My mind was in havoc when I finally went back to the living room. Morpheus only glanced at me, but his look told me that he was happy with my outfit. We didn’t talk when we left the building around nine o’clock. I was surprised that Zach wasn’t waiting for me outside.
There was a car waiting for us, and the old demon (well, I considered him old, the grey hair, sharp lines under his forehead) opened the door for me. He was the driver and I felt slightly odd sitting at the back. On top of that we were going down to hell, so I was probably getting a taste of what was going to happen to me later on.
“So how is it there? You know, downstairs?” I asked. I met his eyes in the rearview mirror.
“It’s the place of joy for those who deserve it and the place of anguish to those who sinned.”
That didn’t make any sense, but I chose to keep my opinions to myself this time around.
“And why does Lucifer want my soul so much?” I pressed, because I knew that question about my mother would follow through later on. He could dodge the answer as long as he could, but there was something odd that he didn’t want to discuss my mother.
“I don’t question the dark lord. He requested your soul, and I’m obeying.”
“So he asked for my soul personally?” I repeated, wanting to laugh, but this wasn’t funny anymore. Demons in hell were so stuck up, but maybe it was because of my power.
“He did, and he mentioned that he wants to meet you in person.”
I sunk back into my seat, knowing that this could mean only one thing. Lucifer was planning to keep me in hell forever.
Chapter 15
“So once again, along the outward brow of Circle Seven I progressed alone to where there sat these souls in misery.” ―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
The dark lord wanted to meet me in person? I went over this statement a few more times, thinking that Morpheus was distorting the truth. Lucifer had no reason to ask for me. I was no one.
My throat felt dry and painful. I told myself that these were the effects of hell’s influence and vodka. I sat at the back of the car, as he drove in silence. I kept staring at him, wanting to ask him why I kept seeing him in my memories, but I knew that he wouldn’t answer me anyway. He obviously wasn’t prepared to tell me anything about my past.
When I came back to London without Summer two years ago I tried to get on with normality but found it almost impossible. I got hooked on magical tequila, gambled away all my money masking the pain that had become my second skin. Then one evening when I was very much hungover and on my way to the office, I bumped into Emma. She was in trouble with two convicted demons that were ready to take away her innocence. Morpheus was right, someone had opened the gates of hell then, but I couldn’t have been that person. I was so weak and inexperienced, but the tiny voice in my head reminded me that there wasn’t anyone else around this area that night.
I shook my head, telling myself to stop thinking about shit like that. Morpheus glanced at me from his front mirror. I figured that he must have spent some time on earth, because he seemed to know his way around the city. We stared at each other for a few seconds in silence until he broke the eye contact.
Forty minutes later he stopped the car on the street. I recognised the area. We were back in Brixton. It seemed like only yesterday I was walking this way to the office, hungover and broke. We walked to one of the back alleys where the two convicts were sucked right in to the pits. Now I had to do this all over again.
“We both know that I can’t summon the gates of hell,” I said, admitting that I was ready to fail.
“I thought you wanted to save your daughter, Max?”
“Of course I want to save her, but I’m not a demon. As you know, my mother was a human,” I snapped, annoyed that he was using my pain against me. Maybe I wanted to keep on lying to myself. There were other incidents in the past that indicated that my mongrel abilities had evolved.
“The traces of your energy are still here. Stop denying that you’re capable. You don’t need any formulas or potion. Everything is in your head, just concentrate on our destination,” he ordered, probably pushing me to believe in myself. I had, but in the past. Right now, I wasn’t sure what to think anymore.
“What about my partner? You said that you could help him too,” I reminded him. “He needs a reversal spell from hell. Ricky is fighting for his life in the hospital.” Ricky’s situation was much more complicated. He was dying because of me, because I failed to protect him.
“Get to Alexis and you will get the reversal spell. Right now we are running out of time, dear,” he said, gently telling me to get on with it.
I nodded, exhaling sharply and then closed my eyes. No one had ever taught me how to do this, but as he said, the spell was in me. I had to just concentrate on my power.
Minutes passed, and nothing was happening. The temperature was dropping and goose pimples shot over my arms. Part of me wished that there was another way. For the next several minutes I breathed in the energy from the earth, connecting with the sky and the cold air.
Maybe for this spell to work I had to be hungover. Those fuckers were ready to attack an innocent human being and that’s what pissed me off the most then. The rippling sound of enormous energy wafted around me, glass on the windows began vibrating. I thought that this was it, but for a long time nothing happened. I had no idea how long I stood there wearing that silly cocktail dress and shivering with cold. Ricky would agree with me that my situation was catastrophic. The earth didn’t start shaking and I didn’t feel the usual warmth like it happened on number of other occasions. A drop of sweat rolled over my face and I swore silently, failing yet again.
“You’re not trying hard enough. The gates are summoned in by a strong demonic energy,” Morpheus reminded me.
“But you’re not telling me what to do. I have never done this before. I can’t just say ‘Open Sesame,’ right?”
He groaned with frustration, obviously failing to see the funny side of my joke. We stood in the same alley for another half an hour. Anger was boiling in my veins. I was ready to walk away and tell him to go to hell when suddenly the earth shook underneath my feet. I felt the heat, licking my body gently.
“Anger, that’s what triggers the spell. I should have known,” Morpheus chuckled and I frowned with confusion. The pavement split and a large hole formed a few meters from where we stood.
Maybe there was something in this. I was bloody pissed, furious that I had wasted so much time.
“It’s not the usual way of getting to the underworld, but we need to make sure that we look believable,” he added, like he was reading my mind. Yeah, all I could think about was the large fiery hole, and the energy that was sucking in demons that were anywhere near it. The pits were meant to be deadly, but Alexis still managed to escape from them.
The Watchers were nearby and I thought that we had to hurry up. Also we didn’t want to be discovered by any humans. The alley wasn’t fully closed off, and it was a busy evening. Morpheus went down first, and I swear to God, I thought I was going yet through another deja vu. The formula and Gjöll by the river Thames. It was all so familiar, even then I thought it was the end, but for some reason I was spared.
Once I started moving down, the entrance behind us closed and we found ourselves in a long narrow corridor leading down. I wasn’t used to walking in high heels, so this was torture.
I felt comfortable kicking someone else’s arse, but walking into the posh party and pretending that I was a high-class demon wasn’t on my list of priorities. Several minutes later, or maybe hours, the tunnel became wider and brighter. I was imagining fiery pits, sharp rocks and hanging corpses everywhere, but so far the image of hell seemed disappointing.
“We are close. In a few minutes you will see doors right in front of you. Once we enter the party you have to pretend that you’re in favour of the uprising. Demons around have been battling with each other for centuries. They want Lucifer to stand down,” Morpheus e
xplained, with a hint of amusement in his tone. He obviously didn’t believe that something like that was possible.
“I’m still a mongrel in a pretty dress. They will know as soon as I enter,” I pointed out.
“I have already taken care of that, so they won’t know. And we won’t enter together.”
“Fine, but what am I supposed to do in there? You haven’t told me anything,” I said, losing my usual confidence.
“Get Bianca to trust you. She likes new faces and personalities. After that everything will work itself out,” he said and gestured for me to carry on. This wasn’t the best time to have second thoughts. Morpheus was my guide, and I had to accept his terms.
After five minutes he retraced his steps, disappearing in the darkness. I kept walking until I reached the red door; the colour matched my dress exceptionally. I knocked a few times, plastering a smile on my face and waiting to see what was on the other side. Ricky would have never believed me if I said that I was walking into hell. It was something that he and I never even considered.
The door opened up and I was greeted by a handsome demon from Mammon faction, with a glass of champagne in his hand. He was blond, tall, but had Nordic features.
“Come on in, Bianca is delighted that you could make it. The dark lord must fail,” he said, inviting me inside. I gave him a weak smile, walking straight into a decent size room filled with other demons. Morpheus was right: demons in hell were having a full-on party. He made me open the gates to the underworld, but instead I was taken back in time, to a luxurious home filled with brand new shiny furniture and even more fabulous-looking demons.
“Drinks are over there, and oh, Bianca should make her appearance soon enough. Just enjoy yourself, darling,” the blond demon added, showing me around. A few minutes later, he excused himself heading to the door again.
I counted at least thirty demons. They were all scattered around the space, talking, drinking and having the best time. Beyond the other door, I saw a bright corridor and a staircase. I assumed that I was in someone else’s home, right in the centre of underground. I couldn’t think about logistics, but I presumed that other parts of hell weren’t so clean and luxurious. Beats of energies were swirling around. Demons here were powerful and they weren’t afraid to show that. I went to grab a drink, not because I needed to take the edge of my mood, but because I had no idea what to do with myself.
I couldn’t imagine that Alexis cared much about her sister. She was ready to kill an innocent child rather than seek alternative options.
I located the tray with champagne and stuffed my face with some canapés. A moment later Morpheus walked in, greeting a few demons in the group.
Bianca must own a lot of gold, and she enjoyed expensive art. She was somehow touched by human ways of life. I had to admit she had excellent taste in fabrics and colours, even though I had never been much of a decorator. I could not find any faults in the space around me.
I felt Morpheus’s eyes on me while I stood by the fireplace, trying to get my head around this party. I had to get into a conversation. I wasn’t going to save my daughter hanging out alone.
“The current faction system hasn’t been working for years. Mammon is using gold to bribe Watchers to his side. Bianca is brave, but she needs more supporters,” the male demon was saying when I approached the group that surrounded him. He was broad in his shoulders with a thick brown beard.
This was the first time that I was hearing about the election or the fact that someone was trying to challenge Lucifer’s order. Politics had never interested me, but I doubted that my life would change for the better if the dark lord was pushed out of power. Mongrels were in a minority.
“You’re right, but who else is she going to convince? Warlocks?” another demon laughed, and everyone suddenly joined her.
“We can’t be prejudice. Everyone is trying hard to stay above, but let’s be honest with each other—Lucifer allowed too many mongrels to come into this world. If Berith could get into power, he would clear them all like Hitler did with Jews during World War II,” added another demon that stood by me.
“Alister, you’re always making these silly jokes. Mongrels are like annoying insects. If you allow them to breed then you’ll have a colony before you know it,” said very high-pitched voice. A few people moved aside and a demon with platinum blond hair walked in. She had a crimson red dress that exposed her long skinny legs. Her heels were higher than mine, but she seemed comfortable.
It was difficult to say if she was pretty or not, because her long square face was covered with a thick layer of make up. Her perfume could easily knock someone dead, it was that strong. I had the impression I was staring back at a real-life Barbie doll.
So the demons here were seriously against Lucifer and most mongrels.
“Bianca, it’s a pleasure. I’m only reasserting my position. You have my full support and your sister’s too,” Alister added, smiling widely. I looked at the woman that was related to my true enemy. They were nothing alike.
Morpheus was talking to another group that stood by the fireplace.
“My sister has been having some troubles lately,” Bianca explained, glancing at her red manicured nails. “But I might receive some news this evening.”
I moved closer, trying not to miss anything.
“Tell us about your plans. There have been rumours that Master Rodriguez won’t be reelected,” said a short stocky demon that was on his third glass of Scotch. This whole party was some sort of gathering place. Bianca looked like a blond bimbo with boobs. I didn’t believe that she would be strong enough to even scratch Lucifer, but everyone here seemed mesmerised by her.
“Plans … there are so many of them, but let’s not talk about that. My friends, you have spread the word about Lucifer’s weakness, now let’s hear what the newbies have to say. Demon in a red dress, speak up!” Bianca said, and then pointed straight at me.
I nearly choked on my champagne that I just took a sip of. Suddenly everyone was staring at me. I thought about something worth saying. Either way, I had to turn into a mongrel hater, because I wasn’t ready to die in here.
Chapter 16
“Knights gallop out at times from charging troops, intending, as they leave the rest behind to claim the honours of an opening duel.” ―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
Everyone’s attention was on me and I had to come up with something meaningful to say. Bianca’s power enchanted me faster than I expected, the flaming sparks heating up my blood. Now wasn’t a good time to have a drink, but I finished my glass of champagne anyway. Bianca was assessing my power; her perfect eyes hovered up and down my body. I felt Morpheus’s eyes on me too, but I didn’t dare to look at him. This could work. I just needed to come up with a random witty line that cherished the uprising.
Everyone was waiting and silence stretched out for minutes. A bead of sweat gathered on the nape of my neck and ran over my spine. I was tough, but not with words.
“Lucifer seems weak, and he is losing his followers quickly. Mongrels might be doomed, but they can be useful,” I said, wanting to sound like I knew what I was talking about. Bianca’s blank expression told me that this wasn’t going well. Maybe she wasn’t just a blond bimbo with expensive taste. Still, I doubted that her magic was advanced enough to challenge one of the most powerful demons in hell.
The tension was palpable. The demons here could easily turn into a pack of vicious wolves if I wasn’t careful with my next choice of words.
“What’s your name, demon?” Bianca asked, raising her left eyebrow.
“My name isn’t important. Mongrels aren’t intelligent enough to figure out what they want and if you promise them something better than the current order offers they will follow you,” I snapped, acting like a proud, pure demon.
“I don’t think that mongrels can be of any use, but do continue,” Bianca said, sounding curious. “The dark lord is powerful, and he influences many. My sister tried to distract him with
her power, but she failed miserably.”
Right, I thought that it was a good start. At least she was talking about Alexis. A bit of energy burst through me; Bianca was caressing my wards. She was suspicious but Morpheus’s charm tightly sealed my abilities.
“There is an epidemic of mongrels on earth. Imagine what would happen if you could control them,” I mused with a cheeky smile. I figured that I just had to add a bit more oil to the fire. Bianca was a fool if she believed in anything I said. There was a beat of silence. Her expression didn’t change and I was starting to worry.
“Epidemic, ha. Finally someone has pointed out the obvious. Lucifer could have sorted this out centuries ago, but he’s busy with the mess in the underworld,” Bianca shouted, shaking her head.
Everyone was nodding, agreeing enthusiastically. Someone handed her a glass of wine. I figured that it was the end of my discussion with her for now. She continued sipping the wine and told everyone to enjoy the party. Whatever I said seemed to make an impact on her because she didn’t ask anyone else in the room to express their opinion. I wrapped my fingers tighter around the glass knowing that Bianca was most likely aware that Alexis was in trouble. I kept sipping my champagne, walking around and watching her from a distance. She was enigmatic and probably a born leader, although to me she was a fake Barbie doll.
Over the years I’d heard many rumours about Lucifer. Some demons gossiped that he kept slaves in his quarters and had over a hundred lovers on earth. He resided in the farthest and deepest parts of hell that other demons could rarely access. Alexis was lucky that she’d gotten close to him.
Morpheus was busy talking to a group of demons in elegant tuxedos. I had no idea how long he wanted me to stay here, but I didn’t want to drink. Alcohol was slowly affecting me and after my meltdown on the terrace I had to be careful. My feet were bloody aching, and Zach was most likely pissed off that I hadn’t been in touch since yesterday.
Doomed Cases Series Box Set Page 57
