The Devil's Snare

by Sarah O'Rourke

  The Devil’s Snare

  By Sarah O’Rourke

  Copyright 2012 by Sarah O’Rourke

  All Rights Reserved

  For our husbands…the two devils that have showed us heaven in our marriages!

  T&T

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter One

  Evil came in many forms. And he should know. He'd invented most of them. A few he’d stolen from his demons, but they were still his by proxy. Possession was nine tenths the law and all that.

  And he hated to boast - oh, who was he fooling? - he adored boasting – but, he really was quite good at being deliciously bad.

  Shrugging his shoulders beneath his worn leather jacket, the dark-headed man strode confidently down the sidewalk. His destination was clearly marked by a neon sign that flashed brightly in the evening light.

  He grinned as he watched people walk into the door beside the sign. Like moths to a flame, he thought with a chuckle.

  Budweiser. Now that was one of his best inventions. Easy to make, easy to sell…and easy to grease the skids on the slippery slope that led to a lifetime of debauchery. And those damned Clydesdales were just the icing on the cake.

  His self-congratulations were interrupted a second later as he caught sight of a familiar well-dressed man standing next to the door. Arching one coal-black brow, he asked snidely, "Did you fall off a cloud again? They're gonna strip you of your wings if you keep doing shit like that, you know."

  "Nice to see you, too, Lucifer," the blonde-headed man said formally, inclining his head slightly as he adjusted his tie, trying to hide the wince at the curse word. "Dare I ask why you are in this particular spot on this particular night? You know that we've reserved this time period. It was on the celestial calendar."

  "Yeah, thanks for the heads up. That calendar thingie's a goldmine of info," Lucifer replied breezily, reaching up to scratch his stubbled cheek. "Relax, Gabriel." The devil smiled impishly, his perfectly white teeth gleaming. "It's Thursday. My night to window shop," he lied easily, his arms sweeping out to encompass the bar as he preceded the Archangel inside the smoky establishment. "Besides, last time I checked, I no longer answer to your boss anymore.” He smirked over his shoulder. "I don't have a curfew these days, big brother. In fact, I’m a late night lover. That’s when all the best stuff happens."

  Pressing his lips together as he skirted an obviously drunken woman, Gabriel straightened his Hugo Boss tie once again before following Lucifer toward the back of the bar. "Leave, Lucifer," Gabriel ordered sternly. "The One doesn't wish for there to be any trouble this evening. You do not figure into the plan today."

  "Hmmm." Satan smiled wickedly, propping his chiseled chin on his hand as he stared up at his one-time best friend. "Let me think about that," he drawled, pretending to ponder the thought. "No.” He grinned sneakily. "I don't think I will."

  Glancing around at the humans surrounding them, Gabriel asked shortly, "Don't you think there's a better place for you and me to discuss this?"

  "Well, I'd invite you down to Hell, but I'm redecorating," the Devil replied snidely. "And as I recall, I'm cordially disinvited from the Kingdom. I believe it was even engraved in stone. Don't worry, Old Friend, the cattle," he noted with a disparaging look around, "have no interest in our conversation."

  Sighing heavily, Gabriel unbuttoned his suit jacket before sliding into the booth across from Lucifer. "They aren't cattle, Lucifer," Gabriel stated patiently, well accustomed to the Fallen One's less than stellar views on humanity. "They're people."

  "Whatever." Satan sneered. "You see people, I see fodder for my demon minions. Tomato...To-mah-toe.” He shrugged his wide shoulders, unaffected by Gabriel's opinion. "So," he grunted, stretching his Levi-clad legs out beneath the table, "how is it that such an esteemed Archangel...one that has spent a millennia perched at the right hand of God...pulled protection duties on a lowly mortal?" Narrowing his eyes on the other celestial being, he asked chidingly, "I mean, that is why you’re here. I can’t see you just dropping in for a brewsky. You didn't get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, did you?"

  Pursing his lips, Gabriel merely stared at the Devil. "The One has interests here," he said simply, folding his hands in front of him on the scarred table.

  "Here?" Satan smirked, waving a hand around. "In my playground?" he asked, his obsidian eyes lingering on a dark haired man nursing a half full glass of scotch. Rifling through the mortal's, thoughts, his grin grew wider. That was number four on the alcohol hit parade, which meant that temptation wouldn't be difficult now.

  "Earth is not your playground, Lucifer," Gabriel corrected stiffly. "The souls here have a choice. You or The One. Free will, remember?" Resisting the urge to shake his sandy haired head, he knew the only thing that had changed during this argument was the century. Sad, really. There was a time when Lucifer had been filled with boundless potential. It was a morality tale that ended badly. Ever so badly.

  "Who could forget." Lucifer rolled his eyes. Shaking his head in disgust, his coal black eyes met the clear blue of Gabriel's. "After eons, I still don't understand how you can watch Him coddle these creatures. He gave them everything. Free will...the pleasures of the flesh...everything He never offered you. And yet, you do His bidding blindly."

  "He is The One True God," Gabriel replied, as he had ever so many times in the past. "He knows best."

  "Spoken like a true Daddy's boy," Lucifer sneered, motioning for a waitress, ready to imbibe a bit of the venom that was flowing so freely.

  "I haven't come here to fight, Lucifer," Gabriel said quietly, piously folding his hands in front of him and praying for heavenly guidance…or, intervention. He really wasn’t picky. Either would be welcome.

  "Why are you here, Gabriel? Did the Big Guy send you here to check up on me?" the Devil asked in a singsong voice as he leaned back in the booth, spreading his arms over the top of the vinyl bench.

  "He sent me because he knows what you're planning. He always knows, Lucifer," Gabriel said softly, leaning forward slightly. "And He still loves you in spite of it."

  "Do not speak to me of love, Angel. I still have skid marks on my ass from His version of love," Satan growled, his eyes briefly flashing red. "I was cast down. E-victed," he said, enunciating the word as his hands balled into fists. "Without even being asked what I'd done. And they say that I'm the being that perverted the emotions," Satan complained petulantly.

  "He is The One. He already knew what you'd done...what you were planning. Even in this realm, I know of no government that particularly enjoys a staged coup. You were guilty of a treasonous heart, Lucifer."

  "But he never asked why!" Satan thundered, his arms suddenly rising and falling, a flash of light flying above the small booth, too fast for the human eyes to see.

  "Keep your voice down and cease with the theatrics," Gabriel hissed, pressing his lips tightly together as he looked around. Seeing that they'd drawn no stares, he continued, "Rehashing the past isn't going to change this evening. I know why you're here, my old friend. The One has plans for the soul you lust after," he informed Satan sternly. "And you can't have him. The soul in question is ours."

  Chapter Two

  "What soul wou
ld that be, Gabriel?" the Devil asked innocently, lowering his sooty lashes to half mast as he looked across the table and flicked his hooded gaze over the angel.

  "For one known as The Great Deceiver, your lies are growing rather transparent, Lucifer," Gabriel chuckled, leaning back in the booth, his shoulders still as ramrod straight as before. "Perhaps you've been at this game a bit too long, eh?" He smiled thinly, his handsome face amused as he watched the form Satan had assumed stiffen in his seat.

  "You can throw stones if you choose," Satan warned congenially, the smile he wore never quite reaching his darker-than-night eyes, "Just be aware that I lob boulders."

  "Touchy, touchy," Gabriel sighed, feigning concern as he shook his head. "You used to have a better sense of humor."

  "A lot has changed in nearly a hundred fifty years. I do believe the last time we saw each other was on the fields of Gettysburg," Lucifer reminisced, his eyes cutting to the side as he noticed movement at the bar.

  "A bloody business, that was." Gabriel grimaced, remembering the cries of pain and anguish emanating from those fallen soldiers.

  "My favorite kind," Satan drawled lasciviously, tapping one long finger against the table. "The bloodier, the better, I always say."

  "You would," Gabriel muttered, rolling his shoulders again. The human form he chose to take when on the earthly plane always felt so blessedly confining. He'd never admit it to the evil being across from him, but he was more than ready to return to Heaven's gates. And once he'd gained Lucifer's agreement to back off, he'd be on his merry way to that celestial city. And hopefully, business would continue as usual. Less, the interference of the scamp sitting across from him, of course.

  "...the only thing that beat Gettysburg was Nagasaki. Now, that was a party," Satan said with a low laugh, continuing onward with his devilish thoughts.

  "Enough, Luce," Gabriel growled sharply, the memory of those darkened days sickening him. So much death...the children...the innocents. It still horrified him...that cruelty man could inflict on each other.

  "...but then, I remember the concentration camps and..."

  "Stop. It," Gabriel hissed authoritatively, his voice rolling like thunder for a bare second. "Unlike you, the recollections of those dark days bring me no pleasure. Quite the opposite, in fact. Or have you forgotten that the Chosen feel the pain of mankind tenfold?"

  "Another of The One's gifts that keep on giving," Satan snarled, his handsome face contorting in rage. "You know, I have room for you, Gabriel," the Devil offered silkily, his attitude shifting as easily as the whims of the mortals surrounding him. "You could stand at my right hand as easily as His."

  "Do not even suggest such a thing to me," Gabriel spat, his cerulean eyes flashing as he glared across the table. "What you offer is an abomination. I serve my Lord the savior, and none other."

  "Hold your party line then.” The Devil shrugged indifferently, sprawling widely in his booth. "The offer will always remain open." Yawning dramatically, Satan arched an inky brow. "Although, I must warn you, I'm growing bored with our conversation. There are souls here just waiting to be reaped for the right price," he stated, his dark eyes once again lingering on the hunched man at the bar.

  "Forget about him, Lucifer. He is spoken for," Gabriel warned again. "He isn't yours to take in as much as it hasn't been for your lack of trying."

  "Don't know what you're referring to.” Satan smiled coldly, enunciating each word clearly.

  Shaking his head sadly, Gabriel cocked his head. "You can't lie to me, either. The truth shines in your eyes. You want his soul," he said, turning to look at the mortal in question over his shoulder. "And he is spoken for. He's in the Light, Lucifer."

  "Ah, so you're referring to my current query, are you?" Lucifer grinned wickedly, wriggling his bushy brows almost comically.

  Gabriel was well aware that every century or so, his former brother chose a challenge...a man so pure of heart it would appear that they could not be swayed from the righteous path...and then, Evil Incarnate tempted and tried the poor creature to near madness in an effort to gain his soul for that obscene collection of his.

  "You can't win him," Gabriel sighed. "Walk away, Lucifer."

  Meeting the Angel's eyes, Satan lifted his well defined chin in defiance. "I don't take orders from a winged monkey. I want him, and I’ll have him."

  "You've already tried to get him," Gabriel reasoned, although he realized the fallacy of such a tact. He had tried it in the past to no avail. "You failed. Get over it."

  "It ain't over til it's over," Lucifer replied easily, shrugging as he reclined against the bench again, his keen eyes assessing Gabriel's face. "Until the heart stops beating, the game is afoot."

  "At fifteen you began tempting him, you aggravating fiend," Gabriel hissed with an impatient sigh. "First with the mob...then you tried him with those three furies of ex-wives..."

  The Devil laughed, his eyes gleaming with mirth. "Now, you have to admit, number two was just fun to watch,"

  "She tried to kill him, Lucifer. And nearly succeeded," Gabriel bit out, his eyes flickering as he caught a glimpse of movement in his peripheral vision.

  "And but for what I assume was your intervention that day, I would have had them both that day, too.” Satan sniffed petulantly, his tone not unlike a toddler who has had his favorite toy removed from sight.

  "As I've told you, the One has plans for him," Gabriel retorted impatiently, growing tired of this game of cat and mouse. “Active plans.”

  "And are you privy to these scintillating plans?" Lucifer questioned, raising a brow.

  "Even if I was, I wouldn't tell you," Gabriel returned evenly, arching one blonde brow. "Unless or until you rejoin our ranks..."

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah," the Devil snorted, waving a negligent hand, the story one he had heard many times before, "I'm persona non grata in the Holy Land. I'm over it, Gabe. Why would I want to return to that mundane existence when I'm now the Prince of Darkness? I rule my own kingdom now. Look at it this way. At least I provide a balance."

  "Is that what you call it? I call it a petulant former angel wreaking havoc like an indignant child for eons," Gabriel snapped, straightening his suit tie again. "If celestial beings could be diagnosed with ADD, I feel certain we might have found a cure for your arrogance and pride."

  Leaning forward, the Devil met the Archangel's gaze squarely, determined to have his way. "I will not be swayed. I've worked too hard to win this round. Besides, did you see what I saw today?" he asked wickedly. "It didn't appear to me that your golden boy walked in the light today. Quite the opposite, Gabriel. Today, my future progeny embraced the dark. And I've never been prouder," he announced fondly, touching a hand to his heart and pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.

  Dropping his act, Satan met Gabriel's eyes again. "Don't be a sore loser, Gabriel. Today you and your God lost."

  Opening his mouth to reply, Gabriel's comment was interrupted as a bubbly, feminine voice called enthusiastically, "Handsome! It's been too long!"

  "Friend of yours?" Gabriel murmured, watching the happy approaching waitress who appeared to be smiling widely at the ruler of the underworld.

  Reaching the table, the curvy redhead bent to kiss Satan's sculpted face. "I thought you'd gone and forgotten about me, you horny little devil!" she purred as the Devil curved an arm around her trim waist.

  Cocking his head, Gabriel's eyes were mirthful as he noted, sarcastically, "Good to hear that she knows the real you."

  Chapter Three

  "Jealous much?" the Devil said smugly, making a point to slide his large palm around to cup their server's bare midriff.

  "I missed you!" the waitress chastised with a giggle, her southern drawl heavy in the thick air around them. "I was beginning to think I needed to send out a search party after our last little get together," she admonished, lightly slapping his arm even as she settled closer.

  "Oh, now, come, my pet," Satan soothed, his deep voice smooth and rich as he turned his
dark eyes toward the woman, grinning when he watched Gabriel frown out of the corner of his eye over his use of what seemed to her an endearment. Little did the silly girl know that a "pet" was absolutely all she was to him. She was but a mere amusement...something for him to toil away a few hours playing with...in the scheme of things, she mattered less than the expensive leather boots he wore on his feet. "You know I never leave you alone for long."

  "We gonna party tonight, Handsome?" she asked hopefully, smoothing a hand over his whiskered cheek.

  Relishing the disapproval he saw reflected in the blue pool of Gabriel's eyes, Satan's eyes twinkled as he turned back toward his pretty little captive. "Oh, you know it, my sweet. I love a good party."

  "You always did," Gabriel muttered through barely moving lips, wondering if it was possible to douse that evil trickster with a healthy dose of bleach. Oh, but if only that would actually clean up the mess that was appearing before his very eyes.

  "Well, hi there!" the redhead greeted the angel as she turned in his direction, blinking at the sheer beauty of the man's face. Where her regular customer and sometime lover was ruggedly, dangerously good-looking, this man was the complete opposite. Elegant, sitting there in his formal suit, he appeared almost majestic in stature. And his eyes...a girl could get lost for days in those eyes. Although there was something about him that reminded her of the man whose lap she'd been pulled into. Something familiar that she couldn't quite put her finger on. "I'm Kimmy," she said, extending her hand.

  Smiling graciously, Gabriel took her soft hand in his, gently squeezing her palm. "Gabriel," he said by way of introduction.

  Looking between the two men, she smiled again. "So, y’all related? You sure do remind me of each other."

  "We're brothers," the Devil said pleasantly, his eyes daring Gabriel to deny it.

  "Of a sort," Gabriel added quickly, growing more perturbed at his old friend by the moment. There was business to discuss after all. Leave it to Lucifer, however, to become easily distracted by the supple flesh of a comely face. Nothing had changed in an eon. It had been his downfall with the beautiful Eve, too. He'd been so busy trying to impress her with his knowledge of all things, the errant angel had ended up tempting her into eating the single thing The One had forbidden. To this day, Gabriel wasn't absolutely positive that Lucifer had intentionally betrayed their God.