Raise the Dead

by Briana Michaels

  “She prefers the scents of her daddies. I’ve been switching shirts whenever she cries. When she scents the one that calms her, she stops crying.” Sara laughed lightly, “This is a crazy learning curve, isn’t it?”

  Con smiled as they walked to the door that lead to Eve.

  “I’ll only be a moment,” Sara squeezed his arm. “I know we’ve got big issues. It’s just…” she looked down at her daughter, “I have no idea what’s going to happen when we go to war. I’d like to personally thank the woman who gave my daughter a soul before we… before something…” Sara’s chin quivered and she cleared her throat. “No time like the present, right?”

  Constantine’s heart flopped in his chest. “Right.” He opened the door and stayed on this side of Hell. “See you soon, Sara.” He allowed her through and closed the door. Then he braced his hands on the either side of the spelled portal and tried to not scream or punch something.

  Was this how the world ended? With tears and goodbyes and a good fuck?

  Eve sat in the corner of the bedroom, staying clear of Lazarus. Anam was with her, his tail wagged and he rushed excitedly to the closet door when they heard it creak open. She figured it was Lucifer coming to her, so imagine Eve’s surprise when she looked up and saw a spritely little woman with a baby in her arms.

  “Hi,” she said.

  Eve stood slowly. Thank god she’d gotten dressed just after Constantine left. “Hi.”

  “I’m Sara.”

  “The Devil’s Darling,” Eve hoped the jealousy wasn’t too obvious. “I know who you are.” To hear stories of Sara and then seeing her were very different challenges to face. This whole time, Sara was just a name. Now, she was a face, a scent, a warm body and a vibrant soul standing in front of Eve smelling of Hell and all the delightful Angels who were staying down there too. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  “I asked Con to bring me to you. I… I wanted to say thank you for what you’ve done. You saved my daughter.”

  “Or ruined her,” Eve bristled. Was it hot in here? It felt hot in here. Her wings ached and her heart hurt. “I’m the reason for all this you know.”

  “All of what?”

  “Souls. I’m the reason the world has souls. I’m the reason our Angelic energy is tied to human energy which made spiritual energy. If I hadn’t…. If it weren’t for me, there’d be no reason for Hell.”

  “Then I have so much more to thank you for, beyond saving Evelyn.”

  Sara crossed the room and brought Eve in for a one-armed hug. They were both careful to not squish the sleeping baby. “I’d hug you harder if Evelyn wasn’t in the middle,” Sara half-chuckled.

  “That’s a lovely name.”

  “We chose it in honor of you. Eve was already taken,” Sara winked, “so we elongated it a bit. I hope you don’t mind.”

  You could have knocked Eve over with one of her own feathers. Tears filled her eyes and she didn’t even care that she looked like a sap right now. “May I hold her again?” Sara handed the baby over gently and Eve actually let out a small gasp of delight. It was rare she had interaction with humans anymore. And even more rare for her to hold a baby. “Evelyn,” Eve purred, “you’ll carry that name well. I can feel it.”

  Sara wiped a tear from her face. “Evelyn Lyric Morningstar is her full name.”

  Eve’s heart swelled hearing it. “Does Lucy know?”

  “Yes,” Sara smiled.

  “You know, I named him.”

  “Who?”

  “Lucy,” Eve started bouncing the baby gently, like it was the natural thing to do. Bounce the baby. Weird, right? “When I met him, he only had a number. I named him Lucy. It means Light in Angelic. Then it elongated to Lucifer.”

  “I know his brothers called him Lucy. He always acted like he hated it. But I didn’t realize that was his actual, true name.”

  Eve’s smiled faded. Did he truly hate the name? That made her feel sick. “He and Anam are the only two things I’ve ever given names to.”

  Anam took his cue and nuzzled his nose right into Sara’s crotch. If she cared, it didn’t show. Then again, she was a Hell Hound, so she would have expected the wolf to scent her however he could. Sara squatted down and rubbed his ears, making full eye-contact with the spoiled beast. “He’s beautiful.”

  “He’s ancient. Poor guy is stuck indoors a lot so he’s not seen. I usually stay secluded with a lot of property for him to run in but…”

  “Circumstances are different right now.”

  “Yeah,” she handed the baby back. “You should probably go. Lucy might not like you around me.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m,” Eve paused, “complicated.”

  “All the best ones are,” Sara grinned. “I speak from experience.” Evelyn stirred in her arms, rooting against her breasts and starting to grunt.

  “You should probably go feed her,” Eve smiled.

  Sara nodded and headed back to the closet door. Before turning the knob, she looked over her shoulder, “You doing what you did… in the very beginning? It made this world a good place. Never forget that. Without a soul, what’s the point of living at all? With no fire in your heart, no passion in your veins, no wild, crazy desire to run free, life wouldn’t have any meaning at all. You gave us that. And Hell?” Sara licked her lips and smiled big. “I wouldn’t have my pack without Hell and Lucifer. I wouldn’t have a second chance to be the best version of myself. Same for all of us, really. And… I’d have never had my daughter. So, don’t regret what you did for a minute. The world owes you… big time.”

  Eve didn’t have a clue what to say to that.

  “You know, a lot of Lucifer’s hang ups now make complete sense to me.” Sara said as she pulled the door open. “Lucifer never stopped loving you.” She stepped into the darkness and disappeared.

  Eve walked over to shut the door but Anam brushed past her and ran after Sara and the baby. “Anam, no!”

  The wolf disappeared into the darkness and Eve panicked. That shouldn’t have been possible. Animals couldn’t go to Hell.

  “Anam!” she yelled. Like always, when blocked by a Divine barrier, Eve instantly made a fist and punched it.

  Her fist went right through the damned thing, causing her to propel forward since nothing was stopping her. Eve tumbled into darkness and yelled for her wolf. She couldn’t see anything and reached blindly for her wolf. “Anam! ANAM!”

  He barked and shoved his face into her hand, licking it. She gripped a handful of his fur and let him lead. The air in her lungs squeezed, there was a vicious ringing in her ears, and she grunted when she smacked her head on something hard.

  “Eve?” Constantine bent down and grabbed her shoulders, lifting her to her feet. “Holy. Fucking. Shit.”

  Eve blinked to let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Energy crackled along her skin. “Oh… my… God…”

  She was in Hell.

  Chapter 26

  Lucifer and Gabriel didn’t stay in bed. The minute their heads stopped spinning, they got up and started working again. Neither of them said a word about the fact that while lying in bed, Gabriel’s left wing draped across Lucifer’s chest and the intimate contact giving them a slight boost in energy levels.

  Entering the throne room from the back, they found Uriel already at the table, leaning over it, frantically looking for something. “What’s going on?” Lucifer’s bones felt stiff. He cracked his neck and knuckles, trying to loosen up a bit.

  “I think Anthony’s turned against us.”

  Luce stopped dead in his tracks. “And Lilith?”

  “She wasn’t there. I couldn’t sense her at all.”

  “Fuck,” Gabriel dropped into a chair and ran his hand through his hair. “You think she fled?”

  “I think she’s better than that,” Uriel defended her.

  Lucifer crossed his arms. His black t-shirt was tight enough to be a second skin and he didn’t like it. “What makes you think Anthony’s turne
d?”

  “My gut,” Uriel tossed a book to the side and grabbed another. “We still have that story of the seven seas, right?”

  “Yeah, of course.” Lucifer grabbed it from a pile at the other end of the table and handed it over, “Why?”

  “Anthony had a copy.” Uriel quickly checked the mark on a specific page, “Oh thank fuck. This is the original.” He dropped into a chair and buried his head in his hands. “My paranoia is driving me crazy.”

  “Understandable, brother.” Lucifer patted him in on the shoulder. “Now tell us what happened up there.”

  “The gates were reinforced with fresh magic. I could feel it when I touched the bars. The guards at the gate didn’t talk to me. They never not talk to me. And the vibrations were wonky.”

  That was hardly a reason to accuse Anthony of betrayal, but Uriel knew Paradise better than most. Lucifer would accept the warning. “What else?”

  “Lilith not being available was another red flag. If I’m there, she knows. She’s never not greeted me. In all these years, Lilith has always been made available. In mourning my ass. Lilith’s killed before and not felt bad about it.”

  “But not one of her own,” Gabriel argued. “Maybe this war has finally hit home for her. Hearing about malanum infections, and actually getting that close to becoming infected herself might have been the final straw for her.”

  “Whatever,” Uriel wasn’t buying it. “Lilith’s a vicious female. She probably hacked Sari up. No one feels bad when they hack another person into pieces.”

  No one argued because what could they say? Uriel knew all about brutality like that. Better than the rest of them.

  “There was a pitcher of water on the table. It looked murky.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Gabriel walked over to Uriel. “Brother, your paranoia is clouding your judgment. Nothing you’re saying sounds out of the norm for her or the Angels up there. The cold shoulders from the guards was something you should have expected. They hate Lucifer and are probably pissed he’s out. They most likely blame him for Michael’s return. And Sari getting infected didn’t do us any favors,” Gabriel flicked his gaze to Lucifer quick and gave him an apologetic cringe.

  It wasn’t a secret that most Angels hated Lucifer. They always have and he no longer cared.

  “I’m telling you,” Uriel shoved a finger in Gabriel’s face, “Anthony’s turned on us. I couldn’t feel Michael up there, but he’s got to be close by. Has to be.” He tapped his thumb against the table again. “Heaven is in unrest.”

  “As is Hell. Again, understandable.”

  “He asked what your plans were, Luce.”

  “What did you say?”

  “That you do as you please.” Uriel licked his lips. “He pushed the issue. Asking about your energy levels and shit. I didn’t take the bait. I saw his tell.”

  “Tell?”

  “Yeah. We play poker. He’s a great player but has a tell. When he’s nervous about bluffing, his nostrils flare slightly.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ, Uriel,” Gabriel popped up on his feet and started walking away. “Your paranoia has spiked. That’s all.”

  “NO!” he roared and upended his chair. “Your judgment is fucked up, Gabriel! Just like Lucifer’s was!” Uriel pounded on his chest, “I know what I saw! I know what I felt! You two are connected down here and are feeding off each other’s energies. Mine’s still all fucking mine.” He got right into Gabe’s face, “I know what I fucking sound like. But you should hear yourself. Since when have you ever given Anthony, of all Angels, a goddamn benefit of the doubt, Gabriel? That-” Uriel shoved his finger in Gabe’s face, “is the Devil in you talking. Have you forgotten how, only a few weeks ago, we had to convince Luce that we were in the last stages of the world ending? We had to point out famine, pestilence, and war were already in full swing. Lucifer couldn’t see the writing on the walls either. Now you’re no different.”

  “He’s right,” Lucifer frowned. “Uriel’s right, Gabe. I’ve… I’ve always tried to cling to hope, even when there was none to grasp. It’s blinded me more than once when I allowed it to. If Uriel says Anthony’s turned, then he’s turned. Accept it.”

  “Fine,” Gabe tossed his hands up. “Anthony’s a two-faced bitch and Lilith can’t cope.”

  “Heaven is going to fall if it hasn’t already.” Uriel rolled his shoulders back, “It would explain why the mass of souls came down. None of them are righteous. All are innocent.”

  Lucifer frowned. “Fuck me. Heaven is falling.”

  Uriel nodded, “And if Michael’s ruling Heaven somehow, imagine what he could do to the innocents there.”

  “He can’t get into Heaven. Same as he can’t get into Hell. Lilith and I made sure certain precautions were put in place when we created these realms.”

  “And if those precautions have weakened?” Uriel waited for Luce to give an answer. “Hell was an impenetrable prison until five years ago. Michael helped malanum crack the walls down here by using Charlotte. He could be using Anthony to do the same in Heaven. Lilith won’t be able to fight Michael. She couldn’t before, she won’t be able to now. I’m sorry, I love her to death, but she’s not strong enough to face Michael and win.”

  Lucifer scrubbed his face. His head began pounding. “We need to talk with Lazarus. He can confirm it.”

  “That’s another thing,” Uriel’s wings fluttered with frustration, “he told me the red sky is an omen.”

  “How original,” Gabriel said drolly.

  “It’s a second coming,” Uriel flipped him the bird. “He said it’s the Rapture.”

  “The Rapture is a legend. Nothing more,” Gabriel started to pace, “Con made that shit up.”

  Uriel challenged him, “Have you ever asked him where he got his story ideas, Gabe? Because I have. He got them from Laz.”

  “During Lazarus’s lunatic days.”

  “He was never a lunatic. The only reason he’s more focused now than he used to be is because what we heard him talk about before were things that didn’t exist yet. Planes,” Uriel tapped his fingers counting his examples, “cell phones, cars, drones, the Rolling Stones. He was only rattling off inventions and icons of the future. Those things are no longer the future. Most are in the past.”

  “Shit,” Lucifer cursed. “He’s run out of ramblings because he’s run out of the future?”

  “Exactly,” Uriel nodded, “He’s always been lucid. We were the idiots who didn’t recognize it at the time. Lazarus has told us everything he knows. Literally. Con was the only one who listened and recorded it.”

  “Then why hasn’t that Golden-winged fucker told us how to stop Michael!” Gabriel’s anger whipped out with his wings. “If he knows everything, then he knew how to kill Michael before and still does.”

  “Maybe killing Michael isn’t the answer,” Uriel countered. “Maybe it was always meant to end this way. Michael’s obsession with a clean slate? Maybe it’s not an obsession. Maybe it’s fate.”

  “Not acceptable,” Lucifer growled. Thinking of a world without his Hell Hounds was enough to have Lucifer doubling down on his determination to end Michael. Not to mention his brothers, Eve, the baby…

  Fuck. That.

  Uriel blew out a sigh, “If the red sky is an omen, and Lazarus was able to say that much, then we need to figure out who else is coming.”

  “Maybe it’s Michael. Shit, maybe it’s me,” Lucifer shrugged. “The red sky showed up when I did.”

  Gabriel stiffened, “Maybe it’s the first-generation Angels?”

  “Don’t even say that shit out loud,” Uriel shuddered. “Con might have this written down somewhere. We just need to pray he remembers where he put it and that it’s survived over the ages. A lot of his work disintegrated.”

  Gabriel rubbed his chin, “We should ask Tilly too. Maybe she found some of his old scrolls when she was looking for a cure for her curse. Let’s get her and see if she remembers reading anything about this. But let’s start with Con an
d get him down here, now.”

  “Well isn’t it good he’s just returned?” Lucifer said. Perfect. Fucking. Timing. He felt Constantine enter Hell just a few moments ago. The energy shift was strong enough to give the Devil a jolt and it came with a faint scent of Eve and sex in the air.

  Her fragrance wafted into the room and teased Lucifer’s senses. Constantine went to see her, he thought. Lucifer didn’t know if he was relieved or jealous. But as Uriel spoke of red skies and Heaven in danger of falling into Michael’s hands, Lucifer figured Constantine must have known something was up and had gone to Eve to unfuck himself so he could handle this shit with a clear head and enough power to knock some twisted motherfuckers out.

  More power to him. He might be the only one of the four brothers with his head on straight right now.

  Lucifer wished more than anything to be with Eve too, but now wasn’t the time. Not unless she could find a way to get into Hell, which would be nothing short of a miracle at this point.

  Nope. Not possible. Lucifer and Eve weren’t meant to be and his desire would have to remain locked down. There was no time for the Devil to get unfucked.

  You did this to yourself. If Lucifer hadn’t brought desire to the worlds, maybe he wouldn’t need to give into his so badly. But that was his beast of burden. He’d gone this long without pleasure; he could keep fucking going.

  “Constantine!” Lucifer roared. “Get in here!”

  Con answered a few heartbeats later. He opened the door with hard eyes and his mouth in a thin line. Then he shifted his body to the side and kept his gaze locked on Lucifer while he held the door open. “We have company,” he said in a dark tone.

  Lucifer’s world shifted and vision tunneled. No, no, no, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be—

  Eve came running through the door – shock and fear blazing in her eyes.

  It was like the world slowed alllllll the way down. His heart thump-thumped… thump…thumped. His brothers all turned in unison. Eve ran forward, her arms pumping to propel her momentum. Her wings flared out, and four red feathers, bright as freshly spilled blood, caught the firelight. Her richly colored hair went flying back as she ran with her mouth open in a scream.