by L. A. Boruff
“Sure.” She gave him a look crossed between curious and afraid but determined too.
He blew out a breath. “Thanks.”
When they caught up to the others, Lucifer had just opened the door and stepped aside, allowing War, Famine, and Death inside. His brows shot up when Pestilence eased Nova into the apartment. He didn’t want to wait to start their conversation, but War went to the booze cabinet and poured everyone a drink then took his time to join them at the sitting area in Lucifer's living room.
“You have a beautiful apartment, Professor King,” Nova said. “It’s very relaxing and feels like home.”
“While we’re not in class, please, call me Samael,” he said, winking at her. “And, thank you.”
“Samael.” She turned the word over and it sounded like a wet dream when she repeated Lucifer’s Earth name. “As in Lucifer Morningstar? The King of Hell? The devil?”
Lucifer laughed. “You’re a fast learner, Miss Blom. Well done.”
“We all find it funny that his last name is King,” Famine muttered.
She gave a small chuckle. “It is, kind of punderful too.”
Lucifer watched her. At some point in this little end of time scenario, they were going to have to tell her the truth about who they were. But, selfishly, Pestilence wanted to spend one more day with Nova without having to explain what was happening around them.
Death cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “We found where the bodies were being stored. The original two had been cleaned and autopsied. They were devoid of any sign of a soul. They were dry husks. And like the first third body, we found late last night, they'd been smited.
“Wait,” Nova piped up. “Smited? I thought only God or angels could smite humans?”
“You’d be correct, Miss Blom,” Lucifer said. “However, there are other factors at work here.”
“With angels, there should be a smell surrounding them, a holy smell. Sage, Mir, a demon can smell an angel over three miles away and track it,” Famine added.
“We smelled nothing on the body,” Pestilence said. “It was as if the person did it to themselves.”
“But we know better,” Lucifer stated more to himself than the others. “Miss Blom, you’re not freaking out.”
She shook her head. “I think after finding out about shadow demons and all the different mystical creatures surrounding me day in and day out, freaking because of dead bodies would be a bit... pretentious.” She glanced at Pestilence the look in her eyes matched the one from last night.
“No one will stop you, say it,” Pestilence encouraged her. “We won’t think ill of you.”
Nova twisted her fingers in the hem of her shirt while clearing her throat. “The other day, while I’d been talking to Shelly and Joy, I asked them about a being I saw on campus.”
“It’s a loaded place,” War said, “What kind did you see?”
“That’s the strange thing. When I asked Joy and Shelly if they’d ever seen one or if they knew what it was, they both were at a loss. I thought about asking you last night but...”
“Sorry,” Death replied. “If I’d have known I wouldn’t have given you so much shit.”
She waved him off. “Anyway, I have been seeing these spirits around the campus.”
“They’re normal,” Lucifer stated.
She bit the corner of her lip and closed her eyes. “No, these weren’t. These were weird. They were an eerie green-gray and they didn’t look ordinary. The first one I saw, I thought was my imagination. The second one, I studied. The person was dead, but not.”
Lucifer sat forward. “What do you mean?”
“Like their bodies were twisted. Maybe inside out? I don’t think I’m explaining it right.”
Pestilence placed his hand on her thigh. “Take your time.”
Nova gave him a small smile. “They also looked like they wanted help too. Their mouths were moving, but no words came out and they had this sludge running out of where their eyes should be. I thought it might have been some ghoul trying to play a prank with me.”
Pestilence glanced around the group. They all wore identical expressions. If the fallen bodies weren’t enough to prove that the fifth seal had been broken and the apocalypse was upon them, the undead bodies cemented it. They were going to have to tell her the truth. They couldn’t wait. He cut his gaze to Lucifer who gave a curt shake of his head, as though he knew what Pestilence had been thinking.
“Where did you see these ghouls?” Lucifer asked.
“Everywhere,” Nova replied without hesitation. “There isn’t a specific place they hang out. If you catch my drift.”
“Day or night,” War prodded.
“Both.” She shrugged. “More so at night, but definitely during the day.”
“Fascinating,” Lucifer murmured. “Do you think you’ll be able to show me sometime, Miss Blom?”
“Sure. Do you know what they are?”
“Won’t know for sure until I see them.” He left off the “and send them back to hell,” part. No need in completely freaking her out just yet. That could come later when they were in the thick of things.
Sink or swim.
“Oh, of course,” she answered. “We could do it tomorrow if you’d like. I have plenty of free time. If-if you’re not busy.”
“I will arrange it,” Lucifer said. “All of us can make it a small field trip.”
She stared at him for a moment then laughed. “I’d like that.”
“So, anything else?” Lucifer finished off his drink.
Professor King sent out a group text to everyone including Nova. She stared at the phone for a minute then shook her head for being so paranoid. After telling everyone about what she'd seen on campus, she'd been a little uncomfortable, to say the least. Even though to her own ears she sounded crazy. To the guys, they made it seem like just another day.
She still had so many questions. Like why she found each of them exceptionally attractive. Why her body heated up the minute she laid eyes on them and why they also made her insides shrivel up into nothing sometimes. Why they all lived together in an apartment filled with artifacts and relics, and why they were so interested in what she’d seen around the campus.
She hoped today; she’d get some answers. Anything to still the constant chatter in her brain. Nova’s phone vibrated in her palm and she glanced down. Another text message, this time from Professor King again.
ProKing: Meet at the quad. Lunch on me.
