“Every night since you arrived here four months ago. But now is not the time. We will have the rest of our lives for me to do all the things I dream of doing to you. Now rest, Arcadia.”
I did as I was told. Just this one time.
Sam and Tolliver agreed to live together, so I could have Tolliver’s apartment and Clary could have mine. I wanted to nest, and I couldn’t do that in Eli’s smaller apartment. Oz and I spent hours online shopping, and the delivery guy knew me by name now. Tolliver’s apartment had once been decorated with modern lowline furniture made from chrome and glass but was now a mass of amazon and IKEA boxes, and a mountain of onesies. It was like Babies’R’Us threw up all over the place.
We’d turned Tolliver’s second bedroom into a nursery and Orion had painted it like an island paradise, complete with coconut trees, brightly colored tropical birds, the deep blue ocean and golden sand. Ri turned out to be quite the artist. When I’d said so, he’d just given me a lascivious wink.
“I’m good with my hands. When this is all over, I’m going to paint you with my tongue from head to toe, tasting every delicious inch of you.” It was a standard Ri kind of comment that he used to flirt all the time; a blend of teasing promise and smoldering sexuality. I was used to them now, and although I found him incredibly sexy, I’d learned to ignore the pickup lines and look for the subcontext of what he was saying.
But not today.
Something possessed my body, and I had him backed up against the still wet paint, my hands under his shirt and my body pressed tight against his. As tight as it would go with my bump.
It was like I'd turned into some sex crazed monster, but then he was kissing me back, and all thoughts left my brain.
I tore his shirt off, kissing my way down his hard smooth chest, and he did the same, kissing my neck and biting the vein there hard. I moaned and pressed closer to him. His hands ran down to my ass and squeezed, and I could feel the hard length of him beneath his jeans.
He jumped away as if he’d been burned. “We can’t. The cardiologist said no undue physical exertion, and that includes sex. Fuck, does that include sex. Your health, and the babies, are more important. You feel so good though,” he groaned, running his fingers over my cheek and down my jaw, the back of his hand brushing over the hard bud of my nipple. I moaned and Ri took another two steps back.
“Soon, Beautiful Girl. Soon.” He reached forward and rubbed my belly, as if reminding himself why. “Let's just get this little family into the world first.”
It was then that I realized I didn't need to worry about Orion. He would be fine.
He led me to the bedroom, his hand around my back. “How about I give you a foot rub, and you have a rest.”
Actually, a nap sounded good right now. I sat on the bed, and Ri leaned down, pulling off my fluffy slipper socks, and laid me back on the bed.
“Ri, do you ever regret how you lived? Before you died the first time, I mean.”
Ri took one of my feet into his hands, and pressed his thumb into the arch. I moaned with happiness. My eyes felt like lead weights, as if they were just waiting for the comfort of a pillow to relax.
“I made a lot of people happy, if I do say so myself. But yeah, I regret it sometimes. Hell wasn't a party. And I never got to have a family of my own. I would have liked that.”
I opened one eye and gave him a sleepy smile. “You will. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I sat on Oz’s lap, his laptop open on the table in front of us.
“We need a plan. And a spreadsheet. I can’t leave the house, so you guys need to redeem yourselves and help each other. Let’s start with Val. What's the opposite of Gluttony?”
Oz typed it into the search engine. “Uh, temperance.”
I groaned. This one was hard. Given the fact I nearly mauled Ri earlier, apparently temperance, or self-restraint, wasn’t something I had in abundance.
“Let's leave him until last. What about Pride?”
“Humility.”
Clary, who was sitting across from us from us, scoffed. “Send him to Africa. There is no place for ego there.”
Oz screwed up his face. “Eli cant go to Africa. Cady needs him. She comes first, always.”
I leaned back and kissed his cheek.
Somewhere between kissing Oz’s rough cheek and turning back to the computer screen, I had an epiphany. The answer was so simple, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before. Eli didn't need to go to Africa to see tragedy and learn humility. There was plenty of tragedy right here in NYC. There were people he could help, with the aid of Tolliver and Sam's new charitable foundation. We could provide life changing care to the uninsurable. But would it be enough?
I explained my idea to Oz and Clary, and Oz's fingers flew across the keyboard to find already established facilities that Eli could work out of, or maybe we could even build our own if we needed too?
As Oz did what he did best, well maybe not what he did best because he was pretty clever with certain parts of his anatomy, I turned to my best friend. “What about you Clary? Are you going back to Africa after all this is over?”
Clary stared at a spot in the distance, the place where memories play on a nightmarish loop, then she shook her head. “No, I'm not going back to Africa. I'm needed here, with you. Like the lumberjack said, you are the most important thing right now. Maybe I'll join Doc McBuffins in the projects. He’ll need a nurse.”
A selfish part of me was glad Clary wasn't going back. I did need her. And if not me, the babies would need her. She would never say anything, but sometimes I would catch her looking at me with the saddest eyes. She didn't expect me to make it through. The odds were too stacked against me. I literally felt weaker every day. My body wasting away except my big, round belly filled with life. When I was being honest with myself, I didn't expect it either. But I would fight, and so would everyone else.
“That's a great idea. He will need the help, and it's easier than finding work in NYC. The foundation will pay you a wage, of course.”
She'd be fine after I was gone. She'd have a steady job. And if I didn't redeem Eli… I shut down the thought. I would redeem them all. But if the worst happened, I knew the guys would take care of her. Make sure she wanted for nothing, because she had loved me too.
There was a knock at the door, and Clary got up to open it. Valery walked in with a huge casserole dish.
“I just need to put this in your oven, Ma Cherie.”
“I think she has enough in her oven, don't you?” Clary teased.
Valery muttered something unflattering in French, but his mouth tilted up at the corners. He put the dish into the oven and then walked over, kissing me gently on the lips, one hand rubbing my belly like Buddha.
“Beautiful. Now I must get back to the buns in my oven.”
Clary choked out a laugh. I smiled and smacked him on the butt on the way out.
We were having a family dinner, which was just a fancy way of letting them all see me eat. The idea of food turned my stomach, but I didn't care. I was eating for three. Much to everyone's disagreement, I’d even invited Lucifer.
Ace sounded weak. My gut said she needed Luc. And the babies would be fine for a night. She was like a mother hen with her eggs though, so she was pouting about it.
I'm not pouting, she said in a disgruntled voice. She sounded stronger already, and I tried not to grin.
“When's the Devil arriving?”
I hushed her. “Don't call him that. He's Luc. I don't think you get my leeway.”
He'll chew her up and spit out her bones, Ace added
Metaphorically, right?
Ace just laughed.
“Luc should be here after the other guys arrive. At 6 minutes past 6, or at least that's what his RSVP said.”
I stood and waddled toward the table, ensuring once more that everything was perfect. I wanted this one happy memory. I was wearing a beautiful wrap dress that Sam had bought for me, the latest
in maternity fashion. In all honesty, it looked like a tent.
I straightened the silverware once more, adjusted the bouquet of tulips that Tolliver had had delivered this morning, and fussed with the napkins. It was only five.
“It's as perfect now as it was ten minutes ago. For Christ sake, just sit down. Oh crap, can I say for Christ’s sake? I’m going to have to get Mammy to light a candle for me. I’m going to hell,” Clary said as she crossed herself.
“Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as everyone says,” a voice said from behind me, making Clary jump and whirl around. Lucifer stood at the doorway, leaning against the door jamb, a, well devilish, grin on his face.
Always with the dramatic entrances, my love. Ace said, and she sounded happier and stronger already. She may not have wanted… I snapped down on my thoughts immediately.
Luc tilted his head at me. “It's hard to guard your thoughts all night, Arcadia. You should just get it off your chest now.”
“There's nothing on my chest.” I gave Oz a stern look, cutting off the inevitable Oz boob joke. “Come in Luc, sit down. This is Clary.”
“Yes, of the Mulligans of Boston. I’ve met more than one of your kin, despite their strict Catholicism. Usually only the men, though. The women are practically in line for sainthood.” He laughed at his own joke, and looked Clary up and down. “Your heart is way too good. You won’t be heading to my domain unless you intend on taking over the family business? Cracking skulls doesn’t seem like your style.”
Clary’s face went carefully blank. “I’m sure I don’t know what your talking about.”
Luc laughed. “You don’t have Ace boosting your mental shields like Arcadia does. But don’t worry. I don’t care. You aren’t your family, and you always get judged on your own actions. Blood does not matter in the end.”
I just stared. If Luc was insinuating what I thought he was, he was trying to say the Mulligans were part of the Irish mob. I looked from one to the other, and the silence was stifling.
“Luc would you like a beer?” A beer appeared in his hand from nowhere. “Okay then.”
Quit showing off for the mortals. You're early, by the way. Since when do you turn up early to anything?
Since my consort was reborn into a mortal body and I don’t get to spend nearly enough time teasing her delicious body, Luc crooned and I grimaced. Ew.
Come on guys. There’s kids present.
Kids?
Ace groaned. Seriously. It’s like the babies are draining you of your IQ. Yes, Arcadia is having twins.
Oz felt me tense, and his own body tensed in response.
“I wonder where the rest of the guys are? Mini Oz, call All Users and tell them that it is time to get to Arcadia’s apartment for dinner. We will need help with the serving.”
Clever boy.
“You look well for a woman carrying twins, Arcadia.” Luc’s tone was pleasant.
“Thanks, Lucifer. Valery has me on these kale shakes that some Italian doctor swears will cure everything.”
Luc laughed. “If there is a more angelic food then kale, I’m yet to find it. All goodness and purity, not taste.”
I gave him a smile. He was kinda of charming when he wasn't being scary.
That’s your mistake, Arcadia. He is always scary, even more so when he is smiling, Ace said, her tone affectionate, with a little fear.
“I'm not going to lie, I think Azriel is scarier. All that perfection isn't natural. He looks like a store mannequin come to life.” I shuddered with exaggeration. “It's just not natural.”
“I wouldn't say his name too often, Arcadia. He is likely just to appear in the mirror like Candyman. There's a Yankees game on, mind if I watch? We don’t get ESPN down below. Bad reception.”
“Probably the brimstone. Go for it. Mini-Oz, turn on TV and switch to ESPN.”
The TV turned on. “Sometimes I think you humans do possess magic,” Luc said as he walked over to the couch. I let out the breath I’d been holding.
The door opened and Lux strode in, looking fine in a tight white shirt and black jeans that molded to his thighs like latex. He came over and kissed me.
“Everything okay?” He whispered in my ear.
“Yes, for now.”
Clary looked pale, and I grabbed her arm, dragging her into the kitchen. It wouldn't help much in the way of privacy, but it was something.
“Are you okay?” I asked, rubbing her arm reassuringly.
“He looks so… normal? Hot, for sure, as sexy as he is scary. But I was expecting something more…”
“Pitchfork-ish?”
“Uh huh. And less average. He's drinking beer and watching baseball. He makes pop culture references. That's just weird.”
“Yeah. I found it was best if you just threw out everything you thought you knew about the world and started again.”
Clary stared at her fingernails for a minute.
“Clary. What Luc said about your family, you know none of that matters to me, right? Hell, I find it hard to even imagine. I mean, they are loud and boisterous, but mob? I wouldn't have known in a million years.”
Clary shrugged. “They are old school like that. Keep the women pregnant in the kitchen, and out of the family business. They aren't like you see in the movies, though. It's not that brutal, well the Mulligans aren’t anyway, and the Irish mob is losing ground, going more legitimate. But I went to a lot of funerals when I was younger.”
I gave her a hug, and a baby kicked. Empathetic little things.
Valery and Ri walked in, saw Lux and Luc sitting at opposite ends of the couch and Oz in the rocking chair we’d gotten, and headed towards the kitchen with arms full of food. Then came Sam and Tolliver, with the drinks and appetizers. Eli wouldn't be home until six, he had a surgery.
The party had started. Ri placed the food on the breakfast bar and leaned over, kissing me gently, nipping my lip.
“You look sexy as hell.”
“If orcas are your thing, maybe.” I kissed his cheek and he headed off to the living area. Tolliver kissed me, and then my stomach, and Sam did the same.
“Hey babies,” he whispered at my belly, and I smiled happily. What a weird family we would be.
The smell of food permeated the apartment. Even my mouth watered, and I’d lost my appetite weeks ago.
I dipped my finger into the gravy boat and stuck my finger in my mouth. I let out a little moan. “You are an artiste, Valery. This is amazing.”
“I will make it for you by the gallon if that is what you desire, Ma Cherie. Now, please, go rest. Tell one of those good for nothings to give you a seat.” I had no doubt that someone would be quick to offer me a seat, but it was usually on their lap. They needed to touch me, and I didn’t mind. I felt the same pull to touch them as well. But tonight, I needed to stand on my own two feet. Or sit on my own two butt cheeks, in this case.
I walked out to the lounge room and sat in the large empty space between Lux and Lucifer.
Luc turned to me. “What is the gender of your babes? I had children once.”
“Really?”
Yep. It's why he fell. He questioned god, lay with the daughters of men. Reproduced a bunch. And then came ruler of hell. He’s been a busy boy. Ace sounded amused again, almost like she was proud.
“Uh, they are girls. We are having girls.”
“Ah, wonderful. Females are a gift. The vessels of life. A fact beings like Azriel fail to understand. Angels cannot reproduce with other angels. To experience the joy of creating life, you must fall. The problem with this religion, the one that casts me as the devil, is that they’ve demonized women for far too long, as betrayers and temptations. They are the givers, not the takers.” He smiled at me. “You know what's a nice name? Lucia.”
I stared as he went back to watching the baseball. Huh. I was beginning to see why he fell.
“I'm not naming my kids after you, you know that right?”
“Well, if it wasn’t for me, they wouldn't exist. The
se guys wouldn't exist. They would still be dead souls, being tortured in the pits of hell. Did you know one of the gifts I acquired when I became Satan was the ability to see the various strands of a person’s fate? All the better to deal with, if you catch my drift. For instance, I can see that if it weren’t for my interference in your life, you would still live in your little hick town of Nowhere, and you never would have come to the bright lights of NYC. In fact, you would have married your high school sweetheart, become a bank teller, had 4 boys, all who would get caught up in the drug epidemic that would sweep the town when they were in their teens, two would go to jail, you would hit the bottle and die from cirrhosis of the liver at 55. Your husband would marry his secretary, with which he’d been having an affair for three years, as soon as your body was in the ground. They wouldn't let your sons out to attend your funeral.”
My mouth fell open. “I can’t believe you can see the future. I can’t believe I became a bank teller. I hated math in high school.”
“It was one of many possibilities. You may still die, but at least you will know happiness. You have free will. What happens in this life is up to you. I can only tell the outcomes of the lives that did not happen.”
That was a scary ability, to know what could have been.
“In any did I live to be an old lady?”
Lucifer shook his head. “No. Though the possibilities are infinite, balance is balance. But when I put Ace into your body, I threw out the balance. Now your life is your own, your fate is whatever you want to make it.”
“Is it though?”
Luc laughed. “No. Not entirely. But more so than if you had never entered this life.” He put two hands over my stomach, and everyone in the room tensed. Lux’s body was poised to leap over me and tackle Lucifer. I held out a hand to him.
“Wait. Luc will not hurt my babies, will you?”
“And risk Ace’s wrath? Never. She's quite the little hellion when she's angry.” He tilted his head to the side. “Ah, strong and healthy. Even you, Arcadia seem to be better than expected, even with the kale.” He looked into my eyes, but he wasn’t looking at me. He was staring directly into my soul. “Acerezeal, what have you been doing?”
Hell's Redemption- The Complete Series Boxset Page 20