“Think about it,” said Lucifer. “Uriel sends two hunters after me. His contacts could have easily found out that Belial is now working with Black on the side, perhaps even pay off Black’s men to arrange for a job to take Belial out of the house at a certain time.”
“And without protection, you’d be vulnerable,” said Mara.
“Precisely. Uriel hired those two because he knew they would fail,” said Lucifer.
“Why would he do that?” asked Anael. “What’s the point of arranging a hit that’s designed to fail?”
“Because of what I’d do next,” said Lucifer. “I’d wager that Uriel believed I’d be so shaken up by the event, that I’d immediately return to Hell.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” asked Anael. “How would Uriel have known if I didn’t tell him?”
“So you say,” said Mara. “I maintain you’re still the most-likely suspect. Wouldn’t be the first time you betrayed the Morningstar.”
“No, she’s telling the truth,” said Lucifer. “But Ana, answer me this—when Belial told you about my condition, were you in Eden?”
Anael nodded slowly. “Yes, but what does that mean? We were alone.”
“So you thought,” said Lucifer. “You think Uriel doesn’t have secret surveillance in that place? Nothing is said that he isn’t aware of.”
“You’re saying he spied on me?”
“Clearly,” said Lucifer.
Anael’s face was a mask of barely restrained rage. Her eyes flashed with blue light as her wings extended and enveloped her. Inside less than a blink, she was gone.
“That was rude,” said Mara.
“It was also according to plan,” said Lucifer.
“Huh?” Mara rubbed the back of her neck. “According to what plan?”
“According to mine. As soon as Shem mentioned the angel, I knew it had to be Uriel.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” asked Mara.
“Because while Ana was here, I wanted your reactions to be genuine,” said Lucifer.
“So what was that all about then?”
“Ana now feels betrayed by Uriel, which will drive a wedge between them and serve as a useful ‘fuck you’ to that prick,” said Lucifer.
“So what will you do?” asked Mara.
“Exactly what Uriel wants,” said Lucifer. “I’m going to Hell.”
8
“I don’t understand,” said Mara. “All this time, you’ve ruled out returning as the last thing you would do. Your commitment to that idea even caused Belial to rush out. So why the sudden change of heart?”
Lucifer had his phone in hand. He was busy typing a message and quickly sent it out. Then he addressed Mara’s question.
“Shem and Ham were just the beginning. In time, Uriel will grow bolder in his attempts to get me to return to the throne. And if I’m going to have to make this trip eventually, then I’d rather it be on my terms and not his,” said Lucifer.
“Which means…?”
“Which means I have no intention of reclaiming the throne,” said Lucifer. “Cross sits on it and he can keep it. The plan is to return to Hell, restore my powers, then resume the hunt for the Cocytus escapees.”
“What happens once you’ve got them all?”
“Then it’s time for Uriel to face some consequences for his actions,” said Lucifer. “And at that point, I promise you that he’ll regret attempting to play these little games with my life.”
“Wouldn’t that be taking a massive risk, going after an ambassador of the Choir?” asked Mara.
Lucifer smiled. “Not if he’s fallen out of favor.”
“And just how will that happen?”
“In due time,” said Lucifer.
There was a burst of hellfire that started to take form right in the middle of the basement. Lucifer wasn’t the least bit surprised, suggesting that he had expected this to happen. Within moments, the hellfire had become the form of a figure with demonic wings. They receded into the back and Belial stood before them.
“Ah good, you got my message,” said Lucifer. “I was worried you would just ignore it.”
“You’re serious about this?” asked Belial. “You really mean to return to Hell and reclaim what’s yours?”
“If by ‘what’s mine,’ you mean my powers, then yes. But I don’t want to hear any talk of the throne,” said Lucifer.
“Understood. And in this matter, of course I shall accompany you.”
“Actually, you won’t,” said Lucifer, then pointed at Mara. “She will.”
“What?” The question was posed by Mara and Belial speaking in unison.
“Is this due to my recent behavior? If so, then I assure you, it was only because I felt it was the best course of action,” said Belial.
Lucifer stepped up to his bodyguard and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate that, sincerely. But that’s not the reason why. You’ve been working a lot with Odysseus and his men recently, and should you suddenly disappear without explanation, it might raise some questions as to what you’re up to—or more specifically, what I’m up to. And I can’t have that.
“But as Lilith’s representative here on Earth, Mara has a lot more freedom. She can move about without questions being raised. And as such, she still has more connections with Hell that may be of use to me,” Lucifer continued.
“I can understand your logic, but it feels like there’s more involved,” said Belial.
“Oh, there assuredly is,” said Lucifer. “I want you to use your connections with Black, see if you can get into Eden.”
“I need no invitation,” said Belial.
“Not if you want to cause trouble, true,” said Lucifer. “But I don’t want you to do that. Instead, I want to know what transpires between Anael and Uriel.”
Belial grumbled. “Why should it matter what those two discuss?”
“I’ll explain later. But for now, I need you to just focus on that,” said Lucifer.
Belial’s expression revealed his feelings on the matter, but he ultimately nodded. “I understand. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open and report back once you return.”
“Thank you,” said Lucifer before he turned to Mara. “With all that said, you’re my ticket to the netherworld. So shall we begin?”
“There’s something else to worry about,” said Mara. “You’re not going to Hell as a demon or even an angel—you’re entering as a human. The experience can be pretty overwhelming.”
Lucifer scoffed. “I think I can handle some travel sickness.”
“There’s also the matter of what exactly your plan is. Do you know how you’re going to restore your powers?” she asked.
“Erebus knew that it was your abdication which weakened Cocytus. Presumably he may also know how to restore your powers,” said Belial.
“He’s right, this all feels connected to that place. And so that’s where we’ll venture first,” said Lucifer.
Mara took a breath and sighed. “It won’t be easy. Even before you left, you didn’t really travel much through Hell. To get to Cocytus, we may need to travel through some unfriendly territory. Maybe if we went to Cross first?”
Lucifer shook his head. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason for Cross to even know about any of this. I promised him his rule would be free of my interference and I don’t want even the appearance that I might be going back on my word or attempting a return to the throne.”
“That’s understandable, but no matter where you go in Hell, people will know it’s you. You’re going to need some protection from a Hell Lord,” said Mara. “It’s not the same place it was under your rule.”
“Is there even any Hell Lord you’re certain you could trust?” asked Belial.
Lucifer stroked his chin while trying to think of someone who might be willing to work with him. His eyes met Mara’s and he asked, “What about Lilith?”
Mara had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing at the suggestion. “Sorry, but I doubt Lili
th would be willing to do anything for you.”
“I helped her secure Asmodeus’s former realm,” said Lucifer.
“Yeah, but she’s still sour on you imprisoning her in the first place in order to appease the angels,” said Mara. “Trust me, she’s not so willing to forgive and forget.”
“That’s fair, I suppose. Would be nice if she could let go of a grudge after all these centuries, though,” said Lucifer. “Very well, then I suppose the best choice is Beelzebub.”
“You’re certain of that?” asked Belial. “Outside of Leviathan, Beelzebub has experienced perhaps the most change of all the Hell Lords since The Fall.”
“Yes, but he’s always proven his loyalty. I believe he can be trusted,” said Lucifer.
“Then I can transport you outside the gates of his realm. Once he’s willing to grant protection, we can move on to Cocytus and speak with Erebus,” said Mara.
“Good, then let’s begin.”
Mara clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, beginning to chant in Dimoori Sheol, the language of the damned. She pulled her hands apart, and a stream of hellfire linked them together. Mara waved her hands in deliberate patterns in the air, the flames trailing after. The hellfire encircled her and then reached out, flowing around Lucifer as well. As it moved around them, the intensity grew until Belial could no longer see either of them. Once they were completely obscured, the flames began to dissipate, taking the pair with them.
Lucifer closed his eyes as he felt the transportation begin. He could feel the heat and a sense of dread formed in the pit of his stomach as he lost all concept of what was up and what was down. Although he felt as if he were still standing perfectly still, at the same time it seemed that his body was being tossed about a void.
The thing that hit him strongest was the smell. The scent of sulfur is what struck every human who entered Hell for the first time. It was overpowering to the point of being almost crippling.
Even though Lucifer had spent most of his existence in Hell, this was the first time he experienced it from a human perspective. He knew to expect some discomfort, as Mara had warned. But he never could have anticipated something this drastic.
When Lucifer opened his eyes, a red haze clouded everything. He fell to his knees and started coughing. The smell forced tears to his eyes and he could hardly take a moment to breathe. That unease in his stomach strengthened and before Lucifer could even process what was happening, he vomited, spilling the contents of his stomach out on the barren, rocky terrain.
“I warned you that it’s not very pleasant,” said Mara, kneeling beside him.
Lucifer wiped his mouth, but remained hunched over for a few more moments. He still felt as if he had another one in him, but mostly it was just dry heaves. With the sleeve of his jacket, Lucifer rubbed the tears from his eyes and carefully stood. The smell was still powerful and every time he breathed, it was as if the air was hot and ash-laden. But he found himself slowly beginning to adjust to it.
“I’ll be fine,” he said.
“Not if we stay out here much longer,” said Mara. “Come on, we should move along and hurry to Beelzebub’s realm.”
“Where are we anyway?” Lucifer looked around. The landscape was completely barren. Dark clouds filled the crimson skies. The air was laden so thick with fog that it made it impossible to see very far into the distance.
“The Badlands,” said Mara.
Lucifer groaned at that. The Badlands were the ungoverned territory that separated the seven realms of Hell. They were desolate and dangerous. When one came to Hell, they had to quickly find a realm in which to shelter. But the demons who couldn’t find one had to reside in the Badlands, which were populated by all manner of hellbeasts that could tear a soul to ribbons. Demons who inhabited a realm only ventured into the Badlands when they needed to travel to another realm. Those who lived in this territory were either quickly destroyed…or became savage enough to survive.
“I’m sure you’re aware that traveling through the Badlands without any sort of transport is a bit of a risky endeavor,” said Lucifer.
“We didn’t have much of a choice, did we?” asked Mara. “You didn’t want to go to Cross and we couldn’t go to Lilith. So there was no other territory I had permission to enter.”
Lucifer huffed but knew she was right. “Okay, so how do we get to Beelzebub’s realm?”
Mara pointed up ahead. But before Lucifer could start moving, she held him back with a hand on his shoulder.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” she asked. “You’re the Morningstar, every demon in here knows your face and you want to keep a low profile. So walking around like that is dangerous.”
Lucifer looked down at his suit. “So what do you suggest?”
Mara held her hands in front of her, cupped over each other. She closed her eyes and whispered in Dimoori Sheol. Energy started to materialize and swirl in the empty space between her hands. She gestured forward and the energy flowed from her hands and wrapped around Lucifer from head to toe. His clothes started to change form. The fine, scarlet silk suit became drab, brown canvas. It scratched at Lucifer’s skin and transformed from a suit into a heavy cloak with a hood pulled over his head and casting his entire face in deep shadow. Once it was complete, Lucifer looked disapprovingly at his new outfit.
“Not exactly what I had in mind,” he said.
“Probably not, but at least this will draw less attention,” said Mara. She summoned her magicks again, working the same spell on her own clothing and transforming into a similar cloak. “If we look the part of vagrants, maybe we can get through here unscathed.
“You really believe that?” asked Lucifer.
Mara shook her head. “Of course not. But it’s worth a shot. At least this way, maybe we’ll be unassuming enough so if trouble comes our way, we’ll have the element of surprise.”
“Hardly fills me with confidence,” said Lucifer.
The pair began moving across the terrain. And as they started their journey, they heard the sounds out in the distance of beasts and savage demons howling. Lucifer already began regretting his decision to come here, but he had no other choice other than to press on.
9
Time wasn’t something easily tracked in Hell. Lucifer had no real idea how long they’d been walking, but it certainly felt like hours. His legs were numb with exhaustion and his breaths had grown heavy. They hadn’t seen anything in the time they’d been on the move yet, which Lucifer could take as a positive sign. Running into something in the Badlands usually meant it was kill-or-be-killed time.
Mara seemed unfazed by the trip so far. She showed no signs of fatigue or exhaustion. She’d also remained relatively silent during the trek, preferring to focus on the path they took. Mostly, she tried to keep to the road. Although it meant they were more likely to possibly come across scavengers or bandits, they were less likely to run into any of the beasts that roamed out in the wild. And of those choices, the former were far preferable to the latter.
“I don’t suppose there’s much sense in asking how far we’ve got to go,” said Lucifer.
“Unfortunately not,” said Mara. “What does distance really matter in a place where time is difficult to measure? One mile or one hundred is kind of meaningless if you don’t know how long they’ll take to complete.”
“You’re not the one who has human limitations to worry about.”
There was no sun to speak of, though the temperature was hot nonetheless. Lucifer paused beside a rock formation jutting out of the ground and leaned against it.
“And on that note, mind if we give my human parts a brief respite?”
Mara stopped and surveyed the land. “We seem okay for the time being. But we shouldn’t stay here too long.”
“Thought those words didn’t mean much out here,” said Lucifer with a smirk.
Mara gave a soft chuckle herself. “Good point.”
“You know what I could really go for right about now?”
said Lucifer.
“Some ice water?” asked Mara.
“That would be nice. But more than that, a car. With really powerful air conditioning,” said Lucifer. “Maybe one of those on-demand entertainment systems, too.”
“Don’t think you’re likely to find something like that out here,” said Mara.
“I suppose that’s why they call it Hell,” added Lucifer. He stopped leaning against the rock and stood upright. “I think I’m ready to go on. At least for now.”
Mara nodded and they continued walking. More silence passed between them. To Lucifer, everything looked the same. But Mara appeared to have a sense of where she was going. Lucifer couldn’t quite understand how she was capable of navigating the Badlands, but somehow she managed.
Suddenly, she stopped. Mara held her palm out towards Lucifer in a signal for him to do so as well. Lucifer did, then tried to see if there was something worth stopping for, but saw nothing. Mara remained alert, like a cat waiting for her prey to move. Hellfire forged a spear in her hands.
A sound came from above. Woomph, woomph, woomph. The volume increased. And as it did, a shadow flew past them, but was gone almost as soon as they had seen it. Lucifer’s sight tried to follow whatever it was, but proved fruitless.
“What was that?” he asked.
The sound came again, once more increasing in volume. The shadow came a second time. Mara jumped at Lucifer, pulling him with her out of harm’s way just as the shadow crashed to the ground. The pair rolled for a bit before coming to a stop. They both looked up as the dust began to settle.
It was a quadruped easily as tall as they were and about three times as long. The body had a thick coat of black fur and strong claws that dug into the earth. But lining its arms were sharp quills that also ran along its spine. The head had a mane of wild hair and its face looked like a mixture between a man and a lion. Serpentine wings flared out to the sides and its tail was like that of a scorpion’s, complete with a pointed stinger at the end. When the beast roared at them, three sets of razor-sharp teeth could clearly be seen.
Lucifer Damned (Morningstar Book 3) Page 6
