“Wow. Where did all of that come from?” I asked, walking into the kitchen. Zach sat at the table filled with food. There was fresh bread, meat, cheese, and coffee. My mouth watered instantly.
“Ricky must have filled the fridge after Paul told us he was going to get you back. That was only two days ago. The old Watcher showed up in the agency and told us that he found the way to get downstairs,” Zach said, shrugging his shoulders. “He refused to take any of us and started mumbling something about completing his lifelong task.”
I smiled, thinking that Ricky was a saint sent directly from Heaven. I needed to thank him again tomorrow.
Zachary poured me some coffee, and we both started demolishing our food pretty quickly.
“Are you ready to listen?” I asked, once my stomach was full and I could barely move.
“Give it to me, Flower. Let’s hear your story.”
“First things first, so Morpheus wasn’t just some demon, he was the demon…”
It was a lot that I needed to cover so I started telling him about my disappearance from Purgatory, about each circle of Hell that I travelled to, and demons I met on the way. It felt surreal going over this, reliving these experiences again.
That’s when it hit me that this was a real test. Some of my abilities had failed me, and there were times I’d thought that I wasn’t going to survive.
When I was done, Zachary just sat there, not saying anything. He didn’t even flinch when I revealed that Lucifer was my father.
“That’s everything. The journey ended when Paul beheaded Hades somewhere in Limbo,” I explained.
“Unbelievable,” Zach said, shaking his head, and then dragged his hand through his hair. “I really don’t want to end up in Hell after I die. None of this sounds good, and Paul is some kind of superhuman.”
“Yeah, apparently he is a messenger of God. To be truthful I have no idea how that works. I think only the worst kind of people get to see it,” I pointed out.
“Okay, now that we covered it, we need to get to bed. I bet you’re exhausted. We can worry about your task tomorrow.”
I was surprised that Zachary didn’t start bombarding me with questions. Maybe he didn’t fully believe that I was in Hell. Part of it felt like it was a nightmare, something that only happened in my imagination.
It was strange going to my own bed with a human man, being back in my own apartment.
Later on, when I was sleeping, and Zach had his hands wrapped around my body, Lucifer showed up in my dream, reminding me that I had a job to do. He talked about my new responsibilities and my mother. I didn’t quite remember that dream in the morning, and I stopped thinking about it when Zachary started kissing the back of my neck. I glanced at the clock and looked out at the bright sky and sun, relieved that I could see it again.
“Have you noticed that other demons are staring at us?” I whispered to Zachary when we were in the tube later that morning.
I had forgotten how busy London was during rush hour, and I knew that I hadn’t missed the crowds. Ricky had gotten in touch with me before midday. He wanted me to get to the office as soon as possible and refused to explain anything over the phone. Zachary was starting his shift later on that day, so he wanted to tag along.
I noticed that as soon as we left my flat, many demons were staring at me, noticing me more than usual. This wasn’t super unusual. Demons were always aware of each other on the streets, but their emotions were conflicted. I was sensing a lot of anger and suspicion.
My magic was alive, coursing through my veins, but I didn’t like those looks. I still didn’t feel like I was someone special. Lucifer was my father, but I didn’t believe that anyone else knew about this yet.
“Sort of, but that’s normal, right? I thought some kind of magical energy connects you guys together,” Zachary said.
The tube was busy, and there were a lot of demons and a few mongrels around. I knew most of them could feel that I’d recently returned from Hell. On top of that, they knew I was a mongrel and that had never happened before.
A blond short-legged demon with a suitcase hadn’t taken his eyes off me from the moment he got into our wagon.
“No, this isn’t normal. Demons don’t pay attention to me normally. Something must have gone on, and I have a feeling that it isn’t anything good.”
“Chill, Flower, you’re famous now, so that’s why they are staring. Don’t they know who your father is?” Zach asked, slight amusement in his tone.
“No, I don’t think that my father has anything to do with it. Besides, demons cannot be fully controlled on Earth. That’s why Lucifer has appointed the heads of the factions; other demons who are supposed to keep an eye on everyone,” I explained and nodded to him that the train stopped at our station.
The mass of people stepped off the platform, and my bad gut feeling reminded me that, maybe I should’ve taken it easy yesterday. Something must have happened when I was asleep.
We climbed up the stairs to the main road outside the Brixton station when an older demon walked into me. He wore a thick black coat and had a silver beard. I tried to move past him, but he was intentionally blocking my way.
“Excuse me,” I snapped, getting tired of this sudden attention. I was ready to punch him.
The demon’s eyes gleamed with fury and then he spat on me. My jaw dropped, and I just stared at him with my eyes wide.
I was so stunned that I didn’t even have a chance to get mad.
“Murderer. Lucifer is coming for you,” he hissed, and then before I could do anything, he started walking away, disappearing in the crowd.
I quickly wiped the spit off my face, furious with Ricky that he didn’t explain anything over the phone. Zachary was looking baffled, too.
“What the hell was that about?” he asked.
“He just called me a murderer,” I said. More demons were staring at me, looking annoyed as I kept walking through the busy street.
We continued to head over to the office, and I could hear Ricky’s raised voice. Emma and Ricky were already inside, and it looked like they were talking to someone.
“Maxine will be pissed, and she might do something stupid.” Ricky was saying.
“Cyril!” I shouted, seeing my Asian friend alive and well. Okay, so I wasn’t meant to be so affectionate again, but I went through a lot with Cyril. He deserved a hug, even the most awkward one. When I pulled away everyone was staring back at me like there was something wrong. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”
“I’m fine, thanks to you,” he muttered, clearing his throat and looking a little embarrassed. “Now I kind of understand why you were so important.”
“Maxine, there is a situation,” Ricky said, and I glanced at Zach, who situated himself in the corner. He released some jealous vibes towards Cyril, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
Zach knew that Cyril was just a friend.
“I would assume so, because a moment ago some random demon called me a murderer,” I said. “I’m sure we’re talking about the same thing. Come on, hit me with it.”
“Alexis is back in the palace,” Cyril explained, and I thought that he was messing with me for a second. “Rodriguez knows he’s losing the election in Hell and he supports her.”
I slammed my fist on the table, swearing loudly.
“What do you mean, she is back? Rodriguez knows that she was the one who kidnapped Georgie,” I shouted with fury.
“I think you need to sit down for what I have to tell you,” Ricky suggested, walking around the desk. Emma smiled at him, and I remembered that I was supposed to ask him about their relationship. Last night I completely forgot about it.
“What? Is there more to this?” I asked. That bitch had some nerve. I thought she would hide and plot her super revenge on my father, but no. Instead she went back to the place where everything began.
“She claims that Arthur’s death wasn’t accidental and confessed that she saw you killing the prince. The royal fami
ly wants justice,” Cyril said.
I dragged my hand through my hair, trying to breathe in at the same time.
“What the actual fuck?” Zachary asked, before I had a chance to process all this.
My father was the most powerful demon on Earth, so I couldn’t understand how he even allowed her to get to the royals in the first place. He was supposed to be keeping a tab on them, and that bitch had just walked right back into the palace like she was part of the family. She must have realised that she could hit two birds with one stone. That story sounded so perfect. The ex-girlfriend who had been abandoned by the prince finally gets her revenge.
“Lucifer asked me to take care of her,” I said, trying to stay calm, but deep inside I was exploding with fury.
“The word from Hell has spread. Rodriguez and Alexis know that you’re Lucifer’s daughter. The old demon is trying to hold on to his position for as long as he can. I have no idea what they are planning, but I came here to warn you,” Cyril explained.
“Maxine, you need to stay calm and think about your strategy,” Ricky said. “The royal guards aren’t barging in here just yet. We still have time to think about a plan.”
“I don’t need to think about this,” I said, through gritted teeth. “I’ll get to Alexis and kill her with my bare hands, if that’s what I have to do. That bitch is going to pay for everything she’s done to me once and for all.”
Chapter 15
“We all so willingly record our gains, until the hour that leads us into loss.
Then every single thought is tears and sadness.”
― Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
“Calm down, Maxine, and let’s think about your strategy for a second,” Ricky told me, but I was far from being calm. “Rodriguez and Alexis know that you’re Lucifer’s daughter, and they are trying to create havoc. You also need to think about Summer.”
Deep down I was furious that Alexis had managed to return to the palace. I didn’t think that this could happen. My father had promised to take care of Rodriguez, but he had an uprising on his hands, too, so that complicated things.
I was too anxious to establish a full connection with Matilda in case Rodriguez was planning something. After last time, my Warlock friend may have taken some extra precautions, and it was going to be very difficult to track her down. Right now, Alexis didn’t need my daughter anymore, but I could never be sure what she was planning. She was desperate to push Lucifer out of Hell, in whatever way she could.
I felt lost all of a sudden, knowing that I was pretty much running out of time. Demons in London were convinced I had killed Arthur, and that was going to cause me a lot of trouble. I was done being invisible.
“So what are they all waiting for? If the royals know I’m the killer, why am I not being arrested?” I asked Cyril, still quite shocked he was back unharmed and still working closely with Rodriguez. Many demons in Beelzebub’s circle had seen him attacking Watchers. It was obvious he helped me escape.
“Royals haven’t got any evidence, only a statement from Alexis. The Queen wants to go through proper channels. Scotland Yard is now involved in your case,” Cyril explained.
“Rodriguez and Alexis are using their demonic abilities to mess around with everyone’s heads,” I said, knowing the royals would need to be convinced I was truly the one who had taken away their prince. They all knew me, and they were all aware of the fact I used to be very close to him in the past.
“I should get back to the station. I might find out more there,” Zach announced, standing up. “In the meantime, Max, don’t do anything silly.”
“Silly?” I snapped at him. “I just want to kill that bitch. She’s trying to ruin my life.”
“Maybe, but you need to be smarter than her. She wants you to panic, to make a wrong move,” he added.
I didn’t want to wait around here and discuss what to do next. Alexis was using me, and she was still a threat. It looked like my other plans involving mongrels and my daughter had to wait.
Zachary left shortly, not saying anything else, but I knew he was concerned about my safety. I doubted very much that he was going to find out anything useful. Humans were unaware of what was going on in the palace. Aside from that, now Zach and I were in a relationship. He didn’t have to tell me what he was thinking, because now we were bound to each other, so I was always aware of his emotions.
I took a few deep breaths and sat down in the chair.
“I’m going to break into the palace,” I said, after thinking about it for a while.
“Max, this is—”
“Just listen to me for a second.” I cut Ricky off. “They aren’t expecting me. They want me to panic and hide, because that’s what I had been doing in the past. I need to attack Alexis when she least expects it. She’s just a demon who was healed by royal blood. She might have a few powerful tricks up her sleeve, but my abilities are enchanted by Lucifer’s DNA. I might be a mongrel, but that bitch has no idea what I’m capable of.”
Silence fell upon the group. Cyril looked uncertain, and I was already buzzing with excitement, thinking that this was the best plan of action. Arthur had saved our daughter, and Alexis needed to pay for taking him away from me. I was too angry to think rationally about this. It was time to act.
“Maxine is right. The palace suspects her, but they are too afraid to act,” Emma backed me up, but Ricky looked annoyed.
“I’m not sure that this is such a good idea, Max,” Ricky said. “The palace is riddled with security, and everyone knows who you are. Alexis’s magic has advanced. What are you going to do once you get there? You need to bring her out to more neutral ground.” He was worried about me, and that was understandable. At the same time, he knew I couldn’t just sit around or hide. I had done this too many times.
“I used to be the head of security there,” I reminded them. “I know that place like the back of my hand, and no one is going to expect to see me in there. Besides, some demons are most likely still on my side. The guards won’t believe anything Alexis told them. They know that Arthur loved me.”
“I don’t know, Max. Alexis is much more powerful than you think; now after she was reborn. Have you thought what would happen if you get caught?”
I was annoyed that Ricky doubted me. We had been through a lot together, and I truly believed that this was a good plan. I needed to do this. London was the place where I was born—where I built a life. My reputation mattered, and Alexis wasn’t planning to back away.
“Anyway, besides that. Cyril,” I said, turning toward my Asian friend, “what are you even doing here? There were witnesses who saw you helping me escape. Rodriguez must know that you betrayed him.”
“Rodriguez thinks that you put a spell on me, that you forced me to help you. I had a pretty convincing story when I showed up at work two days ago.”
“All right, in that case, Cyril can smuggle me into the palace. Once I find the bitch, I’ll open the gates and take care of her in Hell,” I said, rubbing my hands together. Maybe I had no chance to fight with her on Earth, but I had an advantage in Hell. But my voice of reason reminded me that I had to stop being naïve. Alexis was smart, and she was being protected, too. Even if I could get to her, no one could guarantee that I wouldn’t die, too.
“That may work. Rodriguez is desperate to hold on to his position and he still trusts me,” Cyril stated.
“Then, sorted. I’m getting inside the palace and finishing that bitch. Ricky, I need to get some potions. How are your stocks?”
We started discussing the new plan in detail, thinking about everything that could go wrong. I was getting a little distracted, with thoughts about Summer tangling my mind.
Cyril laid down the plans of the palace, telling us that Alexis had taken the upper floor. She had Arthur’s blood, so she could manipulate the Queen, now that Rodriguez had given her access.
After a few hours and several empty containers of Chinese food, we decided I needed to enter the palace officia
lly with Cyril. I had to drink several potions in order to disguise my real appearance. This wasn’t Hell, and I knew Alexis would be able to sense me otherwise. Ricky, Zachary, and Emma were going to play their part, too. I was considering calling Nameless and Zara.
My eyes were itching when we locked up the office earlier than planned. Several clients had called, informing Emma that they no longer needed our services. I wasn’t surprised when most of the demons had cut us off. No one wanted to be associated with me anymore. Rodriguez and Alexis wanted to make sure I didn’t have any allies in the city.
Once Alexis was wiped out and Rodriguez was sent down to the pits, my good name was going to be reinstated. I hadn’t been properly charged yet, and I needed to act fast.
Zach had asked me to meet him at the Broken Shoe later on. Cyril agreed we needed to execute our plan tomorrow, but he asked me not to get in touch with him again until then. Ricky had brewed new elixirs and potions while I was away and when I showed up in his apartment later on.
I needed to be ready and well prepared. Lucifer told me that my friends were my biggest assets, so I had organised a meeting with the whole crew later on. I didn’t like getting them involved, but after so many mistakes, I thought that I needed all the help that I could get.
Ricky was officially in a relationship with Emma and he wasn’t shy about it. We didn’t even have a chance to talk about it, but a lot must have happened when I was stuck in Hell.
They were snogging on the sofa when I walked into the room with the millions of flasks in my arms.
“Oh, come on … I’m still here,” I said. I still had no idea how I felt about it. Ricky was a womanizer, and Emma was a single mother with a violent ex-husband. This wasn’t a great combination, but it wasn’t my business. I was hoping that they were going to last. My own decisions in the past proved that I was the last person who should be giving relationship advice, and I had to admit that Ricky had never looked happier.
I went home shortly after that, picked up a few things and puttered around my old space for a bit. Paul’s pub wasn’t too far from my flat, and I was charged with magic, walking through the gloomy streets of Brixton. I had been sober and off liquid magic for weeks now. For some reason I hadn’t missed being hungover at all.
Doomed Cases Box Set: The Complete Collection Books 1- 4 & Prequel Page 82