Soul Conquered

by Lisa Gail Green

  The two are circling again, and Lucifer is paying no attention to anything else. This Griffith guy is the perfect distraction. Now is the time to strike.

  I stand, balancing precariously on the shaking ground. The scent of brimstone burns in the air around Lucifer as I creep closer. Waiting until his back is to me, I pull out the dagger and thrust it forward.

  The bald man screams, “No!” and thrusts out his hand. Instead of sinking into Lucifer’s back, the blade meets an invisible wall and shatters in an explosion of sparks. I’m thrown back and hit the ground as shards of metal and jewels fly through the air. One jagged piece sinks into my shoulder, and blood pours from the wound as I scream.

  “Noah!” Keira cries my name and runs toward me, but Lucifer’s realized what happened and sends her flying back into the wall with a horrible thud.

  “No!” I scream, clutching my oozing wound and stumbling to my feet. “Why? Why did you stop me?” I ask, staggering toward the bald man.

  “Lucifer may be the Devil, but he is my kin,” he says, sadness in his eyes.

  Lucifer walks up behind me as I near the man from Heaven. “You couldn’t kill me with that anyway, Noah,” he says. “There’s only one thing that can, and that’s not it.”

  “What can kill you?” I ask, my teeth clenched. The pain in my shoulder is horrible, and I’m feeling dizzy from the loss of blood.

  “Tell you what—I’ll show you what can kill my brother here instead.” Lucifer shoves me hard, and I fly into the other man’s arms. He falls back, and I land on top of him. His face is millimeters from mine, and his eyes grow large with fear. As he begins to shudder, I roll away, leaving him covered in blood from my wound. Smoke curls from his shirt and skin wherever it touches him, and he begins to blister, skin shrinking and peeling before my eyes.

  “No!” Grace screams. “No!” She and Josh run to his side, and Josh tears off what’s left of the man’s shirt in an attempt to get my blood away from him. His bare chest reveals gray wounds, blistering and spreading out from each point of contact toward his heart.

  I wonder why Josh didn’t die this way when we fought. My blood was all over him. The gray’s already taken nearly all of the Angel’s body now, and he’s convulsing on the ground.

  Keira’s made her way back to me during all the chaos. She takes one look at my face, and this time it’s she who pulls me into her arms and cradles me, kissing the top of my head. My mind is racing. Why does my blood kill Angels from Heaven? Does that mean I really am evil?

  “No, please,” Grace touches the dying man, but screams, falling back on the floor and scooting away. She holds her palms up—they’re blistered and burned.

  “You belong to me,” Lucifer says to Grace, eyes sparking. “You cannot touch an Archangel, no matter what his feelings for you.”

  I don’t care what Grace is—I know who she is inside. She’s the best of the best of humanity. If she can’t touch him, it isn’t about our true nature. It’s about these fucked up rules of Heaven and Hell.

  “You’re my brother…” Michael says, looking past me to Lucifer.

  “You should have never come down here.” Lucifer stalks toward him, face twisted. “I can’t let you ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for. And for what? Grace and the rest of these miserable humans?”

  He turns his gaze on Josh, who’s on the floor near the dying Angel, concentrating as he presses his palms over the graying skin. “You think you’re powerful enough to heal him? You’re nothing but a pet of my dear brother’s. You were such a miserable human that you were sent to Hell, where you should have remained forever for your sins. You might call yourself an Angel now, but you’ll never be half the being Michael was.”

  Lucifer leans down and spits on the floor near Josh. “Go ahead and try to heal him, Joshua. Let’s see what happens, shall we?”

  Chapter 30

  Grace

  “Heal,” Josh whispers, placing his hands over Michael’s heart.

  “See? You can’t save him,” Lucifer says when nothing happens. “Don’t waste your time trying.”

  Michael reaches up, grabbing Josh by the shoulders, and struggles to speak. Tears swim in my eyes, not from the pain in my hands, but from the horror of what’s happening and what’s become of me. If this doesn’t confirm my nature as a Demon, I don’t know what does.

  “I believe in you, Josh… Grace…” Michael says, “…and Noah. Whatever choices you make.” His hand slips from Josh’s shoulder. His head lolls to the side. He dies with a smile on his face.

  My body shakes with sobs, but I barely feel it. I can’t take my eyes off the body before me. He sacrificed himself to bring me to Heaven. He knew he’d never go back.

  Josh is kneeling next to me now, healing my hands. But it doesn’t stop the tears or the memory of what burned them.

  “Don’t bother,” Lucifer mocks, standing over him. “She’s going to feel much worse in a minute.”

  Josh’s head snaps up, rage in his eyes. He looks wild, and his head is surrounded with a golden glow. I can’t help but cringe back from this vengeful Angel before me.

  “No,” I whisper, like a prayer. He can’t win a fight with Lucifer. I can’t watch my beautiful Josh be destroyed.

  But it’s too late—he’s up and on Lucifer in an instant. An explosion of sound resounds like a shock wave when they meet. Lucifer cries out—a terrifying noise. My heart pounds as Josh and Lucifer crash through the counter of the main desk, the oak top splintering and spraying like a million darts. They disappear from view behind the wreckage.

  None of us dare to move as sounds of a scuffle rise from behind the ruined counter. Noah clings to Keira, both staring fixedly at the spot where Lucifer and Josh disappeared. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Keira was praying. I would pray, too, but I can’t even breathe. He has to be okay. He has to. After what feels like an eternity, but must be only seconds, later, Josh comes flying over the remnants, crashing to the ground beside me and clutching his arm, which is as red and burnt as my hands were before he healed them.

  His breathing is ragged, and he’s sweating. I rush to his side, pulling his head into my lap.

  Lucifer’s hand rises above the counter before the rest of him follows. His perfect façade is cracked. His clothes are torn. His hair is mussed. His face and parts of his body are blistered and raw.

  “You hurt him,” I say to Josh with a mixture of shock and awe. “You actually hurt him.”

  “And now I’m going to hurt what Joshy loves most,” Lucifer answers, stalking toward us. “I’m going to tear you apart, piece by tiny piece, like I should have done from the very beginning. First you steal Josh from me, then you stop Cam—who would have been a much more agreeable protégé—but even that’s not enough for you, is it? Just look what you’ve done to Keira. She’s practically ready to join the church choir.

  “Grace Howard, you’ve been nothing but a thorn in my side since you died. It’s time to remove you from existence.”

  Chapter 31

  Keira

  This is the end for the lovers. It’s not going to be pretty, and I’m more scared than I’ve ever been. Are we next? Will he end me first, or will he make me watch Noah die? I can’t handle that. I can’t.

  What Josh did just now was moronic, impetuous, and amazing. I never knew Lucifer could be hurt by a lesser being. I cling to Noah, hoping he’ll behave. If he cowers when it’s over, then maybe—just maybe—Lucifer will spare us both. He still needs Noah, but with what he tried to pull…

  Noah stands suddenly, and I try to haul him back down. “Where are you going?” He ignores me. “Don’t be stupid,” I warn.

  What I really mean is “don’t be brave.” I can’t encourage this. He’s human, for Hell’s sake.

  Noah turns and kisses me. It’s not what I expect, and tears burn my eyes, sizzling over both our faces as he puts all his emotion into this one act of love. And that’s exactly what it is. It’s different, this kiss. It feels like he’s
saying goodbye, so I can’t let it end.

  But it does, and he swipes at my tears with his thumbs, smiling down at me with those damn beautiful eyes of his. I’m scared. I’m so damn scared that I’m trembling.

  For my entire miserable existence, I’ve believed that I’m a horrible person. That I deserve Hell and that I should get as much enjoyment out of corrupting other souls as possible because that’s all that was left to me. Then Noah showed up and made me question everything. He wasn’t perfect, either, and that made me realize we were both still worthy of love, something no one had ever made me feel before. He’s my proof that real love does exist, and that it’s possible for anyone. Noah is everything I’ve ever searched for and so much more, and he’s about to do something so good and stupid that I’m pretty sure he’s not only about to die, but that I’m about to lose him to Heaven.

  I could try and talk him out of it—beg, plead, and cry until he stays by my side, no matter what happens next.

  Or…

  I press my palms to either side of his face, enjoying the feel of his roughly shaven skin. I inhale his scent of cloves and try to steady the thrumming beat pounding in my chest and head. I’m about to lose him. Forever. But for the first time, I’m determined to help save a soul—his soul.

  “Go get him,” I say, barely in control of how hard my body’s shaking.

  Noah grins, and he’s so handsome, it looks like he’s glowing. Or maybe he looks blurry because of all the tears streaming down my face, tears I’ve kept inside for so many centuries.

  Either way, I drop my hands to my sides, and I let him go.

  Chapter 32

  Josh

  I stagger out of Grace’s grasp, but I’m standing, which is a pretty enormous feat, because when Lucifer laid hands on me, something in me wilted. It’s like poison is spreading slowly through my body.

  I don’t want to explain that to Grace. Not now. Not in the middle of this chaos. So I’m avoiding her gaze by blocking her from Lucifer’s view, and as long as there’s breath in me, that’s where I’m staying. The problem is, there might not be breath in me for much longer. I just tried to kill Lucifer, and yeah, I hurt him, which I admit feels pretty damned good. But my best wasn’t enough.

  “Josh, you have to move,” Grace says, tugging at my shoulders. “You can’t fight this. Please don’t make me watch you suffer. That would be worse than anything he’s about to do.”

  I swallow hard, feeling myself growing weaker and knowing my end is near no matter what I do. It’s already done.

  There has to be something I can do to protect her, even if it’s my last act. I search around us for inspiration, but all I find is destruction and Lucifer, who’s edging toward us. He’s drawing it out, playing with us like rats in a cage.

  “Please, Josh.” Grace’s voice cuts deeper than the poison in my veins. I can’t help but cry as I finally turn to embrace her.

  “Did I say you could have a romantic goodbye?” Lucifer bellows. His shadow grows over us and somehow pulls us apart. I try to hold onto her, but Grace is ripped from my arms with a shriek. I spin around, nearly falling over with the effort it takes to move. It’s like every vein in my body is drying up and constricting, as if I’m being strangled from the inside.

  Lucifer’s shadow blots out all light. It’s grown enormous behind him, with wings and horns. One clawed hand holds Grace high in the air as her legs race like she’s trying to outrun its grip.

  The hand squeezes her until she stops flailing and then glides toward Lucifer, where its gnarled fingers open, releasing its hold and dropping her onto the floor.

  “Kneel,” he commands.

  Grace is a mess as she follows his orders. She’s trying so hard to keep it together, but she’s crying, and it’s hurting my heart as much as the poison.

  I start forward, but the great shadow flings out its hand, knocking me back across the room. Painfully, I drag myself back up so I can see what’s happening. Lucifer’s eyes glow with Hellfire. I recognize that look, and I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of the torture that comes after. “No.” What I intend to be a loud cry comes out only as a hoarse whisper. The best I can do is crawl forward as Grace writhes on the ground, screaming.

  The shadow blocks me again. I hesitate. If it hits me again, I probably won’t stay conscious. Then how will I help Grace? But I can’t just stop trying. There has to be something…

  That’s when I see him.

  Noah’s stepping up behind Lucifer again. I’ll be damned if I’m going to stop him like Mr. Griffith did. I’d rather help Noah do him in.

  So maybe I’m not completely Angelic, but I’m okay with that.

  “Stop!” I force out the scream, rushing forward with one last burst of sheer willpower. I need to make sure Lucifer is completely distracted.

  The last thing I see is the claw hurtling toward me before everything goes black.

  Chapter 33

  Noah

  The bastard is about to die.

  He answered my question without meaning to. How many times has Lucifer ranted about being a high and mighty Archangel and how they’re so much better than any human? If one of the ridiculous rules is that my blood is deadly to Archangels, then my blood will be deadly to Lucifer.

  Josh created a distraction by running at him, but it only buys me a few seconds. I push my fingers into my own wound, forcing through the pain and wooziness. With a great scream, I thrust my blood-soaked hand onto Lucifer’s neck.

  He shrieks. His great shadow flings its arms back and shrinks as every window in the lobby bursts into a million shards. The lights flicker and erupt in tiny explosions, and we all cover our ears and drop to our knees as Lucifer drops to his.

  Through the ear-piercing spectacle, I see him reach behind his neck, contorting in a very inhuman way. He rips his own skin off the back of his neck where I touched him, leaving a wound that gushes thick black liquid. It looks something like tar.

  Lucifer places his hands on the floor, breathing heavily, and glares at me, eyes swimming with that same tar-like substance and veined with blue electricity. “You dare?” His voice booms and the ground quakes again, dropping me back to my knees just as I’m trying to stand.

  “You fool!” he screams. “I gave you everything. You were set to rule the Earth. But you’d throw that away for a sister who caused you so much pain and an Angel who tried to kill you?”

  “Siblings fight,” I say, becoming oddly calmer as the chaos Lucifer’s unleashed heightens. He’s off balance. And hurt. And despite him looking angrier than ever, he’s never seemed so weak. “But she’s still my family. I guess you wouldn’t get that, though. Since you murdered your brother and all.”

  I lift my head high as I find my footing. I am his equal. I know that. It’s why he hasn’t destroyed me yet. He can’t.

  But does that mean I can’t destroy him?

  He straightens up and cracks his neck. We circle each other slowly, much like how he was with Michael when I first arrived.

  When I move in front of Grace, I stop so she can run to Josh. I know it’s what I’d do if Keira were hurt. I can’t help but glance over at her and am bolstered by the shock and love so clearly written on her face.

  When I look back to Lucifer, he’s smiling. Shit.

  “Oh, Keiraaa,” he sings.

  She rises and walks toward him, looking more lost than I’ve ever seen her. It’s almost like she’s on autopilot. She kneels without being told.

  “It’s time to suffer like you’ve never suffered before while Noah watches. That’s what love is, you know: suffering.”

  She looks up at me, frightened.

  “Keira isn’t your slave to punish anymore, Lucifer.”

  “I will do whatever I want with her. I am her master.” His eyes flash with blue fire, and Keira cowers.

  “I am the One,” I say to Lucifer.

  “Yes. The One who is supposed to cement my rule! ‘Crown the King of Hell with his blood sacrifice.�
� That was the promise!” Lucifer’s voice booms all around once again. “Not to try to rip the Crown from my head.”

  He sounds like a child—a spoiled child. Maybe that’s exactly what he is. And then, suddenly, everything clicks into place. Blood sacrifice. King of Hell. I glance at the Angel’s gray body, and I know what it all means. “Was that the promise?” I ask, smiling. “Because I understand every word of the prophecy, and I know exactly what I have the power to do.”

  Lucifer waves, and Keira falls to the ground in a silent scream. Filled with the knowledge of my own power, I wave my hand just as quickly, and Keira relaxes, breathing hard. I motion for her to move beside me, which she does. She’s still confused and frightened, but she’s also glancing at me with an awe I’ve never seen before. She steps through the broken shards of a chandelier to get to me, and I smile. I doubt it’s an accident that it’s here, and I have every confidence I’ll find exactly what I need. “Lucifer, your reign is at an end.”

  Reaching for the scattered chandelier pieces at my feet, I rummage for only a moment before I find the perfect thing. It’s a circle from the inner part of the fixture, rimmed with broken, jagged points like icicles standing at attention.

  I place a hand on Keira’s and tilt her face up toward mine. “I hereby crown the new Queen of Hell.” She stares up at me and raises her eyebrows in question as I place the circle of broken chandelier carefully on her head. As I adjust it, I nonchalantly break off one shard and cup it in my hand.

  “How dare you! You are what you are because of me! I’ll tear her apart. I will tear all of your loved ones apart! I will unleash unspeakable horrors upon them that you can’t even imagine, and you will watch it all.” Lucifer sounds like an animal now, reduced to carnal rage. He’s unstable, but that makes me more confident than ever. He’s ready to strike, so I have to move quickly.