by Maggie Walsh
“They are powerless,” Laylen finished.
“What?!” Micah yelled. In that moment, he felt his heart stop and his blood run cold.
Laylen’s gaze met his and he gave Micah an uneasy look. “They went with a traveler, a journeyman, so they are just observers. They have no powers.”
“Exactly, but it gets worse,” Ryland said.
“How can it get any worse?” Lexi asked.
Then his father-in-law uttered words he never thought he would ever hear, and Micah knew what true terror was.
“Noah was able to go with them, and Raffy has a few hours head start on them, and he’s alone.”
“Let’s go,” Micah growled and stepped through the portal.
Chapter Fifteen
After getting to the Underworld and meeting up with their mates, Lucifer, Phenex, and the Legion, they all followed Kia as he walked them around Geryon City, until he stopped at the road leading to Tartarus.
“There is no fucking way he went in there alone,” Nuriel said, a hint of awe and fear in his voice.
“What is this?” Christian asked.
“Tartarus,” Lucifer replied.
“Shit,” Christian cursed and took off running down the deserted path.
“Christian wait!” Everyone yelled together, but Christian never stopped.
After getting about a hundred yards, he was slammed from behind and dropped to the hard ground. Christian fought, but the person above him, held him down. “Not a good move, wolf. I know if it were my mates I would be doing the same thing, but if you enter there, you may never come out,” Lucifer said. He rolled off Christian and sat next to him.
Christian sat up and gave Lucifer a nasty look. “I don’t care. If my angel is in there, then he will be trapped too and I will spend every day for eternity fighting to keep him safe.”
“Even though that is very commendable of you, Christian, and I agree with you, Raffy is not in there.” Lucifer stood and brushed off his ass.
“How do you know he’s not in there?” Christian asked as he too got to his feet.
Lucifer gave him a droll look. “Gee, I don’t know? Maybe because I am the ruler here and know these things. This is the only way into Tartarus, and although I feel there was a presence here not too long ago, whoever it was didn’t come this far. They never made it to the Phlegethon. They stopped back there and went another way. I can feel that no soul has passed by here for some time.”
“So, if he’s not here, then where is he?”
“Let’s continue following the traveler, shall we?” Lucifer suggested and headed back to the group.
Kia turned right and everyone followed. After walking for another fifteen minutes, Kia stopped and looked around. Cass placed a hand on his lower back. “What’s wrong, sweet pea?”
“I don’t know. Raffy’s signature stops here, but doesn’t. I don’t understand. He was right here, but nowhere else in the Underworld. It stops right here, but I can feel that he went on.”
“Oh gods, no,” Phenex hissed.
“What’s wrong, Phen?” Micah asked.
“If Raffy stopped here, is still going on, but not in the Underworld, that can only mean one thing.”
“Which is what?” Christian asked tightly.
“He’s gone down into the chambers,” Nuriel replied, his voice full of fear.
“What? No. Raffy would never,” Christian said. “He always warned us not to go into the chambers of hell. There is no way he went there willingly.”
“Journeyman, take my hand,” Lucifer commanded and held out his hand.
“Are we really going into the chambers of hell?” Rory asked in a panic. Raith immediately picked him up and Rory wrapped himself around him.
Lucifer turned and met Rory’s gaze. “You don’t all have to go. Kia and those who came with him, as well as myself and the Legion will go. The rest of you can stay here and wait if you want.”
“Yeah, that does nothing for me, now does it, Lucy. I still have to go,” Rory huffed.
Lucifer gave him a small smirk. “Very true.”
“Let’s go, Raffy needs us,” Micah said and stepped closer.
* * * *
How in the hell did he end up here? In hell? Raffy walked slowly toward the wall of mist. He had no idea what is was, or what lay beyond it, but it appeared to be a wall from top to bottom, and right and left, for as far as he could see, and it was made of a swirling mass of clouds, like a large thunderstorm. As he got closer, he heard the cries of horror from beyond the wall, getting louder. His heart was pounding viciously in his chest as if it was ready to have an attack, or just rip from his body and run in the other direction.
A very loud scream of pure agony rang out and Raffy’s feet faltered. What in the hell was he doing? Maybe he should go back and get the others? Maybe he should call for Lucifer or the Legion? But they would all stop him from doing what he knew he needed to do. Raffy took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and fear, then released it slowly. He took another step and his arm was gripped tight by something behind him.
Raffy cried out and pulled on his arm, trying to free himself from whatever had a hold of him. Raffy yanked until he was free, then spun around to see what horrors he would face. He stopped dead and his breath caught as he turned and his gaze met the most beautiful eyes in the world. Raffy slumped in relief as a whoosh of air raced from his lungs. He lunged into Christian’s arms.
Immediately, Christian wrapped his arms around Raffy and held him tight for a moment then pulled away and grabbed Raffy’s face between his hands. “What were you thinking? Don’t you ever do something like this to me again, angel.” Christian captured his lips in a fierce kiss, causing Raffy to forget why he was here.
“Not that this reunion isn’t touching, but we need to get you all out of here,” Lucifer said.
Raffy pulled back from the kiss and looked to Lucifer. “No. I’m so close. I found him. He’s right through there and I need to get to him.”
“Who are you trying to find, angel?” Christian asked.
“Michael. I need to face him and make him suffer for what he did to Gabe and Cassy.”
“He’s already suffering, little one, if he’s in there,” Phenex stated.
“Where is this, Phen?” Micah asked.
“Beyond that veil is Naraka.”
“That’s Naraka? So that means that Michael is spending eternity in Karma having done to him all the evil he did to others?” Raffy asked with a hint of pleasure in his voice, from the knowledge that Michael would forever feel some of the pain he caused others.
“Yes,” Phenex answered.
“But…I wanted to tell him off. I wanted to make him suffer. I…”
“What, angel?” Christian asked softly.
“I wanted to make him pay for what he had done. I wanted him to see that I wasn’t a scared, helpless, little freak anymore, and he couldn’t hurt us again,” Raffy said sadly.
“Is that what you really want, young Raffy? You want to face your demon so to speak?” Lucifer asked. Raffy said nothing, only nodded.
Lucifer looked to the swirling wall and commanded, “Bring forth the one named Michael Angel.”
Suddenly the wall split in the bottom, like curtains going up, and pulled apart enough to allow two beings to step through. Six Legion Warriors immediately went to their side and escorted the two to stand before Lucifer. One was a small man of about five foot five, weighing about a hundred and fifty pounds. He had a mangled face and one eye was missing, only an empty socket left behind.
But it was the second man that had Raffy’s breath stopping in his throat and his body tensing. Walking next to the smaller guy was Michael. Even though Raffy knew it was him, Michael looked so different from the last time Raffy had seen him over a hundred years ago. Raffy’s attention was solely focused on their approach, but he could feel Christian stepping back to stand behind him. Instantly Gabriel and Castiel joined him, one on each side like his pillars of strength
and protection.
The men stopped and the smaller one bowed at Lucifer, then announced, “The one named Michael Angel, Lord Lucifer.” The small man and the Legion Warriors took a step back, leaving Michael to face Lucifer alone.
“What is your wish, my lord?” Michael asked, a tremor in his voice, as he dropped to his knees before Lucifer.
“Stand and face your fate,” Lucifer commanded.
Michael slowly got to his feet, his head bowed until he straightened. He lifted his head, but his eyes still did not meet Lucifer’s.
“What happened to him?” Raffy asked in a whisper. He couldn’t believe what was standing in front of him. Michael no longer resembled the large, strong enforcer he once was. Now he looked like a sleazy, lazy guy that sat around in a lounger all day watching TV while he ate and dropped food on his shirt, as his too big of a body for his clothes hung out all over, the folds of flesh lapping over the waistband of his pants. His skin was ashen and greasy, as was his hair, which was stringy and slicked back from his face.
Michael’s gaze met Raffy’s and he looked right through him as if he didn’t know who Raffy was. Then his gaze moved to the two men on either side of him, and suddenly Raffy could see recognition fill his eyes.
“This is Michael? Wow, it’s like trying to squeeze a zeppelin into a condom,” Shay said, causing a few snickers from around them.
From the corner of his eye, Raffy could see Castiel’s smile as he chuckled and looked back over his shoulder at his mate. “What? I’m just saying. He’s so…so…big,” Shay mumbled.
“He’s not fat, Shay, he’s just easy to see. And he suffers from dunlap syndrome,” Taylor said with a chuckle as he wrapped an arm over Shay’s shoulders.
“What is dunlap syndrome?” Kia asked.
“His belly done lapped over his pants,” Taylor replied laughing, causing the others to laugh.
“But he is fat, Taylor,” Shay responded.
“Yes, sweetie, I know, but we shouldn’t make fun of people…oh, who am I kidding? He’s not a person. Only a piece of shit that deserves whatever he gets.”
“Why are you two here? And who is this tart with you, and those tarts behind you?” Michael asked Gabe and Cass.
“We came here to find Raffy. He came here to find you,” Gabe answered.
“And who the hell is Raffy?” Michael sneered.
“I’m Raffy. But you would know me as Balthazar. Remember me now, asshole?”
Michael’s gaze roamed over Raffy’s body from head to toe then back again, before meeting his eyes. A small, lusty smile crossed his lips. “Well, if I had known you were going to grow up so…fuckable, maybe I would have fucked you instead of beating you.”
“Like you would ever have the chance with someone that looks like me? You probably wouldn’t even have a shot with someone that looks like you. Your personality is too evil for anyone to touch you.”
Michael’s gaze moved to Castiel and he gave him a lascivious look as he licked his lips. “I don’t remember some complaining.”
* * * *
Cass couldn’t believe what he was seeing or hearing. This disgusting piece of useless garbage that stood before him was Michael, and he was still trying to mess with his head.
“Of course, you don’t, because you forced everyone you ever touched,” Cass spat.
“Oh, please. You liked it and you know it. Everyone back then wanted to have my attention, and you were no better. I was Lucius’s golden boy. The son he always wanted, but he got you three disappointing pansies.”
“You knew we weren’t brothers, yet you did the things you did, using my love for my brother, my real brother, against me. You made me think…”
“What, that you were getting down and dirty with one of your brothers? Oh please, little Cassy, you knew I wasn’t your brother. I told you many times that Lucius wasn’t my father.”
“But you also told me that Gabe was Micah’s son. And Father never mentioned you not being his, so what else was I supposed to believe?”
“Not my fault you were an idiot. And I did tell you that Gabe being that piece of shit Micah’s child was a bullshit story Father was going to use against Uncle Raphael.”
Something snapped inside and a calmness filled him. Castiel stood there staring at the person who tormented him when he was younger and all he felt was…revulsion. He didn’t even feel pity for the man Michael had become. He reveled in the knowledge that Michael was getting exactly what he deserved for the rest of eternity.
He gave Michael one last look of disgust and turned his head. He grabbed Raffy’s hand and looked to Gabe. “Let’s go, brothers. There’s nothing of importance here.”
“Don’t you dare dismiss me like I’m nothing,” Michael sneered. “You’re the ones who are useless, pathetic excuses for life. None of you should have been born. Father never wanted any of you, but he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants and kept trying to have an heir who could best Micah. It’s you three that should be dead, and I should be alive, living my life as the rightful alpha of our pack. I did everything Father told me to do. I did everything that Malachi told me to do. I deserve that pack. Micah did nothing for it except being born. I killed, lied, and tortured for them and I got nothing. But now that you’re all here we can fix that.” Michael held up his hands.
They all looked at him, waiting for something to happen, something for them to defend against, but nothing happened. Michael pulled back his arms, then thrust them forward again as his face twisted with concentration, but still, nothing happened.
“That was anticlimactic. Like waiting for a fireworks show and the only thing that happens is the wick burns then fizzles out,” Shay said.
“Are you talking about his lack of power, or his dick?” Taylor asked with a chuckle.
“I guess both,” Shay answered with a smile and hip checked Taylor.
“We shouldn’t be surprised he can’t get anything to work. In this place, he can’t even get his hopes up.” Taylor chuckled.
“I guess he can’t rise to the occasion,” Shelby joined in.
“He power like he dick. No existent,” Noah snickered, a cute smile crossing his face as he put his hands in front of his mouth.
Micah cleared his throat as he tried to control himself and not laugh. “Okay, everyone, let’s go home. There’s nothing worth seeing here.”
“I see you still think too much of yourself, Micah,” Michael sneered.
“Let’s go home, baby.” Micah ignored Michael and took Jesse’s hand, then turned and started walking away.
“Don’t you fucking turn your back on me, you pussy! Father isn’t here to stop me now. Let’s go. One on one, like we should have done hundreds of years ago!” Michael called out.
Micah stopped and turned, then walked back to stand before Michael. “You couldn’t beat me then and you certainly can’t now. And make no mistake, if it wasn’t for my father holding me back, you would have been dead a long time before you ever laid one hand on my brothers Gabe or Cass.”
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with, wolf. You never did. I could have killed you with one hand tied behind my back,” Michael spat as he got right in Micah’s face.
“He’s a demon, Micah. He wasn’t Lucius’s son. He’s half wolf, half demon,” Cass said.
Michael gave him a triumphant smirk. “Now you know the truth. So, you see, precious Micah, you didn’t stand a chance against me. So you should be kissing Lucius’s feet for holding me back.”
“Holding you back? That fucking nightmare you called a father allowed you to—no he encouraged you—to harm people. To hurt those weaker than you. He encouraged you to harm my cousins. If anything, I should pay him a visit while I’m here and rip his balls off. Right after I rip yours off for what you have done,” Micah threatened, leaning his face so close to Michael’s there was only enough room for a piece of paper to slide through.
“You’re not man enough. Never have been, never will be,” Michael challenged.<
br />
“All I have to do is think of your balls falling from your body and they will, but unlike you, I don’t harm those who are weaker than me.”
“Still a pussy, I see,” Michael sneered and raised his hand.
Michael was suddenly pulled up off the ground, his feet dangling in the air as he clawed at his throat as if trying to get invisible rope or hands away from him. As he did, something fell from his grasp. Everyone looked down to see a small knife lying on the ground. His body moved closer, hovering before Raffy, and their gazes locked. “You deserve everything that happens to you in Naraka and more,” said Raffy. “And even though Micah is a thousand times more powerful than I am, I won’t let you try to harm him, or any of my brothers, ever again. Gabe, Cassy, Raith, and Micah are all under my protection, from you and Lucius. You think I’m some pathetic, scared little mouse, well I have news for you, assface, I’m an omega.” Michael’s body flew straight up, until he could no longer be seen. A moment later, he was falling back to the ground at top speed. His face was twisted in horror and his eyes were filled with terror. Just as he was about to hit the ground, he stopped and floated an inch above the surface.
“Cassy, what do you want to do with him?” Raffy asked.
“He can’t harm us anymore, Raff. He’s right where he belongs. Let Lucifer send him back. As much as I would love to rip him apart and make him pay for everything he has done, we’re better than that, Raff. We’re better than him. He’s already paying for all the evil he did in his life. Let him continue serving his eternal sentence.”
Michael’s body sprang up, his face before Raffy. “You should count your blessings that Cass is such a good person. If it were up to me, you would become Fluffy’s new chew toy as well as having to suffer in Naraka. But Cass is right—you’re nothing. You’ve always been nothing and you will always be nothing. And from this day on, I will never think of you again. I will never even say your name.”
Castiel could see something pass Michael’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what it was, but if he didn’t know any better, Raffy’s words of Michael being nothing and not having any existence in their lives anymore was the worst thing he could have said.