Zel poked her head in the door. “They’re here.”
I joined everyone in the dining area of the penthouse, which had been cleared of glass already, and sat at the head of the table with the people who had been willing to drop everything to rush to my side. Samael and Einial, of course, plus Azazel and Theo, along with my youngest son Kassiel, his mate Olivia, and her other men, Callan, Bastien, and Marcus. They'd become my inner circle over these past few months. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
"What happened here?" Kassiel asked, his green eyes filled with worry as he took in the broken windows. Pride and love filled my chest when I looked at my youngest son, with a touch of grief because he resembled his father so much. Our youngest son was truly the best of both of us—smart, loyal, and brave, and always fighting for peace.
There was no sugarcoating what happened, so I simply said, “Lucifer has broken out of Heaven."
Many around the table gasped or widened their eyes in shock, but Samael simply asked, "How?"
"I don't know."
"What did he want?" Olivia asked.
I let out a weary sigh. "I think he wanted to kill me, but he couldn't do it. Even though he didn't remember me, he knew me on some level. When he discovered I was carrying his child, he seemed...confused. Or conflicted. Then he left."
"Any idea where he might go next?" Callan asked. He was a fierce angelic warrior and the son of my sister, Jophiel, who had died while protecting me from Pestilence. Since then, Callan and I had grown closer, clinging to what family we had left.
Bastien, another angel and always the logical one in the group, stroked his chin. "Considering last time he tried to reignite the war between angels and demons, I suspect wherever he's going, it won't be good."
"Don't forget he can also turn people into frenzied warriors," Marcus added, reminding me of those final moments in Heaven and the chaos Lucifer had caused. As a Malakim healer, Marcus had been one of the angels responsible for dealing with the aftermath of that fight.
"All the more reason he needs to be stopped immediately," Zel said.
Kassiel turned to her. "Or saved."
Zel scowled. "We'll see."
I pinched my brow, fighting off exhaustion. "Lucifer is a threat, there's no denying that. Before we do anything else, we need to warn Archangel Gabriel that Lucifer is back on Earth."
Einial spoke up for the first time. "I'll get right on that."
"Thank you." I nodded to her before continuing. "I don't know if there is a way to save Lucifer or not, but we're going to try. I did come across something in my research that has given me hope. We might be able to use another Elder God to subdue War and free Lucifer. Which means we need to go to Faerie immediately."
"You want to free Famine?" Kassiel asked, his eyes filling with horror.
"I do, yes. Before Nemesis and Fenrir do it first."
"No way," Callan slammed his hands on the table. "This is way too dangerous. Especially for you in your current state."
"It's the only option we have right now," I said. Callan had lost both his parents, and I understood that he couldn't bear the thought of losing me or his future cousin either. My nephew tended to be overprotective of those he loved anyway, but even so, he couldn't stop me from doing what I had to do. No one could. "If we release Famine ourselves, we can control the situation."
"But one of us will have to make a sacrifice to host Famine," Olivia said in a quiet voice.
"I'll do it," Kassiel said, and everyone else at the table chimed in offering their bodies instead. Warmth filled my chest, along with a heavy dose of sadness. There was so much love at this table. So much bravery. I couldn't bear to lose any of them either.
Zel rose to her feet. "It has to be me. I'm the oldest and strongest, and unlike the others here, I have nothing to lose." Her dark eyes turned to me, glimmering with both pain and determination. "You know it's true."
I pressed my lips together, but then nodded. Azazel was a good choice, as much as I hated to admit it. She was one of the few who might be able to control the Elder God inside her, and unlike the others, she wasn't in a relationship. She'd lost her fated mate years ago, and as far as I could tell, she had never truly gotten over it. I wasn't sure she could.
But she was also my oldest and dearest friend, who had stood by my side for centuries, across hundreds of different lives. What if she became a monster like Lucifer? Would I have to stop her next?
The thought brought tears to my eyes, but I knew she was right too—it had to be her.
"It's decided then," I said. "Azazel will become Famine's host. Einial, please send a message to High King Oberon informing him we will need admittance to Faerie as soon as possible."
"I'm going with you," Kassiel said. "And we'll need to get Damien too."
My chest tightened at the thought of finally seeing my other son. I'd wanted to visit him in Faerie for months now, but it had never worked out with everything else going on. Now we needed him—Damien was one of the only people who could open Famine's tomb.
"Before you go, let me check on you," Marcus said, rising to his feet. "Are you sure you're not injured from Lucifer's attack?"
"I'm fine," I said, for what felt like the hundredth time. No one seemed to believe that Lucifer had never really been a threat to me. Or that I could take care of myself, even while pregnant.
"You should let him check you out, Mom," Kassiel said. "Or at least check the baby. We want to make sure you're both fit to travel to Faerie."
"Okay, okay." Yes, I was six months pregnant, but I was also an immortal being with Archangel blood and memories dating back thousands of years. I wasn't exactly fragile. But I knew their concern was only a sign of love, so I made myself let it go.
Marcus walked around the table to crouch beside me. I turned enough for him to put his hand on my bump, and a soft white glow emitted from his palms. “Your daughter is strong and powerful. Just like you."
"Thank you." I let out a slight sigh of relief. Not that I'd been worried, but after losing a daughter before, it was always a comfort to know this one was doing well.
"I should go with you too," Marcus said, as he stood up. "Just to be safe."
"No, I need you to stay here in case Pestilence returns," I said. "If he does, the people at this hotel will need your healing desperately. You'll remain, along with Olivia, Bastien, and Callan."
Callan jumped to his feet. "Fuck that. I'm coming with you. The others can stay, but you need at least one angel with you. That's my niece in there, after all."
I pressed my lips together, but then reluctantly nodded. I should have known he would be eager to go with me as soon as I told them my plan. "All right, and we'll take some of the gargoyles too. Samael and Einial, I need you to keep things running here while I'm gone."
"Of course," Samael said. "We'll be prepared in case Adam or Lucifer should return."
For their sake, I prayed that didn't happen, or I might not have a kingdom left once I returned from Faerie.
6
Lucifer
A thin sliver of moon hanging over California lit my way as I galloped toward Angel Peak, a small angel-only town where Archangel Gabriel currently resided. Like a fool, I'd once made peace with the angels, but War had shown me the error of my ways—and now it was time to start that ancient battle once again. It was eternal and endless, the conflict between light and dark, good and evil, day and night. It was not about the victor, but about the fight itself, and it must continue.
The angel woman, the one living among the demons and carrying my child, she wouldn’t want war. Somehow I was certain of that. But what she wanted didn’t matter. All that mattered was bringing the angels to their knees. Then the humans, and the fae after that.
Using my powers of darkness made concealing myself easy in the shadows of the night as Strife rocketed through towns, down highways, and over large swathes of land. It felt like no time at all before we stopped in the front yard of Gabriel’s quaint
little mountain home, situated near Seraphim Academy, where all the good little angel boys and girls went to school.
“Gabriel!” I thundered as Strife cantered around the house. "Show yourself!"
When I reached the back porch, I found him waiting for me. Gabriel was sipping a beer and seemed to be expecting me. With his sandy hair, faded jeans, and friendly face he looked like someone's favorite uncle, not the leader of all of angelkind.
“Hello, Lucifer,” he said in a sad voice. A weak voice. “They told me you’d found a way out of Heaven. I wondered if you’d pay me a visit.”
"We have unfinished business between the two of us." I jumped from Strife and he reared back with a loud squeal, then thundered away. He’d return when I needed him.
"You want a beer?" Gabriel asked, before holding one out to me.
I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering if this was some kind of trick. Did he think he could poison me? Or was his plan to make me drop my guard in the hopes of surprising me with an attack? Surely he knew that wouldn't work. "No, I don't want a fucking beer. I'm here to declare war against your people."
Gabriel let out a long sigh. "And here I thought we were friends."
"Friends?" I spat on the ground. "We've been enemies since the Elder Gods made us."
"That's not true and you know it. We were friends long ago in Heaven, before you turned your back on us and left for Hell. Sure, we had a few years where we didn't see eye to eye for a while and kept trying to kill each other, but then we became friends again after the war ended. Besides, our children are in love. That makes us family now."
"Children?" I bristled at that. "I have no children."
Gabriel whistled softly. "Damn, War's really done a number on your head, hasn't he? It's bad enough he made you forget Hannah, but to forget your own sons...that's truly evil."
Sons. Plural. How was that possible? How could I not remember any of that? Something wasn't right. Something big was missing from my past, and I needed it back. I raged inside, fighting at War's hold as I searched for answers, but he was too strong. The anger overtook me again and all I knew was fury.
"Enough of your lies!" The sky had begun to turn purple near the horizon, a sign of the coming dawn. With War inside me, I had no fear of being overpowered by Gabriel, but I wanted to get this over with already. I forged my sword of hellfire and shadow and pointed it at the Archangel. "As King of Demons, I declare war against the angels. Prepare your people for battle."
Gabriel rose to his feet and his silvery wings spread out behind him. “I cannot do that, Lucifer. You know I would never willingly send my people to war against the demons again. Just like you would never go to war against us again if you were in your right mind. We both know what it cost us last time. We lost Heaven and Hell, and for what? Our pride?"
Fury coursed through me as I raised the sword. "If the angels won't fight willingly, then I'll make them. I'll destroy your towns. Your schools. Your homes. War will come to your people, and once I slaughter everyone they love, they'll have no choice but to fight back—or surrender like the cowards they are.” Hatred for this angel who thought himself good and pure tightened my chest. In reality, he was spineless, unable to win a war he’d fought for a millennia. Now he tried to trick and taunt me with his words of deception and peace. Friends? How could I possibly be friends with one such as him? "But first, you will bow."
Walking forward, I released my War powers toward Gabriel, sending my rage into his own mind. Gabriel was strong, probably one of the strongest minds I'd ever encountered, but I'd controlled him before, and I could do it again. And after a few minutes of struggling, even the mighty Archangel Gabriel gave in.
Weak. Pathetic. Like all the angels were.
No, not all of them. The woman who'd locked me in Heaven wasn't weak. She'd fought back against me. And now that she carried my child inside her she would only be stronger.
I forced all thoughts of her from my mind as I fueled rage into Gabriel, until his eyes and wings glowed with red light. His face filled with hatred as he looked upon me, and I knew if I released him, he'd go for my throat.
"The angels will prepare for war," he said. "Where shall we begin the battle?"
"In Las Vegas." It was the seat of demon power here on Earth, and if we took out some humans at the same time, even better. The woman was also there, but I'd deal with her. Somehow.
The Great War was beginning again, and soon it would consume the entire world.
7
Hannah
I woke early the next day, adrenaline already coursing through my blood. Lucifer had forced our hand with his escape, but I was ready to rescue him. I had a plan now. Would it work? I had no clue. But I didn't have any other ideas, and we had to try something. I couldn't let my husband remain a monster any longer...or let him destroy this world and every other one.
I fluttered about the penthouse as I got everything ready, ate a healthy breakfast, and then went to don some battle gear for whatever we might face. Except maternity stores didn't exactly make armor for pregnant angels, so I settled for comfortable clothes I could easily move in instead. If everything went well, there should be no need to fight, but it was best to be prepared for the worst in situations like these.
I headed out to Persephone’s Garden with a thick circle of gargoyle warriors around me. The attack from Lucifer had shamed them, though I'd learned that Lucifer had used his War powers to cloud and confuse their minds. They'd never stood a chance against him anyway—better for everyone that they'd stayed away. Even so, Theo had been extra vigilant ever since, and I feared I'd never get a moment of privacy again.
When I arrived at my favorite bench, I was shocked to find someone else sitting on it—Belial. My eldest son wore a black t-shirt that showed off his muscles and tattoos, along with dark faded jeans and combat boots. If you didn't know better you might mistake him for his father, except Lucifer would never be caught dead in that outfit.
He stood when I approached, and my guard immediately surrounded him with swords and claws, some quickly shifting to their gargoyle forms. Belial looked unphased by it all and didn't even bother to unsheath Morningstar, the sword strapped to his back that had once been his father's.
I rushed forward and belted out a command. "Stop! That's my son!"
"He's a traitor," Theo said, narrowing his eyes at Belial. "He's a threat."
"He's not a threat to me." I waved them off, and the gargoyles reluctantly lowered their weapons and backed away. I moved closer to my son and took him in. "What are you doing here? Where have you been?"
"You're looking good, Mother," Belial said, his eyes dropping briefly to my stomach. Then he looked at me again with a challenge in his gaze. “I heard you're going to Faerie. I'm coming too."
"How did you hear that?" I bristled, wondering if we had a spy in our midst. Belial clearly had been keeping tabs on me since he didn't seem surprised by my pregnancy, and he knew to be here at exactly the time of our departure. Who was it—Samael? Einial? Definitely not Azazel, she hated him...
He gave a small shrug. "I have my ways."
Stubborn child. I bet it was Kassiel. They were brothers, after all.
I sighed and crossed my arms. "Why do you even want to come? How do we know we can trust you?"
Belial's jaw clenched. "It's because of me that Pestilence is freed, and I planned to make it right by becoming War and taking Adam down. Father ruined that, and now he needs saving too. If you're going to use Famine to fight him, I want to be there."
"What of Nemesis and Fenrir?"
"I'm not working with them anymore."
His words rang with truth, and I checked his aura and saw no other hidden lies or deceptions there. I nodded slowly, knowing the others wouldn't like it, but unable to deny how relieved I was to see my son again. He’d made a mistake—okay, a hell of a lot of mistakes. But he was still my son and I would always give him another chance.
I was about to tell him he could come with us, wh
en Azazel rounded the corner with Callan and Kassiel. They were dressed for battle, and Zel let out a shout and rushed forward at the sight of Belial, daggers in hand. Callan growled and charged too, and this time Belial began reaching for Morningstar. Only Kassiel's quick movements blocked them before a fight broke out, his body moving to shield his brother from harm.
"What is he doing here?" Zel asked, her dark eyes flashing with anger.
I stood beside Kassiel in front of Belial. "He's coming with us."
Callan shook his head. "No way."
“I have to agree, my queen," Theo said. "My official position is also no.”
"We should give him a chance," Kassiel said, his voice still calm and steady. Yes, it was definitely him who'd brought Belial here. They'd probably been talking for months, and though I was annoyed that Kassiel hadn't told me, I had to respect his loyalty to his brother.
"How can we trust him?" Callan asked.
"He spoke the truth when I questioned him." I cast a firm look at everyone standing before me, and channeled my authority as queen into my voice. "Belial's coming. That's my final decision."
Theo stiffly bowed, Callan scowled but nodded, and Zel regarded me with a stony expression, but in the end even she inclined her head. Belial just stood there with his arms crossed like he didn't give a damn about what was going on. A lie, of course. Though he might fool others with his uncaring facade, I knew his heart was in the right place and that he actually cared more than he would ever say.
As they all put their weapons away, Einial entered the garden with a woman with burnt orange streaks in her black hair, which was tied back to show off her pointed ears.
"This is Mirabella," Einial said. "One of our messengers to Faerie. She's half-Fallen, half-fae of the Autumn Court."
Infernal God (Claimed By Lucifer Book 3) Page 3
