Samael blinked at him. “When did you get here?”
Ryuu froze, cocking his head to the side. “You just swatted me across the room, big guy,” he said with a puzzled frown, pointing his blade at the broken headboard. “I have been here the whole time,” he said warily.
Samael cocked his head, glancing over at the bed. He harrumphed at the headboard. “Huh. I didn’t even realize I’d done anything.” He turned back to the ninja, eyeing him up and down. “That headboard was oak.”
Ryuu’s lip curled up on one side, and he lowered his sword. “I noticed. Very sturdy.”
Samael smirked faintly. “Well, don’t stand there whining about it. And put on a goddamned bell or something. Creeping around all the time,” he muttered. Ryuu chuckled darkly as Samael turned back to me. “Now, what is the plan? That son of a bitch is going to pay. I love Lilith, and no one fucks with the people I love. So, I’m going with you, no matter what you say. Yes, it’s irrational. No, I don’t care. Let’s proceed from there.”
Ryuu murmured his agreement, dipping his chin at Samael as he sheathed his black katana—another weapon capable of killing an Arch, as Lilith had called them. I nodded, rubbing my hands together. “Have a seat, godfather.” Samael joined Lilith on the couch, clasping her hand in his. Ryuu returned to his position by the door, even though he’d failed as a security guard for not finding Samael. I was totally going to give him shit for that—for as long as possible. “First, do either of you know how to get to the Neverwas?” Samael had taken me there when we’d first come to Castle Dracula, but that had been with a huge spell that involved a year’s worth of preparation.
They both nodded, and Lily cleared her throat. “I already tried finding them,” she whispered. “Yesterday, when we bumped into each other in the hall.”
I frowned, suddenly remembering the strange encounter. “You had soot on your cheeks!”
She nodded. “I couldn’t find them, though. The place is too vast, and I felt my soul slipping away the moment I entered. Not even counting the fact that the tide of inhabitants caught my scent almost instantly. Without knowing where the Divines are, no one could survive long enough to find them. An archangel or archdemon would last longer, but not long enough. And even they would fall under the weight of hungry souls.”
Samael shifted in his seat, frowning. “I once heard that an archangel and an archdemon, working together, could survive for longer. But good luck forming that partnership.”
I grunted. “Never going to happen,” I agreed. “But my mother thought I stood a chance, and it has something to do with my Spear.” I smiled at them. “Not sure if you knew this, but my mother was one clever bitch. She got us this far,” I said, holding out my hands. “It’s time for us to see it through.”
Lilith smiled, resting her cheek on Samael’s shoulder. My godfather smiled, dipping his chin. “Okay, Callie,” he said, setting his palm on Lilith’s thigh. “But I still want Wrath to pay.”
I nodded. “I will see to it personally. But I could use your help on something if you have some free time.”
His lip curled up into a darker smile and he nodded. “So let it be written. So let it be done.”
34
Samael and I stared at the mansion in silence. It had definitely seen better days. I’d tasked Ryuu with giving Xuanwu and Qinglong the good news and setting up a broad watch on Kansas City. I needed to know what Wrath was up to, and the possible locations of the other Sins. His ninjas would be invaluable. He hadn’t argued with me about my decision to confront another archdemon, which I had found incredibly refreshing. He’d simply made me promise to get the hell out if things went sideways, since I quite literally could not win a fight against one of the Seven. I had no intention of dying, so I had also agreed without argument. This whole trust and truth development had been easier than I had thought.
Lilith and Sanguina would watch over Castle Dracula in my absence.
I’d agreed to take Samael as an olive branch to the archdemon. A mutual acquaintance to unruffle any feathers, figuratively and literally speaking. Also, Samael was liable to go pick a pointless fight against Wrath if I left him unsupervised.
“Is he inside?” Samael asked, looking doubtful.
I scanned the estate, averting my gaze away from the edge of the cliff where I had hung suspended on a cross so long ago. Good times. I didn’t see an army of demons lurking about, waiting to ambush us, so I started walking towards the front door. “Let’s go find out.”
Rather than knocking, we opened the door and walked inside. I kept my hand on my katana. Even though it would be as helpful as a butter knife against an archdemon, it worked swell on lesser demons. Samael wasn’t strong enough to kill one of the Sins, but he was strong enough to shield me from instant death.
The place was furnished with the most beautiful and bizarre collection of sculptures, paintings, furniture, and knickknacks I’d ever seen, making me feel like I’d walked onto a movie set for a scene with a billionaire treasure hunter. Actually, it reminded me a lot of the Croft Manor in those Tomb Raider games. I was so transfixed by the casual display of extreme wealth that I failed to notice we weren’t alone. A man was standing before a tall, gilded mirror. He worse silk pajama pants and nothing else. He had long blonde hair and he was flexing, admiring his oiled muscles.
Which, to be fair, were definitely worth admiring.
He had a chain that matched Wrath’s, complete with two black feathers hanging down his chest. So, it was some kind of symbolic token. Arch-class demon, most likely.
I sensed no power from him, much like Wrath, but Samael’s body language was tense and respectful. Wary. Maybe this guy was just as bipolar as his brother. He saw us in the reflection, made a vague sound of acknowledgment, and fixed a few loose strands of his hair. Then he smiled, checking his teeth, before turning around to graciously share that smile with us.
“Feast your eyes,” he said, holding out his hands and planting his legs wide so we received the full scope of his awesomeness and a clear outline of his package. I was pretty sure I knew which of the Seven Sins this was—Pride.
I felt a sharp flash of power from the rings tucked into my weapons belt. They reacted exactly the same way they had when I’d spoken with Michael. It was just as brief, and just as startling, but I managed to keep my face composed. Whatever it meant, I didn’t have time to worry about it now.
Because I felt like the floor had suddenly dropped out from under me. I knew him. “Whips and chocolate,” I whispered under my breath, quoting something he had said. Because Pride was the blue-eyed hipster I’d seen at the ice cream parlor before I’d bumped into Legion. The one with the harem of college girls clawing all over him.
Pride’s lips curled up into a grin. “I truly am unforgettable,” he said sagely. “Looks like I didn’t miss my shot, after all,” he said, alluding to his pick-up attempt on me from that night.
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. Was this a good development or a terrible one?
I leaned towards Samael, speaking out the side of my mouth. “I thought you said he was better looking?”
The archdemon narrowed his blue eyes. “Ha. Ha.”
“Why were you following me?” I asked.
“If you recall, I was there before you,” he said dryly. “I don’t do following—professionally or personally.” He tapped the feathers on his necklace, “As proven by my job title.” Then he shifted his fingers to his oiled chest in a little drumming gesture. “And these spectacular pectoral muscles.”
I grunted. He hadn’t followed orders well in Heaven, so he had fallen, and women chased him, not the other way around. “Okay. Then why didn’t you introduce yourself to me, properly?”
“Properly…” he mused, scratching at his stubbled chin. “Because a proper introduction would have taken hours and hours of sexual intercourse, and I couldn’t afford to have you fall in love with me. That, and I already had my hands full, if you recall,” he said in a low, smoky tone.
“One of them was named…” he squinted thoughtfully, “it was something funny. Give me a moment. Ah! Chastity!” he hooted, grinning.
I burst out laughing at his unashamed narcissism, unable to help myself. “Wow. Okay.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “I used the fallen from Heaven pick up line. You had your chance to get the hint. And Legion was lurking about. I didn’t want him nosing into my business, reporting to his boss.” He shifted his scowl to my godfather. “What do you want, Samael?”
“Blood and vengeance, Lord Pride,” Samael growled. “I want to eat Wrath’s heart.”
Pride arched an eyebrow, his anger slowly morphing into a dazzling smile that made the sparkling chandelier above look drab and dull. “Oh. How delightful! May I ask why?”
Samael took a calming breath. “For mistreating Lilith. My fiancée.”
Pride rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Finally, Samael. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment?” he asked, gesturing for us to join him on a pair of leather Chesterfield couches facing each other with a glass table between. He sat down on one and we took the other. He stared at Samael with almost hungry fervor. “Catch me up on your problem.”
I held out a hand, forestalling Samael. “Wait. What if he’s lying?”
Pride chuckled. “For the record, I haven’t actually made any claims yet. Samael knows me about as well as anyone,” he said, gesturing at Samael to vouch for him.
Samael nodded firmly. “Out of all the demons, I would trust Pride the most. And if there’s one thing I know for sure, he hates Wrath more than most angels, and that’s saying something.”
Pride nodded, his eyes flickering with fire. “That is putting it mildly,” he said in a low growl.
“Why?” I asked, still suspicious. Even though he might hate Wrath, that didn’t necessarily put us on the same side.
“He thinks he’s better than everyone else, and that is categorically false.” He pointed a thumb at his chest. “Hello? Pride. I am the fairest of them all.”
I nodded, still not sold. Delusions of grandeur and personal vendettas weren’t anything particularly useful to me. I needed something real—something I could use.
Pride leaned forward, studying my face curiously. “I can see that you are not convinced, but remember that you came to me, not the other way around. Why are you here? Because if this is about Wrath wanting to marry you over that ridiculous prophecy, I think it’s a terrible idea and I wish you the worst of luck.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Gee. Thank you. I have no desire to marry that piece of trash, but you begin to see my concerns. And for what it’s worth, he basically asked me to kill you.” He shrugged, not seeming particularly concerned. “Why do you call the prophecy ridiculous?”
He snorted. “All prophecies are ridiculous. And it wasn’t about me, so I don’t very much care. Let him have his fantasies if it makes him feel important enough to leave me alone.”
“That fantasy is me,” I reminded him, “so I do very much care.”
He frowned. “Fair point,” he admitted. “So, hating him and wanting to stop him are great starting points for a lasting friendship. But without an archangel on board, he isn’t dying any time soon.”
Samael glanced at me with a questioning look. I nodded, giving him the go ahead. He turned back to Pride. “We have found the location of the last two Divines.”
Pride stiffened. Then he leapt to his feet excitedly. “They are alive! I knew Wrath hadn’t found them, no matter what bullshit claims he made! Ha, asshole!” he crowed, flipping off the chandelier. “Eat a demon dick!” Samael opened his mouth to say something, but Pride adamantly lifted a palm in the universal sign for stop. “Hold on. I need a moment to savor this,” Pride said, closing his eyes with a malevolent grin, and then he took several deep breaths in and out through his nose. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at Samael. “Okay. Where are they? We can go get them right now. Before that knuckle-dragging cock-gobbler even knows what is happening!”
I let out a startled laugh at his adept use of curse words, committing them to memory.
Samael held up a hand, dampening his enthusiasm. “It’s more complicated than that.”
Pride’s excitement waned and he frowned at Samael. “Why?” he asked, his suspicion shifting to me. “Does this have something to do with you?”
I shook my head. “Absolutely not!” I snapped, indignantly.
Samael swallowed audibly, knowing that he couldn’t take his next statement back once it was uttered. So, this was the ultimate act to prove how much he trusted Pride. “Much like I formed a trinity with the Black Tortoise and the Azure Dragon, Lilith formed one with the Vermillion Bird and the White Tiger.”
Pride abruptly sat down on the couch like a puppet with his strings snipped. “Shit,” he whispered, staring at the table with a blank expression. I studied the two of them, eagerly wanting to know what this trinity nonsense was. But Samael had made me swear not to talk about it until we recovered the last two Divines. Something about putting the demon before the horns—which I translated to putting the cart before the horse.
But whatever this trinity issue was about, it had definitely shaken Pride.
I had my own reservations. “I don’t get any of this. The Divines have nothing to do with Christianity.”
Pride slowly turned to look at me, eyeing me up and down with his warm blue eyes as if looking for something. “But they have something to do with you. The girl who is powerful enough to hold the Spear of Destiny in her soul. The woman whose heart is a literal forge to fuse it back together,” he said.
I blushed under his intense scrutiny. “That was an accident.”
He snorted. “Much like all of creation,” he mused sagely. “I imagine my Father probably said something similar, but it was taken out in the editing stages.” He chuckled before continuing on in a dramatic voice. “And on the Eighth Day, the Lord said I have an alibi! But he did not.”
I winced, but I couldn’t help laughing. “Fine. Point taken,” I admitted. “But why did Wrath want the Divines killed?” I asked. I already knew the answer, but I wanted to see if Wrath’s most hated enemy had any additional details. Archdemons were likely privy to classified information.
Pride grunted. “Gabriel was making a play for them. Wrath didn’t want Heaven getting their hands on them, of course, since—” He cut off abruptly, glaring at me suspiciously.
“Yeah. I know. They can help counter arch-class power, putting everyone on equal footing.”
He gave me a slow, hesitant nod. “Wrath didn’t want Heaven getting the Divines. None of us did. Likewise, Heaven didn’t want us getting our hands on them. Same shit, different day,” he said with a bored shrug. I nodded thoughtfully. He turned to Samael. “So, where are they, anyway?”
“Lilith hid them in the Neverwas,” Samael said, not meeting Pride’s eyes.
The archdemon blinked a few times, and then he cursed. “Well, that’s just fucking great. What was that, one hundred years ago? I’m sure they’re fine—probably not that psychotic yet. Nothing a few Xanax couldn’t resolve. We can just make a picnic out of it. Bring a megaphone with us and shout loud enough for everyone to hear us, hoping that the residents don’t eat us alive before we find them. Excellent plan,” he said dryly. “Thank you so much for getting my hopes up.”
I climbed to my feet, dusting off my hands with a can-do attitude. “Perfect,” I said, pretending not to pick up on Pride’s obvious sarcasm. “Samael told me you had the biggest set of balls in Hell, and that if anyone were brave enough to help us, it would be you. I have to admit that I had my doubts,” I said, purposely not meeting his eyes. Instead, I scanned the paintings on the wall, spinning in a slow circle and nodding appreciatively until my back was facing him. “You have great taste, by the way.”
Psychology had worked on Wrath, so I was hoping it would do the same with his brother. I was also thinking about the rings, and how they had responded to both Pride a
nd Michael. What did that mean?
There was a tense, confused pause. “Thank you,” Pride finally said, seeming to draw it out into four syllables. I allowed myself a brief smile of victory, careful to keep it hidden from Pride.
Then I let it go and turned back towards the archdemon. “So, Mr. Big Nuts, you in? I can’t do it alone.” Samael had told me that Arch-level demons could last longer in the Neverwas. I had zero chance of getting Michael to join my gang, but Pride’s assistance would help buy me the time I desperately needed, so it was better than nothing.
Pride grinned wolfishly. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Miss Penrose,” he said, seeming to read through my tactic—or at least wanting me to think he had.
“So, you’re not just a pretty face,” I said with a disappointed sigh. “Pity.”
He laughed, glancing at Samael with a nod of approval. “Godfather, eh?”
Samael studied me up and down. “I’ve aged a million years in our brief acquaintance,” he grumbled. “No. More,” he added with a smile.
I rolled my eyes and Pride chuckled. “If it means taking down Wrath, then hell yes, I’m in. But the logistics will require a bit of brainpower.”
I sat back down and propped my elbows on my knees. “Why?”
“Us getting into Purgatory is fairly simple. Us finding them before my power fails or we’re eaten alive by the inhabitants is practically impossible. But getting them out…” he trailed off, pursing his lips, “we would need a miracle. Literally.”
35
So that was the issue. The White Tiger and Vermillion Bird were somehow anchored to the place. “Then why did Lilith take them there?” I asked, frowning. “There has to be a way to get them out. Something no one has thought of.”
Pride shrugged, shooting Samael an apologetic glance. “No offense, Samael, but maybe Lilith just fucked up and made a bad call,” he said gently. Samael’s lips thinned, but he didn’t argue Pride’s point. The archdemon turned to me with a sigh. “Those in Purgatory are supposed to be stuck in stasis for eternity. They didn’t qualify to go to Heaven or Hell because they lived such an apathetic life in the first place. Second chances aren’t given to those who lazily squandered their first chance. Once you set foot in the Neverwas, you become part of the environment. And if you stay too long, they give you a set of keys, because you are now part of the eternal food chain.”
Anghellic: Feathers and Fire Book 8 Page 20