"I'll do that." He smiled, doing his best to exude strength, but his unsteady voice betrayed him.
"You'll rise above this adversity. We have faith in you."
His burden felt even heavier than before. Crushing. But he needed to remain strong. If the voice of God had faith in him, that was what he needed to cling to, not the heartache. Like his flock, he too was being tested. He would not fail.
"There is a biophysicist in Texas, Neil Sandberg, whom we have gifted with the spark of divine inspiration. He is nearly finished with his work, and he will come to you when you're ready for him. You will allow him to hire and train your infirmary's staff, and you will not question any decisions he makes while he's here."
"Understood."
"I see trepidation in your eyes."
Hershel nodded. "I won't lie. I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, and at times it's overwhelming. I would bear the weight of the cross again if it could bring the salvation we seek, but I'm painfully aware that the amount of sin now clouding this world is too great for me to take on alone. I know what I need to do, and I'm prepared to do it."
"And you will do it well. Remember, God is with you always. In your weakest moments, God is with you. When you feel forsaken, God is with you. When you speak to your congregation, God is with you."
"I feel His presence."
"Let Him be your strength. He is your father, and He is proud of you."
The pain in Hershel's chest lifted, and a sense of peace and joy replaced it. No longer attempting to hold back his tears, he looked up, clasping his shaky hands together. "Thank you, Father. Your love humbles me, and I am grateful for it."
"We need you to work even harder than before. Once this begins, it will feel like an avalanche is overtaking these grounds. People will panic. You must calm them. The Devil will double his efforts to stop you. It's imperative that you stay one step ahead of him and remain focused on the task at hand. There will be some who try to paint you as misguided. They will not understand our mission, and in their confusion, they will turn you into a target. Prepare yourself."
"I will."
"Remember you are saving souls. Their deaths will cleanse this world, but they will be meaningless if we allow evil to claim them. You must pray with the dying. Hold them. Cry with them. Deliver them to Heaven, one at a time if you have to. Their suffering will open them to the truth."
"Yes … yes, I'll deliver every one of them."
"You've already begun to divide your people, but the numbers on both sides are about to skyrocket. It's time you move the lost into their own wing and have your disciples begin lining them up for the last meals each day. Getting them into this routine now will reduce the questions later. Reach out to the community like never before. The people will remember your acts of kindness. Your love will place a mark on those who are to join your army. That mark will spare them when Pestilence rides through this valley."
God's light became nearly too much for him to contain, and a heavy sob escaped him, his body shuddering. As much as he dreaded the anguish that was to come, he looked forward to furthering his work. He was going to change the world, and that was exciting. This was merely the first step, though.
A war was brewing, the greatest this world would ever see. The Antichrist already walked among them, and it would be his charge to seek the man out. The angels would join Hershel to fight on the front line. He would be their general, personally taking up the sword to cut through the lost and cleanse the soil with their blood. Similarly, the fallen angels would join their dark master in an attempt to take control, but they would quickly flounder. It was going to be a glorious battle.
The Messenger reached across the desk, offering both hands, and Hershel took them into his own. Their connection filled him with his Father's omnipresent spirit. It felt warm and satisfying, fortifying his resolve.
"Thank you, Father," he said again, and then the Messenger dispersed in an explosion of light.
He collapsed onto the desk, crying into his arms and praising the glory he'd been blessed to witness.
He'd been looking forward to this day for millennia. They'd planned, and they'd been so patient. They would watch their enemies starve and wither, and then they would take their rightful place.
Chapter 18
Walking through the brimstone caverns, Lenny felt very small. She was still riding the high from defeating Demas, but her adrenaline was diminishing with every step deeper into the lower levels of Hell.
"Keep up, shifter," Polly urged. "Lucy is waiting to meet you."
"Is she nice?" Lenny asked, feeling stupid as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Nice?" Polly chuckled. "She is the Queen of Hell, you realize."
"That doesn't mean she has to be an asshole."
Polly stopped her breakneck pace and turned to Lenny with a look of begrudging patience.
"Yeah, I guess she is nice." Polly smiled, making air quotes around the last word. "But she does have a few personality traits that are less than congenial. Lucifer does not like liars, at all; however, she does like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain. She is not terribly fond of mind games. Straightforward is the way to go with her. She also doesn't like it when people are late, so let's get the lead out."
"Sorry, I'm a little bit nervous, Polly. Two days ago, I had no idea I'd be in Hell meeting with the Prince, or Princess, I guess, of lies who hates liars, after I nearly killed an immortal genie while I was being evaluated by a Knight of Hell. It is just a little much for me to process right now. So, you'll have to excuse me if I am not running to get to Lucifer's lair and hear God-knows-what about my new job," she blurted, feeling as though she might cry or go completely mad. "And, it stinks like rotten eggs in here. How in God's name do you stand it?"
"Another thing to remember is that, even though there is no hate between us and the man upstairs, no one likes to hear the big guy's name thrown around too much. Just a tip when you talk with Lucifer. FYI, ya know." Polly smiled, making Lenny feel a little more comfortable. "As far as the smell, I hardly notice it anymore. After a few thousand years, you get used to it."
"I feel better."
"Good. So maybe we can move on to your meeting sometime today?"
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lenny returned the demon's smile, surprised at the fact she suddenly felt so at ease.
That feeling went away when they got to Lucifer's office. She stood before a large, wooden door with an ornate carving from floor to ceiling depicting what appeared to be a scene from Hell. At the base of the work, a group of nude men and women stood reaching up to the skyline, where three angels stood guard. Demons mingled with the humans, touching them with clawed hands and extending their forked tongues lasciviously toward the people. The angels at the top of the door looked down with no expression, their wings spread wide, concealing what seemed to be a fortress amongst clouds behind them, their fingers curled tightly around the shafts of long spears, ready to defend Heaven at all costs.
Lenny stood mesmerized.
It was beautiful.
"It's by Rodin," Lucifer said from behind her, crossing her arms and pursing her lips. "I like it, but I'm not in love with it. He did it as a gift when he got here. Trying to butter me up, I think. It didn't work."
"Oh, uh … I think it's uh … nice," Lenny stammered.
Lucifer opened the door to her office and stepped inside. She was a striking woman with long, dark hair held up in a neat twist at the top of her head. Her eyes were a sharp green, but still seemed warm and kind. Her skin was smooth and flawless, a shade of pale olive. She was beautiful, but she also had an air of welcoming. Behind all of that, Lenny sensed a tough as nails woman that put up with little to no shit.
"Come in and have a seat. Polly, can you wait outside?"
"Actually, I have business to attend to," Polly said, making a sawing gesture across her throat.
"Um, okay. I'll see you later then?" Lenny asked her nervously.
"
Yep." Polly made a half-salute and headed off down the hallway.
Lucifer smiled and took her seat behind the desk, motioning for Lenny to take a seat across from her.
"So, what do I call you?" Lenny asked, taking her seat.
"Your Most Supreme Highness of Hell and all of its lowly inhabitants will do nicely."
"Um, okay."
Lucifer suddenly burst out laughing. It was a hearty guffaw that made Lenny smile.
"I'm just kidding, Lenny. You can call me Lucy, or Lucifer if it makes you feel better."
"No offense, but I always thought you were a guy."
"I get that a lot." Lucifer snapped her fingers, instantly transforming into a blond man that looked like he had stepped straight off a Gucci advertisement. "But I find that I am the most comfortable in my regular form."
The male model snapped his fingers and turned back into a woman. This time, though, her hair was a shiny auburn and her eyes were ice blue.
"Cool," Lenny whispered in awe.
"It comes in handy when I run into an especially misogynistic angel or human. But it is all kinds of uncomfortable. I really don't see how men do it, all of the dangly bits getting in the way all the time." She shuddered. "It honestly gives me the willies."
Ha, the willies! Lenny thought to herself, trying not to laugh out loud.
"Wasn't your hair black before?"
"You are quite observant." Lucy smiled. "I can change form as you just saw. I also can take on any appearance I feel will put a person at ease. If you project that redheads are more trustworthy, I'll have red hair. Most of the time, people simply see me as they wish with no effort from me at all. It's a skill that came with the job. I think that might be where the Devil-in-disguise thing came from. I'll have to ask Elvis next time I see him."
"Elvis is here? Are you serious?" Lenny asked excitedly.
"In Hell? No." Lucy chuckled. "He is still alive. Just turned eighty, and still going strong. We have tea about every ten years so I can check up on him. Disappearing from the public eye was part of his deal. Can't have him on stage at eighty but still looking forty, right?"
"That explains so much."
"So, Lenny, back to business. I am told you are willing to come and work for me. I want to tell you that makes me very happy. I believe that you are someone who will be invaluable to Hell, and to me directly." Lucifer sifted through a few papers on her desk, apparently looking for something specific.
"What exactly is it you would need me to do?"
"Well, you would work with Polly for a while learning the ropes. Your skills as a shifter would definitely come in handy."
"So like a spy?"
"Yes, sometimes. Although it appears you have a few other valuable skills, as well. I heard about your tangle with Demas this afternoon. Very impressive."
"That just happened. How did you hear about it already?"
"From the horse's mouth," Lucy said as she waved her hand in the air.
The television next to the sofa came to life, showing a dark room with a small cage in the center of the floor. Inside the cage, Demas sat sullenly, his large body almost touching the bars all around him. He moved what looked like an inch, his hoof touching the side of the cage, and a bright electric bolt shot out causing him to convulse and scream out in pain. With every convulsion, his gelatinous skin connected with the metal bars, sending even more volts through his body. Lucy waved her hand again and the television went dark.
"How long will he be trapped in there?"
"For eternity, of course. I can tell you that he really hates you, so it's probably best he stay trapped forever."
"Makes sense." Lenny shrugged.
"Well, let's get down to business then, shall we? I am offering you a position as a freelancer for Hell. You will be contacted when jobs arise that require your special skillset. I will provide you with an apartment of your own and a company car. You will also get a monthly retainer, as well as payment for each job. How does that sound?"
"It sounds great, honestly. I do have some questions, though," she said, feeling more comfortable.
"All right." Lucifer leaned back and laced her fingers together.
"Can I say no to a job?"
"You can, but it probably would not be a good idea," Lucifer raised an eyebrow, letting Lenny know she was not pleased at the prospect of being refused. "Lenny, I know your soul and I would never ask you to do anything that would compromise your morals. I do not need your soul sullied by foul deeds."
"Okay, that sounds fair. Do I have to give my soul away or anything? Am I going to get my own cage here when I die?"
Lucifer laughed again, but this time it made Lenny feel embarrassed and a little silly.
"I do not want your soul, my dear. Not that there is anything wrong with your soul. It just doesn't work that way. I don't really make deals like the devils in the movies. The way it works is, if you are a good person and try your best not to be genuinely evil, you get a one-way trip upstairs. If you are a rotten, evil monster that turns your back on Heaven, you come to me. Simple as that."
"That sounds pretty fair to me. The last thing is, Polly told me that you would give me some information about my real parents."
"Ah, yes, I have it all right here." She waved the paper from her desk as she spoke.
"You have a file on me?"
"Well, a paper at least." Lucy began reading. "Your father was a man named Luther. He was a pure blood shape-shifter born in the year 1865. He worked for a railroad baron named McCarthy as an enforcer and took a liking to McCarthy's daughter, Helena. Of course, McCarthy didn't want his only daughter consorting with the help, much less help that he considered a monster. So Luther did what everyone does when they love someone they can't have: He found a way."
"Wait, you said 1865? That would make him like one hundred and twenty-four-years-old when I was born."
"Yes. Shifters live very long lives. You have a lot of years to look forward to, my dear."
"Great." She rolled her eyes. "Sorry, go on."
"Well, it seems McCarthy had made a deal himself. He had found a demon willing to help him out with his desire to be rich. In return, the demon wanted to go straight and live a normal life. That life included being the wife of a rich railroad tycoon. She became his ideal spouse and they were actually very happy together. Their daughter, Helena, never knew she was half demon."
"Whoa, wait. I'm part demon, too?"
"There's more, Lenny. Do you want me to go on?"
"Might as well. It can't get any weirder," she said, fearing she might be wrong.
"Luther decided he could not live without Helena. As was the case with many people during those years, Helena fell ill with tuberculosis. Luther was beside himself with grief at the thought of her death. He called out, issuing a plea to anyone or anything that could or would help him. What answered was a ghula by the name of Amanarit. She took over the weakened, infected body of Helena. In the following years, she murdered Helena's father and mother and ran off with all of their money, as well as a new husband who had no idea what she truly was."
"My father," Lenny whispered.
"Yes, my dear. Your father," she said before continuing to read. "In the year 1990, they had a child. When that child was born, Helena died. Most likely what occurred was that Amanarit deserted the body that she had inhabited for almost one hundred years, leaving Helena to die. Luther was beside himself with grief and unable to care for his infant daughter, so he gave her to a human family to raise as their own. The rest you already know."
"What the hell is a ghula?" Lenny knew the answer but needed to hear Lucifer say it, or it couldn't be true.
"Lenny, please listen to me," Lucifer said, trying to calm the agitated girl.
"No. What is a ghula?"
"A ghula is a type of female djinn." Lucifer sighed as she stood up behind her desk.
"I'm a djinn?"
"No. You are only part djinn. A very miniscule part at that. More like you have a djinn
essence."
"I'm a monster like that fucking blob of shit you have locked in a cage?"
"Lenny, please sit and calm down."
"No," Lenny turned on the Lightbringer. "I will not calm down. I come in here and get told that I'm demon, shifter, and fucking ghula, or djinn or whatever, and you want me to fucking calm down?"
Lucifer stepped forward and stood in front of the girl, staring her directly in the eyes.
"Did it occur to you just how easy it was for you to shift into the same form as Demas? Don't you usually have to concentrate and work at shifting? With Demas, it was instantaneous. That is because you have that essence. Just think of all the things you could do if you can just harness that power."
"I have to get out of here. I need to think. I don't think I can do this," Lenny said, feeling claustrophobic.
Lucifer stepped aside, allowing the girl to walk out the door.
Lenny rushed out of the office, trying her best to hold back tears. She looked both ways, not knowing where to go. She turned around, facing the carved door that now felt like a blasphemy. The stoic angels now looked like ill-willed voyeurs watching and judging her for the monster she now knew she was. The demons appeared to be reaching out to her, telling her that she was just like them. She turned to her right and hurried down the hall, trying to escape the carving. When she rounded the next corner, the smell of sulfur hit her like a ton of bricks, sending her reeling. The flood of sensory assaults crumbled the last bit of control she had. Lenny wept as she ran down another hall until she came to a door that was slightly ajar. She rushed in, not knowing what was behind it and not really caring much, either.
Chapter 19
Polly checked her phone one more time just in case anyone else had texted with some information for her. She was also wondering if J. D. messaged to let her know he was going to be late. There was nothing. Not a single text or call had come through since his message asking her to meet him at Dante's. Polly was dubious; J. D. had never been a completely reliable source. He was a good demon, and loyal to Lucy, but he had a habit of embellishing a little.
Cast In Blood: Revelations Series Book 1: Page 8
