We started the long walk back to my and Lucian's home. It was still hard to think of him as Lucifer. Constance had known Lucian all her life, having grown up not far from him. They'd played together as children and fallen in love as teenagers. A truly idyllic life.
Lilith wanted to cling to that life instead of possibly giving Lucifer his memories and him returning to the man he'd turned into.
"Gabe, the baby isn't the only reason I'm hesitant." We'd touched on it before, but it didn't hurt to drive home how much he'd changed. "Lucifer used to be loving and attentive. A true partner with running Hell, and a wonderful husband."
"When did he change?" He reached out and took my hand. I considered pulling away —what if someone Connie knew drove by? But I didn't. It felt too nice having my Gabe back with me and not trying to kill Luc.
"A couple of hundred years ago. Life on Earth has always had its share of evil. We've never had a shortage of souls to punish and reform, there's never been a lag in demons created by humans' evil deeds."
Gabriel nodded. "Humans are flawed, that's part of their beauty."
"I agree. But as technology advanced, so did treachery. More demons than ever appear in Hell. More souls are sent from the Pearly Gates to the Obsidian Gates. As the numbers grew, so did Lucifer's darker traits."
"He's always been a bit of a jerk, even as an Arch." Gabriel watched me as we walked, and I appreciated that he matched my speed. I was a slowpoke. And sore. My hips wanted my recliner.
"Yes, but not to me. Lately, he's snapped at me. Taken his stress out on me by being condescending. And you know me. I'm no shrinking violet."
"You're different this life cycle, though. I'm not sure it's not the pregnancy though," he mused.
"Yeah, I've noticed a change in my attitude since being pregnant. I feel more vulnerable but also softer. It's neat to experience the changes firsthand that I've seen women go through for so many centuries."
I had yearned for children, though my husband had no idea. My curse, my punishment for my part of the Fall was to never have children. I'd tried, Gods knew I'd tried. I'd manipulated demons with my blood, thinking maybe if I couldn't birth a child, I could create one.
That had made me the mother of all demons. Ugh. Rumors were hard to control.
We walked into the house to find Michael coming down the stairs. He sighed. "It's not good."
"Come in here." I made a beeline for my recliner and sank gratefully into its squishy embrace. "Tell me."
Michael plopped on the couch, Gabe right behind him. "Well, he's got a damn powerful spell on him."
I sat up, alarmed. "What?"
"I don't know if we'll be able to kill him at all."
Gabriel gave us both an alarmed look as the late afternoon sunlight streamed through the window behind him. "What are you talking about?"
Michael could sense magic and spells. It was part of his healing powers. "There is some sort of longevity spell on him. That's why he hasn't died of natural causes yet. If we don't interfere, he'll live over a hundred years, easily. " Angels always had short lives on Earth. Always. "And he's blocked somehow. I can't sense his magic and there's a gaping hole in his aura. Someone messed with his personality."
"Well, at least that explains the fact that he's been only the good parts of himself," I said. "But who would do something like this?"
Gabriel shook his head. "I don't know. I'm going to find out, though."
"I'm going to go see what I can do about the gates," Michael said. "Oh, and before I forget, the baby is human, she's completely healthy and as perfect as she can be."
He had no clue what a bombshell he'd dropped in my lap as he stood and bent over to kiss me goodbye. "I'll stop back in when I know something more."
I nodded, freaking out inside that we were having a girl, and disappointed beyond words that she was human. If she'd been magical, we could've taken her to Hell with us.
We could visit Earth as angels, for days at a time. But we couldn't stay. There would be no other option but to find her an adoptive human family.
To do anything else would be selfish to the sweet girl. She couldn't very well grow up with parents that were only around every few days.
Gabe kissed me after Michael disappeared and said something about finding a way to kill Lucifer, but I didn't absorb his words as joy and sorrow raced through me.
I was going to give birth to a baby girl, then I'd have to give her up.
Chapter 10
