“Oh!” the other men cringed. A guard approached him, contempt flashing in his eyes.
“You saw that, right?” Cam asked. “I tried to warn him. You know I’m trying not to fight no more.”
“Yeah, I saw,” he said, bending down to revive the prisoner.
“Yo, Lee!” another guard called from the entrance. Cam looked over to meet his gaze. “Visitor.”
He followed the guard to the visiting area and was happy to see Gabriel sitting on the other side of the glass, phone already in hand. He sat down and picked up the receiver, smiling from ear to ear. “Every week, like clockwork.”
“How are you?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“I’m all right. How’s Barachiel doin’?”
“Still fucked up.”
“To be expected, I guess.”
She nodded.
“What’s with you? You look pensive.”
“A couple of things. First, Lucifer royally fucked us and now we’re gonna have a full-blown war to deal with. I swear to Christ, this motherfucker never listens.”
He laughed. “Did you expect him to?”
“No, but it would be super awesome if he surprised me just once by doing what I goddamn tell him to.”
“He’s a loose cannon, but when the chips are down, you know you can count on him to have your back.”
“I’m worried it won’t be enough.” She pushed her hair behind her ear and let her hand fall, hitting the table with a thud. “I can’t get to Spade, Uriel’s taking her sweet ass time getting her shit together, Barachiel’s useless right now, Lucifer’s a giant pain in my ass, as usual. This whole thing could go sideways. I could really use your help.”
He gestured to his surroundings. “I’m a little tied up.”
“It would take nothing to break you out of here.”
“We’ve had this conversation a million times.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Remember last time?” he reminded her. “When Lilith was a problem, you begged me to let you get me out of here, and what did I say then?”
She glared daggers at him.
“I said you didn’t need me and I was right.”
“You never should have confessed.”
“I confessed because I’m guilty.”
They stared at each other for a few moments before he spoke again.
“So, what’s the other thing you’re upset about?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Come on, G. Tell me what’s going on.”
She let out an annoyed breath. “There’s a girl.”
“Oh, juicy. Give me the details.”
She whispered, “She’s a Tituban witch.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“I know. She tossed Lucifer around like a rag doll. Broke his arm with a word. The best thing, though, is I can’t hear her thoughts. Her mind is spelled. I can’t see in. I can breathe around her.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“She kind of saw me a little bit dead. I had to tell her who I was. She freaked out a smidge.”
“She’ll get over it.”
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.
“She’s a witch. If she was normal, maybe you’d have to worry. But someone like her, from that bloodline…if anyone can handle it, it’s probably her.”
“I hope you’re right.” Just then, Gabriel’s phone buzzed. Her eyes lit up. “It’s her.”
“Go.” He waved her away. “Get outta here.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too, sis. Go get your girl.”
Chapter 20
Wyatt opened his eyes, the early morning light seeping in through the space between the blackout curtains. He kissed the top of Allydia’s head as he carefully moved out from under her to close the drapes, not wanting the sun’s rays to hurt her. He knelt next to the bed, studying her sleeping face. He brushed a few stray hairs away from her eyes as he took her in, grateful for her existence in his life. She, more than his siblings, had pulled him back from the brink. He realized as he watched her how much he needed her and how hard it would be to leave her now.
He stood and got dressed before checking the plane ticket on his phone. He sat on the bed and rubbed Allydia’s back until she woke. “Hey,” he said quietly as she sat up. “I have to go, but I didn’t want to leave without--”
“Where?” she asked.
“Back to the house in Southport. I need to pack it up and get it on the market.”
“You don’t have to do that now. You’re grieving.”
“I need to get it over with. Putting it off won’t make it any easier and thinking about all of his things sitting in an empty house is--”
“Very well,” she said, touching his cheek. “I will come with you.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I need to do this alone.”
“Are you certain?”
He nodded. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Promise me,” she demanded, the worry on her face breaking his heart. “Promise you will return to me.”
He took her hand and kissed it. “I promise. I’m not good, but I’m done hurting myself.”
“I’m worried that you’ll abandon me again,” she confessed.
“I won’t,” he swore, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You’re what I’m living for, what’s keeping me going. You’re my survival.”
She took his face in her hands and kissed him, the sharpness of his stubble a welcome discomfort. “I’ll be here when you get back.” He nodded and kissed her cheek before leaving the room, then the apartment. She sat there in the dimness, the sheet pulled up around her, debating whether or not to follow him. She decided against it, not wanting him to feel suffocated by her constant presence. Still, she was concerned, so she picked up her cell and called his sister.
“Hey, Dia,” Gabriel answered, sounding half asleep. “Is he okay?”
“Yes, but he’s leaving for Southport. He feels it necessary to pack his son’s belongings now. He wants to be alone, but,”
“On it,” Gabriel huffed, ending the call.
Allydia set the phone back on the nightstand and let out a sigh of derision. “That was abrupt.”
“Hey,” Wendy said, the sound of Gabriel’s voice waking her. “What time is it?”
“Early,” she whined, throwing her arm around her and closing her eyes. “Go back to sleep.”
“Can’t. The smell of your chamomile shampoo is getting me hot.”
Gabriel laughed. “I’m glad you called.”
“Me, too. So, who’s calling at,” She checked her phone for the time. “Five-thirty in the morning?”
“My brother’s girlfriend. He’s been in a bad place lately, so she’s worried about him. I’ll check on him later. He probably needs a little space.”
“Lucifer has a girlfriend?”
“Sort of, but I meant my other brother.”
“Other? How many of you are there?”
“Millions.”
“On Earth?”
“Oh, five.”
“I have to admit, I’m still not sure how I feel about this whole thing. Angels, demons, vampires…it’s a lot.”
“I know. When my sister’s husband found out, he freaked. It didn’t help that a demon attacked him and he had to watch her kill it with a knife she set on fire, but--”
“Um, what?”
“Never mind. Listen, I like you, a lot, but I don’t want to push, so if you need some time--”
“I like you, too. It’s weird, for sure. If you asked me a week ago if I believed in angels, let alone would have one for a girlfriend, I would have called you crazy, but--”
“Girlfriend?”
“Oh,” Wendy said. “Now I’m being the pushy one. Sorry, forget I said anything.”
“What if I don’t want to forget?”
“Really? You want to jump into something this soon?”
“I mean, I’ll give it a shot.”<
br />
“Awesome.” She kissed her softly, breathing her in like oxygen.
“Okay,” Gabriel gleaned, sitting up and throwing back the covers. “If I’m up, I should probably--”
“Where do you think you’re going?” Wendy, asked, replacing the covers and pulling on Gabriel’s arm. “I wasn’t kidding about that shampoo. Get your sexy ass back here.”
Chapter 21
“What do you mean, ninety percent?!” the man roared.
“I apologize, sir,” Spade said. “We were ambushed. I can’t explain it. The one calling himself Lilith’s brother…I shot him point-blank in the chest and he didn’t flinch.”
“I told you these creatures would be difficult to kill. How many men do you have left?”
“Not quite ten thousand, sir.”
“That won’t be enough. You know what you have to do.”
“Sir, I can recruit more--”
“There’s no time! You have three days. Do the spell.”
“Sir, with all due respect--”
“Did I stutter?!” the man barked.
“No, sir. I’ll do it today.”
“Now. Our entire way of life is at stake.”
“Yes, si--” The call ended, cutting him off and leaving him feeling defeated and annoyed. He stood among the rubble of what used to be the mess hall, cadaver dogs still finding bodies. “You!” he called to the first person he saw, a young contractor who had been the only person in his building to survive the blast.
“Yes, sir,” he said, adjusting the sling on his arm as he approached.
“I need a tattoo artist. Make that a hundred. Hell, call every tattoo shop in the state. Get ‘em down here now. Tell ‘em I’ll pay triple. Every soldier left is getting ink.”
He paced around the hotel room, his disappointment in Spade clawing at his peace of mind like a jackal. Perhaps he should have chosen another to lead the siege on the Gate. Lilith had been so sure he would be up to the task, but she had been wrong before. He should have known not to trust her judgment. It was too late now, though. They had three days at most to destroy it and while Lilith had wanted it gone to rule over humanity, his reasons were more personal.
“Can you please pipe down?” he snapped. “I can’t think straight with all of your blubberings.”
The young man sniffled, the duct tape over his mouth muffling his cries. He quieted himself as he attempted to break free from his restraints. The chains dug into his wrists as he struggled, pulling ever so slightly away from the radiator and back again. It was useless. The man had him.
“I’m sorry,” he said, kneeling in front of him and stroking his cheek. “I shouldn’t have raised my voice. Do you forgive me?”
The young man nodded, confusion and fear filling his bloodshot eyes.
“Aaron is your name, isn’t it?”
He nodded again.
“You’ll have to excuse my curious nature. I couldn’t help but check your identification. Your wallet’s lovely. Quality craftsmanship. I just love the feeling of real leather, don’t you?”
Aaron didn’t respond, staring blankly into his captor’s inquisitive face.
“I must be going soon. Have you considered my offer?”
Again, he simply stared.
“Will you not answer me, then?” he roared, tearing away the tape from Aaron’s lips. He winced and squeezed his eyes shut. “Answer me!”
“I…I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you’ll join me,” the man all but begged. “We can travel the world, dine in the finest restaurants, visit museums, and take in the theater. We can sleep in palaces and watch the sunrise from the Eiffel Tower. You’ll want for nothing. All you have to do is stay with me.”
Tears again fell to Aaron’s cheeks as he shook his head. “You’re crazy.”
The man’s eyes darkened. He grasped the younger man’s face in his hand, unable to stifle the desperation building in his chest. He stood and stormed across the room, flying into a rage. He tore the linens from the bed and threw the pillows. He lifted the television from its spot and smashed it on the floor. “I tried so hard with you! I gave you everything!” He pulled his instrument from it’s lined steel case and marched back. “Why won’t you love me?!” He plunged the point deep into Aaron’s chest, his eyes bulging as he watched the blood pour from the young man’s mouth. The gurgling of his last breath soothed him. He pulled the iron from his body as he calmed himself. He used the comforter to wipe it clean and replaced it in its rightful spot, closing the case and taking a deep breath. “Why don’t they ever love me?”
Spade stared at the security feed, watching as the last few soldiers got their marks. He fiddled with the mortar and pestle he’d used to create the special ink for the tattoos; a mixture of graveyard dirt, silver shavings and his own blood. He felt a twinge of guilt as he sat in his office, knowing that the men and women that served him would never be the same. It had to be done, though. His benefactor had grown impatient and if he had any hope of paying for his daughter’s treatments, his mission had to succeed. Luckily for him, unlike Lilith, the man had no desire to conquer Iraq or the surrounding countries. He just wanted some ruins blown to shit. But, after seeing what the people that protected it were capable of, he couldn’t afford to take risks. He had to use Lilith’s spell, but before he could trust it in battle, he’d have to test it in the field.
Chapter 22
“Where is she?” Valerie quizzed Lucifer as she entered Gabriel’s apartment, sword in hand.
“Nice to see you, too,” he said. “She’s run off after our bereaved brother who’s decided now would be an appropriate time to rifle through his dead child’s belongings. A bit soon, I think, but I’m no expert on grief, never having felt it myself.”
“When she gets back, tell her I’m out,” she stated, placing the sword on the island. “I got a glimpse of the horrific shit I did back in the day and I want no part of whatever it is you two got goin’ on. I’m done.”
“Horrific? Don’t be so melodramatic, Uriel.”
“My name is ‘Valerie’. Uriel is a sociopath with a habit of slaughtering folks.”
“Come now, sister,” he guffawed, rolling his eyes. “The people you killed in the past all had it coming, I can assure you.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not a murderer. I won’t--” Just then, a thud came on the door. As Lucifer began to walk toward it, the door crashed down into the apartment. A man wearing a sling stepped inside. His face was still and emotionless, his eyes appearing dead.
“And who might you be?” Lucifer asked. The man didn’t speak. Instead, he rushed toward them, using his good arm to knock Lucifer back before turning his attention to Valerie. As he came for her, she acted on pure instinct, grasping the hilt of her sword, swinging it back and cleanly lopping off the head of the intruder.
“I’m a fuckin’ monster,” She dropped her blade, hands trembling as the weapon hit the floor and the man’s body fell.
“You’re not,” Lucifer told her, kneeling and looking inside the decapitated head’s mouth. “You’re an agent of the Almighty, doing what He set you upon the Earth to do. This, on the other hand,” He pulled down the bottom lip and showed her the word printed on the inside. “This is a monster.”
Chapter 23
You were right, Lucifer thought to Gabriel. One of Spade’s creatures attacked. Uriel handled it nicely. I’m confident she’ll be ready when the time comes to go to battle.
For real, I need you to stop questioning me, she warned as she walked up the steps to the porch. I do actually know what I’m doing.
Fine, fine. Have you convinced Barachiel to join our efforts, or is he still too wretched to be of use?
Working on it. She stood at the door for a while, listening to Wyatt inside. He’d packed up most of the house and was sitting on the couch, holding one of Will’s tee shirts and weeping. She noticed the pile of boxes on the porch and the open moving van in the drive. To kill some time while she
gave her brother a moment, she began loading boxes. Halfway to the truck, she set the first box on the sidewalk. “Seems inefficient.” She looked around at the empty street and vacant fields surrounding the property. When she was sure no one was there to see, she waved her hand at one box after another, loading them onto the truck telekinetically.
“What are you doing here?” Wyatt asked from the doorway.
“Helping you move? That’s what family’s for, right?”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” he told her. “Anymore.”
She walked towards him to get a better sense of what he was feeling. He wasn’t lying. The suicidal thoughts were gone and while he was still crushed, he was relatively functional. “Yeah, well, maybe I needed to say ‘goodbye’, too.”
He nodded and stepped aside, letting her walk into the house. She glanced around the living room, nostalgia sweeping through her. The air was different here. Still. She’d only been there a dozen or so times, but it was strangely comforting, somehow feeling like home. Or, maybe it was her brother’s presence. His mental state had settled a bit and she was no longer brought to tears just by being near him. She could feel the tears coming, though, her own grief threatening to bubble to the surface any minute.
“Remember when he made me give him a horsey ride right there?” she reminisced, pointing to the floor near the entrance to the kitchen. “Twenty minutes. My back hurts just thinking about it.”
Wyatt laughed.
“The first time he told me he loved me, he must have been around three, he grabbed my face and kissed my cheek and said, ‘I love you, Aunt Gabriel’.” She wiped a tear away as she spoke. “It was the first time someone had ever said that to me where I didn’t feel like they felt obligated to. I’m not an emotional person, usually, but goddamn it, I loved that kid.”
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