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  “That’s great for you,” she said, not really believing him. “I hope that’s true.”

  “It is,” he assured her. “Listen, I’ll be in the city for a little while, not exactly sure how long. Family stuff. But, when I get some time, I thought maybe--”

  “Wyatt,” she cut him off. “There’s someone else.”

  His stomach dropped. “What?” he choked out. “What are you--”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice beginning to quiver. “I’m so sorry, but--”

  “No,” he begged, tears streaming down his face. He began to pace around the apartment, his body starting to tremble. “Baby, I’m better, I promise. You don’t have to do this. Please.”

  “It’s done,” she made clear, her voice shaking. “Please don’t call again.”

  The line went dead as did any hopes Wyatt had for a reconciliation. He could forgive his wife for being afraid of him. It was completely understandable. He had been a train wreck the last couple of months before she left. He could forgive her for wanting to lock him up in an institution. He could forgive her for leaving, given the circumstances, but he could not forgive her for sleeping with someone else. Even if she came back to him right then, he’d never be able to get passed it. That was it. His marriage was really over.

  He dropped the phone and fell to his knees. The pain growing in his chest was intense. He was gasping for air and he felt like he might throw up. The combination of rage and devastation was overwhelming as he gripped his chest and tried to control his breathing. Overcome with grief, he let out a booming scream and as he did, he lost all control. The room suddenly lit up with a dozen lightning bolts erupting from every socket. Appliances exploded in sparks, light bulbs blew out and curtains burst into flames. He saw the fire through his tears and, for a second, wondered if he should let it burn. Let the smoke that was filling the room fill his lungs and put him out of his misery. His life was over now, anyway. After a few moments, he decided against it, knowing that he had a responsibility to literally help save the world, not to mention the fact that there were other people living in the building.

  He tore the burning curtain from the wall and stomped out the flames. He coughed as he opened the doors to the balcony and threw the charred fabric onto the patio table.

  “Girl trouble?” Allydia assumed.

  Wyatt was taken aback. “Where’d you come from?”

  “Near the Red Sea, originally,” she offered.

  “How long have you been out here?”

  “Just a minute. I heard a ruckus.”

  “What do you mean, ‘a minute’? That doesn’t--”

  “Can I come in?” she requested. “It’s getting kind of chilly.”

  He noticed her gathering the oversized hood of her long coat around her face. She did, in fact, look cold.

  “Sure,” he accommodated.

  “Thank you, Wyatt,” she purred, slinking closely past him into the apartment. She looked around at the mess and back at Wyatt, who had come inside and sat down on the sofa. She watched attentively as he wiped away some stray tears from his cheeks and smoothed his hair back from his face.

  “Gabriel’s not here,” he told her.

  “Oh, I know,” she admitted. “What I need, she can’t help me with.”

  “What do you want, Allydia?” he sighed.

  “Say my name again,” she said, sitting next to him.

  “Are you hitting on me right now?” he asked.

  She slid closer. “You can’t be surprised,” she presumed. “You’re spectacular. You have mirrors, right?”

  “I’m flattered,” he said. “But, my wife just told me she has a new boyfriend, so I’m not exactly in--”

  “Well, you know what they say,” she cooed, swinging her leg over him and climbing swiftly onto his lap. “When one door closes.”

  “Allydia,”

  “Mm,” she breathed. “Yes, darling?”

  As he tried to resist her advances, the pain he had been feeling so strongly was now slowly giving way to something else. All thoughts of Annie, Lucifer and Lilith vanished. Even the room around him seemed to fade. All he could see was her.

  She took her coat off and threw it to the floor.

  “Do you want me to go?” she asked quietly, leaning in, getting her lips as close to his as she could without touching. She gently stroked his face and looked into his eyes. He couldn’t think. The world had disappeared. She was all there was.

  “Wyatt, do you want me to go?” she asked more firmly. He didn’t. That was the last thing he wanted. In that moment, all he wanted in the world was her.

  He stared into her eyes and shook his head, allowing his hands to wander up her thighs as she straddled him. She smiled as she ran her mulberry painted fingernails over the stubble on his cheek. She delicately brushed her lips to his and dragged her fingers through his hair. As he pulled her skirt up, he could feel she wore nothing underneath and began kissing her more deeply. With little effort, she quickly unzipped and removed his jeans along with his boxer briefs and set herself upon him again, this time placing him inside her. He tore open her blouse, sending buttons flying in all directions and exposing her full breasts, which he began kissing. His lips moved up her neck as he squeezed her backside. She writhed on top of him, her body quaking with pleasure. She grabbed the back of his head, gripping his lush dark hair and pressing his mouth harder against the side of her throat. They went on this way for a long time, both of them never having felt bliss like this before. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her even closer and grunting with ecstasy as he came inside her. She gasped, her own climax exploding with sheer rapture. She could no longer hold back. Her eyes dilated completely and her fangs began to grow. Before she could stop herself, she clamped down on his neck, piercing his carotid, and allowed the sweet warmth of his blood to fill her mouth. She swallowed hungrily, unable to restrain herself.

  The pain of the bite cleared Wyatt’s head, as if he were coming down from a high.

  “Stop,” he said, trying and failing to push her off. “Allydia, stop!”

  She didn’t.

  “Allydia!” he pleaded, his hands beginning to feel cold.

  Again, she ignored him, grasping the other side of his neck.

  The cold feeling was spreading to his arms and legs. He felt weak and a little numb.

  “Allydia, get off!” he shouted, lightning spewing from his hands, throwing her across the room and into the wall. She fell to the ground and stood, smiling fiendishly as she looked up at him before wiping her bottom lip.

  “I’m sorry,” she claimed. “I couldn’t help myself.”

  “What are you?!” he asked, pulling his pants up and putting his hand to his throat.

  “I’ve been called a lot of things. ‘Alukah’, ‘Estrie’, ‘Succubus’.”

  “You should go,” he insisted.

  “If that’s what you want,” she complied. She retrieved her coat, backed out of the apartment and gave him a wink before closing the door behind her.

  Wyatt finished getting his pants zipped and buttoned while looking around at the damage he’d caused. All of the appliances were destroyed. The television was hanging from the wall by it’s cords, which were fried. The can lights were all blown and there were scorch marks everywhere. He would do his best to clean up the mess, but he knew Gabriel was going to be pissed.

  He went to the bathroom to check out his neck. What looked like an animal bite slowly healed itself as he looked in the mirror in awe. He washed the blood from his skin and took off his blood soaked shirt, looking, flabbergasted, at his reflection.

  “What is my life?”

  Chapter 7

  “So, how come he always takes up in a blond dude?” Valerie asked as she and Gabriel stood over the John Doe. The man looked fragile and weak, utterly helpless. But, Gabriel knew better. Once she undid whatever magic Lilith had done and Lucifer was awake and in control of the body he was in, he’d barely be manageable. She was bankin
g on the fact that he hated Lilith more than he loved mischief, but she knew she’d have to keep a close eye because he wasn’t exactly rational.

  “He had a thing for Vikings back in the day,” Gabriel explained.

  “Did he like playing pirate or was he just down for killing lots of people?”

  “Neither. He was up looking for an escapee and some Nordic villagers gave him beer and taught him how to play Nine Men’s Morris.”

  “Booze and board games?” Valerie chuckled.

  “I have cases of beer and a closet full of games and you know I didn’t buy that shit for myself.”

  “I hope it keeps him occupied because I for damn sure don’t want to find out what kind of trouble he’ll get into if he’s bored.”

  “No, you do not, ma’am,” Gabriel agreed. “You should probably back up.”

  Valerie quickly shuffled away to stand next to Tae who was guarding the door to the room.

  “You didn’t give him an x-ray?” Gabriel accused.

  “I did a CT scan of his brain, which is procedure,” Tae rebuffed. “Are you a doctor now? You want to tell me how to do my job?”

  Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Course not,” she told him. She held her hand up and suddenly, something burst out of John Doe’s chest and flew into her waiting palm.

  “Holy shit!” Valerie cried.

  “What the fuck is that?” Tae stammered.

  Gabriel looked at the blood covered object in her hand.

  “Amulet,” she told them. “Old Aramaic binding spell. It’s what’s been keeping Lucifer trapped. Pull the plug.”

  “Oh, Lord, please do not let me regret this,” Tae said.

  “You know he can’t hear you, right?” Gabriel bated.

  “Bitch, can you just?” Tae yelled as he pulled the feeding tube from the man’s throat. He flipped the switches on the machines, shutting everything down, and waited for the monitor to flatline. Once it did, he edged his way back to the door. “It’s done.”

  “Get ready, kids,” Gabriel said, tossing the amulet to the floor. “Shit’s about to get real.”

  She stomped on the faience bobble, crushing it to dust, and waited. The three stood with bated breath for several seconds.

  “Is that it?” Tae whispered. Valerie shrugged. All at once, the man leapt up in his bed, eyes open wide, gasping for air, the wound on his chest healing itself closed.

  Gabriel rushed to his side. “It’s all right,” she said. “You’re okay.”

  “Sister,” he said, amazed. “How long has it been?”

  “I have no idea,” she laughed.

  “Well, you look,” he paused, looking her up and down. “Nearly human.”

  “Nearly,” she agreed.

  “Where is she?” Lucifer demanded. “Where is that jealous, miserable witch?”

  “We don’t know yet. Close, though, it looks like.”

  “What happened?” Valerie asked shakily.

  “Uriel,” he said. “It’s good to see you. How did I become trapped in this wretched, albeit handsome, animalistic form? I was hunting a demon who’d escaped during, lets say, an altercation. I knew Father would be closing the Gates soon, so it was a nice excuse to pay one last visit to His Creation before being banned. I indulged in a drink and then, just as I almost had the creature in my grasp, there she was, hardly able to control her laughter as she did her vile magic, securing me in this body and cursing me to a never ending slumber. Like a ridiculous fairy tale.”

  “You don’t know how she got out,” Gabriel stated, clearly disappointed.

  “No,” Lucifer admitted angrily.

  “Lucifer,” Tae said quietly.

  “In the flesh, apparently. Nice to see you, too, brother.”

  “Why are you British?”

  “I’m not British,” Lucifer corrected, slightly annoyed. “I’m simply speaking the language of those around me, only properly. Now, be a lamb and get big brother some water. I’m quite parched.”

  Tae nodded and quickly left the room, relieved to get a break from the madness within. He got a cup from the nurses station and poured some water into it.

  “Hello, doctor,” said the nurse behind the counter happily.

  “Hi, Nurse Bowen. How are you today?”

  “Oh, just fine,” she responded. “Packing up my youngest for college. Time flies, doesn’t it? Do you have children, Dr. Iha?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Don’t,” the nurse warned him. “They’re terrible. You’ll spend all of your money on the best private schools only to find out they threw away their acceptance letter to Yale and decided to go to the University of Albany to follow their dumb ass boyfriend who’s majoring in Art History. What kind of job does a degree in Art History get you, doctor?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “No one does.”

  Just then, the phone rang. The two waved goodbye to each other as the nurse picked it up and Tae scurried off back to the room.

  “Thank you, Raphael,” Lucifer said as Tae handed him the water.

  “No problem,” Tae said with a hint of sarcasm. “Now, you all have to get out of here before someone notices you. I’ll do the paperwork to make sure everything looks like it was done on the up and up because you know I’m not about to lose my job over this bullshit, but you’ve got to go.”

  Gabriel placed a duffel bag on the bed and closed the curtain around it so Lucifer could get dressed.

  “You sure about this?” Valerie asked.

  “Yeah,” Gabriel confirmed.

  “I’d be careful if I were you,” Tae told her. “He is the motherfucking Devil.”

  “You know this drape isn’t enchanted,” Lucifer said from behind the curtain. “I can actually still hear you.”

  Gabriel giggled, the other two shooting her glances of derision.

  “What?” she said through her laughter. “He’s funny.”

  “What the actual fuck?” Gabriel griped as she walked through the door of her apartment, Valerie and Lucifer filing in behind her.

  “I’m sorry,” Wyatt told her.

  “If this is what happens when he uses his powers, why aren’t you having him practice somewhere else?” Valerie wondered. “Like an abandoned building or deserted island or some shit.”

  Gabriel looked at Wyatt, becoming aware of everything that had happened while she was gone.

  “He just had a bad day,” she decided. “It’s fine.”

  “Barachiel,” Lucifer said with a smile, walking toward him with his hand outstretched. “You’re a fine mess. Human life not as worthy of saving when you’re down in the muck, is it?”

  “Probably not this one,” Wyatt conceded, shaking his hand. “Lucifer, then?”

  “Who else?” he quipped. “Well, you’re not afraid of me at all. I’m impressed. Gabriel isn’t, either, but she knows that she’s my favorite sibling. Uriel, on the other hand, can barely keep her bladder in check. Seems she’s caught a glimpse of some of my more rambunctious endeavors in a vision or two.” He glanced back at Valerie. “Don’t worry, love. I’m no danger to you. Scout’s honor.”

  “So, I’m gonna go,” Valerie announced. “If I have a vision, I’ll call.”

  “Okay, but don’t waste time with a phone.” Gabriel told her, pointing at her temple.

  “I got you.” Valerie called back. She was already out the door.

  Gabriel reached for her phone as it rang in her pocket and answered. “Hey,” she said. “How reliable is this guy? Okay, keep me updated.” She put the phone back in her pocket before addressing her brothers. “That was Allydia. She said one of her guys has tracked a few of the demons to an abandoned theater on Canal Street. She’s sending a few guys tonight to check it out.”

  “Allydia Cain?” Lucifer asked. “How is she? Did you send her my love?”

  Gabriel rolled her eyes. “All right,” she said, ignoring his questions. “I’m gonna go get lunch because I know you’re both starving. Lucy, I need you to stay here
with B until I get back. Lilith knows what you look like, so if we’re gonna maintain our element of surprise, you have to keep a low profile, cool?”

  “Of course,” he told her. He then stood very close to her and leaned in, speaking almost in a whisper. “But let us be clear, I take orders from no one. I will happily do as you ask as long as I see the benefit, but I will not be controlled. And, my name is Lucifer. I understand it’s your way of maintaining a certain distance, not using the names people choose to call themselves. Fear of intimacy and such. But, if you call me ‘Lucy’ one more time, I might be obliged to rip your throat out with my bare hands.”

  Wyatt grabbed him by the arm to pull him away, but Gabriel had the situation well handled. She made a squeezing motion in the air with her left hand that sent Lucifer to his knees. He clutched his chest, blood beginning to dribble from his mouth as he gurgled, trying and failing to breathe.

  “I don’t like threats,” she said. “We’re all here, serving our purpose, playing our parts in God’s production. We’re on the same side, yeah?”

  Lucifer nodded.

  “And we’re gonna have a nice, pleasant relationship while we’re here, right?”

  Again, he nodded.

  “Awesome,” she said chipperly, kneeling down to look him in the eyes. “I realize that I tend to take things over and I come off as a little overbearing, but I’ve been working on this plan since the fucking Fall, and if your ego gets in the way, I will figure out a way to deal with Lilith without you, do you understand what I’m saying?”

  He nodded once more, his face turning a strange shade of purple.

  “Great,” she said, standing and relaxing her hand.

  Lucifer coughed and took deep, labored breaths as he struggled to stand himself.

  “Since it’s so important to you, I’ll call you ‘Lucifer’ from now on, okay?” Gabriel promised.

  “It would be much appreciated,” he told her, clearing his throat.

  “Now, I’m going to get lunch and call some people to handle this mess. You boys play nice.”