[The Watchers 19.0] Dominion - Reckoning

by SJ West

  “It doesn’t seem like the most effective way to get him to talk.” I turn my attention to Lucifer. “If he proves to be uncooperative, you’ll need to come back and get me. I’m the only one who can actually threaten his life. Do you promise to do that?”

  “Yes, I will,” he declares. “Lucas’ safety takes first priority.”

  “What’s going on?” Jess says as she and Ava walk into the room.

  My father briefly tells her what he and Xavier are planning to do.

  “Do you need backup?” Ava asks Xavier.

  “I think we’ve got it handled,” he answers. “Plus, we have a secret weapon in Anna if Lucian is less than forthcoming.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Ava asks, looking between Xavier and me.

  “I’ll let her explain it to you,” he says. “We’ll be back as soon as we can. It won’t take us very long to search for Lucian in the three places I know about.”

  Xavier walks over to Lucifer and places a hand on my father’s shoulder.

  Once they phase, Ava looks at me questioningly, and I know she wants an answer to her previous question. After I tell her about my power to kill archangels, she looks at me in awe.

  “Wow,” she says, her eyes wide in shock. “I’m not even sure what to say about that. Have you had to use your power often?”

  “A few times,” I admit, not going into any details. How do I tell her I killed my own father with my power? Obviously everything turned out for the best for Lucifer, but the memory of having to make that decision still stings.

  Ava notices the sword Xavier entrusted into my care laying beside me on the bed.

  “He’s been carrying that sword around for years,” she tells Jess and me. “He did exactly what you told him to do with it, Jess, and he’s kept it safe all this time.”

  “Xavier thinks he was meant to stay here just so he could give it to me now,” I tell them both. “And to be honest, I think he’s right.”

  “I wonder why you need it,” Jess muses.

  “I have a theory,” I say hesitantly. “And it might be one of the reasons the babies brought us here.”

  “You make it sound like the babies can reason on their own,” Ava says jokingly with a small laugh. When neither Jess nor I join in her mirth, she looks between us and asks warily, “Are the babies thinking on their own?”

  “They appear to be,” I answer, even though I know such a phenomenon sounds crazy. “It seems like the closer they get to being born, the more they understand what’s going on in the world around them. I can’t explain why that appears to be the case, but there’s no other explanation for the things they’ve been able to do together. They’re the ones who opened the vortex to this Earth, and I think they did that so that I could come here and retrieve this sword.”

  “So what’s your theory?” Jess asks. “What’s the sword for?”

  “I think I can use it to hurt Helena,” I reveal. “I’ve already tried to use our sword on her,” I say, pointedly looking at the weapon strapped to Jess’ back. “It went through her, but it didn’t do any permanent damage. Maybe this one will,” I say, patting the sword’s hilt. “Since it’s of this world and not ours, it might work.”

  “So, are you going to try to kill her with it?” Ava asks, looking unconvinced about my plan.

  “Not until we get back home,” I answer. “I know it might sound heartless to say such a thing, but I can’t allow her to remain on our Earth. She’s causing too many problems there.”

  “But even if you kill the body she made for herself, won’t she just create herself a new one and come back?” Jess points out.

  “Maybe,” I concede, “but we won’t know if we don’t try, and I need to do something, Jess.”

  “Agreed,” she says. “It’s worth a shot.”

  Xavier and Lucifer phase back into the room. I’m surprised that they’ve returned so soon from their search for Lucian. My surprise diminishes somewhat when I see who is standing between them.

  “Hello, sister,” Helena says as she meets my gaze. “I’m afraid we have a little problem.”

  Chapter 19

  “Where is Lucas?” I demand harshly. “What have you done with my son, Helena?”

  She lifts her hands in the air, looking frustrated by my question. “How many times do I have to say that I didn’t do anything to your perfect little angel? These two,” Helena points at Lucifer and Xavier, who are standing on either side of her, “didn’t believe me either until I showed them the letter.”

  “What letter?” I ask as my blood runs cold with dread.

  Xavier walks over and hands me a sheet of paper. I quickly read what’s written on it.

  “How did Lucian know she would find Lucifer here at the castle?” I ask him.

  “I don’t think he did,” he replies. “It was probably an educated guess on his part since he knows Ava and I still live here. Since we used this place as our headquarters during the Apocalypse, I’m sure he assumed this would be one of the places Lucifer would come to search for help.”

  “What time is it?” I ask. “The note says we’re supposed to meet him at noon.”

  Xavier looks at a clock mounted on the wall by the bedroom door. I hadn’t noticed its existence until now. From the position of the clock’s hands, I see that it’s ten minutes after eleven.

  “Should we go to the apartment he mentions in the letter now to see if he’s already there?” I ask.

  “He won’t be,” Lucifer says with certainty. “If I were him, I wouldn’t show up until exactly noon.”

  “Then should we go there to set up an ambush for him?” I suggest, desperate to do whatever it takes to get Lucas back safely.

  “I don’t believe he intends to hurt Lucas,” Lucifer states, his tone insinuating that my son’s safety is the last thing I should be worrying about. “Lucian is using Lucas to make sure you come to him. He’s curious about you. I doubt he believes what Helena has told him concerning the closeness of our relationship to one another. If I were him, I would want to see us in person to judge whether or not the story of my redemption and how you helped me find it is true.”

  “Why does everyone I talk to have such a hard time believing what I tell them?” Helena asks, sounding offended by Lucian’s lack of faith in her words.

  None of us says anything. We just look at her as if she should know the answer to her own question.

  “I don’t lie that much,” Helena defends herself.

  “You lie when it suits your purposes,” I tell her. “We all know that. Now be quiet so we can figure out what to do before the meeting.”

  “If you would let me, I could help you,” Helena retorts defensively. “Lucian is weak. You or I could easily overpower him.”

  “Does he know Anna can kill him?” Lucifer is quick to ask her, obviously worried she might have let that important detail slip during her time with Lucian.

  “No. I saw no reason for him to know that much about her.”

  “Well, at least you were smart enough not to tell him everything.” Lucifer’s sarcastic tone isn’t lost on Helena. It certainly doesn’t help her already defensive mood.

  “You’ve never given me enough credit for my intelligence,” she tells him. “And guess what, Father? Lucian isn’t the only one I’ve spent time with since we traveled here. Ravan took me to Heaven to have a little heart-to-heart with the Almighty.”

  “What?” Jess explodes. “You’re lying.”

  “As a matter of fact, I’m not,” Helena replies, looking rather smug about her trip to Heaven.

  “Ravan Drake took you to Heaven?” Lucifer questions her, openly stunned by Ravan’s help in such a matter and the fact that God let Helena into Heaven.

  “Ravan isn’t the way she used to be,” Ava tells us, “but that’s a recent development. She’s on a mission to atone for all the terrible things she’s done in her life. I assume that’s going to take her a while.”

  Lucifer looks unconvinced about
Ravan’s apparent change of heart.

  “I know. It’s hard to believe,” Jess says, reading my father’s expression. “I had a hard time believing it, too, when Ava told me about it last night, but apparently it’s true.” Jess focuses her attention back on Helena. “I’m more interested in learning why God wanted to talk to you.”

  “He basically agreed with me that Lucifer is being an idiot by not recognizing me as his daughter,” Helena answers, giving him a scathing sideways glance to gauge his reaction to her words.

  “No, He doesn’t,” Lucifer says with certainty.

  Helena turns her head to look at him without attempting to hide her contempt. “I’m not going to argue about my paternity with you again. Ask God the next time you see Him if you don’t believe me.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lucifer says derisively. “I will.”

  “In fact, right after I met God, I was introduced to this reality’s version of me as well. She isn’t as impressive as I am, but that was to be expected, considering her current circumstances. Nevertheless, it was interesting to meet her. She looked inside my mind while I was with her and found out about Anna’s existence. I wasn’t the one who told Lucian I had a sister. In fact, I’m a little surprised she didn’t warn Lucian herself about the strength of Anna’s powers.”

  “She?” I ask. “Has Hell taken on a physical form here, too?”

  “Yes. Her name is Ivy,” Helena informs me. “She can’t leave her domain like I can, but she has assumed the form of a young girl. Personally, I think she’s gone a bit insane from the lack of new souls entering Hell.”

  “At least the two of you have one thing in common,” Lucifer quips.

  “I’m in full control of all my faculties, thank you very much,” Helena informs him tersely.

  “I’m just glad she isn’t able to leave Hell,” I say in relief. “We don’t have to worry about the two of you running around together and causing trouble.”

  “You make me sound like I’m a child,” Helena says, sounding offended by my words.

  “Well, if you didn’t act like one,” I reply, “I wouldn’t treat you like one.”

  I hear Ava give a single dry laugh. When I look at her, she explains herself.

  “I’m sorry, but the two of you do sound a lot like sisters bickering with one another.”

  “No, we don’t.”

  “Thank you,” Helena replies, choosing to accept Ava’s words as a compliment instead.

  “What should we do?” Jess asks Lucifer. “Do we just sit around here and wait until noon?”

  “It would be pointless to do anything else,” he answers with a sigh. “Lucian will stay hidden until the appointed time.”

  I lean back on the bed pillows. My half-eaten breakfast is still sitting over my lap on the foldout tray.

  “I’m sorry, Xavier. I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. I won’t be able to finish the meal you made for me.”

  Xavier walks over and lifts the tray from my lap.

  “It’s understandable,” he tells me. “Do you need anything else?”

  “Just my son,” I reply despondently.

  “You know I would move Heaven and Earth to get him back for you.”

  I try to muster up a smile for him. “I know.”

  Jess slips the letter out of my hand to read it.

  “Um, so it only mentions Lucifer and Anna going to the meeting. We’re not doing that, right?” she asks. “Surely he knows we wouldn’t let you meet him without having backup present.”

  “I think we have to abide by his rules,” Lucifer says. “If it were me, I wouldn’t want to feel like I was being ganged up on.”

  “I can take care of myself, Jess,” I reassure her.

  “If he lays one hand on you, kill him,” she practically orders. “Don’t take any chances. I don’t give a rat’s ass about his soul. You protect yourself and your babies by any means necessary.”

  “I will,” I promise.

  “Since I’m not needed or wanted here,” Helena says, looking at us all with complete disdain, “I think I’ll take a look around New York City while we wait.”

  “You need to be back here by noon,” I tell her. “As soon as we have Lucas, I want to try to leave this Earth and go back home.”

  “That’s not really up to you, though, is it?” Helena asks, looking pointedly at my belly. “It seems like the twins have all the control.”

  “I think they’ll want to leave,” I say confidently.

  “Whatever.” She shrugs, not seeming to care one way or the other. “I’ll be back later.”

  After Helena phases, I breathe a sigh of relief and look at Xavier. “I need you to wrap this sword up for me,” I tell him. “Thankfully Helena didn’t notice it while she was here, but she’ll definitely see it if it’s not camouflaged in some way when we go back home.”

  “Let me wrap it up for you,” Ava says, walking over to pick up the sword. “I’ve got a box it will fit into.”

  “Thank you.”

  I push the comforter off me and swing my legs over the edge of the mattress.

  “You should rest, Anna,” Lucifer tells me.

  “I’ve rested enough. I want to go stretch my legs and get some fresh air.”

  Seeing that I’m not going to take his advice, my father walks over and bends down to slip my shoes back on to my feet for me. He then lends me a hand to help me stand up. When he tries to pull his hand away from mine, I tighten my grip so as to prevent him from leaving my side.

  “I would really like it if you and I could take a walk together,” I tell him. “We haven’t had time to talk since your return.”

  Lucifer smiles. “I would like that very much.”

  “Okay, the two of you together are just too cute,” Jess says, smiling at us. “Go have your father-daughter time. Who knows if you’ll get another chance once we return to our Earth? I’m not sure how long God will let us stay there once we get back home.”

  Lucifer phases us out to the front of the castle. The sun is so bright I automatically shade my eyes with a hand. When I chance a glance up at the sky, I see that it’s a beautiful deep blue color with puffy white clouds drifting on a light breeze. The ambient temperature here on this Earth is so much cooler than it is on our own. I take a deep breath of the clean, crisp air to clear my lungs and calm my troubled mind.

  Lucifer keeps ahold of my hand as we begin to walk around the island.

  “Your mother wanted me to tell you how much she loves you,” my dad says.

  I smile. “She just saw me not that long ago.”

  “I know, but she’s your mother. She’ll never get tired of telling you how much she loves you. Neither will I, even though I might not say it as often or in so many words. I’m still getting accustomed to ‘using my words,’ as your mother puts it.”

  “You came back to help me. That tells me more than any words could about how much you love me.”

  “I still can’t believe Jess kept me in the dark about what was going on with you before she and Mason left Heaven.”

  “She didn’t want you to jeopardize your soul by going back to Hell,” I say. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have told you either. You shouldn’t have taken the risk, but I’m glad you did. I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.”

  We walk in a comfortable silence for a moment before I ask, “Does it feel odd to be back on Earth? I know when I go to Heaven I don’t feel like I belong there.”

  “I have to admit it does feel strange, but it’s also very familiar. I don’t think I could live on Earth full-time again, but it would be nice to come back and visit every once in a while. Maybe I can talk my father into letting me do that on special occasions.”

  I feel a slight twinge in my lower abdomen and have to stop walking. Lucifer holds my hand as I feel a contraction begin. I concentrate on my breathing until it subsides. It’s the first one I’ve felt since the doctor injected me with the medicine the night before.

 
“Do you need to go back in?” Lucifer asks worriedly. “Have you taken any of the medication the doctor gave you today?”

  “I forgot to take it this morning,” I confess. “I’m all right. I’ll take a dose of it when we go back inside. I would rather keep walking for a little while longer. The movement seems to ease the ache in my lower back.”

  “Do you want me to neuter your husband when we return home so he doesn’t put you in this condition again?” Lucifer asks a little too eagerly.

  I just laugh. “Absolutely not. I like my husband with all of his parts firmly attached to his body and functional.”

  “Uh … I’m already sorry I asked the question.”

  “Will you ever be able to accept Malcolm as my husband?”

  “Oh, I accept him,” Lucifer assures me. “I actually have more admiration for him now than I did while I was alive, but don’t you dare tell him that. I will deny I ever said it. I don’t want to add to his already overinflated ego.”

  “Malcolm came to Hell to get us,” I remind him. “You know how hard that was for him to do.”

  “I’m aware. I remember what being there was like for him the last time. I may never like Malcolm just because I’m hardwired not to, but I do respect him, especially when it comes to his love for you and for his family and friends.”

  I feel another twinge occur, but this time it’s even more painful.

  “That’s it. You’re going back inside,” Lucifer says. Before I can even think about arguing, he phases us back to Xavier’s bedroom.

  After my dad helps me back into bed, he seeks Xavier out, since he’s the one who knows where my medicine is located. Everyone comes back up to the room while Xavier administers another dose of the treatment Marie gave me to slow my labor. When fifteen minutes pass and the contractions don’t stop, Ava leaves to find the doctor again. Within a few short seconds, the doctor is standing at my bedside. She shoos everyone but Jess out of the room so she can do a quick examination of me.

  “I’m sorry,” Marie tells me, “but your babies want to come out, Anna. I thought the medicine I gave you would buy you some time, but whatever you were given is something I’ve never seen before. Without knowing exactly what chemicals were introduced into your system, I’m afraid I can’t do anything but help you deliver these babies.”