by Rory Miles
I wait for the perfect moment to make my move. Now isn’t the time.
“Kill them all!” a low born demon screams from high in the stands. Several more echo the sentiment.
Lucifer gestures to the crowd. “You heard them. They’re calling for blood. I love a good show.”
Levia stands. “You wouldn’t.”
With a wicked smile, he waggles his eyebrows. “Wouldn’t I?”
Berith’s face is hot with his rage. “You’re outnumbered, High Lord.” He spits at Lucifer’s feet.
“Berith, ever predictable you are, but my dear Levia, why are you gunning for me?”
The princess scoffs. “You know as well as I do.”
For three short beats they stare at one another. The high lord is the first to break eye contact. “The child would not have survived. What I did was merciful.”
“She was my daughter. You killed her for no reason.”
He sighs. “Levia, Levia, Levia. When I found out you had a child with that fae filth, I had to take action. I was surprised you kept your secret from me for twenty-five years, but I took care of her before she could have a child.”
I remember the half-breed I saw at the hotel bar in Las Vegas. I don’t think he killed her before she had a child. Whenever Lucifer got to Levia’s daughter, she had already had a child, or children. Does she know she has a grandchild? A small bit of pity rises within me. Lucifer killed her child.
Then I remember how she was willing to sacrifice me or my kin, and I don’t feel so bad anymore.
She’s seeking revenge, just like me, but she’s willing to harm demons who played no role in her daughter’s demise. She and I are different in that way. I won’t harm those who have done nothing against me.
“Well then,” Lucifer says, strolling to one side of the stage and crouching into a fighting stance. “Let the games begin.”
Berith charges him, roaring like a madman. He’s strong, and the rage power he harnesses is enough to stun Lucifer for a moment. He stumbles slightly and his head whips to the side when a solid fist smashes into his jaw. Instead of falling or cowing under Berith, Lucifer ducks, smiling like a maniac, and kicks Berith in the stomach. When he rises, all of his glamour is dropped, revealing dark, scaly skin. They charge at each other once again, but there is no time to watch them trading blows because Levia launches herself at me.
The surprise of her attack throws me off balance and we tumble backward. My head thuds against the ground, and I let out a low, irritated growl. Fucking demons. She’s dropped her glamour, and her claws, while smaller than Lucifer’s, still slash into me and draw black blood from my arm.
“You’re coming with me this time.” She’s on top of me, and for a lithe woman, she’s incredibly heavy.
I guess she still wants that dagger.
I slam my palm into her nose, and she screams. Rolling off of me, she grips my hair with both hands before I can move and begins dragging me toward the door.
“Not so fast, Levia.” Naomi stands just to the side. “Or have you forgotten about us?”
Dante comes up behind her, glamour fully down, and runs a hand down Naomi’s arm. She shivers, eyes turning wholly red. Levia’s grip loosens in my hair, thank the devil.
I use her momentary distraction to my advantage and roll back to curl into a ball before kicking out with both feet. She bowls over and flies back. When she hits the stage, she slides a few feet to the edge of the black marble. I jump up, landing in a squat and gaze around. Berith and Lucifer are still coming to harsh blows. No one has stepped in to help, and no one will. Right now, this is their fight.
The crowd is mad with chaos, fights are breaking out among low born demons. Many are screaming for blood; any demon’s blood will appease the more bloodthirsty. Only Levia’s and Berith’s will appease the more rational demons.
The princess pushes off the floor with one hand, blond hair askew, and glares at the three of us.
“You’re all abominations. The Creator made a mistake when he made you.”
“Ouch, that one really hurts.” Dante rubs his arm.
Naomi starts to go to her but I stop her, bracing my arm against her chest.
“Shera,” Naomi says, tone biting. “She locked me in a cage.”
Oh. Right. I guess Naomi’s taking care of this particular piece of trash.
“Make it quick, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
Levia is standing now, but when Naomi struts over to her, she falls to her knees. Waves of red succubus magic pour over the fallen princess and when Dante’s power mingles with Naomi’s, she’s powerless. Unable to resist the call of lust, Levia tries to pull Naomi to her.
“Please,” she begs. “It feels so good. Please, more.”
Naomi doesn’t answer. Instead, she shoves Levia onto her back. The princess moans as though that alone could make her cum, and Naomi straddles her.
“You picked on the wrong succubus.” Naomi’s nails lengthen until long black talons gleam against Levia’s skin. She traces around Levia’s cleavage, drawing some essence from the demon princess writhing underneath of her.
Dante kneels next to them, providing a continuous supply of his allure to help keep her pliant. Naomi drums the sharpened claws over Levia’s heart.
“Goodbye, Levia.”
She digs into Levia’s chest cavity and rips out her black heart.
Holding the still-beating organ, black blood runs in rivulets down Naomi’s arm. The sudden silence is deafening in the auditorium that was just moments ago ripe with insanity. The heart moves with the last few thumps, and I hear Lucifer’s shaky exhale.
“Give it here.” Pushing Berith’s prone body away, he half stumbles toward us. His eyes are wild with need. “Let me finish her.”
Naomi turns her gaze on him and he stops short, surprised by the wash of power that hits him. Canting her head, she lifts her hand high, showing off the heart to everyone in the auditorium. Astaroth is watching with rapt attention, and I think this is possibly the most engaged I’ve ever seen him.
“Naomi,” Lucifer chokes out around her stifling power. Dante is fighting off a low born demon and can’t help her. Since she doesn’t render him speechless, it means she has only a matter of minutes before her thrall breaks.
Bringing her other hand up to rest on top of Levia’s heart, she squeezes until it pops and blood spurts in all directions. Thank the devil I’m far enough away from her, I’ve already got my black blood covering my shirt.
Lucifer shouts no, but he’s too late. Finally breaking through her thrall, he charges her.
“Why are you all being so difficult?”
Surely this is a rhetorical question, but I can’t help answering. “Your time as high lord comes to an end. Tonight.”
Before he wraps both hands around Naomi’s throat, I harness those shadows and every violent thought I’ve ever had toward Lucifer and unleash a darkness that nearly stops my heart. Time stands still as black floods throughout the auditorium; the entire place is crawling with shadows. When I see Beelzebub gagging, I curse. They’re burrowing into every demon here. This is not what I planned. Pulling back some of my power, I focus on funneling it all at Lucifer.
When the shadows recede from the others, I sigh in relief. Forming a blanket of lead, they pull the devil to the ground. He’s choking and gagging around the darkness, but I won’t use the shadows to kill him. No, I’ll kill him the same way he killed Shane.
He watches as I approach, black eyes flickering with fear. The predator fallen to the prey. I straddle his hips and lower my face to his.
“This,” I whisper into his ears, “is for every death you’ve given me.” I use my claws to rip out his throat. He gurgles, but isn’t dead yet. “And this is for Shane and the countless demons you’ve killed without just cause.”
Rendered unable to speak, Lucifer’s eyes grow wide when I begin digging my claws into his chest. When flesh gives way to bone, and bone crunches, splinters and breaks, I grab the he
art of the devil and rip it from his damned body.
His eyes go dead, but he’ll never truly be dead unless I destroy his heart. I mimic Naomi, pressing my palms together until it breaks and I’m bathed in his blood.
Only once the blood stops running do I lower my arms, tossing the wet leftovers aside. I wipe my eyes clean with my tank top and blink up at Beelzebub. He’s grimacing.
This is not a good sign.
“What?” I ask.
He picks something out of my hair and flicks it aside. “That’s disgusting.”
I let out a soft laugh. For a moment, I thought I’d done something wrong. Glancing around the prince, I see Astaroth standing over Berith. He’s destroying his heart.
“Huh,” I say.
Beelzebub glances back. “Oh yes, Astaroth is on our side.”
My gaze finds Prince Asmodeus and Prince Gressil. The first looks ready to launch himself at Astaroth while the latter has a strange smile plastered on his face.
“Brace yourself,” Verrina warns.
My gaze snaps to hers, and she tilts her head toward the crowd. Hundreds of low borns are storming down the stairs, racing toward the stage. Screaming their fury for my murdering their high lord.
“You’re either with us, or with them,” I shout over the noise to the two princes. Asmodeus glances around the large space, taking in the odds.
“I stand with the people.”
I nod in understanding. “Very well. Gressil?”
He laughs. “I’ve waited for a moment like this my entire life.” When he crosses the stage to stand beside me, I grin.
“Welcome to the dark side,” I say solemnly.
Duchess Carrea and Earl Verrier join my merry band of misfits, while the two remaining dukes join Prince Asmodeus.
“Let the blood rain.” Beelzebub raises his hands, harnessing his full power and slamming it into the first wave of demons. They fall down and are trampled by the next wave. War cries muffle the screams of agony when talons and claws bury into the flesh of the fallen demons.
Asmodeus rushes us, throwing a wave of demon power at me, but I’ve braced myself and counter with a powerful blast of allure. Those around me, aside from my kin, are brought to their knees. I’ve held back this entire time, waiting for the moment when I’d need to release all of my pent-up energies. Taking essence from Mother Faerie has strengthened my thrall beyond that of demon possibilities.
Prince Asmodeus and the dukes crawl toward me, no longer seeking my blood. Anakin flashes to my side and hands me a blade.
“I’ve brought you a present.”
Smiling, I thank the jinni and take the weapon. I really don’t want to kill these three; they’ve never done anything to directly harm me or someone I care about, but if they will not yield, I have no other choice.
Lucifer’s low born supporters have reached us and Beelzebub, Verrina, Astaroth, Naomi, Dante, and Verrier easily sweep the threats aside. Body after body falls under their powers and swords. Some low borns have fallen back after taking in the carnage.
When the three royals reach my toes, I zip up my glamour. Asmodeus shakes his head, almost like he’s trying to get rid of a ringing in his ears.
“I don’t have to kill you.” I tap his chin with the knife. “I will, though. If you do not stand down, Lucifer’s heart will not be the only one I destroy this night.”
Only three final deaths have been delivered tonight. Levia’s, Berith’s, and the high lord’s. The low borns have died or are greatly injured, but we are operating under a no final death mindset. Once the demons are reborn, then they can decide if they still want to fight for their fallen lord.
“The Creator will not let you rule,” Oeillet sneers at me.
With a smile that would melt chocolate, I say, “Oh, I think the Creator doesn’t care what I do. As long as it’s savage and vile, he’ll let me do whatever I want.”
The duke’s face grows ashen. He knows I’m right; surely if the Creator cared, he would have intervened before I killed Lucifer.
“I will be High Lady. If you take issue with that, I suggest you make your move now.”
The three of them trade looks, eyebrows bunching and raising in some weird form of communication I don’t care to interpret. When Asmodeus turns to me, I know their answer.
“We will not accept a woman as our ruler. There is no place in Avernus for you.”
“Say hello to Lucifer.” Before any of them can move, I bring about my shadows and blind them. Then, with three swift slices of my blade, their necks are cut open and demon blood rains upon the black stage. I toss the knife aside and then, in a matter of fifteen seconds, I punch through each chest and rip out their black hearts before I destroy them. By the time I’m back to where I started and I pull my shadows in, the three of them fall over face-first into their own lifeforce.
Micah’s hand finds the small of my back. “You had no choice. They would have fought you till the end. You gave them the option to avoid final death. They did not take it.”
Nodding, I turn to see that the others have taken care of the low born. The living demons stare at the fallen, not really sure how to react.
Realizing this is the part where the new leader makes some grand statement, I stride to the throne.
“Some of you may not understand a damn thing that just happened. Some of you fully understand and were foolish enough to try and avenge your fallen lord. Let me make one thing clear: Lucifer is dead.”
I let those words sink in for a few moments.
“For those of you who don’t know, my name is Shera and I am your High Lady.”
Beelzebub is at my side, making me pause. I glance up at him, and see he’s holding a dark glittering crown. I brush a finger over the crown, delicate yet strong. The statement is made.
When he holds it out for me to take, I use two hands to raise it over my head and settle it upon my hair. The effect is immediate: the low born bow and the royals left on stage dip their heads to me.
“Rise, demons of Avernus. Take a few nights to find your wits. Then, prepare for change.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
A few days later.
Taking the penthouse at the top of Lucifer’s tower does not sound appealing, so, I settle for a swanky apartment a few buildings over. All I have to do is ask, and the finest furniture and decorations arrived at my door. I’m lounging in an oversized armchair, watching Micah and Anakin argue over who gets which room in the four-bedroom living space.
“I haven’t invited you to live with me,” I remind them with a teasing smile.
Micah brushes his hair over, an unnecessary habit since he always looks good. “But who will protect you from the protesters?”
I laugh. “There are no protesters.”
I’ve been ruling Avernus for two days, and so far, there have been two minor revolts that were swiftly taken care of. Overall, I’m surprised by how smoothly things have gone given all the deaths my team and I handed out.
“Not yet,” he says, “but won’t it be better for us to be here when they come with their torches and pitchforks?”
Oy. Always with the dramatics this one. “This isn’t Salem, babe. Have you forgotten who killed Lucifer?”
Anakin smirks at Micah and Micah flips him off.
“You want to live here too. Stop smirking like a fool and help me convince her.”
Dropping my head back onto the cushions, I sigh with an added bit of drama and say, “Fine, you can stay. But, Beelzebub gets the burgundy room.”
Each of my rooms are named by the color they’re decorated with. I mirrored the burgundy one after his home in New York City. The black and gray rooms are still up for grabs. My bedroom, the indigo one, is the largest and most ostentatious. Seeing as I’m High Lady, it’s only fair.
Beelzebub comes in from the kitchen with a plate full of food. He sits down at the dining room table, which is just across the open concept room.
“If they’re living here as well, we shou
ld set some ground rules.”
That catches my attention. “Ground rules?”
He nods. “We each get you to ourselves one night a week. The other four days can be spent in whatever way you want, but for three nights, your time is tied to whoever’s turn it is.”
Anakin murmurs his agreement. “We can space the days out, too. That way it won’t be overwhelming.”
Micah cants his head. “We could always take the apartment below this one. It’s half the size and would give a bit of privacy to Shera and her companion on those nights.”
“That’s a good idea.” Beelzebub points at the jinni with his fork.
“I haven’t agreed to any of this.” I can’t stop smiling and I’m not really objecting, I’m merely pointing out the facts. They haven’t asked me, more just decided that was how it would be.
“No, but you will. You know it makes the most sense.”
I narrow my eyes on Anakin. His scruff has grown and I want to yank it because he’s being a brat. . . but, he’s right. Their plan is solid.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Fine. No one eats my Hot Cheetos, though.”
They all agree to that, smiling like the fools they are. They’re my fools though, and my heart swells knowing they want to live with me and hadn’t even considered other arrangements. Verrina and Naomi went back to Chicago with Dante. For right now, my friends don’t have any plans to move to Avernus, but they’ve promised to visit. I’m not sure I want to be stuck down here for eternity. My main focus is settling in as ruler and giving people a bit of time to come to terms with their new High Lady.
Then, I’ll begin to implement my plans. Starting with using the stored-up essence that Lucifer kept locked away deep within Avernus. For whatever reason, the high lord didn’t do anything with the energy we demons provided at the fusion stations. I found it during my first day as High Lady, stumbling through the records that were sent over by the main business office. There is enough there to escalate the construction time for base infrastructure in the outer regions of Avernus. Lucifer City is the most modern settlement, and that isn’t saying much.
