“I couldn’t kill Grace’s brother.” If I wasn’t so concerned about his injury, I’d be angry again.
“Of course not,” Mr. Griffith assures me quickly. “You did the right thing, which is exactly what I’d expect. But you still touched him. You almost killed him. No Angel should have been able to do that. Josh… I believe Noah didn’t hurt you because you’re not completely of Heaven. You still have a part of your Demon self inside. That protected you from Hell’s touch.”
My stomach drops. Mr. Griffith has just confirmed my worst fear: I’m not truly an Angel. I still have my Demon self within me. There were clues all along: when I didn’t feel as empathetic as Grace when we first watched the potentials on the screen; when I helped Lucy, whose soul I was trying to save, plot to murder Ms. Alvarez; when I almost killed Noah. I feel sick, like a fraud. Like I shouldn’t be here for fear I might hurt someone. I back away, nearly knocking over a lamp in my hurry to distance myself from them. Tommy Two barks at my feet.
“It’s okay, Josh. It isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s a very, very good thing. The Man Upstairs created humans to be fallible and have free will. That was His greatest gift. You are the perfect example of everything He hoped for in humanity, Josh. You overcame your worst tendencies to do the right thing in the end. I’m ashamed to admit that I hid behind my nature. I mistakenly thought that being an Archangel made me better, just like my brother, Lucifer—when in fact it was an excuse not to do right by you and Grace. By humanity.”
“I still don’t get it,” I say, feeling confused. “How does this help Grace? Or Noah?”
“It is time for me to start acting more like a human.” Mr. Griffith lets his injured hand fall to his side. “Never mind the prophecy. I may have been interpreting it incorrectly all this time. There may be no way of avoiding the End Times, but I now understand that without the willingness to take risks—and break some rules—we will never be sure. It’s time I righted an old wrong,” he says, “and it’s time to reclaim Grace. I believe she’s suffered enough.”
“What do you mean?” I ask. “I thought you said you couldn’t bring her back.”
“Only Lucifer can relinquish her, so that’s who we’re going to see. We are going to Earth so that I can deal with my brother directly, on neutral ground. I shall attempt to convince him that we were both wrong about the end of things. No matter the outcome, we won’t leave until we’ve collected Miss Howard.”
Shona’s mouth hangs open in shock and terror. I’m not sure why—this is the best news I could imagine. Mr. Griffith is finally going to act. Grace is coming home.
Lucifer be damned.
Chapter 25
Noah
After Lucifer’s exit, I use my closet to call for Keira; I need her strength despite how she hurt me. But when she stumbles out of it with hands bound, bloody and beaten, I forget all about our breakup.
Scooping her into my arms, I carry her to the bed and lay her gently down. I rip apart the ropes that hold her and kiss her tender skin and every cut as she weeps. I’ve never seen her like this. I’ve seen her afraid. I’ve seen her in pain. But I’ve never seen her actually…unhinged. She always looks so perfectly put together, no matter what. But now her hair is disheveled, her skin bruised and bleeding, her face covered with tears and snot. She’s hysterical.
“What happened?” I ask when her crying slows. My cell started ringing the second she appeared, but I’ve ignored it. I’m pretty sure I heard the doorbell, too, but the media can wait. Lucifer can wait. “Why couldn’t you break the rope?”
“Lucifer. He took my powers so I couldn’t fight. He caught me trying to save Grace.”
“He stopped you even though I sent you there?” I’m shocked. He did this because of me. He’s hurting the people I care about to make me fall in line. Well, screw that.
“He didn’t want interference with his punishment. He left her to be the first murder victim of a serial killer. It wasn’t pretty.” Keira works her way to a sitting position, caressing her wrists.
I let this information sink in as she goes on.
“You think I look bad? I’ve seen a lot, but what that guy did to Grace? That was seriously messed up.”
So many conflicting feelings rush through me, but rage builds again beneath the surface. This time, it’s focused on one target—and it isn’t my sister, her Angel boyfriend, Emily, or my parents.
“Lucifer.” I spit the name like a curse. “He’s out of control.”
“Noah.” Keira puts a hand on my shoulder to get my full attention. “He’s the Devil. No one—no one—can stop him.”
“You tried to tell me this could happen, but I was too stubborn to listen. I didn’t think he’d leave you with Grace and that killer just to get back at me.”
Keira sucks in her bottom lip like she’s afraid to answer. “I’m fine. In fact, if you hadn’t called me, I would have ripped him apart by now.” But she won’t meet my eyes, and she’s hugging herself. As brave as Keira likes to pretend she is, I’ve seen how she cowers before Lucifer. I hate it. And I hate him. It’s his fault she broke up with me. I realize it now. It’s all so crystal clear.
“But he took your powers. He left you there, bound. He meant for that guy to kill you.” Each sentence feeds the monster inside of me, and my rage builds just like it did with Hale. Keira can tell—I see how she’s watching me, like she’s afraid I’ll lose it. But I’m not blowing this. This time, I’m smarter and stronger. I will protect her, and I won’t let Lucifer bully me or hurt her again. Keira should be treated with kindness. She’s suffered enough for any mistakes she made during her life on Earth, and Lucifer must see that. Why does he continue to punish her?
“He meant for Grace to die. I just got in the way.” Keira says the words quickly like she’s trying to put out a fire.
My stomach sinks, and I stare at her. “Grace… She died?”
“Well, no. Not really. I mean, she’s already dead. She’ll be fine. We’re always fine; we just reappear back in Hell. She’ll have her Demon powers back and everything.”
“But what about you? He’s going to be pissed you escaped, isn’t he?”
Keira averts her eyes in answer, which only makes me want to hurt him more.
“He won’t punish you, Keira. Not again. I swear that to you.” I tilt her face up so she can see that I’m telling the truth. I will protect her. I will find a way to defeat Lucifer.
“Just hold me, Noah,” she says, but she won’t look me in the eyes. She doesn’t believe I can do it. But this time I’m not offended by it. This time, I get it. She’s been abused for too long. I’m going to fix that.
I do what she asks. I pull her against me and kiss her head. “I should have known right away that it wasn’t you talking.”
“What?” she asks, looking so fragile in my arms.
“I should have never doubted your feelings. You only broke up with me because of Lucifer.”
She smiles, and it’s beautiful, like a flower opening toward the sun. “Of course it was because of Lucifer. I never want to hurt you, Noah. I’m so sorry.”
I’m too emotional to speak, so instead I bend over and kiss her. It starts sweetly, but she grips my hair in her hands and suddenly, I want to inhale her.
She responds with her usual fervor, and we lie back on the bed, tangled together, reaching and grasping every bit of each other, like we want to become one person. I used to think Keira was an all-powerful Demon who didn’t let anyone get in her way. Now I see her and know her for who she really is: a damaged girl who’s fought her whole life—and long after—against cruel circumstances. She’s just as strong, but also vulnerable. She may not always make the right decision or the “good” decision, but neither do I—and imperfect people need love, too.
We deserve each other, Keira and I, and I intend to show her that.
I’ve forgotten everything but Keira when Lucifer clears his throat from right next to the bed.
We both spring up. Keira
screams.
“Shut up, Keira. I’ll deal with you later.” Lucifer’s hand flies out, clutching a dagger, and before I can react, he’s stabbed her in the heart. Her eyes grow big as she looks to me, face filled with fear. She falls to the side, blood seeping from the wound.
Lucifer waves a hand over her, and she disappears.
“What the fuck?” I jump out of bed and move toward him.
“It wasn’t a holy blade. She’s not dead. Yet.” Lucifer adjusts his cufflinks. “I thought I told you to respond to the media. Instead you’ve been reclusive and playing doctor with a Demon.”
“I am not one of your servants, Lucifer. Why did you do what you did to Keira and Grace?” I continue forward until we’re nose to nose.
Lucifer’s shadow grows huge, blocking out all light except for the fire in his eyes. But I don’t fall for parlor tricks. He hasn’t killed me because he needs me—so let him get pissed.
“You have an interview.” Lucifer snaps his fingers and I’m dressed in a suit and tie like the one I wore to Grace’s funeral. But this one is nicer than anything I’ve ever owned. He snaps again and I’m in a comfy chair, blinded by bright lights and the noise of a crowd.
“There you are! Thank goodness.” A woman’s voice. Someone adjusts my tie and another someone dabs makeup on my face.
Amidst my confusion at the sudden change of scene, I’m still shaking with barely controlled rage, squeezing my fists into the chair on either side of me.
“We’re on in ten.”
My surroundings finally come into focus, and I find I’m sitting on the set of a morning show, one I saw my mom watch a thousand times when I was little. The woman speaking is a famous news anchor—Linda something—and a stage crew is bustling around.
“Five…four,” counts a guy near the giant camera focused on my face. The entire set goes so quiet, I can hear the breath of the anchor near me.
“… And we’re live.”
Music blasts around us, and the anchorwoman smiles hugely. “We have the exclusive first interview with Noah Howard, the man everyone’s calling a hero. Noah! You attempted to save the life of Governor Tate. You may well have saved countless other lives because you singlehandedly took down a crazed shooter with your bare hands. What made you do it? Why not run for cover like everyone else?”
She stares at me expectantly. I swallow and glance at the camera. The whole thing is disorienting, which I’m sure Lucifer intended—to unbalance me. My hate toward him flares. But I have to keep some perspective and play it smart. I need to beat him at his own game, which means I need to keep playing along. I take a deep breath and force a smile.
“Well, I guess I didn’t even think of that. I just saw the gun, and my first impulse was to stop it from happening.”
She nods like I’ve said something profound. “You’ve had a tragic life so far, having lost your sister to a drunk driver when you were just fifteen. Some people may have fallen to pieces after that. I’m sure it was difficult for your family. But you graduated early with honors. You sailed through college. You have degrees in computer science and chemical engineering.”
I nod, unsure how or when that was supposed to have happened.
“And you’re working on your law degree at Yale?”
“Yes. But I’m home for vacation,” I venture a guess.
“Good thing for the citizens of Seattle.”
I shift my weight, trying not to look like a starstruck kid. Keira’s blank eyes keep flashing through my mind.
“Noah, you’re a man of few words. You’d probably prefer to live a quiet life with your family. I’m guessing you don’t love all this attention. Is that right?”
I pause for a second before answering. “I thought I did. I mean, who doesn’t love attention, right? But I want it to be for something I deserve.” It’s true. Have I really done anything worth all the praise? Am I that special? I don’t know any more. And why did they bring up Grace’s accident? What does that have to do with the man I am?
“Naturally! But I believe you’re in the public eye because you do deserve it. You’re a hero, Noah! What’s next for you?”
I picture Keira, frightened out of her wits, then stabbed mercilessly by Lucifer right after I promised I’d protect her. I think of Grace, killed by a sadist only to reappear back in Hell and be set up by Lucifer again. What’s next is following the path Lucifer set out for me, but not for the same reasons I thought I should before, and certainly not because that’s what Lucifer wants.
“What’s next? World domination.” I say it, pause while she looks slightly confused, then smile. She relaxes and laughs. I laugh along with her, though it’s anything but funny. “But seriously, I was thinking of maybe running for office.”
Her eyebrows rise, and her expression grows hungry. Here’s the exclusive she was hoping for.
“We all know how corrupt so many politicians are. We need someone with the people’s best interest in office, don’t you think, Linda?” I wonder if Lucifer is listening somewhere, but I doubt he could possibly know what I really mean.
“Well, I for one would welcome someone like you, Noah. Clearly you’re intelligent and not afraid to fight for what’s right.” She turns to address the camera. “You heard it here first, folks. Noah Howard. It’s a name you’re going to be hearing a lot more of down the road. We’ll be back in a few minutes with internet sensation, Pepper: the cat that rescued a dog from drowning.”
Music blares, and we rise while everyone around us buzzes and runs about once again.
“Thank you, Noah, and good luck.” She shakes my hand and then turns away. I barely take a step before I’m transported again. This time I’m in a greenroom stuffed with flowers and a full buffet of food. The television in the corner shows one of the country’s most popular talk shows, and the host is announcing my name, “up next.”
Lucifer’s voice sounds in my head. “You have a full schedule today, Noah. Keep it up, and I might just forgive you.”
Maybe. But I’ll never forgive you, Lucifer.
So watch your back.
Chapter 26
Grace
I gasp for breath and jump up to find myself in Lucifer’s throne room. I touch my throat and find no sign of damage. My body is whole and unblemished, and I’m dressed in one of my usual half-there outfits trimmed in lace.
“I trust you learned a valuable lesson.”
I look up at Lucifer on his throne. He’s smoking another cigar, just like the one he gave to Corbin. The one that almost blinded me. My stomach turns.
“Yes, I have,” I say. It’s true. I consider myself a changed person. I’ve finally met someone beyond salvation. “When you sent Josh to corrupt Cam, he was still reachable by me, even though it was a long shot. This…monster was already beyond my—or any Angel’s—reach. How did stopping him from getting to that wedding do you any good?”
Lucifer grins. “Smart girl, Gracie. It’s true. Corbin was always going to be mine. But if he’d made it to the wedding and actually witnessed it, it would have put him over the edge. He would have killed his beloved that night and been caught. What fun is that? This way, he’s had practice and will continue on to kill hundreds of women. And he’s starting tonight with his very same beloved. Sometimes patience pays off.”
My stomach turns again, and I fight to keep myself from vomiting in front of him for a second time. Hundreds of women will go through what I just went through?
“Now that you’ve learned your lesson,” Lucifer continues, “will you cooperate?”
I nod. I’m no idiot. If I say no, I’ll just be tortured until I finally comply.
“Excellent. While you were otherwise occupied, however, your ex-boyfriend nearly murdered your brother. If you’d listened to me in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to punish you and you would have been available to go to Josh as I’d planned. Then he wouldn’t have intervened with Noah, and instead, Josh would be here with us now. I consider this your fault, Grace. You’r
e going to have to make it up to me. Understand?”
I swallow, my mind spinning. Josh almost killed Noah? How—why? “Is Noah all right?” I ask.
“Yes. He did a nice job on Josh as well. He’s going to need some comforting. But just in case that doesn’t work? Keira!”
Keira crawls out from behind Lucifer’s throne, and I gasp. Her face is gaunt, her eyes dull. She raises a trembling hand and reveals something both horrible and familiar all at the same time. I step back. I know what it is—and I don’t want to touch it.
“That’s the knife that almost ended Josh. It’s that dagger you gave Cam. The one that can kill Demons and Angels,” I say. If I keep talking about it, maybe someone will come to their senses and get rid of it.
Keira lowers her head, and Lucifer speaks. “It is another like it. Keira here likes to collect them. The irony, you see, is that she will soon be ended by the very same weapon. But first, I want her to join you up on Earth. You will seduce Josh. If he resists your charms, Keira will end him. Do you understand?”
My mouth hangs open, but I know I must speak or face worse than the horrors I’ve just been through. “I understand,” I say.
“Wait.”
I freeze while Lucifer descends from his throne. “I don’t trust you, Grace. I don’t trust that you’ll do your job. I have little trust for Keira, as well, but I’m giving her this one last chance. Keira, stay hidden. If Grace tries to stop you, kill her as well. This is your one and only chance to save your miserable existence. I do know you, Keira, and I know you won’t put anyone before yourself, especially not these two.”
“Yes, Lucifer.” Keira speaks with her head down.
“Josh will likely try to approach Noah again.” Lucifer paces before us. “So I also want you to stay near Noah without his knowledge.”
Soul Conquered Page 15
