“Then why doesn’t God stop him from all the evil he does?”
“He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.”
“Another Bible quote?”
Luke nodded. “Job.”
“Awesome. Care to speak it in English?”
“God doesn’t mind the test. Without doubt, there can be no faith. Those who are worthy can’t be swayed or knocked off course for very long. They’ll find a way to ignore temptation and keep to the straight and narrow. Or repent for a momentary lapse in judgement. Like you and me, Lucifer is merely doing his job. God seeks and favors those who might falter, but who will stay the course, in spite of every miserable thing thrown at them.”
Suddenly, Sorcha realized how very little she actually knew about the devil. “I never thought of it that way.”
“Most people never think about it at all.” Luke stopped at a light. “Want to know something else?”
“Sure. Why not?”
He used the rearview mirror to glance at Helly in the backseat. “His name isn’t really Lucifer.”
Her jaw went slack. “What?”
“Lucifer means ‘light-bringer.’ That was never his name. Like Satan, it’s merely an epithet others use for him.”
Huh…that was fascinating. “Then what’s his name?”
Helly leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “We never tell anyone our real names. It gives them power over us.”
“Really?” she asked.
Luke nodded.
“Then your name isn’t Luke?”
“Hell no, it’s not. Nor is it Lucian.”
“Then what is it?”
“That’s a secret I’ll only give to the woman who holds something more than my body.”
Chapter
Four
“Well, that was unfortunate.”
Luke passed an annoyed stare at Remiel as the archangel appeared by his side in the Catholic cemetery he’d been called to about the student murder. In his human form, Remi was almost as tall as Luke. Shoulder-length, wavy blond hair that he’d pulled back into a ponytail, and eyes so blue that they appeared electric. His white, golden-tipped wings were currently hidden. Though it would be amusing to see them contrast with the angel’s jeans and black button-down shirt. “Not as unfortunate as my being seen with you in public,” Luke quipped.
“I still say our relationship had nothing to do with your banishment.”
Right… Luke completely disagreed. “My father hates you with every beat of his callous, black heart.”
“Samael doesn’t hate me. He’s merely angry that I didn’t join him in his rebellion and no one holds a grudge better than he. That being said, I’m sure he’s over it by now.”
Luke laughed. “That eternal hope in you is annoying, my friend.”
“We’re all creatures of habit and birth. Should I toss a bone for you?”
“Ha, ha.” Luke rolled his eyes at the reference to his being part hellhound. “Low blow.”
