Lucifer approached the last door on the right. Sacha, the arrogant son of a bitch who believed he could simply waltz into his domain and kick the shit out one of his Fallen, needed a lesson in manners. Lucifer kicked open Sacha’s door and lunged into the room. He was ready to be attacked, but found nothing but dust and soot assaulting his senses. He looked around the room and found that nothing had been disturbed. He could clearly see the lack of footprints or scuff marks in the soot that covered all the furniture. No one had been here in centuries. It seemed that the game was on.
Anjali tried to picture each of the Predznak and remember what they were capable of, but somehow she kept them all straight in her mind. “How will I know where to find them or who they are, if I do stumble upon them? How do I become their Master?” there were a thousand questions buzzing in her head.
“You will figure it out when the time is right. Remember that you were created to be their Master, so no matter what they do or say, you will find a way to make them serve you, as they were meant to. You will know what to do when you find them. As to where they are, I cannot help you. It has been a long time since I have seen any of them,” Gabriel stopped and turned his head as if he were listening to something in the distance. “Duty calls, I’m afraid. Now that Lucifer has allowed you to leave Hell, you will be able to visit me anytime. Simply call for me and I will do my best to come to you or send an envoy in my absence. I am so proud of you, my darling daughter,” Gabriel hugged her and smiled just before he vanished.
Anjali looked out over the cliff at the mountains in the distance and contemplated what she should do. She had no idea where to find ten angels or what to do when she did find them, but she had faith that she was destined to use them to bring about the end of the world.
As she stood up to leave the cliff and return to Hell, movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. For a split second, she thought she saw her English teacher, Mr. Timmons, standing on a bluff, watching her. She shook her head and reminded herself that she was in Norway, not New Jersey.
She didn’t want to leave the sunlight, but she had promised Lucifer that she would return to him. She closed her eyes and entered the Hall of Mirrors.
∞
Lucifer had ordered a thorough search of Hell, but Sacha was nowhere to be found, not that he had expected to find him. He was sure that Deception was long gone. He was disturbed by the thought of Sacha prowling around, causing problems in his Hell. He needed to figure out why he had dared to return, though he knew it had to do with Anjali. The problem was he didn’t know what Sacha’s intentions were.
He gave up his pacing when Anjali appeared in the doorway. He relaxed considerably when she gracefully entered the room. She was breathtaking in her barely there gown. He only wished that he hadn’t agreed to panties.
“Are you ready to retire to our room?” Anjali purred when she saw him. She was eager to sleep next to Lucifer in bed. She felt bad that he had slept on the couch while she had been unconscious and healing from her near death experience. He claimed it was because his room was being repaired, but she knew it was because he was worried about her and wanted to be close.
“Yes, I just need to retrieve something from my room. Join me?” Lucifer took her hand and kissed the back of it. He internally cheered when she giggled at his gesture. He was fairly certain that Dorian had made a gagging noise from his post.
He glared at Dorian as he stepped off the dais. He would have gutted him, if he weren’t running low on servants.
Anjali followed Lucifer to the Throne Room and carefully made her way through the remaining rubble on the staircase to Lucifer’s bedchamber.
She looked around his room and cringed. While most of his belongings had survived, many of them had tumbled to the floor. Picking her way around the glass and debris, she moved further into the room. She felt bad that a lot of his books and paintings had been destroyed by the flood. The mural on the ceiling needed to be repainted since the paint had smeared in the deluge.
“I’m sorry that your personal possessions were damaged. The pictures were beautiful,” she looked up at the colorful blurs, wishing she had more control over the destructive power inside of her.
“They can be replaced. You can’t be. Don’t worry. It was time to purge some of the junk. It was becoming cluttered,” Lucifer said absentmindedly as he rummaged through a chest in the corner of the room.
Anjali paused when a flash of metal caught her eye. She walked over to Lucifer’s bedside table and picked up a frame. “Where did you get this? I didn’t see it the last time I was here and it isn’t wet.”
Lucifer turned and stared at the object in her hands. It was a picture of her as Michelle. He had never laid eyes on the photo before, but he had a feeling he knew where it had come from.
“Gabriel,” he kept his lie simple. He quickly turned away from her and pretended to look through his belongings.
“Hmm. That’s odd. This picture was taken in English Class for a timeline project that my teacher was working on for graduation. He took it a few weeks before the headaches started. The photo was supposed to go on the bulletin board in the main hallway at school. I wonder how Gabriel, or rather, Uncle Bob, got it,” she pondered the image of the girl staring back at her. So much had happened since that day. She no longer felt bewildered by her uniqueness, and upset that she didn’t belong anywhere. Hell and Lucifer seemed more real to her than her old life ever had.
“Perhaps the school gave it to your family after your demise. He must have gotten it from them,” Lucifer shrugged. “I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. It may take a while since everything is out of place. Go on back to our room and wait for me. I want you ready for me when I arrive,” Lucifer turned his lust filled gaze on her and ran a finger down her cleavage.
“Okay, but you’d better hurry,” she smirked.
Lucifer playfully shooed her out of the room with a kiss and closed the door.
He strode across the room and picked up the frame. He ripped the back off, swearing loudly that he would kill the bastard stupid enough to enter his room.
On the back of the photo, written in the language of the angels was a note.
“Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content;
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy,
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.”
He recognized the line from Macbeth, uttered by Lady Macbeth. He knew it was a warning from the Angel of Deception. Since Lucifer had caused Anjali’s death and had gotten what he wanted through deceptive means, he would never find peace. His actions would weigh on him and the guilt would ultimately destroy him. Sacha might understand mortal guilt, but he was mistaken to believe that guilt would overwhelm the devil. He had killed, maimed, and tortured so many, that he cared not for the guilt that came with it.
Lucifer was fuming as he thought about Sacha’s brashness. Not only did the Angel of Deception know he had obtained the girl through trickery, but the son of a bitch had knowledge of the girl’s previous life, since he had somehow obtained a photo of Michelle. It didn’t surprise him that Sacha had somehow inserted himself into her life, but he was confused as to why he hadn’t attacked her or revealed his identity to her.
The quote he could ignore, but it was the note written under it that concerned him. It read, “She knows about us now, no thanks to you, dear brother. One day she will know about all of your misdeeds and she will judge you for them. I will see to it. Do you think she will forgive you, or send you to the fires?”
If Anjali ever obtained Sacha, it could be disastrous. The Angel of Deception could see Lucifer’s lies even before he spoke them, and because of that, he knew some of Lucifer’s darkest secrets. Sacha certainly had plenty of reason to snitch on him and turn Anjali against him. He needed to find Sacha and choked the life out of the lying wretch before Anjali found him.
Deception had chosen the wrong opponent. He would do anything t
o keep Anjali by his side and far away from Sacha, and the other Predznak; even if it meant that he would have more blood on his hands.
Epilogue
Anjali tossed and turned as she called out in her sleep. She awoke with a start and sat up in bed. She was relieved to see Lucifer asleep by her side and was grateful that she wasn’t having a nightmare about Hell.
She closed her eyes and recalled the dream she had about a beautiful man with short, jet black hair, and unearthly sky blue eyes. He was walking down a dark country road surrounded by trees covered in snow. He looked lonely as if he were taking his final steps. He appeared weary and defeated. She understood his sadness.
Something inside of her yearned to reach out and ease his pain, but she didn’t know who he was. Every sense she possessed was screaming at her to leave Hell and look for him, until it became a compulsion.
She carefully got out of bed and waved her hand to dress herself. She ran to the Hall of Mirrors and was startled to see Radek standing guard, Lucifer’s newest suicide servant. He was brazen and a bit of a jerk, but he hadn’t tried to kill her, yet.
He was surprised to see her and quickly stood at attention.
“Radek, go and do something else for a few minutes. Here, take this and eat it in the rotunda,” she frantically made a sandwich appear and rushed a very confused Radek out of the hall.
“As you wish, my Lady, but I prefer tuna,” he was definitely a smart-ass.
She rolled her eyes, gave him tuna sandwich, and escorted him out of the hall. Closing the heavy wooden doors, she immediately summoned Gabriel, eager to speak to him.
Gabriel appeared a few moments later looking concerned.
“Is everything alright? You should be asleep,” he smiled at her, but took notice of her frantic pacing.
“I’ve seen the Realm of the Destroyer and I understand what is at stake now. All of those people are trapped in Hell because I started an Apocalypse, though I stopped it in time. I had to look into their faces and see their anger. They weren’t prepared to go to Hell and they were never warned. They were killed because I lost control. I can’t let that happen again. I have to find the Angels of Temptation and make them help me control my power. I know I don’t have a choice anymore. Until a full Apocalypse is started, those souls have to suffer in Hell. I get it now. I don’t want to condemn anyone else to that fate,” she was shaking and crying as she fell to her knees before Gabriel.
“My child, do not condemn yourself for this. They were warned long before you were created and yet they continued in their evil endeavors. Subconsciously they knew they were supposed to live wholesome lives and follow the rules of God, yet they failed to understand the consequences. You are right though, you need to work quickly to gather your angels. Who will you seek out first?” Gabriel tried to console her. He hated to see her distraught.
“I’m going to track down Death first. I have questions that need answering. Besides, Lucifer said he would be the most difficult to acquire since I succumbed to death and committed suicide. I figure it’s the best place to start. If I can’t claim him, then I will never be able to end the world. He’s the leader and I’m hoping that he can help me find the others. I think I just had a dream about him,” Anjali rambled on.
“Yes, it would be best for you to obtain him first. He’s the one who convinced the other Predznak to leave Hell. What makes you think it was Alazar in your dream?” Gabriel asked curiously. He had hoped that her visions would guide her as they had in her mortal life.
“I don’t know for sure, but I got the impression that he was carved from ice, and no longer cared about anything, like he’d lost all hope. He was wandering down a dark road by himself. He looked so sad. My heart went out to him. I’m crazy for having empathy for him, right?” she was shaking at the thought of confronting the Bringer of Death. She had lost round one to death and had come close to losing round two. She didn’t really want to try for a third.
“Not really. As their Master, you are meant to understand their plight. Theirs is a difficult life, especially since they are apart from the one who wields them. Masters are supposed to guide their subjects and allow them to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, contrary to what many believe. They aren’t supposed to beat their minions down and force them to submit. The Predznak are meant to be an extension of your power. You will lead and they will follow, but for a common good. Good masters are good leaders, not tyrants. Remember that when you find them. Listen to them, help them, and guide them back to where they need to be. They are all in terrible shape, but no one can help them aside from you. That is what you are destined to do,” Gabriel pulled the hair from her cheek. He wished he could ease her burdens.
“I understand. I will try my best,” Anjali smiled when she realized that her father had come to her when she needed him. As Uncle Bob, he was not as accessible. She enjoyed having her father around.
“Promise me that you will keep your eyes open, as well as your heart, while on your journey,” Gabriel smiled when he saw her panic subside. He was grateful that he could finally be a part of her life, without the lies.
“My heart? Lucifer has my heart and my compassion. This is my life now, father. I know my place now and I have to stop wishing for the fairytale. The Heads of Hell don’t get to ride off into the sunset. They have to wake up the next day and break the will of the wicked mortals,” she said bitterly, and then paused when she saw Gabriel’s expression tighten. He was the reason that she was dealing with all of this, but honestly, she didn’t blame him.
“I know. I’m still surprised that you are speaking to me,” Gabriel shook his head.
“I am not upset with you. I’m still trying to get used to things. I love you and nothing will change that,” she smiled brightly at him.
“You may yet survive all of this. Your compassion and forgiveness will serve you well in the days to come,” Gabriel smiled, his pride shining through his eyes.
“Where do you think I should start looking for Death? Based on my dream, he could be anywhere. It looked like a countryside, which eliminates large cities, but aside from that I’m at a loss,” she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She still hadn’t gotten used to her new image. She wondered what Alazar would think of her. Would he find her lacking as a Master?
“Alazar influences people to take their own lives or the lives of others for selfish reasons. Death is a temptation just like the other sins. While you cannot stop people from dying, unless you have some serious power, as you have seen, you can stop the enticement of wanting to die or wanting to kill. When someone chooses to murder, it is a temptation, just like taking one’s life by means of suicide. He convinces people to end an existence that God created, whether it is their own life or another’s. The last time I saw Alazar was in Norway, just after the Predznak abandoned their posts in Hell. He tracked me down and we fought because he wanted me to reveal your location so that he could kill you. I was able to fight him off, but barely. After that, he went into hiding. I would tell you to look in places with large populations, such as cities, but I would trust your dream. Trust that you are meant to find him and follow your instincts,” Gabriel choked up. Alazar had been crazed, intent on finding Anjali and destroying her. He did everything he could to stop Death from finding his daughter.
“Ergo, he’s my biggest challenge. If he wants me dead, he’s going to use these against me,” she lifted her sleeves to reveal her dreaded scars.
“Yes, he will see your suicide as a sign of weakness and will prey upon it. When you find him, be prepared for a fight. He will not accept you as his Master willingly. Alazar never got along with the other angels in Heaven. He was always arrogant. Be careful with him,” Gabriel shook his head when he thought about his rebellious brother. “Remember that you are the Master and he is destined to stand at your right hand as the Final Temptation. Do not let him assert his power over you.”
“I won’t, I promise,” she feared facing Alazar but she knew that she h
ad to find him before the other Predznak.
“There are still so many things I need to tell you, and teach you,” Gabriel put his hand on her shoulder.
“It’s okay. We’ve got time,” Anjali smiled as she looked at her father.
Coming Soon:
The Third Throne: Angel of Death
Follow the continuing story of Anjali as she tries to track down her missing Predznak, starting with the Angel of Death, Alazar, in an attempt to strengthen and control her power, taking a step closer to destroying the world as the Bringer of the Apocalypse.
About the Author
Tabitha Barret graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English. She married the interesting guy from her Creative Writing class and together had two amazing children. They live together in a quiet town in New Jersey with their three rambunctious dogs. She is currently working on her Third Throne Series. Her website is www.tabithabarret.com.
The Third Throne: Angel of Darkness Page 41