Lucifer grimaces. “Greed.”
“Okay, so where is the place we need to feed the level?”
Lucifer points to the tallest tower at the end of the street, about six blocks away. “On the roof of the most ostentatious tower.”
I peek at Archan, remembering our initial meeting on the top of his tower. His lips twitch. “That doesn’t seem so bad,” I comment as we form a line on the empty road and begin making our way towards the building. Perhaps we will escape this realm with my clothes and dignity intact?
Lucifer glances down the dark side street as we pass. “Appearances can be deceiving,” he says. “It’s not the horror you see coming, it’s the hidden ones that stalk you in the dark that should worry you.”
My head swivels around, trying to see what the hell he’s talking about. The only weird thing happening is the empty streets, devoid of life and feeling. That, and the apocalyptic sky. I swallow the lump in my throat as we make it to the next block unscathed.
“This is Greed?” Duncan asks.
“Yeah, Lulu, slacking on the punishment here,” Zee mutters.
“Call me that again and I will show you exactly how I punish people,” Lucifer says.
“She gets away with it,” Zee grumbles, hooking a finger in my direction.
Lucifer glances at me. “She is special, she is allowed, anyone else who cares to shorten my name, I will tear their spine out through their anus.” My lips twitch.
“That’s graphic,” Zee says.
“That’s the King of Hell,” Zac adds.
Something catches my eye in the reflection of the nearest skyscraper. I twist my head in the opposite direction. “What is it?” Duncan asks.
“Here they come,” Lucifer utters under his breath.
My heart rate speeds up and I spin 360 degrees. “Here who comes?” A rumble of shadows moves down one alleyway. Heavy breathing, scuffling, and a stench of rotting fish and feces precede the tangle of bodies that spills out onto the street. I stare in disbelief at the sight.
“You can’t kill them,” Lucifer shouts as we run towards the building at the end of the street.
“Why the hell not?” I ask.
“They can’t be killed,” he shouts, just as one of them breaks free from the crowd. His jaw opens, displaying rotten teeth. Skin hangs off his neck, leaving open wounds, and wild eyes devoid of intelligence are sunk deep in his skull. The tattered remains of his suit hang off him and ruffle in the breeze. Another crowd erupts from the side street in front of us, boxing us in. We skid to a halt and form a circle.
“Answer the question, Lulu!”
“They are ceaseless, a never-ending beast. Cut off the head and several more will take its place.”
A shiver runs along my spine. “You promised.”
“What?” Lucifer says, cutting a glance at me.
“Zombies, you freaking promised. No zombies you said, not on Earth, not in Heaven, not in Hell.”
“Uh oh, Lulu’s in trouble,” Zac chuckles.
“These are the people of Greed, their never ending need to have more. The level prevents them from being killed because they want to die—the more they try to take, the more miserable they become; the less they have. Until the need drives them insane.”
“Fucking hell, I take it back,” Zee says, kicking out at a woman with straggly bleached hair. “This is the worst level yet.”
I sweep my leg out. The nearest squirming bodies collapse to the floor. “Zac? Zee?” I shout.
“What?” Zac hollers.
“On my count, create a ring of fire. If we can’t kill them, let’s contain them at least.”
