“Let’s go to sleep, little princess.”
I don’t even remember putting on the silk pajamas I wake up in. All I know is that I’ve never been safer in my life than when I’m cradled in the arms of Elvor.
* * *
Thank fuck demons don’t get hangovers. Some of the human bodies I borrowed couldnothang. I feel like a million bucks as I sit at the table, eating my potato omelet and hot chocolate.
“Feeling okay this morning?” Judd asks with a kiss to my head.
“Better than ever,” I reply, eating the spread that Toth ordered. I’ll give him credit, the man has taste.
“Are we ready for a debrief now?” Toth asks.
I’m trying this thing where I don’t push his buttons. We will see how long that lasts.
“Yes, sir,” I say, trying not to let the words drip with sarcasm.
“Zander said that there have been sightings of Michael. He likes a particular burlesque bar in town,” Toth informs.
“That doesn’t seem very pious,” I comment, and Toth huffs slightly.
“Most of the angels I know are far from the holy goodness they try to spread. They like to act like we’re the enemy when truly they should be looking in a mirror. The only difference between angels and demons is that demons don’t feel guilty over the fucked-up shit we do.”
I point my fork at him while nodding my head, agreeing with his point, and he looks shocked.
“What weapons do we have that can take out an archangel?” I ask.
Toth looks at each of us and sighs, holding up a simple blade. It looks old, but there’s nothing special about it. “It was forged in Heaven. It can take out any demon or angel.”
“Does it send them back to their realm?” I ask, confirming.
“No, the blade devours their soul.”
I whistle low and inspect the blade a little further. “What’s the plan, then?”
“They have a show tonight at eight. We go, low profile,” he says, giving me a look like I’m the reason we haven’t already completed the mission.
I gasp, clutching at my chest. “Me? Distracting the group? Never.”
“Right. So we go, check it out, see if anyone has seen anything, and then regroup,” he finishes explaining his plan.
“What if there are other angels there?” I ask.
“We eliminate the threat,” Toth states plainly.
“Finally, we get to have a little fun,” I reply with a smile. And for the moment, it seems like all of us have found the common ground we needed.
I still have nothing to go on as far as my mother’s whereabouts. Maybe I need to find another witch; maybe I should even ask Blair—no, definitely not.
I’m sure if this bar has angels, there are other supernaturals who might be able to shed some light. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I don’t have a name, a face, or anything to give people to find out who or where she is.
But I’m not deterred. If I want to solidify myself in Hell, whether on the main throne or the one beside it, I need to figure out what my other half is and make sure that Lucifer won’t despise me for it.
If I hold power over him, who’s to say this loving father facade won’t falter?
The only two people I can trust are Elvor and Judd. Everyone else is fair game.
I won’t deny that it feels like Hell is trying to tug me home. I want so badly for this paranoia to cease and let me free from its confinements.
