He," Oz said, waving a hand flippantly in Cupid's direction. "Is playing both sides."

  Uriel was on him in an instant. She had him by the throat. Cupid was blinking his eyes hard, trying to flash out, but it wasn't working.

  "He can't get out. My sigils actually work," Oz said, leaning forward so that only Luc would hear him.

  "You're sure?"

  "I am. Would you like me to keep him here? We have space to store him for a bit."

  "Store him?" Luc glanced back at Uriel. Cupid's face turned bright scarlet and his eyes bulged. "Don't kill him, sister. Not yet, anyway."

  Uriel grumbled, and loosened her grip, but didn't let go completely.

  "And her?" Luc asked, leaning in and lowering his voice.

  "Trustworthy, though she does harbor guilt. I can't tell what that's about, but it's there."

  "What about the mage and whatever she did to my place?"

  "I can reverse it. You'll just need to deliver her here. I can give you special cuffs to prevent her from using magic, or from escaping. I'd gather her myself, but I have a prior engagement. I'll come by in a day or two to reverse her doings. In the meantime, be careful." Oz stood and snapped his fingers. Several women appeared and took hold of Cupid. Uriel reluctantly gave up her hold on him and allowed him to be cuffed. One of the women handed Luc a box, which he assumed contained the cuffs, then went to help the others.

  "Lucifer, you can't do this. I swear to you, I wasn't on Michael's side." Cupid struggled and refused to walk. The women dragged him along, sliding his feet on the cement floor.

  "You reap what you sow, cousin." Luc shrugged. There would be time to deal with Cupid. For now, he would remain there, under wraps. It would keep Michael from killing him and give Luc the time to decide if he wanted to end him himself.

  "I can help. I know where he is." Cupid slapped one of the girl's hands away and broke free for just a second. "Give me another chance. I can help you."

  "Which is it? You aren't part of all this? Or you can tell me where he is?" Luc slipped one hand into his pocket and waited as Cupid stumbled and the women let him fall before retrieving him from the floor.

  "I was afraid. He forced me." A line of blood streamed down Cupid's face. It was nothing serious, but Luc hoped it stung.

  "I guess we'll figure all that out after." Luc looped his arm in Uriel's and walked toward the exit. He turned back to Oz before they got too far. "I'll see you soon, then?"

  He nodded and followed the women dragging Cupid into the back. Things were turning around already. He'd made the mistake of feeling sorry for Cupid. He won't make that mistake again. Once he dealt with Michael, he would return for Cupid.

  Now he just had to think of a fitting punishment.

  Oh, and make a new demon.

  ***

  Luc waited outside Ronnie's house for a long time. He wanted to go to her, see her one more time, to repeat their last night together, but it felt wrong. He wasn't supposed to be seeing her. He certainly shouldn't be showing up at her house for sex at random. Not that all he wanted from her was sex. Though he had to admit, he was running a little low in that department lately.

  It was late, but the light in her bedroom was still on. He could easily text her, see if she was up for company. She wouldn't turn him down, even if he did show up just for the sex. She
got just as much out of it as he did. There was something about an angry chick that Luc found sexy as hell.

  He could have went to Valerie. Luc doubted she would say no to a night of fun with him. Or he could have hooked up with any girl he chose. It's not like the devil had a hard time finding bed mates. With nothing more than a walk through his club, he could find half a dozen women willing to follow him back to his apartment for one big sex party, with Luc as the main attraction.

  And still, he found himself sitting in the dark like some stalker, outside Ronnie's house.

  His phone buzzed and he jumped. It was Harley. Of course it was Harley. She probably found some way to know right where he was and what he was thinking about. Instead of texting her back, he called, and she picked up on the first ring.

  "Nobody calls anymore, Lucifer," she yelled into the phone, nearly drowned out by the sounds of the club.

  "Well I do. What do you need?" He put the keys back in the ignition and started the car.

  "You better get back here. The mage is flipping out. She wants to know where Cupid is, like immediately."

  Only Harley would yell things like that into a phone in the middle of a crowded club and not think twice. Luc wanted to find it funny, but he wasn't looking forward to dealing with the mage. He'd hoped that he could put it off and let Oz take care of it without him being involved. But things never worked out the easy way.

  "Okay, I'm on my way." Luc took one last look at Ronnie's window just as the light switched off, then sped away.

  By the time he made it back to the club, the night was winding down. Only the stragglers remained. Right away, he noticed the mage. She stood, looking much larger than her five foot height, with Az and Jason on either side of her. They had her contained in the VIP section, but from the looks of her, she was only there because she agreed. Luc doubted they could have stopped her if she wanted to get away from them.

  The plan had been to wait until morning, when her powers were reduced, then slap the cuffs on her, and cart her off to the warehouse with whatever other little mages were running around. But, as so often happens, plans change.