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Lucifer’s lips curl back into a snarl. “It is. It’s usually easier to use whatever name the mortals are using for me currently. Less confusion that way.”

Michael nods. “I can understand that. I can’t imagine using Hercules or Sigi now. The looks I would get, but that’s not why I’m here. I was hoping you would come once you knew youhad daughters. It’s very hard for an angel to get an audience with you.”

“There’s a reason for that.” Lucifer’s face has evened out. His snarl is a thing of the past as he cocks an eyebrow. “There should be none of you earth-side, and all communication to Olympus is shut down. You have my attention now.”

“It took a very long time for me to find a way out of Olympus and even longer to make it back that first time. I wasn’t able to bring anyone with me, which made it harder to make plans, but you fathering these two fixed that problem for me. The angels are no longer trapped in Olympus. We can all now travel freely.”

Lucifer’s eyes narrow for a moment. “And what do my daughters have to do with that?”

Michael smirks. “The local witches here in Leyton have been very helpful, and they created a spell to unlock anything. It just required two great sacrifices. It turns out that the first two ever known three-quarter gods were perfect sacrifices. The lock on the gate shattered with Wren’s mortal death. We’ve spent the last six months setting everything in motion.”

When Michael doesn’t continue, Lucifer leans forward. “Clearly, you want to tell me what you have planned, so stop beating around the bush. I’m a busy man, Michael.”

“I’m getting there. I’m sure you’re curious about the gods. Don’t worry, they’re still safely sleeping. Even the strongest of gods can’t overcome Hypnos’s sleeping powers in large enough doses.”

I frown at the same time as Lucifer—I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever be able to think of him as my dad. It’s still weird as fuck.

Hypnos is one of the gods of the underworld and is still awake. Did he help the angels put the other gods to sleep? Why would he do that? What does he stand to gain from whatever plan the angels are set to enact?

“Don’t worry, Lucifer. Your dear friend, Hypnos, had absolutely nothing to do with it.” Michael laughs, and the sound sends shivers down my spine—and not in a good way. It’s sinister and more than a little unnerving. “But he’s a deep sleeper and never noticed the angels sneaking into his home and stealing away his powers a little at a time. It was harder for us tocondense it into a powder form that we could use on the gods without them knowing. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. We just didn’t expect them to lock us in Olympus with them. It delayed our plans but didn’t stop them.”

“And what are those plans?” I ask, voice flat. “I get that you’re having your villain monologue or whatever, but if there’s a point to this, then you should get to it.”

Michael’s head turns slowly toward me as he licks his lips. “I really do prefer you like this, Audrey. All emotionless and unfeeling. You would’ve been perfect at my side like this—until I had to sacrifice you, anyway.”

Growls fill the air as my mates begin to stand, probably planning to beat the shit out of the angel. I can’t blame them for wanting to do that, but that means we’ll have to wait even longer to find out what the hell he’s up to.

With a flick of my wrist, shadows surround each of them and wind around them. They bind them to their seats—or the wall, in Nex’s case, but I’m still not acknowledging his existence.

Having shadows do my bidding is a new development. I wasn’t sure what would happen when I flicked my wrist, but I knew I could keep them where I wanted them with my powers.

How did I know that? I have no fucking clue.

“What the fuck, pretty girl?” Donovan’s eyes flash with his hellhound as they meet mine.

“I want to know what Michael has to say, and that’s never going to happen if you go after him,” is the only explanation I offer before returning my attention to the asshole angel.

Michael chuckles, his smirk only growing. “The things we could’ve done, baby. Oh, well.”

Disgust rises in my chest, there and gone in a moment, as I stare back at him blankly. Let him say whatever the hell he wants. It’s not like it’ll affect me now.

“I’m here to make a deal with you, Lucifer.” Michael finally tears his attention away from me. “Without the gods to interfere, we’re going to destroy the mortals—humans and supernaturals alike. Once they’re gone, we’ll wake up the gods—eventually. I’m thinking about making this the angels’ own little playground for a while. Maybe we’ll even keep a few alive to play with. We’ll see.”

“And what does that have to do with me?”

Michael glares at Lucifer, clearly not appreciating the fact that the god cut him off. “We’re not stupid, Lucifer—no matter how many gods have deigned to think of us as such. There are still six gods awake, and they all dwell in yourdomain. The plan was always to put as many of you to sleep as we could, but because we started with the other gods, we lost our chance. If you choose to go against us, it’ll make our lives harder. If you and the other gods are willing to stay out of our war on the mortals, then we’ll leave the underworld as it is.”

“And if we’re not willing to stay out of it?”

“Then be prepared to be wiped out. We’ll slaughter those you send to the battlefield. Then, we’ll take the war to the underworld. We’ll destroy the demons and every single soul resting there. Honestly, it’s what most of the angels want. They want to wipe out all existence of the mortals, but I’ve convinced them it’s in our best interest to allow the souls to remain—but only if the six of you remain out of our war.”

Lucifer leans back in his seat, rubbing his chin as he considers Michael.

There’s no way he’s actually considering this, is there?

What Michael is talking about is genocide.

I might not be able to feel much right now—at least not for long—but I don’t think I’ll have a problem ripping apart my new father if he’s willing to let the mortals die.