Also, about his last words… I wasn’t going back to Hell—I’d promised myself that a long time ago—but why in the ever-loving fuck would he want to rule Hellwithme?
Chapter 13
Iwasinthelibrary, looking up some old text on the laws and layout of Hell when Lucifer popped in with his smooth and exuberant voice.
“Oh good. I kept trying to find one of you here and no one was to be found.”
I set the book down in my lap and folded my hands together, talking to Lucifer like the child he acts like. “Yes, well, we were not expecting any visitors. Con is meeting with a client, and D is scoping out some of the Casinos around California. Unfortunately, I’m on my lunch break, so I guess you will have to deal with me. What can I help you with, Lucifer?”
His eyes flashed red, his face pinched, before he marched up to my desk, wagging his finger at me. “Don’t you get sassy with me, Famine. I'm here to help you out, and this is what I get? I guess next time one of you ends up in Hell, I’ll just leave you there!”
I lifted my eyebrow at him, because we all knew that he would most definitely leave one or all of us there if it served his purpose.
His pinched lips relaxed as his eyes tilted to the side. “But as it stands, your brother was making a mess of everything down there, so I needed to bring him back here ASAP.”
And there it was, his selfish reason for doing what he did for his own gain. So typical.
A portal opened up next to him and War was effectively dumped before my desk. He popped up, body covered in gore and blood, smiling at me.
“Fame! How are you doing? Did you know that in Hell they have all these fighting rings set up for the Wrath demons? If you are good enough and prove your worth, you get to fight the Prince of Wrath himself!”
I was surrounded by idiots. “No, War, I did not know that.” My unimpressed tone didn’t faze him in the least as he smiled his bloody smile.
He nodded, knowing that I didn't care about things like brutality and violence. No, my thing was the slow burn. The sucking of life right out of you type thing; the type that made you weak and pliable, the thing that let you know death was inevitably coming, and to fear it.
He swiveled back over to Lucifer. “Hey! Why did you take me out of there? I was fucking winning! I was ten demons away from the prince!” He got up and stomped like a child not getting his way. Oh, War.
Lucifer's mouth dropped open. “That’s exactly why!” He was exasperated, like he had met his quota already today for crazy, fucked-up shit. “I don’t need some Other showing up all the Wrath demons and making morale go down. They're the good little soldiers they are for a reason, War!” Lucifer's hands were on his hips like he was scolding a child. And maybe, to him, he was.
War looked like he was about to argue with Lucifer, and Lucifer looked like he was going to let him, so I stepped in between them. If those two fought, it could last forever, and I would prefer them to fight outside of my study.
“Listen, you brought War back over to this side, so that issue is taken care of.” I looked over at War. “And you need to take a chill pill. Just because you are War and like to fight, doesn't mean that you need to waste away doing that. We have stuff to discuss since it's obvious that you failed and that means I’m next.”
War narrowed his eyes on me, knowing what I was doing, but also knowing that I was right. We needed to talk, and we couldn't do that if he was out battling every Wrath demon he came across. His shoulders finally slumped, and he nodded.
“Well, this is touching and all, but I have a whole realm to keep intact, so I’m going to skedaddle. Toot-a-loo, boys.” He did a little finger wave at us, then jumped into his portal closing before our eyes.
I turned back to War to get down to business. “So about Lillian Darkstar—”
He lifted his hand and shook his head.
“Nope. Not going to tell you about my little goddess.” His posture got rigid, and his voice was deeper, more primal and protective than anything.
I raised my eyebrow. “You already gave her a nickname, War?!” My hand ran through my hair as I looked at my crazy impulsive brother. “Fucking shit! We don’t have time for you to grow an attachment.”
I couldn't believe how irresponsible he was being. It wasn’t like our lives were our own and we got to determine how it went from here. Someday we are going to be called on to fulfill our duty, and once that purpose was fulfilled, there would be no reason for us to exist anymore. It's the one problem I seem to not be able to solve, and it was driving me nuts.
His face got this dopey lovesick look that made me want to puke.
“Too late. I already am, and we are in love.” He looked up at nothing as he smiled, then quickly winced. “Well, I’m in love with her… She may be a little pissed at me, but the bright side is that it’s our first fight. It can only go up from here.” He smiled excitedly. Covered in demon parts, he looked even more psycho. “They say all good couples fight. It's the making up part that counts.” He turned around and walked away, counting his fingers as he mumbled items he should buy for her.
Con came rushing through the front door, and when he saw War’s retreating form and the state he was in, there was something akin to relief in his eyes. It hadn't escaped my attention that Con was also in a weird state. He had been walking around, moping all day, and last night, I had seen him scribbling away at his desk in one hand, and clutching some red piece of fabric in the other. His room was covered in crumpled balls of paper that I assumed were the first drafts of something. I'd asked him once, and he’d just glared at me, mumbling about how I didn't understand, but that I would eventually, and then slammed his door in my face. What had this demoness done to my brothers?
Whatever it was, it stops now. It was my turn now, and I was going to ensure that the job got done and done right.
I was about to sit at my desk and figure out my whole strategy when I noticed red footprints leading away from my desk. Rage and disgust filled every crevice of my soul as I stared at the footprints, like they were personally insulting me, which in a way they were. I stomped out of the room and kicked in War’s bedroom door. He was sitting on his bed naked, eyes gazing at the wall with a love sick look, when my entrance snapped him out of it.
“Wha—”
