Chapter 14
So,thiswas the infamous Underworld General Hospital.
It looked exactly as Gabriel had imagined, with Sheoulic words and symbols painted in blood on the flat-gray walls, gutters carved into the obsidian floors that ran with what he thought was blood, and chains and hooks hanging from the ceilings.
The only thing that surprised him was that it was clean. Chaotic, but clean.
Gabriel was aware of all the eyes on him as Raika ushered him—dragged him, really—out of a Harrowgate, past a registration and waiting area, and into an empty, curtained room.
Eidolon, the Seminus demon who, along with his four siblings, ran the hospital, strode inside just as Raika shoved Gabriel onto some sort of examination table.
“They called in the big guns for me, I guess,” Gabriel said, because of course they had.
Even without his wings, he was a legend, an ageless warrior with the knowledge of the universe and the Creator’s supremacy woven into his DNA. His presence would make waves and strike fear into the hearts of demons.
“I was actually just heading home,” Eidolon said, tossing his white physician coat over the back of one of the chairs, “but I got stuck treating you because no one else wanted to.”
Well, that burst his self-important bubble. “No one?”
“Angels give most demons the creeps.”
Yeah, well, right now, angels gave Gabriel the creeps too.
“I’m not…” He cleared his throat. It wasn’t easy to say the words. Even after all that time in Lilith’s chamber of horrors, it was only now finally sinking in. “I’m not an angel anymore.”
Eidolon snorted. “You still reek of all that sanctimonious goodness.”
“Takes a while for the holier-than-thou stench to fade after losing your wings,” Raika said.
He shot her a look. She’d propped her hip against the counter, its polished metal top catching glints of the row of jeweled cuffs around the shell of her ear.
“Interesting take on it,” he said, “given that your parents are angels. Which makes you an angel. I’d think you’d be a little less hostile toward your own kind.”
“I was born in the underworld. Tainted, according toyourkind.” An aura of darkness bloomed around her, undulating and twisting like a living thing. A few seconds later, it faded away, leaving a lingering sense of malevolence in the air. “My parents run the netherworld, and my father is the Grim Reaper. They’re hardly angels.” She raised her chin, her amber eyes glinting with arrogance. “And neither am I.”
Her argument was valid, much as he hated to admit it. But they weren’t fallen angels, either.
“They occupy a gray area,” he conceded. “You all do. But I don’t.” Anger flared at the memory of being betrayed by his Celestial brethren. Of being called a traitor, whentheywere the ones who had led a coup to wrest control from the Archangels. “My wings were torn from my body, and I was cast out.Me.AnArchangel. The last time an Archangel was booted—”
“It was Raphael.” Raika shoved away from the counter. “And it wasn’t that long ago.” She started toward the door, her black-as-night hair billowing around her shoulders as if blown by a ghost breeze. “Compared to what happened to him, you have it pretty good. So, stop whining.”
“Raphael deserved it. I didn’t.”
“He said,whining.” Raika swept out of the room like a queen discarding her lowly subjects.
What an infuriating female. She truly was the female version of Azagoth.
“I’m going to channel some healing energy into you,” Eidolon said,now that she was gone. “There’s a chance your angelic genetics and my demonic power won’t play nice, but Unfallens usually respond well.”
“What happens when theydon’trespond well?”
Eidolon reached for him, the markings on his right arm glowing. “It’s not important.”
Gabriel begged to differ, but the demon didn’t give him a chance to protest. Eidolon gripped his shoulder, and instantly, a hot, oily sensation spread through him. Nausea flipped his stomach, and bile flooded his mouth. He’d never thought he’d ever let a demon channel its evil into him. Sure, he’d cozied up to many demons over the millennia, but that had been part of his job. Heaven had to win the battle between good and evil, no matter the cost. And if the price meant working with demons from time to time, then so be it.
But this was different. This was a demon injecting power into him. Could be helping. Could be doing the opposite. Seminus demons could make a heart start…or stop. They could stanch bleeding in the brain, or they could explode brain matter.
The only thing that comforted Gabriel was knowing that Eidolon was reportedly not a complete scumbag. In fact, he and his siblings were credited with helping to save the world once. Maybe twice.
