“They won’t kill him,” Lucifer said, stroking my back. “They need Callan to open War’s tomb. Even afterward, I doubt they will. He’s Michael’s only living son. He was born in Heaven and they’ll keep him alive in case they need his blood again.”
Olivia looked at Lucifer hopefully. “Are you sure?"
He nodded. “Try not to worry. He’s strong.”
"Yeah, but Adam is too powerful," Marcus muttered. "How can we possibly defeat him?"
"Once War is released, it will be too late to stop the apocalypse," Bastien said. "And now they have the means to do it."
"The best we could do is get Pestilence out of his body and entomb his essence like they did last time," Kassiel said.
Lucifer pinched his brow. "We'd need to get the fae on our side for that. Unfortunately, the High King and I don't get along much these days."
Kassiel arched an eyebrow. "You made peace with the angels, surely we can convince the fae to work with us on this."
They continued discussing this but I tuned them out, staring at my sister's sickly pale skin. My stomach suddenly lurched and I turned away, hoping it would pass. It didn't, and I rushed away from the group, around the corner of the house. I pressed my hand to my mouth, my stomach roiling and trying to reject its contents, and I found a bush to duck behind.
I quickly hurled up all the food I'd had on the airplane. Tears gathered in my eyes as they always did when I was sick, and I wiped them away as my stomach moved again. I waited, gagging on nothing, but although my muscles moved, nothing else emerged. Sweat beaded on my forehead from the effort, and I leaned back against the wall behind me.
Shit. This really wasn’t the time to develop a weak stomach.
"Are you all right?" Lucifer asked, concern written across his face.
"No," I said, wiping my mouth. "I just watched my sister be killed by the first Horseman of the apocalypse. I'm definitely not all right."
"I understand." He waited for me to join him, and I took his arm, leaning on him more than I wanted to as we walked back to the others. "The horrors of Pestilence's powers must have gotten to you. I've seen it happen before."
I nodded slowly and he dropped a kiss to the top of my head. I still felt a bit sick, and the shaky, fragile feeling hadn’t left me, but I attempted to look stronger than I felt as we rejoined the rest of the group.
Lucifer stood at my side, his hand on my shoulder, as he surveyed the others. "It's time to go."
"Go?" Marcus asked. "Where? We can't get into Heaven."
"We can’t stay here and wait for other demons to come and pick us off," Lucifer said, his voice commanding. "We'll head to Las Vegas, gather our allies, form a new plan, and then go after Pestilence."
Olivia sniffled and stood. “Let’s go figure out how to rescue Callan.”
Their group shuffled toward the limo, but I couldn't move from the spot where I stood. Not without Jophiel. "We can't just leave her here."
“I’ll have someone come take care of her body,” Lucifer said as he took my hand. “I'll handle everything. I swear it. Just come with me now."
I nodded and looked down at my sister as I wiped away fresh tears. My son had helped do this, while her son had tried to defend us, and now they were both lost to us. While there was still a chance of rescuing Callan, I was starting to think I’d never get my eldest son back. Maybe Lucifer was right, and there were no more chances for Belial.
Maybe Belial was lost to us forever.
I barely noticed as Lucifer herded me into the limo and we drove away. I barely noticed as we got back on the private jet and took off. I barely noticed when we landed in Las Vegas sometime later. I was numb. Going through the motions, but empty inside. Trying to find any small sliver of hope—and failing.
30
Lucifer
I looked out of the penthouse window, seeing myself reflected in the glass, my whiskey in my hand. Behind me, Hannah paced back and forth, her arms crossed, her body language turned inward. Olivia and three of her mates reclined on the leather sofa, with Kassiel, Bastien, and Marcus sitting so close to her they should have been crowding her, but she seemed to need them all. Maybe she did—she was part succubus, after all.
I took a deep breath before turning to face the room. What a disaster today had become. I’d already summoned Samael and Azazel home, and they were on their way back from Penumbra Prison, where they'd learned absolutely nothing. I'd taken care of everything at Jophiel's house, sending her body off to the angels. I'd called Archangel Gabriel and asked him to meet me here to discuss our next steps. My head buzzed with my long list of things to do, but I was working through them and everyone in the room had a glass of wine, so at least there was that.
Hannah was the thing I worried about most though. She'd barely said a word since we'd left Jophiel's house. She'd been ill again on the airplane, but she'd refused to let Marcus heal her, saying she was fine. I'd tried to convince her to go to bed and get some rest, so she could mourn in private, but she'd said she wanted to be here when Gabriel arrived.
I checked my watch, wondering where he was. As if conjured by my thoughts of him, the Archangel appeared in front of me, and I steeled against a flinch, fighting not to react. The King of Hell was never taken by surprise. But fuck, I really hated when he did that.
“Where’s my daughter?” the sandy-haired Archangel said by way of a greeting.
I understood. I’d be concerned only for Kassiel if I were in his position. I nodded over his shoulder, and he turned around, his arms already outstretched.
Olivia jumped to her feet as soon as saw him. “Father,” she cried and ran to him.
He caught her and pressed her to him, and my heart gave a tug for the daughter I’d never experience this love with. I shoved that grief down, knowing I couldn't deal with it now.
Gabriel wrapped his arm around his daughter and led her to the black leather sofa before Kassiel explained in greater detail everything that had happened over the last few days, picking up all of the things I’d left out of my quick, urgent communication.
Gabriel sighed heavily when the tale was finished. "You've really gotten yourself into a mess this time, haven't you, Lucifer?"
"I refuse to take credit for this one." I poured Gabriel a stiff drink. It always amused me to see angels drinking. Humans thought they were so pure. Oh, if only they knew the truth.
Gabriel frowned as he took the drink. "The loss of Jophiel is a heavy blow to the angel community. She was not only one of our Archangels, but also the CEO of Aether Industries, our largest employer."
"Her son was taken by Adam," Hannah said in a quiet voice. "We need to honor her memory by rescuing him."
Gabriel's eyes landed on her. "Haniel. I thought you were lost to us. It's been so long since I saw you."
"I was lost, in a way," she replied. "But not anymore."
"She's right, we need to find Callan," Olivia said. "Do you have a key to Heaven?"
Gabriel swirled his drink around, the ice clinking against the sides. "Yes, Michael entrusted me with one when he sealed off Heaven."
I nodded, his words confirming my suspicions. I'd done the same thing when I'd closed Hell. Lilith had my backup key—she was the only Archdemon I trusted. Well, more than the rest, anyway. What was trust really, besides a short list of people less likely to stab me in the back on any given day? A list that grew shorter by the hour.
"Shouldn't we already be on our way there?" Kassiel asked. "Every moment we delay they get closer to War's tomb."
"We can't rush into this," I said. "Our failure at Jophiel's house showed us that much. We need to gather our allies and formulate a plan."
Gabriel nodded. "If they're traveling through the ruined, abandoned landscape of Heaven, it will take them some time."
I finished my whiskey and set it down on the bar. "Yes, they can't exactly hop on a plane over there. We'll take the jet to the equivalent location of the tomb here on Earth, and then use the key to open the portal.
That way, we might even surprise them."
"What's the plan once we get there?" Hannah asked.
I steepled my fingers as I considered. "The priority is to stop them from releasing War. If they do manage to free him, we need to make sure he doesn't possess anyone. There's a small chance we might be able to re-seal him in the tomb, but not if he's taken a new vessel."
"Pestilence required a sacrifice," Bastien said. "Will War ask for the same?"
"I believe so, yes," I said.
"What about Pestilence?" Marcus asked. He still looked haunted after the healing he'd done earlier. I can only imagine how anathema Pestilence would be to a Malakim like himself, whose duty was to preserve life.
I spread my hands. "The best we can do for now is to distract him and possibly kill Adam's body. Once we stop the threat of War, we can contact the fae and work with them to trap Pestilence again."
"I need to make some calls." Gabriel finished off his drink and rose to his feet. "The tomb is in the equivalent of Mexico, just outside Cancun at Chichen Itza. I can teleport there myself, but I can't take everyone with me."
I nodded. "The rest of us will take the jet first thing in the morning."
“I’ll organize some angels to help. This is a threat we must all stand against." Gabriel turned to Olivia. “I’ll see you soon."
He disappeared in the blink of an eye. One second there, the next gone—his Archangel power. He'd always been my favorite Archangel, but damn, that was annoying.
The others all stood too. "We'll see you in the morning," Kassiel said, giving Hannah's arm a quick squeeze before he left.
After they retreated to their own guest suites in the hotel, I sent a message to Raphael to let him know what we had planned. We'd need the help of the strongest Malakim to combat Adam's plague powers. Frankly, we needed all the allies we could get at this point if we were going to stand against Pestilence.
"Go on to bed," I told Hannah. "I'll be right there after I send a few more messages."
She nodded and left the room, and I called Einial and went over some of the logistical aspects of our journey tomorrow. Once that was done, I considered contacting the fae, but there was no time. I couldn't exactly text them over in Faerie, after all. The fae were not exactly up to date on current technology.
As I walked across the living room, movement outside the window caught my eye. I was instantly alert, ready for another attack, when I spotted a female gargoyle hovering outside. She had black hair tied back in a bun, and she spread her leathery, taloned wings and set down on the balcony outside.
As I walked closer, I recognized her as Romana, Belphegor's eldest daughter. Great. Just what I needed right now was another headstrong child seeking revenge for the death of their parent. A death I had nothing to do with this time.
I threw open the sliding door. "What are you doing here?”
“Is it true?” she asked, with a slight French accent. “Is she dead?”
“I’m afraid so."
"Tell me."
I gestured for her to sit on one of the lounge chairs on the patio, as the night breeze teased at our hair and clothes. She perched on the edge of her seat, like she was a bundle of nerves that were ready to launch herself off the chair at any moment.
I sat across from her and quickly laid out what had happened, including Adam's betrayal and murder of Belphegor. The whole sordid tale. I wasn't sure how much Belphegor had involved her daughter in her plots against me, but Romana didn't seem surprised by much of what I told her—except for the end, when Pestilence emerged and Adam sacrificed Belphegor for the power.
Romana seethed, her hands gripping the side of the chair, her skin turning to stone. "I will kill him myself for what he's done."
I nearly laughed at the idea that she could succeed where I had failed. However, we needed allies if we were going to defeat this threat, and I was never one to pass up an opportunity. Even though the gargoyles had tried to kill Hannah while Belphegor led them, I sensed a chance to give them a new beginning.
"You are the new Archdemon of the gargoyles," I told her. "I need to know now—will you stand against me? Or against the people who betrayed your mother?"
She considered for a moment, and I saw the thoughtfulness in her brown eyes, before she bowed her head. "I stand with you, my lord."
I rose to my feet. "A wise choice. Tomorrow we fly to Mexico to stop Adam and the others from releasing War. You and your gargoyles would be very useful in that fight."
"We will join you. I will have revenge for my mother's death." She slowly dropped to her knees before me, her eyes lowered. "I pledge my loyalty to you, Lucifer. I will serve you as your Archdemon."
That was unexpected, but certainly welcome. I gestured for her to stand. “Rise, Romana. I thank you for your oath. We leave first thing in the morning.”
"We will be ready." Her wings snapped out and she disappeared off the side of the balcony, into the night air.
I gazed out at the Las Vegas lights, trying to calm the turmoil in my head at the thought of what we would face tomorrow, but there was only one person who could soothe me. When I walked into my bedroom, Hannah was curled up in a ball under the covers in the middle of the bed. I undressed quickly and climbed under the blankets behind her, wrapping my arms around her.
“I never got to forgive her,” she whispered.
"I’m sorry.” There wasn’t much else to say. No words would help her pain. I was all too familiar with loss, as were all immortals, and I knew it never got any easier.
“I was mad at her, but I didn’t want her to die.”
“She knew. She knew the moment you told her you loved her.”
“Do you think so?”
I wanted to erase all uncertainty and guilt from her. Her immortal life would be a long time to bear that weight. Assuming we survived the next fight. “I’m sure of it. She loved you too. That's why she sacrificed herself to save you. That's why she did everything."
Hannah sighed. "I know. Her love was...overbearing. But it was true."
My arms tightened around her. "We're going to stop Adam, I swear it.”
"How?" She let out a sad laugh. "Elder Gods can’t be killed.”
I didn’t have the answer, but I had an idea. A possibility. The only thing as powerful as an Elder God...was another Elder God.
Could we get War to defeat Pestilence?
31
Hannah
Cancun was warm and sunny, and all of the things the travel websites promised, yet still perfectly miserable. My sister was dead, my nephew taken, my son lost. Everything was wrong. As someone who was grieving, it was like a slap in the face that the day was so gorgeous. It should’ve been raining and bleak. Everything needed to be gray. Like I was.
But as we stepped off the jet and the sunshine beat down on my face, I at least felt a little stronger physically. As an angel, that warmth and sunlight helped, as did the ocean breeze blowing against my skin. I turned my head toward the bright sun, hoping it would burn through all the darkness inside me.
Lucifer rested his hand on the small of my back as he breathed in deeply. "We'll have to return someday. When things calm down."
I nodded, though we both knew it would be a miracle if we survived the day. Besides, all I cared about was defeating Adam. For thousands of years he had tortured and killed me. He'd tormented and tricked my family. He'd murdered my daughter and now my sister. I was ready to make him pay.
Our private jet had been packed with our allies, and they spilled out onto the tarmac now. Numerous black SUVs waited to drive us to the location of the tomb, and I hurried toward the first one. I didn’t want to waste any more time. The few hours of rest we’d gotten were needed, but not at the expense of preventing Adam from releasing War.
“How long is the drive?” I asked, as I piled into a car with Einial and Lucifer.
“Two hours,” Einial said. “Roughly.”
"Others will be meeting us there," Lucifer said. "Assuming Gabriel
and Raphael came through."
"They will," I said. Gabriel had only spoken truth last night. The question was whether his additional angels would be enough. Without some protection against Adam, I didn’t see how we’d even be able to fight him, but we had to try. There was no other way. I’d never been content to just roll over before, and now that I had Lucifer back and the promise of forever with him, I wasn’t about to roll over now. I reached for Lucifer’s hand and entwined my fingers with his. No, I wasn’t ready to give this up.
The car fell silent as we drove, and I assumed all of us were contemplating the coming fight. We left the airport and drove over a bridge, then headed through Cancun, which reminded me a lot of Southern California—big blue skies dotted with wispy clouds, palm trees on either side of the road, white buildings with signs in Spanish.
I spotted a glimpse of the ocean between the buildings, and I lowered my window to get a bit of the fresh sea air. We rolled to a stop outside a restaurant, and I was hit with the strong smell of seafood. Normally, I loved seafood, but today the thought of it turned my stomach. I gripped the edge of the leather seat and gritted my jaw against the sudden and strong wave of intense nausea.
A memory rose up from about forty years ago, when I'd been pregnant with my daughter, and a similar smell had sent me running to the bathroom. None of my other pregnancies had caused nausea, but I’d been ready to hurl for pretty much the whole time with my last one.
A particularly gnarly wave of nausea hit me when the wind brought more of the fish stink into the car. I quickly raised the window and clutched the seat with white-knuckled hands, fighting to keep my breakfast. I’d gotten sick yesterday, too, but I’d thought it was a reaction to Pestilence and everything we’d just been through. But what if it wasn't?
Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Could I be pregnant?
“Are you okay?” Lucifer asked, watching me with a worried twist to his mouth.
Devilish Mate: Claimed By Lucifer Book Two Page 19