by S. J. West
“Are you going to tell me, or are we going to play twenty questions here?”
“I only have one simple request,” Lucifer says, as if what he wants isn’t asking me for much. “Every year, on your birthday, I want you to spend one hour alone with me, until the time comes when you have to leave our earthly plane.”
I feel my forehead furrow in confusion, and the only thing I can think to say is, “Why?”
“Are you refusing me?”
“No,” I tell him. “It just seems like an odd request.”
“Then … are you agreeing to my terms?” he asks with a note of hopefulness.
“I need a minute,” I say, turning away to find Mason.
“Don’t take too long,” Lucifer calls out behind me. “This offer expires in five minutes. Take it now, or forever wonder if I could have helped all of the unfortunate little monkey souls you’re so concerned about saving.”
I walk out of the box to find Mason pacing back and forth a couple of feet away. He stops in mid-stride when he sees me. I close the door behind me and lean against its coolness.
“Are you all right?” Mason asks, walking up to me.
“You’re not going to believe what he wants…” I say, having a hard time believing the condition Lucifer just set for his cooperation.
“What?” Mason asks with great deal of hesitancy.
I look Mason in the eyes and say, “He wants to spend time with me.”
Mason instantly scowls. “How much time?”
“One hour on my birthday each year until I die,” I say, realizing how absurd it sounds. “Why would he want that? How does that benefit him?”
“I don’t know,” Mason say, his scowl darkening. “But I don’t like it, Jess.”
Mason reaches for me. I mistakenly think he wants to bring me comfort. Before I know what’s going on, he pulls me away from the door and immediately reaches for the latch. I don’t even have a chance to ask what he plans to do before he steps into the box. All I can do is follow him.
“What are you playing at, Lucifer?” Mason demands.
Lucifer sits up on his cot and leans his back up against the wall as he considers my husband through the bars of his cell.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lucifer replies, acting innocent of any wrongdoing.
“Why are you playing with Jess’ emotions like this?” Mason demands. “Against my better judgment, she considered you her friend before you threatened to, and almost did, kill her! Why would you want to spend an hour with her on her birthday? What advantage does that gain you?”
“I really don’t see what business this is of yours, Mason. Why don’t you keep your little angel nose out of Archangel business? This is between Jessica and me. I’m not really into threesomes, contrary to what others might believe about me.”
“I don’t trust you where my wife is concerned,” Mason says, punctuating his words by pointing an accusing finger at Lucifer. “Leave her out of any of your little deals. Find something else that you want, and ask for it.”
Lucifer sighs dramatically. “Alas, that’s all I want at the moment. I don’t think it’s asking for much, really. One hour out of a whole year. What could that hurt?”
“Her soul.”
Lucifer begins to truly laugh. “If you think her soul can be lost that easily, I’m surprised you let her out of the house. Or is that your plan? To keep her barefoot and pregnant so you can control her every little move and thought? I’ve always considered her quite smart for a monkey, but perhaps you don’t regard her intelligence in the same light…”
“Don’t even try to do that,” Mason warns before realization seems to hit. “Or is that your plan? Do you intend to use your time with her to try to pull her away from me? If that’s it, you’ve lost your damn mind.”
“Is her heart that fickle?” Lucifer asks in astonishment. “My, my, it seems that you don’t respect her as much as I thought you did. It’s amazing she’s put up with you for this long, Mason.”
“Stop,” I say, placing a hand on Mason’s arm to stop him from saying his next words to Lucifer. I can feel how tense his quarrel with Lucifer is making him. The argument they’re having is pointless and getting us nowhere.
“Do one thing for me,” I say to my husband. “I’m going to ask him a question, and I want you to tell me if he’s telling the truth.”
Mason just nods, though I can still see the anger in his eyes.
I look over at Lucifer. “Do you promise to do your best to help the infected? If it works, will you help as many of them as you can?”
“You have my word,” Lucifer says, raising his hand in the air, like a Boy Scout making a promise.
“I want a yes or no answer,” I tell Lucifer, knowing that the truth of such a statement can be subjective.
“Yes,” Lucifer says.
“Is he telling me the truth?” I ask Mason.
Mason nods, obviously not trusting himself not to say something else to Lucifer.
“Then I accept your proposal,” I tell Lucifer, which does nothing to lessen Mason’s tension. In fact, I think I just made it worse with my consent.
Lucifer stands up, letting the blanket completely fall away from his body, shamelessly standing in front of us stark naked.
“Where’s the first victim?” he asks.
I make sure to keep my eyes focused on Lucifer’s face, because I know he only did what he did to get a rise out of either Mason or me, or possibly both.
“I’ll bring her down in a little while,” I tell him. “I’ll also have someone bring you a bowl of water to wash up with.” I glance down the length of Lucifer and smile at him tight-lipped. “Obviously it’s cold in here, so I’ll make sure you get a fresh set of clothes, too.”
“Oh, well that’s just harsh, Jessica,” Lucifer says, but smiles and holds his hands on his hips, striking a superhero pose.
“I call them like I see them,” I say, taking my husband’s hand. “We’ll be back later.”
“Just don’t ask that big oaf to be the one who brings me those things!” Lucifer calls out as we exit the graviton cage. “All I need is for Malcolm to act like he’s doing me a favor.”
“I’ll make sure he’s not the one chosen,” I say before I close the door behind me.
Mason lets go of my hand and walks a few feet away to plow his fist into the nearest brick wall. I know he didn’t hit it with all his strength, because the house remains standing. For good measure, he makes a second hole in the same wall with his other fist.
“Mason...” I say imploringly, hoping he’ll understand my decision and be able to live with it for the rest of our lives. I know I’ve basically just given Lucifer permission to become a small part of our future, but I didn’t see any other way to get what we needed.
“It might not even work, Jess,” Mason says with his back still to me and his head hung low between his shoulders. “You may have made a promise to him for nothing.”
“It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
Mason turns around. His face looks stricken by my words. “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand you where he’s concerned.”
“I know. I don’t quite understand it myself, to tell you the truth. But this is the right thing to do, Mason. I have to try. I have to do everything I can to help those people.”
Mason sighs. “I know. I love that about you, but it also drives me insane.”
I walk over to my husband and hug him around the waist. “Please don’t be mad at me.”
Mason wraps his arms around me. “I’m not angry with you, just worried for you. I don’t want him to play with your heart again, or your soul.”
“I’ll be fine,” I say reassuringly, even though I’m not sure which one of us I’m trying to convince.
Mason doesn’t say anything, just holds me. I think he understands my conundrum where Lucifer is concerned, and I feel lucky to have a man who loves and trusts me completely. It’s not a quality all w
omen can find in the men they give their hearts to. I’m just one of the lucky ones who did.
“Now what?” Mason asks.
“It’s time Xiulan tells Leah the truth,” I say, dreading that conversation for my friend.
I know from my own personal experience what it feels like to lose a mother. I can’t absorb Leah’s heartache. She’ll have to learn how to handle that on her own, but I know she’s strong enough to do it. And I’ll be there for her, every step of the way.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
When we go back upstairs, we find Leah and Xiulan in the kitchen. Apparently, they decided to take it upon themselves to finish making the pie I had requested from Mason. Leah is just beginning to pour the apple filling into the piecrust while Xiulan cuts out strips of dough for the final latticework. Xiulan looks up at me expectantly. I simply nod my head to her unasked question, to which she smiles back wanly but says nothing.
“Any luck?” Leah asks me, unaware of the significance of my talk with Lucifer, and how it will ultimately affect her life forever. Mason and I walk over to the kitchen island. “Or did he give you the runaround like he normally does?”
“A little bit of both,” I admit. “He isn’t sure he can help the infected, but he’s willing to give it a try.”
Leah sets down her now-empty bowl and looks up at me.
“Now all we need to do is bring an infected person here,” she concludes. “Maybe Jai Lin would be willing to help us with that.”
“Mason,” Xiulan says, “would you mind finishing this pie for us? I need a moment to speak with my daughter.”
“I’ll do anything you need me to,” Mason replies, not only telling Xiulan that he will do the simple task she asked him to perform, but also letting her know, if she needs more, he would willing do it. “I just need to take care of one thing first.”
Mason leans over and whispers in my ear, “I’ll take Lucifer some clothes so he’s not naked when you take them down there.”
“Thank you,” I whisper just before Mason phases.
Xiulan looks back to me. “Jess, would you mind coming with us?”
“Of course,” I say, grateful that I can be there for both of them when Leah hears the truth.
“What’s wrong?” Leah asks, as perceptive as ever as she looks between her mother and me. “Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?”
Xiulan lifts her left arm and offers Leah her hand. Leah looks at it for a moment, and I can tell by her expression that she knows taking her mother’s hand will start her on a path she might not want to go down. Hesitantly, Leah takes hold of her mother’s hand.
Xiulan leads Leah out of the room and into a small living room off the kitchen area. They don’t stop walking until they come to a bay window with a built-in, padded bench. Xiulan sits down, still holding Leah’s hand as she watches her daughter sit beside her. I take a seat on the other side of Leah, remaining close in case she needs me after she hears what her mother has to say.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” Leah says, straightening her back, as if such a small act will help her bear the weight of what Xiulan is about to tell her.
Instead of using words, Xiulan lets go of Leah’s hand and lifts the sleeve of her shirt to reveal her injury. When Leah sees it, her eyes immediately begin to water, and she starts to shake her head in denial.
“No,” Leah says determinedly, like that one word will erase what’s already been done to her mother. “That isn’t real. It can’t be.”
“Leah…” I say, understanding her wanting to reject the facts, but knowing she has to come to terms with her mother’s condition.
Leah looks over at me. “This can’t be right,” she tells me, tears spilling over her cheeks. “After working so hard to save all those strangers from becoming infected, how can God take her away from me like this? I just found her!”
“You know He doesn’t pick and choose who lives and who dies, Leah,” I tell her.
“But He could have this one time!” Leah wails. “She’s my mother!”
“Please,” Xiulan says, gently grasping one of Leah’s arms. “Please, don’t blame God for this. I certainly don’t. I’m just so thankful that He brought you back into my life, Leah, even if it was for only a short time. To be able to see you before I leave this world is a gift I never thought I would be given. My only regret is that I will not be able to stay with you long enough to see you marry your young man and begin a family of your own. I want you to always remember that no mother could be more proud than I am. You have grown to be a wonderful and loving woman. My dreams for you have all come true. It’s only because I know you are surrounded by people who love you that I can meet death without having to worry about you.”
“But I don’t want you to go…” Leah says, her voice breaking over her imminent loss. “I wanted to show you so much after we went back home.”
“You have shown me more of your life than I could have ever hoped to see,” Xiulan says, caressing Leah’s face, gently wiping away her tears. “I have seen true miracles take place right before my eyes because of who you are. So few people get to see God’s Hand at work, Leah, but I have. Thank you for that gift. I know there is nothing I can say that will take away your pain over losing me, but I want you to know that I meet my fate with a content heart. All I ever wanted was the opportunity to tell you how much I love you, and God gave me my most heartfelt wish. Please, don’t blame Him for my death. It is simply my time to move on, and I know I will see you again when it’s your time to join me in Heaven. I only ask for one thing from you.”
“What?” Leah says, wiping away her tears and doing her best to control her sorrow.
“I ask that you live a full and happy life when you go back home. Then, when we see each other again, you can tell me all about your adventures, and hopefully everything about my grandchildren. Even though I won’t have a chance to meet them for a very long time, let them know that their grandmother loves them and looks forward to meeting them one day.” Xiulan holds her arms out to Leah. “Give me one last hug so I can take the memory of your love with me.”
Leah hugs her mother as she begins to sob uncontrollably. I watch her, knowing there’s nothing I can do to erase her pain. I also know that the worst is yet to come.
“Be brave for me, my beautiful girl,” Xiulan says, holding Leah close. “I need for you to be strong, so I can face my death with dignity.”
Leah sniffs and pulls away from her mother as she wipes away her tears.
“I won’t leave your side until it’s over,” Leah promises.
“That’s all that I ask,” Xiulan says gratefully.
Xiulan stands up, silently telling us that she’s ready to go down to meet with Lucifer.
Leah stands and takes her mother’s hand. I walk ahead of them and lead the way to Lucifer’s cell. When we walk inside, he’s just buttoning the jeans that Mason brought for him to wear.
He watches us enter, but doesn’t say a word. I’m grateful that he doesn’t make any snide remarks. Maybe he’s finally learning some manners.
Without showing any fear, Xiulan walks up to the bars of Lucifer’s cell. I see her grip tighten on Leah’s hand right before she lets it go and slips it through the bars towards Lucifer.
“I am ready,” she tells him, holding her head up high, prepared to be released from her dead shell.
Lucifer glances in my direction before walking up and taking Xiulan’s hand with one of his own.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asks her, with more compassion than I thought him capable of showing.
“Yes,” Xiulan says, standing a little bit straighter, ready to meet death.
We all stand there, waiting for Xiulan’s soul to leave her body. Personally, I was preparing myself to catch Xiulan’s body once her soul was released from it.
But…nothing happens.
Lucifer lets go of her hand. “I’m sorry,” he tells her before glancing in my direction. “I can’t free her soul, Jessica.”
“Are you sure you even tried?” I ask accusingly, not ready to simply take him at his word.
“Yes,” Lucifer answers, not liking my question. “I promised you I would try, and I have.”
“Leah,” I say, keeping my eyes on Lucifer. “Go upstairs and bring Mason down here so he can tell us if Lucifer is being truthful or not.”
Leah immediately walks out to do as I asked.
“That isn’t necessary,” Lucifer says, sounding offended. “I’m telling you the truth.”
“Only an idiot would take you at your word about anything,” I tell him. “I’m not that naïve.”
“Do what you have to,” Lucifer says, throwing his hands up in the air. “But I can’t help this woman or any of the other infected. You’ll just have to find another way to release their souls.”
As Lucifer slowly lowers his hands back to his sides, it’s almost like I literally see a lightbulb turn on over his head.
“What were you just thinking?” I ask him.
Lucifer looks into my eyes. “While I was in Lucian’s tender care, I overheard them say you and Leah were able to combine your fires to destroy some of the birds. What occurred when the birds came into contact with your fire?”
“They disappeared,” I answer. “Why?”
“Completely?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Then that’s your solution.”
“Solution to what?”
“To releasing the souls of the infected.”
I stare at Lucifer as a cloak of dread wraps itself around my shoulders. I start to shake my head in denial.
“That can’t be the only way,” I whisper, knowing what this could mean. “I can’t ask Leah to do that, especially not to her own mother.”
Lucifer shrugs his shoulders. “It’s the only way I see to solve your problem. If one atom of her body remains, her soul will remain trapped inside it. Her body needs to be completely wiped from the Earth in order for her soul to find freedom. Whether or not you’re strong enough to do it is up to you.”
“Leah would never recover from that,” I say, more to Xiulan than to Lucifer.