Hell's Redemption- The Complete Series Boxset

by Grace McGinty

  “Mini-Oz, message User:Oz and tell him that I am okay and at home. But I need them here as soon as possible.”

  I needed a time out away from them all. Ace, Luc and maybe even the guys. I needed to be alone, but I was never actually alone. Until now, that fact had comforted me. Now it felt like shackles.

  “I'm going to bed. Don't talk to Ace. I don't want to hear anything from either of you right now.”

  Ace said nothing and Luc nodded. “If it is okay with you, I shall wait for the return of the Seven in your living space.”

  “Whatever.” I shut the door in his face and crawled into bed, pulling the pillow over my head and hoping it would all just go away.

  Twenty minutes later I heard the door slam open and voices yelling in the living room. I tensed, expecting Azriel’s return, but then I recognized Tolliver’s angry baritone. The bedroom door slammed open too, and the blankets were yanked away. Lux stared down at me with wild eyes that roamed continuously over my body, which was curled in a ball protectively around my belly.

  “Are you hurt? Eli!” His voice was strained, and I could see fear in the whites of his eyes.

  “Lux, I'm fine.” Well, that was probably a matter of perspective but I wasn't going to say that to the man who was still shirtless and in his shorts from his fight. They must have gotten him straight from the change rooms.

  Eli appeared in the door anyway, and was at my side in a second. “Where is the pain?”

  I laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound. If I didn't think it would result in him calling the paramedics immediately, I would point to my heart.

  “I'm not in any pain, Eli.” I wouldn't say I was fine though. That would be a lie.

  “Luc says you were abducted by an angel?” Eli pressed.

  I sighed and slid out of bed. Best to get this story over and done with so we could plan. The thought not to tell the guys about Ace’s role in my sickness, and even the baby, crossed my mind, but I dismissed it completely. I'd promised Eli no more secrets, and I meant it.

  I saw Oz's guilt-ridden face first and I walked straight into his arms.

  “I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.” He repeated it over and over into my hair.

  “You couldn't have possibly known that I'd be abducted by the Angel of Death from the women's restrooms. Don't apologize.”

  “I should have gone in with you.”

  “No, you shouldn't have. I'm fine.”

  Valery and Ri burst through the door, their relief palpable when they saw me in Oz's arms. Ri cast a look at Lucifer, then strode over, gently taking me from Oz's arms and pulling me into his own.

  “If this keeps up, I'm the one who is going to have a heart attack.” He pressed kisses to my forehead and cheeks and lips.

  Valery came over and ran a hand down my hair. “What happened?”

  I sighed and snuggled deeper into Ri’s arms.

  “You all better sit down.”

  Lucifer cleared his throat awkwardly. “Should I take my leave?”

  I wanted to shout yes from the rooftops, but instead I shook my head. “Stay. There'll be questions that I just can't answer.”

  He eyed Lux warily. Yeah, Lux was not going to be impressed.

  Ri sat with me in his lap, the solid warmth of his body dispersing the chill from my bones. The others didn't sit beside us, instead standing in a small semi-circle facing me, six equally concerned faces staring down at me.

  “So, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that I know how to cure my sickness. I could be better within a year.”

  Broad smiles broke out on their faces and Sam sat down beside me, his hand on my cheek. “That's great news.”

  I frowned sadly. “It gets better, and then so much worse. Also, one of you has been Redeemed. I'm not sure which one.”

  Eli was frowning. “Go back to the miracle cure. What did Azriel tell you?”

  Ah, my sexy scientist. Always needing to know the why.

  “Ace is the one making me sick. Possessing two souls in my body is unnatural, and nature is trying to resolve the issue by having my body attack itself. My cardiomyopathy is from the overworking of my heart to sustain two life forces. Azriel offered to remove her for me, and that once gone my body would begin to win the fight. As it is, he said I have less than a year.”

  “You said yes, right?” Tolliver asked.

  Lucifer growled. “Watch it.”

  “No Tolliver, I didn't say yes. Ace, despite our differences, is someone I love. I don't give up on the people I love.”

  Lux grunted. “So we all work hard to be redeemed in months, and then Ace goes back to her own body in hell and you get better.”

  “That was the plan. There was a problem though. No one has asked how I knew one of you was redeemed.”

  I watched the color drain from Eli’s face. He went ashen. “No.”

  I nodded sadly. “Yes. I'm pregnant.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  If the situation hadn't been so tragic, their response would have been almost comical. Orion, who had been hugging my torso tight against his body, dropped his arms like they were on fire, moving down to grip my thighs tightly. Sam and Tolliver had similar looks of shock. Valery began to swear in French, cursing everyone and everything, well, at least I thought that's what he was saying.

  Eli was still pale and Lux was completely blank. His face was devoid of any expression like he was a Greco-Roman marble statue.

  But it was Oz who took it the worse. His face went deathly white and he swayed on his feet like he was going to pass out.

  “Sit, Oz.”

  He sat without question. Without a word, Eli turned and left the silent room.

  “Where's he going?”

  “To get his medical bag, I would think,” Luc answered. He was the only one who didn't look like he'd been hit by a bus.

  Unfortunately, speaking drew Lux's steel grey eyes to him. It was Lux who looked like the angel of death as he prowled toward Lucifer.

  “You.”

  Lucifer tensed for a fight. This could not end well. I moved off of Orion’s lap, stepping toward them. Lux ignored me.

  “You knew this would kill her and said nothing,” Lux growled.

  “She was so strong of will. She would have made it.”

  Would have. Past tense. Another blow.

  “Take your consort out of her now.”

  “That will not happen. She will redeem you, and Ace will have her body restored. How about you help her help you, instead of falling back into old patterns, Lux of Taygetus.”

  There was another deep growl from Lux and I moved closer, ready to put myself in the way. Orion was there in an instant, holding my arm.

  “Don't endanger yourself. Or the baby,” he murmured to me. “Lux in this mood can be… unpredictable. He is more animal than man.”

  I didn't care how unpredictable Lux got, I knew he would never hurt me. Lucifer on the other hand would probably snap me without a single thought.

  I had to stop this. I stepped around Ri and reached out for Lux's hand.

  Those cold gray eyes snapped to mine, and immediately warmed with such love that my breath clogged in my throat. I gave him a watery smile.

  “The baby could be yours. I need you.” Conflict contorted his face, until he put his back to Lucifer and placed a hand on my stomach, his fingers curling over the light curve that probably had more to do with Valery’s food than a baby.

  “I'm yours. Both of you.”

  Eli returned, wordlessly indicating I should return to the couch. Lux picked me up in his arms and went back to the couch, sitting me on his lap.

  Eli didn't waste any time checking my vitals, including my blood pressure. He handed me a cup and a white packet with a pregnancy test inside.

  “Just to make sure.”

  “It might be too soon to come up on tests,” I argued.

  “I know. But it might help us narrow down who the father might be,” he said softly. Or who was redeemed.
/>   “She shouldn't keep it. She will die. Is no one else catching the sub context here?” Tolliver argued.

  Oz shot to his feet. “Don’t you ever listen? There's no way she's going to get rid of the baby. She won’t even get rid of Ace, who is killing her slowly. There is no way she’d get rid of the baby. Besides, it could be yours. Are you so eager to get rid of your own flesh and blood?” He came over and knelt in front of me. “I don’t care who’s baby it is, Tolliver's or Sam’s. I will look after you and him until the end of my days.”

  I leaned forward and kissed him gently, his rough beard chafing my chin.

  “It could be Lux’s. Or yours.”

  Oz smiled sadly. “I don't think so. You haven't tried to redeem either of us yet.”

  “But you have changed. Both of you.” I set my chin stubbornly. I hated making him sad. I wanted him to be redeemed. My sweet, caring Oz.

  “Not enough. But it doesn't matter. We all will be, because we are going to work twice as hard to redeem ourselves while you rest. Aren’t we Lux?”

  Lux gave a stiff nod, his hand still resting on my stomach. His eyes found mine and burned with an intensity that made my heart jump into my throat.

  “I, Lux of Taygetus, swear upon Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, to protect you and yours until my dying breath.” His tone was solemn and hard, determined in a way I had never heard before. It was the voice of a warrior. A vow.

  “Thank you,” I whisper against his cheek, my hand reaching out to run down Oz’s face. “Thank you both.”

  Lucifer cleared his throat. “Avowing another god in my presence is a bit of a faux pas, don’t you think?” Lux just narrowed his eyes in Luc’s direction.

  Luc had a small smirk on his face. That face made me suspicious.

  “Do you know who’s baby it is?”

  Lucifer laughed. “Always such the clever one. I have my suspicions, but that is all they are.” He cocked his head, as if he was listening to music in another room. “I must go. Give my love to Ace.”

  “Fuck you,” I said pleasantly, and he laughed again.

  “You’ll be fine, Arcadia. You spit in the eye of the Devil and stare down the Angel of Death. If there is anyone who can survive this with everything intact, it will be you.”

  With a crack of air, he was gone.

  I shifted from Lux’s lap and moved toward the bathroom, cup and stick in hand.

  Time never goes slower than when your are waiting for water to boil or a pregnancy test to work.

  When the pregnancy test came back negative, I was a little relieved. But it was short lived.

  You are definitely pregnant, Arcadia. It is just too soon for human tests to detect. Ace’s voice was quiet, respectful.

  Do you know who’s baby it is? Who has been redeemed?

  Ace sighed. No. It could be any one of the four you’ve slept with.

  Normally, she would have called me a hussy or something. I was already regretting the distance between us. It was like losing my best friend. Sure, it was a best friend I refused to talk to for a couple of years, but still.

  I walked back into the room, every pair of eyes following my movements.

  “It's negative. But Ace says that Azriel was right. I am pregnant despite the test.”

  Eli sucked in air through his teeth. “Never trust the motives of the Devil, Arcadia. Or Angels in general. They always play the bigger game. We will continue as if they are correct, but I won’t believe it until the tests say it is so.”

  “If the baby was Lux’s, would the test have been positive?” Lux went still at my words.

  “Not necessarily, but it would have ruled out Sam and Tolliver. Now, it could be any of the four.”

  Valery walked over and took my hand, pressing a mug of chamomile tea into my hand. “No one has asked what Arcadia wants. You’ve all made assumptions on her behalf, and told her what you think she will do.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pressed me gently to his side. “I do not have any grand Roman vows to make, and I may not be invested in this situation to quite the same degree as Lux, Tolliver, Oz and Sam, but know that I am with you every step of the way. I will support you no matter your decision,” he murmured against my hair.

  “I want to keep the baby. And I want to help Ace if I can.”

  Ri laughed, and it sounded wrong. “Well, that's the least surprising thing I’ve heard today.”

  Valery sat me at my bench, and pulled open my fridge, getting out the bread and some strawberry jelly. Then he got down the peanut butter and started making me a sandwich as I gaped. Valery never made anything as mundane as a PB and J.

  He cut it into two triangles and set it down in front of me.

  “You need the calories. You are eating for two now, and you are desperately thin. We need to feed you as much as possible before the baby gets bigger.” And before I got sicker. The words hung in the air.

  Even though the food tasted like sawdust, I ate it. Val was right. I would need the calories.

  Eli had out a notepad and was scrawling things down.

  “We need a plan. If you are keeping the baby, obviously chemotherapy and other cancer treatments are out until late the second trimester. But we need to keep you as healthy as possible. I suggest bed rest and only light activity for the next nine months. I know a great obstetrician to add to your team of specialists. “

  “I'm not spending nine months in bed, Eli. We’ll just get on with it until I can’t, and then we’ll work it out again.”

  “Doing more will only deplete your reserves quicker. We need you to retain as much of your energy as possible. Optimally we need the baby to make it to thirty weeks to be viable and healthy. We can do this.” He dropped his head to his chest. “We can do this. I know we can. I just need to think of something.”

  Actually. I have an idea. Ace’s voice surprised me. But you can’t tell the Seven. And you definitely cannot tell Lucifer. Ever. It would not be worth the grief to both of us. He is sexy as hell but he has a killer temper.

  Not tell any of them? But-

  I know. You promised Eli no more secrets. Okay, you can tell Eli, but that's it.

  She explained the plan, and I remembered why I loved my fallen angel so much.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Eli tucked me into bed like I was a piece of porcelain. Then he hopped in beside me. I didn’t protest. I wanted him with me. I needed to feel one of them there, touching me, comforting me. The rest of the guys had gone to bed after much protesting.

  “You need to get Ace explain this to me again. It doesn't make sense in any scientific terms.”

  I could feel Ace’s exasperation. Damn men of science. If it isn’t in a peer reviewed medical journal, it can’t be true. Well, I have news for him. Seeing isn’t always believing. Heaven doesn’t give a shit about his science. They deal in miracles. And by extension, I deal in miracles. Try and explain it to him again. Go slower. Maybe use smaller words.

  “Ace said that she is going to use her own life force to sustain the baby until thirty weeks, taking the added pressure off my body somehow. She believes that she has enough reserves to last that long without exhausting it and therefore ceasing to exist. She said it isn’t based in science. It's something more divine.”

  Don’t forget the last part.

  “And don’t tell the other guys or Lucifer. If he knew, he would lose his shit. Direct quote by the way.”

  “And why would she do that?”

  “Because she is mine. The baby is part of her, so he will be mine too. I protect what is mine,” Ace’s voice came out of my mouth in a booming thunder, her ethereal tone raising the hairs on my arms.

  Eli’s eyes went wide. “What the hell was that?”

  I began to shake. That had never happened before, Ace taking control. “It was Ace.”

  I’m sorry, Arcadia. I did not mean that. It’s a sign that your life force is weakening. It’s good that we have chosen this course of action. I will protect your child, lowering
my life force to similar levels as yours. If we didn’t, by the end, there would be hardly any Arcadia left.

  She sounded genuinely remorseful. So full of love. Fallen or not, she was my protector. I love you, you know that right? I’m sorry for what I said earlier.

  She chuckled. Your capacity for forgiveness knows no bounds. I love you too, Arcadia. And I will help you protect what is dear to you.

  A hole in my chest opened, a sensation that made me gasp. A fullness that I had always had, but never noticed, left and settled around my womb.

  Ace? I whispered.

  I’m still here. She sounded further away than normal, like she was yelling down a long tunnel. He's so beautiful. His little life force barely a flicker, yet so pure. He will be like you, Cady. A beautiful soul. She began to hum something in a language I couldn't understand.

  What are you singing?

  A hymn of the angels. She laughed. He likes it.

  He was barely more than bubbles right now, but I took Ace’s word for it. My eyes welled with tears.

  “Arcadia? Are you alright?” Eli’s concerned voice snapped me back to the external world.

  I nodded. “I am now. Ace is singing to the baby. It's beautiful.”

  Eli pulled me back into his body, curling his tall frame around mine protectively. “Sleep, Arcadia. Rest.”

  I closed my eyes and listened as Ace sung to my baby. Maybe it would be alright.

  The next week, the week I was supposed to start chemo, did not go exactly as planned. The first surprise that I didn't see coming was Valery quit as head chef at Epicurean, handing over the reins to his sous chef. Now he spent most of his time in my kitchen, making green smoothies and calorie dense junk food to help me put on weight. When he wasn’t cooking in my kitchen, or sometimes his if he needed a decent oven, he was watching Ellen with me on the couch.

  Actually, one of the guys was with me at all times. Subtly ensuring I rested, and keeping me entertained. Completely platonically.

  I was going insane. My hormones were beginning to go a little fritzy. Eli’s pregnancy test had confirmed what we all already knew. I was pregnant. Two blue lines. We wouldn’t know the exact date of conception, and we couldn’t run a DNA test until after he was born. So until then, the baby was Schrodinger’s baby. Everyone's and no-ones, but mine. Well, Ace’s too. She loved that baby as much as she loved me now. The thought made me smile.